Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly by country
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...
Countries reporting
216
Highest
14.18 Percentage change
Palau
Lowest
-33.54 Percentage change
Syrian Arab Republic
Median
-3.02 Percentage change
Years covered
76
1950–2025
Data points
256,500
What the numbers show
Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly is currently reported for 216 countries. The highest value is 14.18 Percentage change in Palau; the lowest is -33.54 Percentage change in Syrian Arab Republic.
The median across all reporting countries is -3.02 Percentage change, and the mean is -6.63 Percentage change.
Over the past decade 97 countries rose and 119 fell. The largest increase was in Panama (up 2,957.5%), and the largest decrease in Romania (down 6,767.5%).
Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Palau | 14.18 Percentage change | 2025 | up 359.3% | volatile |
| 1 | Lesotho | 7.08 Percentage change | 2025 | up 160.3% | volatile |
| 2 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 11.79 Percentage change | 2025 | up 277.3% | volatile |
| 2 | Eswatini | 5.34 Percentage change | 2025 | up 186.7% | volatile |
| 3 | India | 11.05 Percentage change | 2025 | up 680.4% | volatile |
| 4 | Mauritius | 9.92 Percentage change | 2025 | up 170.9% | volatile |
| 5 | Northern Mariana Islands | 8.23 Percentage change | 2025 | up 312.5% | volatile |
| 6 | New Caledonia | 7.82 Percentage change | 2025 | up 327.3% | volatile |
| 7 | Philippines | 6.85 Percentage change | 2025 | up 382.7% | volatile |
| 8 | San Marino | 6.82 Percentage change | 2025 | up 0.9% | volatile |
| 9 | Botswana | 6.04 Percentage change | 2025 | up 342.6% | volatile |
| 10 | Panama | 5.66 Percentage change | 2025 | up 2,957.5% | volatile |
| 11 | South Africa | 5.46 Percentage change | 2025 | up 214.7% | volatile |
| 11 | Fiji | 0.6759 Percentage change | 2025 | up 110.2% | volatile |
| 12 | Sri Lanka | 5.24 Percentage change | 2025 | down 56.5% | volatile |
| 13 | Niger | 4.49 Percentage change | 2025 | up 208.8% | volatile |
| 14 | Svalbard and Jan Mayen | 4.16 Percentage change | 2025 | up 56.1% | volatile |
| 15 | Holy See | 4.1 Percentage change | 2025 | up 316.1% | volatile |
| 16 | Finland | 3.9 Percentage change | 2025 | up 16.4% | volatile |
| 16 | Croatia | -1.13 Percentage change | 2025 | down 96.6% | volatile |
| 17 | Iceland | 3.89 Percentage change | 2025 | up 804.5% | volatile |
| 18 | Nicaragua | 3.64 Percentage change | 2025 | up 219.0% | volatile |
| 19 | Faroe Islands | 3.37 Percentage change | 2025 | down 19.7% | volatile |
| 20 | Greece | 3.36 Percentage change | 2025 | down 69.6% | volatile |
| 21 | North Korea | 3.16 Percentage change | 2025 | up 194.0% | volatile |
| 22 | Martinique | 3.12 Percentage change | 2025 | up 134.0% | volatile |
| 23 | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands | 3.08 Percentage change | 2025 | up 473.1% | volatile |
| 24 | Dominica | 3.05 Percentage change | 2025 | up 143.4% | volatile |
| 25 | Zimbabwe | 2.93 Percentage change | 2025 | down 19.4% | volatile |
| 26 | Costa Rica | 2.9 Percentage change | 2025 | up 808.3% | volatile |
