Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Europe
Europe: Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly was -3.33 Percentage change in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Europe, 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 Europe is -3.33 Percentage change, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 26.8% on the previous year and up 13.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Europe peaked at 4.95 Percentage change in 1980 and was at its lowest, -6.13 Percentage change, in 1951.
Europe ranks 31st of 72 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 Europe, year by year
| Year | Percentage change | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | -5.93 Percentage change | — |
| 1951 | -6.13 Percentage change | +3.3% |
| 1952 | -3.57 Percentage change | -41.7% |
| 1953 | -5.73 Percentage change | +60.5% |
| 1954 | -4.11 Percentage change | -28.4% |
| 1955 | -2.97 Percentage change | -27.6% |
| 1956 | -0.3305 Percentage change | -88.9% |
| 1957 | -3 Percentage change | +806.2% |
| 1958 | -0.4206 Percentage change | -86.0% |
| 1959 | -3.43 Percentage change | +716.3% |
| 1960 | 1.61 Percentage change | -146.9% |
| 1961 | -1.48 Percentage change | -192.1% |
| 1962 | -0.6662 Percentage change | -55.1% |
| 1963 | -0.7368 Percentage change | +10.6% |
| 1964 | -1.12 Percentage change | +51.5% |
| 1965 | 2.2 Percentage change | -296.9% |
| 1966 | 1.39 Percentage change | -36.9% |
| 1967 | -1.27 Percentage change | -191.6% |
| 1968 | 0.8427 Percentage change | -166.3% |
| 1969 | 1.33 Percentage change | +57.5% |
| 1970 | 2.2 Percentage change | +66.2% |
| 1971 | 2.92 Percentage change | +32.6% |
| 1972 | 3.81 Percentage change | +30.4% |
| 1973 | 1.78 Percentage change | -53.3% |
| 1974 | 1.79 Percentage change | +0.4% |
| 1975 | -3.1 Percentage change | -273.3% |
| 1976 | 0.2664 Percentage change | -108.6% |
| 1977 | 2.19 Percentage change | +721.6% |
| 1978 | 3.92 Percentage change | +79.3% |
| 1979 | 1.38 Percentage change | -64.9% |
| 1980 | 4.95 Percentage change | +259.4% |
| 1981 | 0.638 Percentage change | -87.1% |
| 1982 | 0.8025 Percentage change | +25.8% |
| 1983 | 0.0481 Percentage change | -94.0% |
| 1984 | 2.22 Percentage change | +4516.5% |
| 1985 | 2.31 Percentage change | +3.9% |
| 1986 | -0.3849 Percentage change | -116.7% |
| 1987 | 2.24 Percentage change | -681.6% |
| 1988 | 1.17 Percentage change | -47.9% |
| 1989 | -0.3778 Percentage change | -132.4% |
| 1990 | 1.29 Percentage change | -440.9% |
| 1991 | 0.1498 Percentage change | -88.4% |
| 1992 | -1.59 Percentage change | -1160.5% |
| 1993 | 1.16 Percentage change | -173.2% |
| 1994 | -0.9825 Percentage change | -184.5% |
| 1995 | -0.0912 Percentage change | -90.7% |
| 1996 | 1.03 Percentage change | -1225.7% |
| 1997 | 1.5 Percentage change | +45.8% |
| 1998 | 0.9073 Percentage change | -39.3% |
| 1999 | -0.6254 Percentage change | -168.9% |
| 2000 | -0.2057 Percentage change | -67.1% |
| 2001 | 0.6867 Percentage change | -433.8% |
| 2002 | -0.9911 Percentage change | -244.3% |
| 2003 | -1.12 Percentage change | +13.2% |
| 2004 | 1.13 Percentage change | -201.2% |
| 2005 | -2.52 Percentage change | -321.9% |
| 2006 | -0.0407 Percentage change | -98.4% |
| 2007 | -2.94 Percentage change | +7136.0% |
| 2008 | -1.63 Percentage change | -44.7% |
| 2009 | -3.61 Percentage change | +121.9% |
| 2010 | -0.164 Percentage change | -95.5% |
| 2011 | -5.78 Percentage change | +3423.8% |
| 2012 | -4.54 Percentage change | -21.4% |
| 2013 | 0.6825 Percentage change | -115.0% |
| 2014 | -2.36 Percentage change | -446.3% |
| 2015 | -3.85 Percentage change | +63.1% |
| 2016 | -1.75 Percentage change | -54.6% |
| 2017 | -3.02 Percentage change | +72.5% |
| 2018 | -4.68 Percentage change | +55.2% |
| 2019 | -5.74 Percentage change | +22.7% |
| 2020 | -4.18 Percentage change | -27.2% |
| 2021 | -2 Percentage change | -52.1% |
| 2022 | -4.2 Percentage change | +110.0% |
| 2023 | -2.56 Percentage change | -39.0% |
| 2024 | -4.55 Percentage change | +77.4% |
| 2025 | -3.33 Percentage change | -26.8% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Europe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | -7136.0% | -0.0407 Percentage change | -2.94 Percentage change |
| 1984 | +4516.5% | 0.0481 Percentage change | 2.22 Percentage change |
| 2011 | -3423.8% | -0.164 Percentage change | -5.78 Percentage change |
| 1996 | +1225.7% | -0.0912 Percentage change | 1.03 Percentage change |
| 1992 | -1160.5% | 0.1498 Percentage change | -1.59 Percentage change |
| 1957 | -806.2% | -0.3305 Percentage change | -3 Percentage change |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | -3.56 Percentage change | -6.13 Percentage change | -0.3305 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.2093 Percentage change | -1.48 Percentage change | 2.2 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.72 Percentage change | -3.1 Percentage change | 3.92 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.36 Percentage change | -0.3849 Percentage change | 4.95 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2743 Percentage change | -1.59 Percentage change | 1.5 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.12 Percentage change | -3.61 Percentage change | 1.13 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2010s | -3.12 Percentage change | -5.78 Percentage change | 0.6825 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2020s | -3.47 Percentage change | -4.55 Percentage change | -2 Percentage change | 6 |
Countries ranked near Europe
- 28 New Zealand 1.69 Percentage change compare
- 29 Niger 1.65 Percentage change compare
- 30 Thailand 1.54 Percentage change compare
- 31 Vanuatu 1.46 Percentage change compare
- 32 Indonesia 1.41 Percentage change compare
- 33 Cambodia 1.06 Percentage change compare
- 34 Myanmar 0.9805 Percentage change compare
More environment data for Europe
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.75 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.435 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.71 °C (2025)
- Total fibre furnish — Production 101.18 million t (2024)
- Recovered paper — Production 57.94 million t (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Production 94.14 million t (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard — Production 73.33 million t (2024)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Use per area of cropland 49.53 kg/ha (2024)
- Pesticides (total) — Export value 16.44 million 1000 USD (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Europe?
- Historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Europe was -3.33 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 Europe?
- The highest recorded value was 4.95 Percentage change in 1980.
- What is the lowest historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly recorded in Europe?
- The lowest recorded value was -6.13 Percentage change in 1951.
- How does Europe rank for historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly?
- Europe ranks 31st out of 72 groups with data for 2025.
- Is historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly rising or falling in Europe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Europe 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