Overview of global drought

Drought is universal all over the world. The most widespread and serious drought was a severe drought in some countries around the Sahara Desert in Africa in the late 1960s. In the early 1980s, it spread to 34 countries and nearly 100 million people were threatened by hunger.

Drought is frequent in China, and drought records can be found in historical books, local chronicles, palace archives, inscriptions, inscriptions and other cultural relics. From 206 BC to 1949, there were 1056 droughts in China. From the 16th century to the 19th century, the severe drought that affected more than 200 counties occurred in 1640, 1671, 1679, 1721, 1785, 1835, 1856 and 1877. In 1640 (the 13th year of Chongzhen's reign in the Ming Dynasty), the drought lasted for 4-6 years in different regions; In 1785 (the fiftieth year of Emperor Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty), 13 provinces suffered from drought. According to records, "grass roots and bark were used up, refugees carried their way, hungry people filled the fields, and the dead slept"; In 1835 (the 15th year of Daoguang Reign of the Qing Dynasty), 15 provinces suffered from drought, and there was a record of "gnawing grass and sucking soil, starving people carrying the road, people eating Guanyin powder, and many dead people". Since the 20th century, the severe drought in Shaanxi, Henan, Hebei, Shandong and Shanxi in 1920 resulted in 20 million victims and 500000 deaths; In 1928, 535 counties in 13 provinces including North China, Northwest China and Southwest China were hit by drought; During the severe drought in 1942~1943, millions of people died of hunger and disease in Henan Province alone.

From 1950 to 1986, the national average annual drought area was 300 million mu, and the disaster area was 110 million mu. In 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1978 and 1986, the drought area in China exceeded 450 million mu, and the disaster area exceeded 150 million mu. In 1972, there was little rain in the north and drought in spring and summer. The disaster was serious, and the summer drought was serious in some parts of the south. The drought area nationwide was 460 million mu, and the disaster area was 200 million mu. In 1978, the nationwide drought was widespread, lasted for a long time, and the drought was serious. The precipitation in some provinces from January to October was 30% to 70% less than the normal year. The summer drought in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River was the most serious. The nationwide drought area was 600 million mu, and the disaster area was 270 million mu, which was the highest value since there were statistical data.