| 27 | Isle of Man | 2.85 Percentage change | 2025 | up 18.5% | volatile |
| 28 | Nepal | 2.73 Percentage change | 2025 | down 34.9% | volatile |
| 29 | Ireland | 2.51 Percentage change | 2025 | up 77.8% | volatile |
| 30 | Vanuatu | 2.29 Percentage change | 2025 | up 125.0% | volatile |
| 31 | North Macedonia | 2.21 Percentage change | 2025 | up 19.1% | volatile |
| 32 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2.19 Percentage change | 2025 | up 120.8% | volatile |
| 33 | Italy | 2.04 Percentage change | 2025 | up 23.0% | volatile |
| 33 | Madagascar | -3.85 Percentage change | 2025 | down 1,656.2% | volatile |
| 34 | Papua New Guinea | 1.56 Percentage change | 2025 | up 257.7% | volatile |
| 35 | French Guiana | 1.45 Percentage change | 2025 | up 148.6% | volatile |
| 35 | Equatorial Guinea | -4.05 Percentage change | 2025 | down 47.2% | volatile |
| 36 | French Southern Territories | 1.44 Percentage change | 2025 | up 252.3% | volatile |
| 36 | Caribbean | -4.29 Percentage change | 2025 | up 47.4% | volatile |
| 37 | Thailand | 1.44 Percentage change | 2025 | up 130.7% | volatile |
| 38 | Suriname | 1.4 Percentage change | 2025 | up 173.6% | volatile |
| 39 | Indonesia | 1.36 Percentage change | 2025 | up 133.4% | volatile |
| 40 | Sweden | 1.1 Percentage change | 2025 | down 73.1% | volatile |
| 41 | Norway | 0.9857 Percentage change | 2025 | down 58.0% | volatile |
| 42 | Liechtenstein | 0.7508 Percentage change | 2025 | up 128.8% | volatile |
| 43 | Mexico | 0.6859 Percentage change | 2025 | down 95.9% | volatile |
| 44 | Albania | 0.6356 Percentage change | 2025 | up 47.2% | volatile |
| 45 | Guam | 0.5909 Percentage change | 2025 | down 85.8% | volatile |
| 46 | Cambodia | 0.5487 Percentage change | 2025 | up 107.1% | volatile |
| 47 | Guadeloupe | 0.493 Percentage change | 2025 | up 106.0% | volatile |
| 48 | Taiwan | 0.4698 Percentage change | 2025 | up 125.2% | volatile |
| 49 | Peru | 0.4511 Percentage change | 2025 | up 206.2% | volatile |
| 50 | Colombia | 0.4233 Percentage change | 2025 | up 125.0% | volatile |
| 51 | Greenland | 0.3961 Percentage change | 2025 | up 179.1% | volatile |
| 52 | Ecuador | 0.3767 Percentage change | 2025 | down 77.4% | volatile |
| 52 | Cabo Verde | -8.02 Percentage change | 2025 | down 122.6% | volatile |
| 53 | Samoa | 0.3482 Percentage change | 2025 | up 110.1% | volatile |
| 54 | Bhutan | 0.2782 Percentage change | 2025 | up 127.2% | volatile |
| 55 | Myanmar | -0.016 Percentage change | 2025 | up 91.9% | volatile |
| 56 | Belarus | -0.1734 Percentage change | 2025 | up 98.1% | volatile |
| 57 | New Zealand | -0.2131 Percentage change | 2025 | up 91.3% | volatile |
| 57 | Moldova | -10.25 Percentage change | 2025 | down 71.0% | volatile |
| 58 | Luxembourg | -0.2585 Percentage change | 2025 | up 91.2% | volatile |
| 59 | Switzerland | -0.2925 Percentage change | 2025 | up 89.1% | volatile |
| 60 | Puerto Rico | -0.4091 Percentage change | 2025 | up 91.8% | volatile |
| 61 | Portugal | -0.6043 Percentage change | 2025 | up 93.7% | volatile |
| 62 | Honduras | -0.6894 Percentage change | 2025 | down 39.1% | volatile |
| 63 | Malawi | -0.9153 Percentage change | 2025 | up 62.2% | volatile |
