Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in North Korea
North Korea: Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly was 3.16 Percentage change in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in North Korea, 1950–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage change.
Analysis
North Korea recorded 3.16 Percentage change for historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in 2025.
The figure is up 436.1% on the previous year and up 194.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in North Korea peaked at 5.31 Percentage change in 2021 and was at its lowest, -10.17 Percentage change, in 1952.
North Korea ranks 21st of 191 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
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 North Korea, year by year
| Year | Percentage change | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | -3.79 Percentage change | — |
| 1951 | -3.15 Percentage change | -17.0% |
| 1952 | -10.17 Percentage change | +223.0% |
| 1953 | -7.28 Percentage change | -28.4% |
| 1954 | 1.77 Percentage change | -124.3% |
| 1955 | -1.44 Percentage change | -181.7% |
| 1956 | -2.22 Percentage change | +53.4% |
| 1957 | -1.85 Percentage change | -16.7% |
| 1958 | -1.46 Percentage change | -20.8% |
| 1959 | 1.95 Percentage change | -233.5% |
| 1960 | 2.78 Percentage change | +42.5% |
| 1961 | -3.57 Percentage change | -228.2% |
| 1962 | -3.35 Percentage change | -6.1% |
| 1963 | 0.9261 Percentage change | -127.6% |
| 1964 | 2.58 Percentage change | +178.5% |
| 1965 | -5.8 Percentage change | -324.7% |
| 1966 | -1.93 Percentage change | -66.7% |
| 1967 | 1.52 Percentage change | -179.0% |
| 1968 | -1.2 Percentage change | -178.7% |
| 1969 | 0.6359 Percentage change | -153.0% |
| 1970 | -0.9612 Percentage change | -251.2% |
| 1971 | 2.82 Percentage change | -393.5% |
| 1972 | 0.9457 Percentage change | -66.5% |
| 1973 | 3.59 Percentage change | +279.5% |
| 1974 | 3.13 Percentage change | -12.7% |
| 1975 | 1.92 Percentage change | -38.6% |
| 1976 | 0.5219 Percentage change | -72.9% |
| 1977 | 0.871 Percentage change | +66.9% |
| 1978 | -2.33 Percentage change | -368.0% |
| 1979 | -1.74 Percentage change | -25.5% |
| 1980 | -1.05 Percentage change | -39.4% |
| 1981 | 0.6296 Percentage change | -159.8% |
| 1982 | -3.24 Percentage change | -615.2% |
| 1983 | 0.8205 Percentage change | -125.3% |
| 1984 | 2.64 Percentage change | +221.5% |
| 1985 | 2.79 Percentage change | +5.9% |
| 1986 | 2.35 Percentage change | -15.8% |
| 1987 | -1.02 Percentage change | -143.2% |
| 1988 | -3.9 Percentage change | +283.7% |
| 1989 | 1.83 Percentage change | -146.9% |
| 1990 | 2.78 Percentage change | +51.9% |
| 1991 | -1.55 Percentage change | -155.8% |
| 1992 | 1.05 Percentage change | -167.9% |
| 1993 | -1.25 Percentage change | -219.1% |
| 1994 | 1.89 Percentage change | -250.9% |
| 1995 | -0.4024 Percentage change | -121.3% |
| 1996 | -1.59 Percentage change | +295.5% |
| 1997 | -1.81 Percentage change | +13.7% |
| 1998 | 1.58 Percentage change | -187.2% |
| 1999 | -2.27 Percentage change | -243.8% |
| 2000 | -0.1206 Percentage change | -94.7% |
| 2001 | -3.38 Percentage change | +2705.1% |
| 2002 | -1.66 Percentage change | -50.9% |
| 2003 | 0.0143 Percentage change | -100.9% |
| 2004 | 0.3271 Percentage change | +2191.9% |
| 2005 | -0.0717 Percentage change | -121.9% |
| 2006 | -1.01 Percentage change | +1310.6% |
| 2007 | 4.31 Percentage change | -526.1% |
| 2008 | -1.3 Percentage change | -130.1% |
| 2009 | -1.54 Percentage change | +19.0% |
| 2010 | 3.11 Percentage change | -301.6% |
| 2011 | 1.63 Percentage change | -47.6% |
| 2012 | 1.63 Percentage change | +0.3% |
| 2013 | -0.4962 Percentage change | -130.4% |
| 2014 | -8.04 Percentage change | +1521.0% |
| 2015 | -3.36 Percentage change | -58.2% |
| 2016 | 0.0647 Percentage change | -101.9% |
| 2017 | -6.78 Percentage change | -10586.6% |
| 2018 | -3.02 Percentage change | -55.5% |
| 2019 | -5.05 Percentage change | +67.4% |
| 2020 | 0.3776 Percentage change | -107.5% |
| 2021 | 5.31 Percentage change | +1305.1% |
| 2022 | 2.51 Percentage change | -52.6% |
| 2023 | -0.1274 Percentage change | -105.1% |
| 2024 | 0.5901 Percentage change | -563.3% |
| 2025 | 3.16 Percentage change | +436.1% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 3.16 Percentage change is above the median for low income countries, which is -6.69 Percentage change. (21 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 3.16 Percentage change is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.1661 Percentage change, 19.0× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in North Korea 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | -10586.6% | 0.0647 Percentage change | -6.78 Percentage change |
| 2001 | -2705.1% | -0.1206 Percentage change | -3.38 Percentage change |
| 2004 | +2191.9% | 0.0143 Percentage change | 0.3271 Percentage change |
| 2014 | -1521.0% | -0.4962 Percentage change | -8.04 Percentage change |
| 2006 | -1310.6% | -0.0717 Percentage change | -1.01 Percentage change |
| 2021 | +1305.1% | 0.3776 Percentage change | 5.31 Percentage change |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | -2.76 Percentage change | -10.17 Percentage change | 1.95 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.7392 Percentage change | -5.8 Percentage change | 2.78 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.8768 Percentage change | -2.33 Percentage change | 3.59 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.185 Percentage change | -3.9 Percentage change | 2.79 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.1579 Percentage change | -2.27 Percentage change | 2.78 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.4433 Percentage change | -3.38 Percentage change | 4.31 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2010s | -2.03 Percentage change | -8.04 Percentage change | 3.11 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.97 Percentage change | -0.1274 Percentage change | 5.31 Percentage change | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 18 Nicaragua 3.64 Percentage change compare
- 19 Faroe Islands 3.37 Percentage change compare
- 20 Greece 3.36 Percentage change compare
- 22 Martinique 3.12 Percentage change compare
- 23 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 3.08 Percentage change compare
- 24 Dominica 3.05 Percentage change compare
More environment data for North Korea
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 2.89 Percentage change (2025)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Processes (Mt CO2e) 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e) -0.0355 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 3.45 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 2.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Processes (Mt CO2e) 1.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) (Mt) 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 0.7982 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in North Korea?
- Historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in North Korea was 3.16 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 North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 5.31 Percentage change in 2021.
- What is the lowest historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -10.17 Percentage change in 1952.
- How does North Korea rank for historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly?
- North Korea ranks 21st out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 194.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea 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.
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