Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Ghana
Ghana: Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly was -11.89 Percentage change in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Ghana, 1950–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage change.
Analysis
In 2025, historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Ghana stood at -11.89 Percentage change. That is the lowest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of down 16.2% on the previous year and down 185.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Ghana peaked at 11.82 Percentage change in 1968 and was at its lowest, -11.89 Percentage change, in 2025.
Ghana ranks 140th of 168 countries on this measure, in the bottom 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 Ghana, year by year
| Year | Percentage change | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.37 Percentage change | — |
| 1951 | 3.68 Percentage change | +168.4% |
| 1952 | -0.5978 Percentage change | -116.2% |
| 1953 | -4.82 Percentage change | +705.6% |
| 1954 | 0.2823 Percentage change | -105.9% |
| 1955 | -0.5542 Percentage change | -296.3% |
| 1956 | -4.74 Percentage change | +754.4% |
| 1957 | 8.91 Percentage change | -288.1% |
| 1958 | -7.39 Percentage change | -183.0% |
| 1959 | -4.26 Percentage change | -42.4% |
| 1960 | -1.46 Percentage change | -65.8% |
| 1961 | -7.9 Percentage change | +442.7% |
| 1962 | -2.23 Percentage change | -71.7% |
| 1963 | 0.9601 Percentage change | -143.0% |
| 1964 | -5.89 Percentage change | -713.8% |
| 1965 | 3.48 Percentage change | -159.0% |
| 1966 | -0.9184 Percentage change | -126.4% |
| 1967 | 2.16 Percentage change | -335.1% |
| 1968 | 11.82 Percentage change | +447.3% |
| 1969 | 4.21 Percentage change | -64.4% |
| 1970 | 3.37 Percentage change | -19.9% |
| 1971 | 8.71 Percentage change | +158.5% |
| 1972 | 4.86 Percentage change | -44.2% |
| 1973 | 4.1 Percentage change | -15.6% |
| 1974 | 4.93 Percentage change | +20.1% |
| 1975 | -0.4873 Percentage change | -109.9% |
| 1976 | 6.81 Percentage change | -1496.6% |
| 1977 | 0.3912 Percentage change | -94.3% |
| 1978 | 3.01 Percentage change | +670.4% |
| 1979 | 7.42 Percentage change | +146.3% |
| 1980 | 5.35 Percentage change | -28.0% |
| 1981 | 0.0988 Percentage change | -98.2% |
| 1982 | 4.81 Percentage change | +4769.3% |
| 1983 | -6.32 Percentage change | -231.4% |
| 1984 | 3.93 Percentage change | -162.1% |
| 1985 | 8.58 Percentage change | +118.4% |
| 1986 | 1.97 Percentage change | -77.0% |
| 1987 | -0.5907 Percentage change | -130.0% |
| 1988 | 6.33 Percentage change | -1172.1% |
| 1989 | 0.2164 Percentage change | -96.6% |
| 1990 | 1.62 Percentage change | +649.0% |
| 1991 | 7.36 Percentage change | +354.3% |
| 1992 | -4.74 Percentage change | -164.4% |
| 1993 | 1.39 Percentage change | -129.4% |
| 1994 | 3.57 Percentage change | +156.1% |
| 1995 | -1.24 Percentage change | -134.8% |
| 1996 | 0.114 Percentage change | -109.2% |
| 1997 | 3.54 Percentage change | +3008.8% |
| 1998 | -3.38 Percentage change | -195.4% |
| 1999 | 8.59 Percentage change | -354.2% |
| 2000 | -3.33 Percentage change | -138.7% |
| 2001 | -5.76 Percentage change | +73.0% |
| 2002 | -6.69 Percentage change | +16.3% |
| 2003 | -1.86 Percentage change | -72.2% |
| 2004 | -1.52 Percentage change | -18.3% |
| 2005 | -1.3 Percentage change | -14.2% |
| 2006 | -4.23 Percentage change | +224.1% |
| 2007 | -4.96 Percentage change | +17.4% |
| 2008 | -2.88 Percentage change | -41.8% |
| 2009 | -0.9707 Percentage change | -66.4% |
| 2010 | -2.36 Percentage change | +143.5% |
| 2011 | -2 Percentage change | -15.3% |
| 2012 | 0.1484 Percentage change | -107.4% |
| 2013 | -3.54 Percentage change | -2483.1% |
| 2014 | 1.76 Percentage change | -149.7% |
| 2015 | -4.17 Percentage change | -337.0% |
| 2016 | -1.9 Percentage change | -54.4% |
| 2017 | -3.06 Percentage change | +61.1% |
| 2018 | 2.4 Percentage change | -178.5% |
| 2019 | 1.7 Percentage change | -29.1% |
| 2020 | -8.16 Percentage change | -579.7% |
| 2021 | -6.62 Percentage change | -18.9% |
| 2022 | -5.65 Percentage change | -14.7% |
| 2023 | -2.74 Percentage change | -51.5% |
| 2024 | -10.23 Percentage change | +273.4% |
| 2025 | -11.89 Percentage change | +16.2% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's -11.89 Percentage change is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is -4.58 Percentage change, 2.6× the median. (40 countries reporting)
- Ghana's -11.89 Percentage change is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -5.06 Percentage change, 2.3× the median. (38 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Ghana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +4769.3% | 0.0988 Percentage change | 4.81 Percentage change |
| 1997 | +3008.8% | 0.114 Percentage change | 3.54 Percentage change |
| 2013 | -2483.1% | 0.1484 Percentage change | -3.54 Percentage change |
| 1976 | +1496.6% | -0.4873 Percentage change | 6.81 Percentage change |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | -0.8111 Percentage change | -7.39 Percentage change | 8.91 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.4226 Percentage change | -7.9 Percentage change | 11.82 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.31 Percentage change | -0.4873 Percentage change | 8.71 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.44 Percentage change | -6.32 Percentage change | 8.58 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.68 Percentage change | -4.74 Percentage change | 8.59 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2000s | -3.35 Percentage change | -6.69 Percentage change | -0.9707 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.1 Percentage change | -4.17 Percentage change | 2.4 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2020s | -7.55 Percentage change | -11.89 Percentage change | -2.74 Percentage change | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 137 Libya -10.37 Percentage change compare
- 138 Armenia -10.56 Percentage change compare
- 139 Israel -11.49 Percentage change compare
- 141 Lebanon -12.31 Percentage change compare
- 142 Estonia 5.98 Percentage change compare
- 142 Togo -12.32 Percentage change compare
- 143 Uganda -12.54 Percentage change compare
More environment data for Ghana
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -13.57 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.26 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.34 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate -27.43 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.72 % 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 0.8796 % 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 historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Ghana?
- Historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Ghana was -11.89 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 Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 11.82 Percentage change in 1968.
- What is the lowest historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was -11.89 Percentage change in 2025.
- How does Ghana rank for historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly?
- Ghana ranks 140th out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 185.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana 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.
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 (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