Darkest Countries 2025

Radiance per 1k Population 2023

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

550

429.4

229.8

226.6

Country
Average Radiance 2023
Radiance per 1k Population 2023
Average Radiance 2012-2023
Aurora Borealis May Impact Radiance
Average Radiance 2022
Vatican City Flag
Vatican City68.480527.9104.7No74.260
Monaco Flag
Monaco64.92039.779.5No72.357
Macau Flag
Macau61.34329.860.7No60.625
Bahrain Flag
Bahrain55.885173.949.4No54.661
Singapore Flag
Singapore43.45135.843.9No42.695
Qatar Flag
Qatar19.894429.415.3No19.379
Gibraltar Flag
Gibraltar19.50649.220.1No19.218
Hong Kong Flag
Hong Kong16.91717.316.5No17.527
Malta Flag
Malta13.76559.312.9No13.582
Sint Maarten Flag
Sint Maarten13.270102.810.6No12.499
San Marino Flag
San Marino11.70697.811.6No12.064
Kuwait Flag
Kuwait10.219192.58.6No9.866
Palestine Flag
Palestine10.08658.97.1No9.364
Israel Flag
Israel9.552109.67.7No8.986
Aruba Flag
Aruba8.03584.56.3No7.787
Trinidad and Tobago Flag
Trinidad and Tobago6.672131.16.5No6.368
United Arab Emirates Flag
United Arab Emirates6.140213.95.0No5.896
Curacao Flag
Curacao5.70899.75.3No5.189
Taiwan Flag
Taiwan5.48041.15.1No5.357
Barbados Flag
Barbados5.02842.81.6No4.710
South Korea Flag
South Korea4.95847.84.0No4.726
Puerto Rico Flag
Puerto Rico4.89569.34.7No4.576
Saint Martin Flag
Saint Martin4.68162.54.2No4.452
United States Virgin Islands Flag
United States Virgin Islands4.456121.24.2No4.253
Guam Flag
Guam4.02374.84.7No4.149
Nauru Flag
Nauru4.00366.03.1No3.956
Netherlands Flag
Netherlands3.91140.55.0No3.894
Cayman Islands Flag
Cayman Islands3.784126.93.8No3.659
Bermuda Flag
Bermuda3.67644.04.0No3.655
Belgium Flag
Belgium3.45143.04.6No4.399
Italy Flag
Italy3.21376.13.2No3.275
Luxembourg Flag
Luxembourg3.13861.33.6No3.766
Cyprus Flag
Cyprus2.89293.22.8No2.648
Martinique Flag
Martinique2.76746.93.6No2.799
Mauritius Flag
Mauritius2.55422.51.8No2.291
Saint Kitts and Nevis Flag
Saint Kitts and Nevis2.40581.12.1No2.139
Antigua and Barbuda Flag
Antigua and Barbuda2.35672.62.0No2.034
Brunei Flag
Brunei2.316145.42.4No2.268
Iraq Flag
Iraq2.297121.41.6No2.235
Portugal Flag
Portugal2.20493.72.4No2.206
Guadeloupe Flag
Guadeloupe2.14451.52.4No2.023
Lebanon Flag
Lebanon2.08614.83.6No1.423
Anguilla Flag
Anguilla1.945114.31.8No1.822
Saint Lucia Flag
Saint Lucia1.92936.61.9No1.811
Andorra Flag
Andorra1.88852.12.7No2.627
Reunion Flag
Reunion1.87127.32.2No2.903
Mayotte Flag
Mayotte1.80417.81.2No1.582
Dominican Republic Flag
Dominican Republic1.68437.41.0No1.468
Vietnam Flag
Vietnam1.63326.31.3No1.447
Jamaica Flag
Jamaica1.57931.51.3No1.390
Jordan Flag
Jordan1.57062.21.0No1.386
Turkey Flag
Turkey1.56169.71.1No1.412
Spain Flag
Spain1.53077.51.5No1.480
Japan Flag
Japan1.51121.91.4No1.451
United Kingdom Flag
United Kingdom1.47926.71.6Yes1.479
Liechtenstein Flag
Liechtenstein1.47128.71.7No1.520
Greece Flag
Greece1.43089.31.2No1.320
Maldives Flag
Maldives1.40058.60.6No0.938
Saint Barthelemy Flag
Saint Barthelemy1.38857.81.0No1.276
Thailand Flag
Thailand1.36049.40.8No1.063
Serbia Flag
Serbia1.25665.61.2No1.301
Malaysia Flag
Malaysia1.22858.61.0No1.109
Czech Republic Flag
Czech Republic1.21641.81.2No1.222
India Flag
India1.19113.00.8No1.015
Grenada Flag
Grenada1.17125.51.0No0.972
Germany Flag
Germany1.16423.51.1No1.175
Poland Flag
Poland1.10641.91.1No1.180
Croatia Flag
Croatia1.06472.71.1No1.091
United States Flag
United States1.060114.90.9Yes0.978
Saudi Arabia Flag
Saudi Arabia1.024267.10.9No0.985
American Samoa Flag
American Samoa1.01132.71.0No0.956
Switzerland Flag
Switzerland0.95621.41.1No1.043
Northern Mariana Islands Flag
Northern Mariana Islands0.95669.20.8No0.973
Ecuador Flag
Ecuador0.95466.40.7No0.832
Iran Flag
Iran0.94086.00.7No0.811
British Virgin Islands Flag
British Virgin Islands0.86658.40.7No0.731
Finland Flag
Finland0.863146.20.7Yes0.833
