Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index in China
China: Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index was -1.33 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index in China, 1960–2023
Source: Global SPEI database (SPEIbase). https://spei.csic.es/database.html.
Analysis
In 2023, standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index in China stood at -1.33.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.9% on the previous year and down 103.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index in China peaked at 2.03 in 1964 and was at its lowest, -2.63, in 2011.
That places China 157th out of 189 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.3983 | — |
| 1961 | 1.29 | +223.5% |
| 1962 | 0.0066 | -99.5% |
| 1963 | -0.7739 | -11825.8% |
| 1964 | 2.03 | -362.2% |
| 1965 | -0.7528 | -137.1% |
| 1966 | -0.8241 | +9.5% |
| 1967 | 0.2879 | -134.9% |
| 1968 | -0.232 | -180.6% |
| 1969 | 0.727 | -413.4% |
| 1970 | 1.37 | +88.9% |
| 1971 | -0.2313 | -116.8% |
| 1972 | -0.1405 | -39.3% |
| 1973 | 2.02 | -1538.5% |
| 1974 | 0.6049 | -70.1% |
| 1975 | 1.21 | +99.7% |
| 1976 | 0.4407 | -63.5% |
| 1977 | 0.4685 | +6.3% |
| 1978 | -1.47 | -414.0% |
| 1979 | -0.2026 | -86.2% |
| 1980 | 0.4663 | -330.2% |
| 1981 | 0.5265 | +12.9% |
| 1982 | 0.2787 | -47.1% |
| 1983 | 1.96 | +605.0% |
| 1984 | 0.732 | -62.7% |
| 1985 | 1.03 | +40.9% |
| 1986 | -1.43 | -238.7% |
| 1987 | 0.4908 | -134.3% |
| 1988 | -0.4325 | -188.1% |
| 1989 | -0.035 | -91.9% |
| 1990 | 1.28 | -3759.1% |
| 1991 | -0.1382 | -110.8% |
| 1992 | -0.1874 | +35.6% |
| 1993 | 1.57 | -937.9% |
| 1994 | 0.417 | -73.4% |
| 1995 | -0.2342 | -156.2% |
| 1996 | 0.7082 | -402.4% |
| 1997 | -0.9648 | -236.2% |
| 1998 | 1.61 | -266.5% |
| 1999 | -0.5322 | -133.1% |
| 2000 | -0.6132 | +15.2% |
| 2001 | -1.59 | +159.8% |
| 2002 | 0.3118 | -119.6% |
| 2003 | 0.0915 | -70.7% |
| 2004 | -2.09 | -2383.3% |
| 2005 | -1.07 | -48.8% |
| 2006 | -1.86 | +73.9% |
| 2007 | -2.06 | +10.6% |
| 2008 | -0.8814 | -57.2% |
| 2009 | -2.33 | +164.4% |
| 2010 | 0.6887 | -129.6% |
| 2011 | -2.63 | -482.3% |
| 2012 | 0.5986 | -122.7% |
| 2013 | -0.6539 | -209.2% |
| 2014 | -0.7262 | +11.1% |
| 2015 | 0.0442 | -106.1% |
| 2016 | 1.09 | +2370.8% |
| 2017 | -1.03 | -194.0% |
| 2018 | -0.1584 | -84.6% |
| 2019 | -0.8675 | +447.7% |
| 2020 | 0.1567 | -118.1% |
| 2021 | 0.4652 | +196.9% |
| 2022 | -1.4 | -400.3% |
| 2023 | -1.33 | -4.9% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's -1.33 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -0.4275, 3.1× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- China's -1.33 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.0249. (27 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | -11825.8% | 0.0066 | -0.7739 |
| 1990 | +3759.1% | -0.035 | 1.28 |
| 2004 | -2383.3% | 0.0915 | -2.09 |
| 2016 | +2370.8% | 0.0442 | 1.09 |
| 1973 | +1538.5% | -0.1405 | 2.02 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.2155 | -0.8241 | 2.03 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.4072 | -1.47 | 2.02 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3593 | -1.43 | 1.96 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3526 | -0.9648 | 1.61 | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.21 | -2.33 | 0.3118 | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.3642 | -2.63 | 1.09 | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.526 | -1.4 | 0.4652 | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More environment data for China
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.279 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.92 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 5.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8065 % 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 -0.2517 % 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 standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index in China?
- Standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index in China was -1.33 in 2023, according to Global SPEI database (SPEIbase). https://spei.csic.es/database.html.
- What is the highest standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 2.03 in 1964.
- What is the lowest standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.63 in 2011.
- How does China rank for standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index?
- China ranks 157th out of 189 countries with data for 2023.
- Is standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 103.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Global SPEI database (SPEIbase). https://spei.csic.es/database.html, published as part of Standardised Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The SPEI fulfills the requirements of a drought index since its multi-scalar character enables it to be used by different scientific disciplines to detect, monitor, and analyze droughts. Like the sc-PDSI and the SPI, the SPEI can measure drought severity according to its intensity and duration, and can identify the onset and end of drought episodes. The SPEI allows comparison of drought severity through time and space, since it can be calculated over a wide range of climates, as can the SPI.