| 63 | Ethiopia | -11.35 Percentage change | 2025 | down 244.0% | volatile |
| 64 | Montenegro | -0.9561 Percentage change | 2025 | up 70.0% | volatile |
| 65 | Solomon Islands | -1 Percentage change | 2025 | down 67.0% | volatile |
| 66 | Senegal | -1.15 Percentage change | 2025 | down 142.1% | volatile |
| 67 | Malta | -1.15 Percentage change | 2025 | down 121.2% | volatile |
| 68 | Andorra | -1.28 Percentage change | 2025 | down 4,270.7% | volatile |
| 68 | Mauritania | -15.19 Percentage change | 2025 | down 193.0% | volatile |
| 69 | Bulgaria | -1.39 Percentage change | 2025 | down 144.2% | volatile |
| 70 | Trinidad and Tobago | -1.54 Percentage change | 2025 | up 61.5% | volatile |
| 71 | Malaysia | -1.65 Percentage change | 2025 | down 369.9% | volatile |
| 72 | Spain | -1.67 Percentage change | 2025 | up 45.1% | volatile |
| 73 | Singapore | -1.71 Percentage change | 2025 | up 73.0% | volatile |
| 74 | Russia | -1.76 Percentage change | 2025 | down 59.8% | volatile |
| 75 | Laos | -1.77 Percentage change | 2025 | up 51.2% | volatile |
| 76 | Kosovo | -1.95 Percentage change | 2025 | down 33.6% | volatile |
| 77 | Austria | -1.98 Percentage change | 2025 | up 33.4% | volatile |
| 78 | Saint Lucia | -2.19 Percentage change | 2025 | up 84.4% | volatile |
| 79 | Brunei Darussalam | -2.26 Percentage change | 2025 | down 331.8% | volatile |
| 80 | France | -2.44 Percentage change | 2025 | up 14.3% | volatile |
| 81 | Canada | -2.52 Percentage change | 2025 | down 3,003.5% | volatile |
| 82 | Bangladesh | -2.59 Percentage change | 2025 | down 402.6% | volatile |
| 83 | OECD | -2.62 Percentage change | 2025 | down 268.2% | volatile |
| 84 | United States | -2.64 Percentage change | 2025 | down 19.2% | volatile |
| 85 | Guinea-Bissau | -2.65 Percentage change | 2025 | down 33.8% | volatile |
| 86 | Denmark | -2.66 Percentage change | 2025 | down 125.4% | volatile |
| 87 | Chile | -2.67 Percentage change | 2025 | down 82.7% | volatile |
| 88 | Czechia | -2.82 Percentage change | 2025 | up 57.5% | volatile |
| 89 | Angola | -2.86 Percentage change | 2025 | down 31.1% | volatile |
| 90 | Guinea | -2.88 Percentage change | 2025 | down 18.1% | volatile |
| 91 | Guyana | -2.92 Percentage change | 2025 | up 5.3% | volatile |
| 92 | Jamaica | -2.93 Percentage change | 2025 | up 71.6% | volatile |
| 93 | Zambia | -2.98 Percentage change | 2025 | down 175.4% | volatile |
| 94 | Namibia | -2.99 Percentage change | 2025 | up 50.1% | volatile |
| 95 | Haiti | -3.01 Percentage change | 2025 | up 41.0% | volatile |
| 96 | Antigua and Barbuda | -3.03 Percentage change | 2025 | up 72.4% | volatile |
| 97 | Jersey | -3.05 Percentage change | 2025 | down 251.9% | volatile |
| 98 | Venezuela | -3.12 Percentage change | 2025 | up 26.7% | volatile |
| 99 | United Kingdom | -3.13 Percentage change | 2025 | down 227.8% | volatile |
| 100 | El Salvador | -3.31 Percentage change | 2025 | up 19.9% | volatile |
| 101 | Uruguay | -3.58 Percentage change | 2025 | up 23.7% | volatile |
| 102 | Mozambique | -3.62 Percentage change | 2025 | up 18.4% | volatile |
| 103 | Belize | -3.66 Percentage change | 2025 | down 1,647.9% | volatile |
