Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly was 5.49 Percentage change in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Sri Lanka, 1950–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage change.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 5.49 Percentage change for historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in 2025.
The figure is up 83.0% on the previous year and down 56.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Sri Lanka peaked at 13.53 Percentage change in 1955 and was at its lowest, -16.83 Percentage change, in 1950.
Sri Lanka ranks 11th of 168 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
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 Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | Percentage change | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | -16.83 Percentage change | — |
| 1951 | -6.69 Percentage change | -60.2% |
| 1952 | -16.49 Percentage change | +146.5% |
| 1953 | -5.13 Percentage change | -68.9% |
| 1954 | 3.53 Percentage change | -168.8% |
| 1955 | 13.53 Percentage change | +283.1% |
| 1956 | 2.45 Percentage change | -81.9% |
| 1957 | -0.7375 Percentage change | -130.1% |
| 1958 | 1.18 Percentage change | -260.6% |
| 1959 | -6.14 Percentage change | -618.0% |
| 1960 | 3.83 Percentage change | -162.4% |
| 1961 | 4.09 Percentage change | +7.0% |
| 1962 | 10.01 Percentage change | +144.5% |
| 1963 | 10.2 Percentage change | +1.9% |
| 1964 | 8.9 Percentage change | -12.7% |
| 1965 | 8.97 Percentage change | +0.8% |
| 1966 | 10.4 Percentage change | +16.0% |
| 1967 | 8.7 Percentage change | -16.4% |
| 1968 | 2.31 Percentage change | -73.5% |
| 1969 | -0.0418 Percentage change | -101.8% |
| 1970 | 4.38 Percentage change | -10578.7% |
| 1971 | 2.25 Percentage change | -48.6% |
| 1972 | -1.2 Percentage change | -153.2% |
| 1973 | -3.14 Percentage change | +161.4% |
| 1974 | -6.95 Percentage change | +121.6% |
| 1975 | 4.34 Percentage change | -162.5% |
| 1976 | -5 Percentage change | -215.2% |
| 1977 | -1.22 Percentage change | -75.6% |
| 1978 | -0.9012 Percentage change | -26.2% |
| 1979 | -5.06 Percentage change | +461.3% |
| 1980 | -2.22 Percentage change | -56.1% |
| 1981 | 0.4284 Percentage change | -119.3% |
| 1982 | -7.95 Percentage change | -1954.9% |
| 1983 | -9.93 Percentage change | +24.9% |
| 1984 | 10.95 Percentage change | -210.3% |
| 1985 | 6.02 Percentage change | -45.0% |
| 1986 | -0.0244 Percentage change | -100.4% |
| 1987 | 3.17 Percentage change | -13079.8% |
| 1988 | -3.22 Percentage change | -201.4% |
| 1989 | -5.79 Percentage change | +79.9% |
| 1990 | -4.08 Percentage change | -29.5% |
| 1991 | -0.4856 Percentage change | -88.1% |
| 1992 | -5.69 Percentage change | +1072.1% |
| 1993 | -1.62 Percentage change | -71.6% |
| 1994 | 6.1 Percentage change | -477.6% |
| 1995 | 0.3773 Percentage change | -93.8% |
| 1996 | -2.69 Percentage change | -813.8% |
| 1997 | -4.13 Percentage change | +53.5% |
| 1998 | -8.47 Percentage change | +104.9% |
| 1999 | 2.82 Percentage change | -133.4% |
| 2000 | 1.95 Percentage change | -30.9% |
| 2001 | 2.88 Percentage change | +47.7% |
| 2002 | 4.52 Percentage change | +56.8% |
| 2003 | 3.67 Percentage change | -18.9% |
| 2004 | 0.2837 Percentage change | -92.3% |
| 2005 | -3.57 Percentage change | -1360.1% |
| 2006 | -0.6515 Percentage change | -81.8% |
| 2007 | 0.9994 Percentage change | -253.4% |
| 2008 | 6.21 Percentage change | +521.8% |
| 2009 | -1.9 Percentage change | -130.5% |
| 2010 | 9.78 Percentage change | -616.0% |
| 2011 | 7.48 Percentage change | -23.6% |
| 2012 | -3.98 Percentage change | -153.2% |
| 2013 | 3.01 Percentage change | -175.6% |
| 2014 | 0.634 Percentage change | -78.9% |
| 2015 | 12.6 Percentage change | +1887.7% |
| 2016 | -0.8513 Percentage change | -106.8% |
| 2017 | 3.93 Percentage change | -562.0% |
| 2018 | 9.26 Percentage change | +135.5% |
| 2019 | -2.74 Percentage change | -129.6% |
| 2020 | -5.55 Percentage change | +102.5% |
| 2021 | 7 Percentage change | -226.2% |
| 2022 | 6.86 Percentage change | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 10.94 Percentage change | +59.5% |
| 2024 | 3 Percentage change | -72.6% |
| 2025 | 5.49 Percentage change | +83.0% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 5.49 Percentage change is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is -3.12 Percentage change. (42 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 5.49 Percentage change is above the median for South Asia, which is 2.41 Percentage change, 2.3× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Sri Lanka 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +13079.8% | -0.0244 Percentage change | 3.17 Percentage change |
| 1970 | +10578.7% | -0.0418 Percentage change | 4.38 Percentage change |
| 1982 | -1954.9% | 0.4284 Percentage change | -7.95 Percentage change |
| 2015 | +1887.7% | 0.634 Percentage change | 12.6 Percentage change |
| 2005 | -1360.1% | 0.2837 Percentage change | -3.57 Percentage change |
| 1992 | -1072.1% | -0.4856 Percentage change | -5.69 Percentage change |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | -3.13 Percentage change | -16.83 Percentage change | 13.53 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1960s | 6.74 Percentage change | -0.0418 Percentage change | 10.4 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1970s | -1.25 Percentage change | -6.95 Percentage change | 4.38 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.8544 Percentage change | -9.93 Percentage change | 10.95 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1990s | -1.79 Percentage change | -8.47 Percentage change | 6.1 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.44 Percentage change | -3.57 Percentage change | 6.21 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.91 Percentage change | -3.98 Percentage change | 12.6 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.62 Percentage change | -5.55 Percentage change | 10.94 Percentage change | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 8 San Marino 6.82 Percentage change compare
- 9 Botswana 6.49 Percentage change compare
- 10 Faroe Islands 5.94 Percentage change compare
- 10 Fiji 0.8816 Percentage change compare
- 12 Martinique 4.63 Percentage change compare
- 13 Nicaragua 4.53 Percentage change compare
- 14 Finland 4.25 Percentage change compare
More environment data for Sri Lanka
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.24 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.207 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.849 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 5.63 % 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 1.22 % 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 Sri Lanka?
- Historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Sri Lanka was 5.49 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 13.53 Percentage change in 1955.
- What is the lowest historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was -16.83 Percentage change in 1950.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly?
- Sri Lanka ranks 11th out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 56.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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