Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Lesotho
Lesotho: Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly was -18.9 Percentage change in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Lesotho, 1981–2024
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage change.
Analysis
In 2024, exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Lesotho stood at -18.9 Percentage change.
The figure is down 1,909.7% on the previous year and down 27.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Lesotho peaked at 18.81 Percentage change in 1988 and was at its lowest, -25.99 Percentage change, in 2019.
Lesotho ranks 65th of 67 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | Percentage change | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | -4.37 Percentage change | — |
| 1982 | -4.64 Percentage change | +6.1% |
| 1983 | -6.51 Percentage change | +40.4% |
| 1984 | -5.11 Percentage change | -21.5% |
| 1985 | -11.48 Percentage change | +124.9% |
| 1986 | 7.12 Percentage change | -162.0% |
| 1987 | 12.19 Percentage change | +71.1% |
| 1988 | 18.81 Percentage change | +54.4% |
| 1989 | 15.13 Percentage change | -19.6% |
| 1990 | 5.31 Percentage change | -64.9% |
| 1991 | -1.99 Percentage change | -137.5% |
| 1992 | -22.46 Percentage change | +1028.8% |
| 1993 | -6.67 Percentage change | -70.3% |
| 1994 | -4.1 Percentage change | -38.6% |
| 1995 | -6.08 Percentage change | +48.4% |
| 1996 | 11.2 Percentage change | -284.1% |
| 1997 | 10.66 Percentage change | -4.8% |
| 1998 | -0.5877 Percentage change | -105.5% |
| 1999 | -7.58 Percentage change | +1189.1% |
| 2000 | 10.7 Percentage change | -241.2% |
| 2001 | 9.63 Percentage change | -10.0% |
| 2002 | 8.73 Percentage change | -9.3% |
| 2003 | -7.95 Percentage change | -191.1% |
| 2004 | -1.24 Percentage change | -84.4% |
| 2005 | -1.8 Percentage change | +45.1% |
| 2006 | 12.04 Percentage change | -769.5% |
| 2007 | -8.14 Percentage change | -167.6% |
| 2008 | -5.5 Percentage change | -32.4% |
| 2009 | -5.08 Percentage change | -7.8% |
| 2010 | -10.23 Percentage change | +101.6% |
| 2011 | 4.95 Percentage change | -148.4% |
| 2012 | -4.15 Percentage change | -183.9% |
| 2013 | -16.67 Percentage change | +301.3% |
| 2014 | -14.84 Percentage change | -10.9% |
| 2015 | -16.5 Percentage change | +11.2% |
| 2016 | -10.5 Percentage change | -36.4% |
| 2017 | -14.61 Percentage change | +39.2% |
| 2018 | -10.44 Percentage change | -28.5% |
| 2019 | -25.99 Percentage change | +148.8% |
| 2020 | -8.33 Percentage change | -68.0% |
| 2021 | -1.51 Percentage change | -81.8% |
| 2022 | 8.38 Percentage change | -654.1% |
| 2023 | 1.04 Percentage change | -87.5% |
| 2024 | -18.9 Percentage change | -1909.7% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Lesotho changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | -1909.7% | 1.04 Percentage change | -18.9 Percentage change |
| 1999 | -1189.1% | -0.5877 Percentage change | -7.58 Percentage change |
| 1992 | -1028.8% | -1.99 Percentage change | -22.46 Percentage change |
| 2006 | +769.5% | -1.8 Percentage change | 12.04 Percentage change |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.35 Percentage change | -11.48 Percentage change | 18.81 Percentage change | 9 |
| 1990s | -2.23 Percentage change | -22.46 Percentage change | 11.2 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.14 Percentage change | -8.14 Percentage change | 12.04 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2010s | -11.9 Percentage change | -25.99 Percentage change | 4.95 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2020s | -3.86 Percentage change | -18.9 Percentage change | 8.38 Percentage change | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 62 Italy 0.775 Percentage change compare
- 63 Switzerland 0.7024 Percentage change compare
- 64 Greenland 0.6762 Percentage change compare
- 65 Vanuatu 0.6756 Percentage change compare
- 66 Malaysia 0.5975 Percentage change compare
- 67 Japan 0.5479 Percentage change compare
- 67 Timor-Leste 3.82 Percentage change compare
- 68 Guadeloupe 0.5374 Percentage change compare
More environment data for Lesotho
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 7.08 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 7.72 Percentage change (2025)
- Exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -26.87 Percentage change (2024)
- Land use hidden — Land area 30,360 Square kilometres (2023)
- Land use hidden — Total area 30,360 Square kilometres (2023)
- Land use hidden — Cropland 3,607 Square kilometres (2023)
- Land use hidden — Permanent meadows and pastures 20,000 Square kilometres (2023)
- Land use hidden — Cropland, annual growth rate 30.99 % change on previous year (2023)
- Land use hidden — Land area, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2023)
- Land use hidden — Other areas, annual growth rate -11.75 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Lesotho?
- Exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Lesotho was -18.9 Percentage change in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 18.81 Percentage change in 1988.
- What is the lowest exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was -25.99 Percentage change in 2019.
- How does Lesotho rank for exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly?
- Lesotho ranks 65th out of 67 countries with data for 2024.
- Is exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The dataset provides annual anomalies in land and cropland soil moisture content of the top soil layer compared to the reference period 1981-2010. Exposure indicators to drought have been prepared by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Please see the working paper for a more complete description of the methods. The datasets span the period 1981-2022 and is the result of the use of a variety of geospatial data sources, including the ERA5-Land averaged monthly data of volumetric soil moisture and ESA CCI land cover data. Average anomalies have been calculated for both land and cropland exposure to drought. The dataset has a global coverage on a national level; on the sub-national TL2 level (i.e. large subnational regions) results are reported for all OECD countries as well as for Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and South Africa. A number of aggregates are included: Euro area, European Union, Advanced economies, Emerging market economies, G7, G20, OECD, OECD Europe, OECD Asia Oceania, OECD Americas and the LAC region. Data source(s): Copernicus Climate Change Initiative land cover data and Copernicus Climate Data Store monthly soil moisture data (ERA5). Contact: ENV.Stat@oecd.org Database documentation