| 104 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | -3.8 Percentage change | 2025 | down 192.3% | volatile |
| 105 | Heard Island and McDonald Islands | -3.84 Percentage change | 2025 | up 36.0% | volatile |
| 106 | Burundi | -3.89 Percentage change | 2025 | down 2,140.4% | volatile |
| 107 | Macao | -3.98 Percentage change | 2025 | up 61.4% | volatile |
| 108 | Germany | -4.12 Percentage change | 2025 | down 167.6% | volatile |
| 109 | Gambia | -4.15 Percentage change | 2025 | down 181.7% | volatile |
| 110 | Dominican Republic | -4.17 Percentage change | 2025 | up 45.6% | volatile |
| 111 | Liberia | -4.21 Percentage change | 2025 | down 45.7% | volatile |
| 112 | Kazakhstan | -4.3 Percentage change | 2025 | down 47.3% | volatile |
| 113 | Australia and New Zealand | -4.39 Percentage change | 2025 | down 35.7% | volatile |
| 114 | French Polynesia | -4.42 Percentage change | 2025 | down 17.8% | volatile |
| 115 | Gabon | -4.44 Percentage change | 2025 | down 52.8% | volatile |
| 116 | Guatemala | -4.45 Percentage change | 2025 | down 1,452.4% | volatile |
| 117 | Serbia | -4.51 Percentage change | 2025 | down 738.0% | volatile |
| 118 | Japan | -4.51 Percentage change | 2025 | down 508.2% | volatile |
| 119 | Romania | -4.68 Percentage change | 2025 | down 6,767.5% | volatile |
| 120 | Australia | -4.75 Percentage change | 2025 | down 43.6% | volatile |
| 121 | Monaco | -5.01 Percentage change | 2025 | up 21.5% | volatile |
| 122 | Bahamas | -5.18 Percentage change | 2025 | up 42.0% | volatile |
| 123 | Cyprus | -5.28 Percentage change | 2025 | down 145.8% | volatile |
| 124 | Cuba | -5.3 Percentage change | 2025 | up 42.6% | volatile |
| 125 | Sierra Leone | -5.4 Percentage change | 2025 | down 40.7% | volatile |
| 126 | Belgium | -5.46 Percentage change | 2025 | down 3,811.3% | volatile |
| 127 | Mongolia | -5.5 Percentage change | 2025 | up 55.1% | volatile |
| 128 | Hungary | -5.55 Percentage change | 2025 | down 202.1% | volatile |
| 129 | Rwanda | -5.64 Percentage change | 2025 | down 267.6% | volatile |
| 130 | Nigeria | -5.73 Percentage change | 2025 | down 81.7% | volatile |
| 131 | Argentina | -5.89 Percentage change | 2025 | down 49.3% | volatile |
| 132 | Hong Kong | -5.98 Percentage change | 2025 | up 41.9% | volatile |
| 133 | Georgia | -6.11 Percentage change | 2025 | down 93.5% | volatile |
| 134 | Bolivia | -6.2 Percentage change | 2025 | down 359.4% | volatile |
| 135 | Mali | -6.69 Percentage change | 2025 | down 1,242.9% | volatile |
| 136 | Kyrgyzstan | -6.71 Percentage change | 2025 | down 382.3% | volatile |
| 137 | Estonia | 5.64 Percentage change | 2025 | up 203.7% | volatile |
| 137 | Brazil | -6.93 Percentage change | 2025 | down 72.8% | volatile |
| 138 | Burkina Faso | -7.27 Percentage change | 2025 | down 750.9% | volatile |
| 139 | Tanzania | -7.52 Percentage change | 2025 | down 323.9% | volatile |
| 140 | Ukraine | -7.91 Percentage change | 2025 | down 17.8% | volatile |
| 141 | Kenya | -8.08 Percentage change | 2025 | down 529.6% | volatile |
| 142 | Cameroon | -8.11 Percentage change | 2025 | down 117.6% | volatile |
| 143 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | -8.15 Percentage change | 2025 | up 40.9% | volatile |
