Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly was -52.52 Percentage change in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Saudi Arabia, 1950–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage change.
Analysis
In 2025, historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Saudi Arabia stood at -52.52 Percentage change. That is the lowest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of down 196.4% on the previous year and down 148.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Saudi Arabia peaked at 99.12 Percentage change in 1953 and was at its lowest, -52.52 Percentage change, in 2025.
That places Saudi Arabia 185th out of 191 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom 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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Percentage change | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 78.33 Percentage change | — |
| 1951 | -19.08 Percentage change | -124.4% |
| 1952 | 38.73 Percentage change | -303.0% |
| 1953 | 99.12 Percentage change | +155.9% |
| 1954 | -0.0251 Percentage change | -100.0% |
| 1955 | -13.67 Percentage change | +54309.6% |
| 1956 | -32.21 Percentage change | +135.6% |
| 1957 | 57.04 Percentage change | -277.1% |
| 1958 | -24.22 Percentage change | -142.5% |
| 1959 | 33.4 Percentage change | -237.9% |
| 1960 | -11.73 Percentage change | -135.1% |
| 1961 | -3.05 Percentage change | -74.0% |
| 1962 | -15.82 Percentage change | +419.3% |
| 1963 | 32.12 Percentage change | -303.1% |
| 1964 | -18.95 Percentage change | -159.0% |
| 1965 | 26.59 Percentage change | -240.3% |
| 1966 | -31.45 Percentage change | -218.3% |
| 1967 | -10.03 Percentage change | -68.1% |
| 1968 | -16.33 Percentage change | +62.7% |
| 1969 | -4.33 Percentage change | -73.5% |
| 1970 | -39.62 Percentage change | +814.1% |
| 1971 | -11.1 Percentage change | -72.0% |
| 1972 | 71.75 Percentage change | -746.6% |
| 1973 | -40.62 Percentage change | -156.6% |
| 1974 | 34.51 Percentage change | -185.0% |
| 1975 | 39.61 Percentage change | +14.8% |
| 1976 | -3.21 Percentage change | -108.1% |
| 1977 | 25.56 Percentage change | -897.4% |
| 1978 | -23.24 Percentage change | -190.9% |
| 1979 | -31.9 Percentage change | +37.3% |
| 1980 | 2.63 Percentage change | -108.2% |
| 1981 | -29.7 Percentage change | -1228.6% |
| 1982 | 32.05 Percentage change | -207.9% |
| 1983 | 7.04 Percentage change | -78.0% |
| 1984 | 0.7742 Percentage change | -89.0% |
| 1985 | 11.11 Percentage change | +1334.4% |
| 1986 | 51.11 Percentage change | +360.3% |
| 1987 | -5.95 Percentage change | -111.6% |
| 1988 | -13.27 Percentage change | +122.9% |
| 1989 | -23.29 Percentage change | +75.5% |
| 1990 | -16.07 Percentage change | -31.0% |
| 1991 | -0.3784 Percentage change | -97.6% |
| 1992 | 10.16 Percentage change | -2785.2% |
| 1993 | 60.43 Percentage change | +494.8% |
| 1994 | -20.54 Percentage change | -134.0% |
| 1995 | 0.2802 Percentage change | -101.4% |
| 1996 | 62.23 Percentage change | +22109.8% |
| 1997 | 75.12 Percentage change | +20.7% |
| 1998 | 28.28 Percentage change | -62.4% |
| 1999 | -37.71 Percentage change | -233.3% |
| 2000 | -35.93 Percentage change | -4.7% |
| 2001 | -38.9 Percentage change | +8.3% |
| 2002 | 22.32 Percentage change | -157.4% |
| 2003 | -7.71 Percentage change | -134.5% |
| 2004 | -19.49 Percentage change | +152.8% |
| 2005 | 23.49 Percentage change | -220.5% |
| 2006 | -11.26 Percentage change | -147.9% |
| 2007 | -27.54 Percentage change | +144.5% |
| 2008 | -39.53 Percentage change | +43.5% |
| 2009 | -14.68 Percentage change | -62.8% |
| 2010 | -42.45 Percentage change | +189.1% |
| 2011 | 23.9 Percentage change | -156.3% |
| 2012 | -15.53 Percentage change | -165.0% |
| 2013 | 72.96 Percentage change | -569.8% |
| 2014 | 1.21 Percentage change | -98.3% |
| 2015 | -21.12 Percentage change | -1851.8% |
| 2016 | 64.63 Percentage change | -406.0% |
| 2017 | -21.25 Percentage change | -132.9% |
| 2018 | 39.4 Percentage change | -285.4% |
| 2019 | 9.57 Percentage change | -75.7% |
| 2020 | -11.85 Percentage change | -223.8% |
| 2021 | -37.05 Percentage change | +212.8% |
| 2022 | -16.75 Percentage change | -54.8% |
| 2023 | 39.65 Percentage change | -336.7% |
| 2024 | 54.47 Percentage change | +37.4% |
| 2025 | -52.52 Percentage change | -196.4% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's -52.52 Percentage change is below the median for high income countries, which is -1.98 Percentage change, 26.5× the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's -52.52 Percentage change is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is -32.82 Percentage change, 1.6× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Saudi Arabia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | -54309.6% | -0.0251 Percentage change | -13.67 Percentage change |
| 1996 | +22109.8% | 0.2802 Percentage change | 62.23 Percentage change |
| 1992 | +2785.2% | -0.3784 Percentage change | 10.16 Percentage change |
| 2015 | -1851.8% | 1.21 Percentage change | -21.12 Percentage change |
| 1985 | +1334.4% | 0.7742 Percentage change | 11.11 Percentage change |
| 1981 | -1228.6% | 2.63 Percentage change | -29.7 Percentage change |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 21.74 Percentage change | -32.21 Percentage change | 99.12 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1960s | -5.3 Percentage change | -31.45 Percentage change | 32.12 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.17 Percentage change | -40.62 Percentage change | 71.75 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.25 Percentage change | -29.7 Percentage change | 51.11 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.18 Percentage change | -37.71 Percentage change | 75.12 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2000s | -14.92 Percentage change | -39.53 Percentage change | 23.49 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.13 Percentage change | -42.45 Percentage change | 72.96 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2020s | -4.01 Percentage change | -52.52 Percentage change | 54.47 Percentage change | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More environment data for Saudi Arabia
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -27.86 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.424 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.58 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.53 % 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 9.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Saudi Arabia?
- Historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Saudi Arabia was -52.52 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 99.12 Percentage change in 1953.
- What is the lowest historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was -52.52 Percentage change in 2025.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 185th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 148.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
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