Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly was -5.4 Percentage change in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Sierra Leone, 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 Sierra Leone stood at -5.4 Percentage change.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 49.1% on the previous year and down 40.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Sierra Leone peaked at 12.25 Percentage change in 1972 and was at its lowest, -10.6 Percentage change, in 2024.
Sierra Leone ranks 125th of 191 countries on this measure, 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 Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | Percentage change | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | -1.54 Percentage change | — |
| 1951 | -1.91 Percentage change | +24.1% |
| 1952 | -2.96 Percentage change | +55.4% |
| 1953 | -0.1657 Percentage change | -94.4% |
| 1954 | 6.97 Percentage change | -4309.0% |
| 1955 | 5.64 Percentage change | -19.2% |
| 1956 | 7 Percentage change | +24.1% |
| 1957 | 3.88 Percentage change | -44.6% |
| 1958 | 11.26 Percentage change | +190.2% |
| 1959 | -1.15 Percentage change | -110.2% |
| 1960 | -0.0276 Percentage change | -97.6% |
| 1961 | -2.15 Percentage change | +7702.6% |
| 1962 | -1.22 Percentage change | -43.5% |
| 1963 | 2.34 Percentage change | -292.0% |
| 1964 | -2.21 Percentage change | -194.9% |
| 1965 | 0.6743 Percentage change | -130.4% |
| 1966 | -3.17 Percentage change | -570.3% |
| 1967 | -2.79 Percentage change | -12.1% |
| 1968 | 3.62 Percentage change | -230.0% |
| 1969 | 7.01 Percentage change | +93.6% |
| 1970 | 7.1 Percentage change | +1.2% |
| 1971 | 3.46 Percentage change | -51.3% |
| 1972 | 12.25 Percentage change | +254.4% |
| 1973 | -1.04 Percentage change | -108.5% |
| 1974 | -2.28 Percentage change | +118.6% |
| 1975 | -2.06 Percentage change | -9.9% |
| 1976 | 3.55 Percentage change | -272.7% |
| 1977 | 0.2189 Percentage change | -93.8% |
| 1978 | 5.92 Percentage change | +2606.3% |
| 1979 | 5.22 Percentage change | -11.8% |
| 1980 | 7.8 Percentage change | +49.3% |
| 1981 | 4.76 Percentage change | -39.0% |
| 1982 | -0.3922 Percentage change | -108.2% |
| 1983 | -2.22 Percentage change | +466.9% |
| 1984 | 0.1148 Percentage change | -105.2% |
| 1985 | -1.39 Percentage change | -1307.2% |
| 1986 | -3.52 Percentage change | +154.0% |
| 1987 | -0.7641 Percentage change | -78.3% |
| 1988 | 0.5597 Percentage change | -173.2% |
| 1989 | -2.42 Percentage change | -531.5% |
| 1990 | -1.22 Percentage change | -49.6% |
| 1991 | -0.8714 Percentage change | -28.4% |
| 1992 | 1.61 Percentage change | -285.3% |
| 1993 | 4.88 Percentage change | +202.5% |
| 1994 | 3.67 Percentage change | -24.9% |
| 1995 | 0.1138 Percentage change | -96.9% |
| 1996 | 0.7433 Percentage change | +553.2% |
| 1997 | -2.17 Percentage change | -392.6% |
| 1998 | -5.67 Percentage change | +160.7% |
| 1999 | 0.55 Percentage change | -109.7% |
| 2000 | 2.53 Percentage change | +360.2% |
| 2001 | -3.24 Percentage change | -228.2% |
| 2002 | -2.05 Percentage change | -36.7% |
| 2003 | -3.09 Percentage change | +50.5% |
| 2004 | 1.68 Percentage change | -154.3% |
| 2005 | 10.61 Percentage change | +531.9% |
| 2006 | 1.25 Percentage change | -88.2% |
| 2007 | -1.83 Percentage change | -245.7% |
| 2008 | 0.7514 Percentage change | -141.1% |
| 2009 | -3.69 Percentage change | -590.4% |
| 2010 | 0.6995 Percentage change | -119.0% |
| 2011 | 1.93 Percentage change | +175.4% |
| 2012 | -0.6143 Percentage change | -131.9% |
| 2013 | -3.56 Percentage change | +479.4% |
| 2014 | 1.37 Percentage change | -138.6% |
| 2015 | -3.84 Percentage change | -379.6% |
| 2016 | -4.85 Percentage change | +26.3% |
| 2017 | 0.178 Percentage change | -103.7% |
| 2018 | -3.22 Percentage change | -1909.8% |
| 2019 | -3.66 Percentage change | +13.6% |
| 2020 | -3.35 Percentage change | -8.4% |
| 2021 | -1.03 Percentage change | -69.3% |
| 2022 | -7.2 Percentage change | +600.3% |
| 2023 | -0.9122 Percentage change | -87.3% |
| 2024 | -10.6 Percentage change | +1062.4% |
| 2025 | -5.4 Percentage change | -49.1% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's -5.4 Percentage change is above the median for low income countries, which is -6.69 Percentage change, 81% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's -5.4 Percentage change is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -5.68 Percentage change, 95% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Sierra Leone 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | -7702.6% | -0.0276 Percentage change | -2.15 Percentage change |
| 1954 | +4309.0% | -0.1657 Percentage change | 6.97 Percentage change |
| 1978 | +2606.3% | 0.2189 Percentage change | 5.92 Percentage change |
| 2018 | -1909.8% | 0.178 Percentage change | -3.22 Percentage change |
| 1985 | -1307.2% | 0.1148 Percentage change | -1.39 Percentage change |
| 2024 | -1062.4% | -0.9122 Percentage change | -10.6 Percentage change |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.7 Percentage change | -2.96 Percentage change | 11.26 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.2071 Percentage change | -3.17 Percentage change | 7.01 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.23 Percentage change | -2.28 Percentage change | 12.25 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2532 Percentage change | -3.52 Percentage change | 7.8 Percentage change | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1641 Percentage change | -5.67 Percentage change | 4.88 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2928 Percentage change | -3.69 Percentage change | 10.61 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.56 Percentage change | -4.85 Percentage change | 1.93 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2020s | -4.75 Percentage change | -10.6 Percentage change | -0.9122 Percentage change | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More environment data for Sierra Leone
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -5.39 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.232 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.28 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.72 % 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 1.11 % 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 Sierra Leone?
- Historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Sierra Leone was -5.4 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 Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 12.25 Percentage change in 1972.
- What is the lowest historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was -10.6 Percentage change in 2024.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly?
- Sierra Leone ranks 125th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is historical exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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