| 144 | Grenada | -8.38 Percentage change | 2025 | up 31.9% | volatile |
| 145 | Barbados | -8.41 Percentage change | 2025 | up 19.0% | volatile |
| 146 | Paraguay | -8.73 Percentage change | 2025 | down 467.9% | volatile |
| 147 | Comoros | -9.29 Percentage change | 2025 | down 15.6% | volatile |
| 148 | Benin | -9.6 Percentage change | 2025 | down 217.5% | volatile |
| 149 | Congo | -9.96 Percentage change | 2025 | down 55.1% | volatile |
| 150 | Côte d’Ivoire | -10.2 Percentage change | 2025 | down 192.0% | volatile |
| 151 | Pakistan | -10.53 Percentage change | 2025 | down 246.6% | volatile |
| 152 | Armenia | -10.94 Percentage change | 2025 | down 3,214.8% | volatile |
| 153 | Chad | -10.96 Percentage change | 2025 | down 0.7% | volatile |
| 154 | Uganda | -11.7 Percentage change | 2025 | down 210.4% | volatile |
| 155 | Togo | -11.71 Percentage change | 2025 | down 325.4% | volatile |
| 156 | Lebanon | -12.11 Percentage change | 2025 | down 345.1% | volatile |
| 157 | Eritrea | -12.24 Percentage change | 2025 | up 44.0% | volatile |
| 158 | Micronesia | 5.26 Percentage change | 2025 | up 703.0% | volatile |
| 158 | Azerbaijan | -12.64 Percentage change | 2025 | down 256.0% | volatile |
| 159 | Tajikistan | -13.2 Percentage change | 2025 | down 353.0% | volatile |
| 160 | Ghana | -13.57 Percentage change | 2025 | down 163.4% | volatile |
| 161 | Tunisia | -14.25 Percentage change | 2025 | down 330.9% | volatile |
| 162 | Sudan | -15.6 Percentage change | 2025 | down 31.0% | volatile |
| 163 | Israel | -15.63 Percentage change | 2025 | down 927.1% | volatile |
| 164 | Aruba | -16.08 Percentage change | 2025 | up 42.3% | volatile |
| 165 | Palestine | -16.31 Percentage change | 2025 | down 720.6% | volatile |
| 166 | Mayotte | -16.93 Percentage change | 2025 | down 194.3% | volatile |
| 167 | Sao Tome and Principe | -16.99 Percentage change | 2025 | down 40.2% | volatile |
| 168 | Central African Republic | -17.69 Percentage change | 2025 | down 134.3% | volatile |
| 169 | South Sudan | -18.33 Percentage change | 2025 | down 167.1% | volatile |
| 170 | Uzbekistan | -18.62 Percentage change | 2025 | down 1,198.6% | volatile |
| 171 | Morocco | -19.84 Percentage change | 2025 | down 313.8% | volatile |
| 172 | Afghanistan | -19.95 Percentage change | 2025 | down 437.3% | volatile |
| 173 | Egypt | -20.54 Percentage change | 2025 | down 855.1% | volatile |
| 174 | Montserrat | -23.7 Percentage change | 2025 | up 5.5% | volatile |
| 175 | Cayman Islands | -26.41 Percentage change | 2025 | down 82.1% | volatile |
| 176 | Algeria | -26.91 Percentage change | 2025 | down 639.6% | volatile |
| 177 | Somalia | -28.64 Percentage change | 2025 | down 396.1% | volatile |
| 178 | Iran | -30.46 Percentage change | 2025 | down 547.4% | volatile |
| 179 | Turkmenistan | -34.8 Percentage change | 2025 | down 491.8% | volatile |
| 180 | Libya | -35.17 Percentage change | 2025 | down 437.8% | volatile |
| 181 | Yemen | -36.73 Percentage change | 2025 | down 7.7% | volatile |
| 182 | Iraq | -38.03 Percentage change | 2025 | down 352.6% | volatile |
| 183 | Jordan | -40.96 Percentage change | 2025 | down 1,855.3% | volatile |
| 184 | Bahrain | -43.7 Percentage change | 2025 | down 1,048.5% | volatile |
