Droughts worldwide

Droughts are defined as a prolonged period of unusually dry weather conditions that affect a region's hydrologic balance. While they are naturally-occurring phenomena, human-driven climate change is increasing the odds of worsening drought and desertification across the globe. This report presents statistics and facts about droughts worldwide. It provides an overview of the economic and social costs of droughts in comparison to other natural disasters, as well as the number of occurrences recorded in the past decades and the countries most affected by them.