Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Western Sahara
Western Sahara: Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly was -21.2 Percentage change in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly in Western Sahara, 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 Western Sahara is -21.2 Percentage change, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.6% on the previous year and down 160.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Western Sahara peaked at 105.98 Percentage change in 1957 and was at its lowest, -55.03 Percentage change, in 1966.
Western Sahara ranks 157th 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 Western Sahara, year by year
| Year | Percentage change | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 87.54 Percentage change | — |
| 1951 | 19.09 Percentage change | -78.2% |
| 1952 | 24.97 Percentage change | +30.8% |
| 1953 | 32.14 Percentage change | +28.7% |
| 1954 | 10.47 Percentage change | -67.4% |
| 1955 | 31.35 Percentage change | +199.3% |
| 1956 | 4.21 Percentage change | -86.6% |
| 1957 | 105.98 Percentage change | +2417.4% |
| 1958 | 10.92 Percentage change | -89.7% |
| 1959 | -9.7 Percentage change | -188.8% |
| 1960 | -38.74 Percentage change | +299.5% |
| 1961 | -27.12 Percentage change | -30.0% |
| 1962 | 13.08 Percentage change | -148.2% |
| 1963 | -18.23 Percentage change | -239.4% |
| 1964 | -30.36 Percentage change | +66.6% |
| 1965 | -19.29 Percentage change | -36.5% |
| 1966 | -55.03 Percentage change | +185.2% |
| 1967 | -18.76 Percentage change | -65.9% |
| 1968 | -3.66 Percentage change | -80.5% |
| 1969 | 0.9405 Percentage change | -125.7% |
| 1970 | -6.05 Percentage change | -743.8% |
| 1971 | 8.57 Percentage change | -241.5% |
| 1972 | 81.57 Percentage change | +851.9% |
| 1973 | 2.37 Percentage change | -97.1% |
| 1974 | 5.86 Percentage change | +147.5% |
| 1975 | -37.89 Percentage change | -746.5% |
| 1976 | -5.77 Percentage change | -84.8% |
| 1977 | -44.71 Percentage change | +674.9% |
| 1978 | -9.49 Percentage change | -78.8% |
| 1979 | 8.83 Percentage change | -193.1% |
| 1980 | 0.8523 Percentage change | -90.4% |
| 1981 | -3.85 Percentage change | -552.3% |
| 1982 | -18.48 Percentage change | +379.4% |
| 1983 | -5.98 Percentage change | -67.6% |
| 1984 | -25.07 Percentage change | +319.1% |
| 1985 | -26.93 Percentage change | +7.4% |
| 1986 | -28.02 Percentage change | +4.0% |
| 1987 | -22.36 Percentage change | -20.2% |
| 1988 | 79.26 Percentage change | -454.6% |
| 1989 | -30.37 Percentage change | -138.3% |
| 1990 | 94.75 Percentage change | -412.0% |
| 1991 | -23.8 Percentage change | -125.1% |
| 1992 | 47.98 Percentage change | -301.6% |
| 1993 | 16.95 Percentage change | -64.7% |
| 1994 | -21.6 Percentage change | -227.4% |
| 1995 | -49.34 Percentage change | +128.4% |
| 1996 | -5.8 Percentage change | -88.2% |
| 1997 | -19.92 Percentage change | +243.4% |
| 1998 | 73.03 Percentage change | -466.6% |
| 1999 | 14.93 Percentage change | -79.6% |
| 2000 | 7.94 Percentage change | -46.9% |
| 2001 | -54.25 Percentage change | -783.6% |
| 2002 | -36.65 Percentage change | -32.4% |
| 2003 | -20.15 Percentage change | -45.0% |
| 2004 | -25.86 Percentage change | +28.4% |
| 2005 | 59 Percentage change | -328.1% |
| 2006 | 16.48 Percentage change | -72.1% |
| 2007 | 15.14 Percentage change | -8.1% |
| 2008 | -3.62 Percentage change | -123.9% |
| 2009 | -5.4 Percentage change | +49.0% |
| 2010 | 2.01 Percentage change | -137.2% |
| 2011 | 7.24 Percentage change | +260.0% |
| 2012 | 32.98 Percentage change | +355.8% |
| 2013 | 37.7 Percentage change | +14.3% |
| 2014 | 26.74 Percentage change | -29.1% |
| 2015 | 34.82 Percentage change | +30.2% |
| 2016 | 10.04 Percentage change | -71.2% |
| 2017 | -6.94 Percentage change | -169.1% |
| 2018 | 21.64 Percentage change | -411.7% |
| 2019 | 28.92 Percentage change | +33.7% |
| 2020 | -6.48 Percentage change | -122.4% |
| 2021 | -3.88 Percentage change | -40.1% |
| 2022 | 12.84 Percentage change | -430.9% |
| 2023 | 27.9 Percentage change | +117.3% |
| 2024 | -21.77 Percentage change | -178.0% |
| 2025 | -21.2 Percentage change | -2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 31.7 Percentage change | -9.7 Percentage change | 105.98 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1960s | -19.72 Percentage change | -55.03 Percentage change | 13.08 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.3292 Percentage change | -44.71 Percentage change | 81.57 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1980s | -8.1 Percentage change | -30.37 Percentage change | 79.26 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.72 Percentage change | -49.34 Percentage change | 94.75 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2000s | -4.74 Percentage change | -54.25 Percentage change | 59 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.51 Percentage change | -6.94 Percentage change | 37.7 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2020s | -2.1 Percentage change | -21.77 Percentage change | 27.9 Percentage change | 6 |
Countries ranked near Western Sahara
- 154 Afghanistan -17.12 Percentage change compare
- 155 South Sudan -17.71 Percentage change compare
- 156 Central African Republic -17.75 Percentage change compare
- 158 Iran, Islamic Republic of -21.27 Percentage change compare
- 159 Turkmenistan -23.71 Percentage change compare
- 160 Somalia -24.06 Percentage change compare
More environment data for Western Sahara
- Standard Deviation 0.503 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.89 °C (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -62.29 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland — Share in Land area 0.02 % (2024)
- Permanent meadows and pastures — Share in Land area 18.8 % (2024)
- Cropland — Area per capita 0.01 ha/cap (2024)
- Arable land — Area 4 1000 ha (2024)
- Permanent meadows and pastures — Share in Agricultural land 99.92 % (2024)
- Land area — Area 26,600 1000 ha (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Western Sahara?
- Historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly in Western Sahara was -21.2 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 Western Sahara?
- The highest recorded value was 105.98 Percentage change in 1957.
- What is the lowest historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly recorded in Western Sahara?
- The lowest recorded value was -55.03 Percentage change in 1966.
- How does Western Sahara rank for historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly?
- Western Sahara ranks 157th out of 168 countries with data for 2025.
- Is historical exposure to drought — cropland soil moisture anomaly rising or falling in Western Sahara?
- Over the last ten years it is down 160.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Western Sahara 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