| 185 | Saudi Arabia | -52.52 Percentage change | 2025 | down 148.7% | volatile |
| 186 | Djibouti | -57.06 Percentage change | 2025 | down 33.8% | volatile |
| 187 | Kuwait | -57.51 Percentage change | 2025 | down 80.8% | volatile |
| 188 | Qatar | -61.67 Percentage change | 2025 | down 397.1% | volatile |
| 189 | Western Sahara | -62.29 Percentage change | 2025 | down 163.3% | volatile |
| 190 | Oman | -62.46 Percentage change | 2025 | down 23.7% | volatile |
| 191 | Timor-Leste | 4.82 Percentage change | 2025 | up 189.0% | volatile |
| 191 | United Arab Emirates | -80.98 Percentage change | 2025 | down 43.6% | volatile |
| 264 | Latvia | 4.05 Percentage change | 2025 | up 512.8% | volatile |
| 549 | Lithuania | 1.73 Percentage change | 2025 | up 149.4% | volatile |
| 575 | Melanesia | 1.59 Percentage change | 2025 | up 216.6% | volatile |
| 841 | Viet Nam | 0.2718 Percentage change | 2025 | up 107.8% | volatile |
| 1237 | Polynesia | -1.29 Percentage change | 2025 | up 63.6% | volatile |
| 1326 | Slovenia | -1.53 Percentage change | 2025 | down 92.3% | volatile |
| 2018 | Poland | -4.02 Percentage change | 2025 | up 51.9% | volatile |
| 2161 | Türkiye | -4.66 Percentage change | 2025 | down 161.2% | volatile |
| 2799 | Netherlands | -9.21 Percentage change | 2025 | down 367.5% | volatile |
| 2886 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | -10.22 Percentage change | 2025 | down 162.7% | volatile |
| 3100 | Syrian Arab Republic | -33.54 Percentage change | 2025 | down 1,221.7% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Rajasthan 30.02 Percentage change
- National Capital Territory of Delhi 27.46 Percentage change
- Gujarat 25.84 Percentage change
- Southern Africa 4.17 Percentage change
- Daman and Diu 24.07 Percentage change
- Valparaíso 3.89 Percentage change
- Haryana 22.63 Percentage change
- Treviso 3.54 Percentage change
- La Réunion 21.23 Percentage change
- Toledo 3.12 Percentage change
- Townsville 19.21 Percentage change
- Northern Europe 1.53 Percentage change
- Northern Cape 18.02 Percentage change
- Amazonas 1.51 Percentage change
- Bali Province 17.88 Percentage change
- South-Eastern Asia 1.01 Percentage change
- Uttar Pradesh 15.55 Percentage change
- Santa Catarina 0.7416 Percentage change
- Lambayeque 15.55 Percentage change
- Mackay - Isaac - Whitsunday 15.15 Percentage change
- Indiana 0.618 Percentage change
- Wide Bay 15.06 Percentage change
- Southern Asia 0.4009 Percentage change
- Madhya Pradesh 15 Percentage change
- Caldas 0.1826 Percentage change
- Western Lesser Sundas Province 14.09 Percentage change
- Southern Europe -0.3167 Percentage change
- Queretaro, R4 14.05 Percentage change
- East Java Province 13.61 Percentage change
- Europe -1.75 Percentage change
- Maharashtra 13.55 Percentage change
- Amapá -1.82 Percentage change
- Orissa 13.37 Percentage change
- China (People's Republic of) -1.86 Percentage change
- Ferrara 13.35 Percentage change
- Paraná -2 Percentage change
- Chhattisgarh 13.28 Percentage change
- Eastern Europe -2.03 Percentage change
- Chios 12.91 Percentage change
- Acre -2.06 Percentage change
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