Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Central America
Central America: Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly was -4.47 Percentage change in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Central America, 1950–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage change.
Analysis
Central America recorded -4.47 Percentage change for historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in 2025.
The figure is up 18.5% on the previous year and down 191.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Central America peaked at 7.82 Percentage change in 1978 and was at its lowest, -9.29 Percentage change, in 2023.
That places Central America 37th out of 72 groups with data for 2025, putting it 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 — Land soil moisture anomaly in Central America, year by year
| Year | Percentage change | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | -6.1 Percentage change | — |
| 1951 | -6 Percentage change | -1.6% |
| 1952 | -6.32 Percentage change | +5.2% |
| 1953 | -6.65 Percentage change | +5.2% |
| 1954 | -4.02 Percentage change | -39.5% |
| 1955 | -6.12 Percentage change | +52.1% |
| 1956 | -7.51 Percentage change | +22.8% |
| 1957 | -5.7 Percentage change | -24.2% |
| 1958 | 5.05 Percentage change | -188.7% |
| 1959 | 2.99 Percentage change | -40.8% |
| 1960 | -6.5 Percentage change | -317.3% |
| 1961 | -5.05 Percentage change | -22.3% |
| 1962 | -8.42 Percentage change | +66.7% |
| 1963 | -4.55 Percentage change | -46.0% |
| 1964 | -4.58 Percentage change | +0.7% |
| 1965 | -6.87 Percentage change | +50.0% |
| 1966 | -2.02 Percentage change | -70.6% |
| 1967 | -3.8 Percentage change | +88.1% |
| 1968 | -0.6174 Percentage change | -83.7% |
| 1969 | -1.82 Percentage change | +194.1% |
| 1970 | -2.09 Percentage change | +15.1% |
| 1971 | -4.97 Percentage change | +138.0% |
| 1972 | -0.8089 Percentage change | -83.7% |
| 1973 | 3.06 Percentage change | -477.8% |
| 1974 | -2.68 Percentage change | -187.6% |
| 1975 | -2.53 Percentage change | -5.3% |
| 1976 | 1.26 Percentage change | -149.7% |
| 1977 | -0.0003 Percentage change | -100.0% |
| 1978 | 7.82 Percentage change | -2694607.5% |
| 1979 | -2.24 Percentage change | -128.6% |
| 1980 | 0.0201 Percentage change | -100.9% |
| 1981 | 7.35 Percentage change | +36457.3% |
| 1982 | -1.3 Percentage change | -117.7% |
| 1983 | 4.81 Percentage change | -470.7% |
| 1984 | 6.33 Percentage change | +31.4% |
| 1985 | 5.95 Percentage change | -5.9% |
| 1986 | 3.5 Percentage change | -41.2% |
| 1987 | 3.21 Percentage change | -8.2% |
| 1988 | 0.4859 Percentage change | -84.9% |
| 1989 | -4.56 Percentage change | -1038.2% |
| 1990 | 3.16 Percentage change | -169.3% |
| 1991 | 1.11 Percentage change | -64.8% |
| 1992 | 7.43 Percentage change | +567.8% |
| 1993 | 3.59 Percentage change | -51.6% |
| 1994 | -5.68 Percentage change | -258.0% |
| 1995 | -1.06 Percentage change | -81.3% |
| 1996 | -0.1029 Percentage change | -90.3% |
| 1997 | -2.1 Percentage change | +1943.5% |
| 1998 | -3.29 Percentage change | +56.4% |
| 1999 | -6.5 Percentage change | +97.6% |
| 2000 | -6.82 Percentage change | +4.9% |
| 2001 | -2.92 Percentage change | -57.2% |
| 2002 | -4.93 Percentage change | +68.9% |
| 2003 | -1.59 Percentage change | -67.7% |
| 2004 | 1.21 Percentage change | -176.2% |
| 2005 | -5.33 Percentage change | -539.5% |
| 2006 | -2 Percentage change | -62.5% |
| 2007 | 3.2 Percentage change | -260.6% |
| 2008 | -1.44 Percentage change | -144.8% |
| 2009 | -3.32 Percentage change | +131.2% |
| 2010 | 1.58 Percentage change | -147.7% |
| 2011 | -9.24 Percentage change | -683.1% |
| 2012 | -4.47 Percentage change | -51.7% |
| 2013 | -0.2795 Percentage change | -93.7% |
| 2014 | 0.5918 Percentage change | -311.7% |
| 2015 | 4.87 Percentage change | +723.6% |
| 2016 | -1.6 Percentage change | -132.9% |
| 2017 | -2.53 Percentage change | +57.8% |
| 2018 | 0.6385 Percentage change | -125.2% |
| 2019 | -5.68 Percentage change | -989.0% |
| 2020 | -3.82 Percentage change | -32.7% |
| 2021 | -3.11 Percentage change | -18.5% |
| 2022 | -1.71 Percentage change | -44.9% |
| 2023 | -9.29 Percentage change | +441.8% |
| 2024 | -5.48 Percentage change | -41.0% |
| 2025 | -4.47 Percentage change | -18.5% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Central America 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | +2694607.5% | -0.0003 Percentage change | 7.82 Percentage change |
| 1981 | +36457.3% | 0.0201 Percentage change | 7.35 Percentage change |
| 1997 | -1943.5% | -0.1029 Percentage change | -2.1 Percentage change |
| 1989 | -1038.2% | 0.4859 Percentage change | -4.56 Percentage change |
| 2019 | -989.0% | 0.6385 Percentage change | -5.68 Percentage change |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | -4.04 Percentage change | -7.51 Percentage change | 5.05 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1960s | -4.42 Percentage change | -8.42 Percentage change | -0.6174 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.3181 Percentage change | -4.97 Percentage change | 7.82 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.58 Percentage change | -4.56 Percentage change | 7.35 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.3443 Percentage change | -6.5 Percentage change | 7.43 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2000s | -2.39 Percentage change | -6.82 Percentage change | 3.2 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.61 Percentage change | -9.24 Percentage change | 4.87 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2020s | -4.65 Percentage change | -9.29 Percentage change | -1.71 Percentage change | 6 |
Countries ranked near Central America
- 34 Papua New Guinea 1.56 Percentage change compare
- 35 French Guiana 1.45 Percentage change compare
- 35 Equatorial Guinea -4.05 Percentage change compare
- 36 French Southern Territories 1.44 Percentage change compare
- 36 Caribbean -4.29 Percentage change compare
- 37 Thailand 1.44 Percentage change compare
- 38 Suriname 1.4 Percentage change compare
- 39 Indonesia 1.36 Percentage change compare
- 40 Sweden 1.1 Percentage change compare
More environment data for Central America
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.47 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.211 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.58 °C (2025)
- Industrial roundwood — Import value 24,240 1000 USD (2024)
- Value Added (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing) — Value US$, 2015 61,301 million USD (2024)
- Value Added (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing) — Value US$ 95,489 million USD (2024)
- Sawlogs and veneer logs — Production 14.37 million m3 (2024)
- Sawlogs and veneer logs, non-coniferous — Production 4.46 million m3 (2024)
- Sawlogs and veneer logs, coniferous — Production 9.91 million m3 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Central America?
- Historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Central America was -4.47 Percentage change in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly recorded in Central America?
- The highest recorded value was 7.82 Percentage change in 1978.
- What is the lowest historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly recorded in Central America?
- The lowest recorded value was -9.29 Percentage change in 2023.
- How does Central America rank for historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly?
- Central America ranks 37th out of 72 groups with data for 2025.
- Is historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly rising or falling in Central America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 191.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Central America data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Historical exposure to drought — Land 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