Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Central America
Central America: Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly was -1.47 Percentage change in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Central America, 1950–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage change.
Analysis
The most recent figure for historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Central America is -1.47 Percentage change, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 52.2% on the previous year and down 130.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Central America peaked at 7.3 Percentage change in 1981 and was at its lowest, -7.35 Percentage change, in 1962.
That places Central America 18th out of 72 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Central America, year by year
| Year | Percentage change | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | -4.07 Percentage change | — |
| 1951 | -3.22 Percentage change | -20.9% |
| 1952 | -3.89 Percentage change | +21.0% |
| 1953 | -5.55 Percentage change | +42.6% |
| 1954 | -1.12 Percentage change | -79.8% |
| 1955 | -3.51 Percentage change | +213.1% |
| 1956 | -3.47 Percentage change | -0.9% |
| 1957 | -4.93 Percentage change | +41.9% |
| 1958 | 4.29 Percentage change | -187.1% |
| 1959 | 4.16 Percentage change | -3.1% |
| 1960 | -5.57 Percentage change | -233.8% |
| 1961 | -5.53 Percentage change | -0.6% |
| 1962 | -7.35 Percentage change | +32.8% |
| 1963 | -3 Percentage change | -59.2% |
| 1964 | -3.18 Percentage change | +5.9% |
| 1965 | -5.11 Percentage change | +60.8% |
| 1966 | -2.5 Percentage change | -51.1% |
| 1967 | -3.42 Percentage change | +37.1% |
| 1968 | -1.16 Percentage change | -66.0% |
| 1969 | -0.1971 Percentage change | -83.1% |
| 1970 | -1.2 Percentage change | +507.7% |
| 1971 | -3.54 Percentage change | +195.6% |
| 1972 | -0.4788 Percentage change | -86.5% |
| 1973 | 3.73 Percentage change | -879.9% |
| 1974 | -0.575 Percentage change | -115.4% |
| 1975 | -2.1 Percentage change | +265.5% |
| 1976 | 1.43 Percentage change | -168.3% |
| 1977 | -0.93 Percentage change | -164.8% |
| 1978 | 5.14 Percentage change | -652.9% |
| 1979 | -2.2 Percentage change | -142.7% |
| 1980 | 1.09 Percentage change | -149.4% |
| 1981 | 7.3 Percentage change | +571.6% |
| 1982 | -0.2766 Percentage change | -103.8% |
| 1983 | 2.3 Percentage change | -931.8% |
| 1984 | 5.2 Percentage change | +126.0% |
| 1985 | 3.98 Percentage change | -23.4% |
| 1986 | 2.07 Percentage change | -48.0% |
| 1987 | 0.076 Percentage change | -96.3% |
| 1988 | 0.048 Percentage change | -36.8% |
| 1989 | -3.16 Percentage change | -6671.9% |
| 1990 | 2.74 Percentage change | -186.7% |
| 1991 | -0.5834 Percentage change | -121.3% |
| 1992 | 6.5 Percentage change | -1214.4% |
| 1993 | 2.16 Percentage change | -66.8% |
| 1994 | -4.57 Percentage change | -311.6% |
| 1995 | -0.4462 Percentage change | -90.2% |
| 1996 | 1.01 Percentage change | -325.8% |
| 1997 | -1.18 Percentage change | -217.6% |
| 1998 | -2.83 Percentage change | +138.7% |
| 1999 | -4.45 Percentage change | +57.3% |
| 2000 | -5.39 Percentage change | +21.2% |
| 2001 | -1.97 Percentage change | -63.5% |
| 2002 | -3.99 Percentage change | +102.7% |
| 2003 | -1.43 Percentage change | -64.3% |
| 2004 | 0.2742 Percentage change | -119.2% |
| 2005 | -5.51 Percentage change | -2110.6% |
| 2006 | 0.4309 Percentage change | -107.8% |
| 2007 | 2.74 Percentage change | +536.4% |
| 2008 | -0.889 Percentage change | -132.4% |
| 2009 | -1.93 Percentage change | +116.6% |
| 2010 | 1.77 Percentage change | -191.9% |
| 2011 | -5.96 Percentage change | -437.1% |
| 2012 | -2.6 Percentage change | -56.4% |
| 2013 | 0.3355 Percentage change | -112.9% |
| 2014 | 3.4 Percentage change | +913.4% |
| 2015 | 4.8 Percentage change | +41.1% |
| 2016 | -1.31 Percentage change | -127.3% |
| 2017 | -1.46 Percentage change | +11.8% |
| 2018 | 1.73 Percentage change | -218.2% |
| 2019 | -6.05 Percentage change | -450.6% |
| 2020 | -2.2 Percentage change | -63.6% |
| 2021 | -2.4 Percentage change | +9.0% |
| 2022 | -1.45 Percentage change | -39.5% |
| 2023 | -7.29 Percentage change | +402.6% |
| 2024 | -3.08 Percentage change | -57.8% |
| 2025 | -1.47 Percentage change | -52.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Central America 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | -6671.9% | 0.048 Percentage change | -3.16 Percentage change |
| 2005 | -2110.6% | 0.2742 Percentage change | -5.51 Percentage change |
| 1992 | +1214.4% | -0.5834 Percentage change | 6.5 Percentage change |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | -2.13 Percentage change | -5.55 Percentage change | 4.29 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1960s | -3.7 Percentage change | -7.35 Percentage change | -0.1971 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.0709 Percentage change | -3.54 Percentage change | 5.14 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.86 Percentage change | -3.16 Percentage change | 7.3 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.1652 Percentage change | -4.57 Percentage change | 6.5 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.77 Percentage change | -5.51 Percentage change | 2.74 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.5358 Percentage change | -6.05 Percentage change | 4.8 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2020s | -2.98 Percentage change | -7.29 Percentage change | -1.45 Percentage change | 6 |
Countries ranked near Central America
- 15 Greece 3.43 Percentage change compare
- 16 Zimbabwe 3.29 Percentage change compare
- 17 Croatia -1.36 Percentage change compare
- 17 Peru 3.13 Percentage change compare
- 18 North Macedonia 3.08 Percentage change compare
- 19 French Guiana 3.05 Percentage change compare
- 20 Isle of Man 2.92 Percentage change compare
- 21 North Korea 2.89 Percentage change compare
More environment data for Central America
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.47 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.211 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.58 °C (2025)
- Industrial roundwood — Import value 24,240 1000 USD (2024)
- Value Added (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing) — Value US$, 2015 61,301 million USD (2024)
- Value Added (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing) — Value US$ 95,489 million USD (2024)
- Sawlogs and veneer logs — Production 14.37 million m3 (2024)
- Sawlogs and veneer logs, non-coniferous — Production 4.46 million m3 (2024)
- Sawlogs and veneer logs, coniferous — Production 9.91 million m3 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Central America?
- Historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Central America was -1.47 Percentage change in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly recorded in Central America?
- The highest recorded value was 7.3 Percentage change in 1981.
- What is the lowest historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly recorded in Central America?
- The lowest recorded value was -7.35 Percentage change in 1962.
- How does Central America rank for historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly?
- Central America ranks 18th out of 72 groups with data for 2025.
- Is historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly rising or falling in Central America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 130.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Central America data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Historical exposure to drought — Cropland 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 (0 to 7 cm) 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 1981-2024 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 based on the ERA5-Land reanalysis dataset. Contact: ENV.Stat@oecd.org