Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly was -8.23 Percentage change in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Saudi Arabia, 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 Saudi Arabia stood at -8.23 Percentage change.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 125.4% on the previous year and up 35.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Saudi Arabia peaked at 59.45 Percentage change in 1997 and was at its lowest, -43.25 Percentage change, in 2021.
Saudi Arabia ranks 156th of 193 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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Percentage change | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | -30.81 Percentage change | — |
| 1982 | 36.07 Percentage change | -217.1% |
| 1983 | 11.51 Percentage change | -68.1% |
| 1984 | -13.64 Percentage change | -218.5% |
| 1985 | 12.24 Percentage change | -189.7% |
| 1986 | 17.64 Percentage change | +44.1% |
| 1987 | -14.57 Percentage change | -182.6% |
| 1988 | -5.63 Percentage change | -61.4% |
| 1989 | -7.74 Percentage change | +37.5% |
| 1990 | -26.82 Percentage change | +246.8% |
| 1991 | -10 Percentage change | -62.7% |
| 1992 | 30.23 Percentage change | -402.4% |
| 1993 | 32.35 Percentage change | +7.0% |
| 1994 | -19.75 Percentage change | -161.0% |
| 1995 | 34.09 Percentage change | -272.6% |
| 1996 | 43.95 Percentage change | +28.9% |
| 1997 | 59.45 Percentage change | +35.3% |
| 1998 | 15.96 Percentage change | -73.2% |
| 1999 | -15.88 Percentage change | -199.5% |
| 2000 | -14.08 Percentage change | -11.4% |
| 2001 | -26.91 Percentage change | +91.2% |
| 2002 | -0.5819 Percentage change | -97.8% |
| 2003 | -11.31 Percentage change | +1844.1% |
| 2004 | 8.08 Percentage change | -171.4% |
| 2005 | -1.16 Percentage change | -114.4% |
| 2006 | 4.28 Percentage change | -468.6% |
| 2007 | -27.7 Percentage change | -747.9% |
| 2008 | -19.27 Percentage change | -30.5% |
| 2009 | -18.34 Percentage change | -4.8% |
| 2010 | -41.64 Percentage change | +127.1% |
| 2011 | -16.53 Percentage change | -60.3% |
| 2012 | -35.55 Percentage change | +115.0% |
| 2013 | -0.2759 Percentage change | -99.2% |
| 2014 | -12.85 Percentage change | +4555.8% |
| 2015 | -13.22 Percentage change | +2.9% |
| 2016 | -4.61 Percentage change | -65.1% |
| 2017 | -28.38 Percentage change | +515.4% |
| 2018 | 18.55 Percentage change | -165.4% |
| 2019 | 4.28 Percentage change | -76.9% |
| 2020 | -18.49 Percentage change | -531.9% |
| 2021 | -43.25 Percentage change | +133.9% |
| 2022 | -22.35 Percentage change | -48.3% |
| 2023 | 32.42 Percentage change | -245.1% |
| 2024 | -8.23 Percentage change | -125.4% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's -8.23 Percentage change is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.775 Percentage change. (65 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's -8.23 Percentage change is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is -8.61 Percentage change, 96% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Saudi Arabia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | -4555.8% | -0.2759 Percentage change | -12.85 Percentage change |
| 2003 | -1844.1% | -0.5819 Percentage change | -11.31 Percentage change |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.5624 Percentage change | -30.81 Percentage change | 36.07 Percentage change | 9 |
| 1990s | 14.36 Percentage change | -26.82 Percentage change | 59.45 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2000s | -10.7 Percentage change | -27.7 Percentage change | 8.08 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2010s | -13.02 Percentage change | -41.64 Percentage change | 18.55 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2020s | -11.98 Percentage change | -43.25 Percentage change | 32.42 Percentage change | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More environment data for Saudi Arabia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -52.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -27.86 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.424 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.58 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.53 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 9.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Saudi Arabia?
- Exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Saudi Arabia was -8.23 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 59.45 Percentage change in 1997.
- What is the lowest exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was -43.25 Percentage change in 2021.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 156th out of 193 countries with data for 2024.
- Is exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 35.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.
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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