El Salvador Flag
El Salvador0.86112.50.6No0.726
Slovenia Flag
Slovenia0.85838.40.8No0.847
France Flag
France0.85632.91.3No1.128
Bangladesh Flag
Bangladesh0.8343.30.5No0.679
Denmark Flag
Denmark0.83432.20.7Yes0.820
Albania Flag
Albania0.82439.00.6No0.731
Costa Rica Flag
Costa Rica0.81539.40.7No0.697
Hungary Flag
Hungary0.81336.00.8No0.827
Tunisia Flag
Tunisia0.80950.90.6No0.736
Turks and Caicos Islands Flag
Turks and Caicos Islands0.809137.50.6No0.741
Montenegro Flag
Montenegro0.76176.90.7No0.758
Romania Flag
Romania0.75743.00.6No0.655
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Flag
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines0.75218.90.6No0.586
Egypt Flag
Egypt0.74834.60.7No0.775
Azerbaijan Flag
Azerbaijan0.72829.50.5No0.582
Slovakia Flag
Slovakia0.72730.40.7No0.774
Oman Flag
Oman0.722226.60.7No0.662
Austria Flag
Austria0.71931.60.7No0.720
Norway Flag
Norway0.712122.00.5Yes0.543
Ghana Flag
Ghana0.68925.30.3No0.557
Bosnia and Herzegovina Flag
Bosnia and Herzegovina0.67348.40.5No0.630
Mexico Flag
Mexico0.66748.30.5No0.595
Sweden Flag
Sweden0.66087.10.5Yes0.596
China Flag
China0.63719.90.4No0.569
Bulgaria Flag
Bulgaria0.63447.10.5No0.532
Ireland Flag
Ireland0.62244.20.6No0.586
Morocco Flag
Morocco0.58132.00.5No0.538
Georgia Flag
Georgia0.55448.50.4No0.472
Venezuela Flag
Venezuela0.53470.60.6No0.485
Sri Lanka Flag
Sri Lanka0.5277.70.3No0.412
Estonia Flag
Estonia0.48180.10.4Yes0.536
Seychelles Flag
Seychelles0.47925.70.4No0.411
Guatemala Flag
Guatemala0.47313.60.3No0.392
Cape Verde Flag
Cape Verde0.46319.70.3No0.415
Panama Flag
Panama0.46240.10.3No0.384
Moldova Flag
Moldova0.43825.80.3No0.339
Philippines Flag
Philippines0.4366.00.3No0.328
Armenia Flag
Armenia0.42920.00.2No0.338
Indonesia Flag
Indonesia0.42714.50.3No0.334
Bahamas Flag
Bahamas0.42197.80.4No0.370
Faroe Islands Flag
Faroe Islands0.38375.20.2Yes0.251
Pakistan Flag
Pakistan0.3787.50.3No0.343
Honduras Flag
Honduras0.36521.10.3No0.277
Rwanda Flag
Rwanda0.3603.40.2No0.258
Dominica Flag
Dominica0.34619.90.3No0.260
Lithuania Flag
Lithuania0.33436.30.3Yes0.348
Sao Tome and Principe Flag
Sao Tome and Principe0.3329.40.3No0.288
Isle of Man Flag
Isle of Man0.32212.90.4No0.301
Paraguay Flag
Paraguay0.31481.40.2No0.268
Uruguay Flag
Uruguay0.31473.90.3No0.297
Cuba Flag
Cuba0.30415.00.3No0.253
Argentina Flag
Argentina0.30186.60.3No0.286
Algeria Flag
Algeria0.29974.00.2No0.265
Canada Flag
Canada0.29390.00.2Yes0.240
Brazil Flag
Brazil0.29255.00.2No0.255
Uzbekistan Flag
Uzbekistan0.29118.00.2No0.263
South Africa Flag
South Africa0.28127.60.3No0.284
Nepal Flag
Nepal0.2816.50.1No0.182
Ivory Coast Flag
Ivory Coast0.27516.00.1No0.227
Latvia Flag
Latvia0.26842.50.2Yes0.278
Tonga Flag
Tonga0.26517.90.2No0.213
Chile Flag
Chile0.26251.10.2No0.239
Colombia Flag
Colombia0.26028.50.2No0.222
Syria Flag
Syria0.25112.80.2No0.218
Russia Flag
Russia0.24683.70.1Yes0.159
Gambia Flag
Gambia0.2456.10.1No0.179
Belarus Flag
Belarus0.24424.90.2No0.199
Turkmenistan Flag
Turkmenistan0.24192.70.2No0.204
Saint Pierre and Miquelon Flag
Saint Pierre and Miquelon0.23770.00.3No0.212
Equatorial Guinea Flag
Equatorial Guinea0.23121.70.2No0.169
Nigeria Flag
Nigeria0.2234.70.2No0.203
Libya Flag
Libya0.207229.80.1No0.153
Belize Flag
Belize0.20655.60.1No0.165
Tajikistan Flag
Tajikistan0.20515.20.1No0.157
Palau Flag
Palau0.19944.50.1No0.141
Togo Flag
Togo0.1916.70.1No0.149
Montserrat Flag
Montserrat0.19126.30.2No0.154
Senegal Flag
Senegal0.1619.10.1No0.117
Cambodia Flag
Cambodia0.1608.30.1No0.102
Peru Flag
Peru0.15428.60.1No0.145
Ukraine Flag
Ukraine0.1459.70.2No0.107
Wallis and Futuna Flag
Wallis and Futuna0.14316.10.0No0.080
Djibouti Flag
Djibouti0.14113.50.1No0.126
New Zealand Flag
New Zealand0.14036.30.1No0.132
New Caledonia Flag
New Caledonia0.14048.90.1No0.119
Micronesia Flag
Micronesia0.1399.20.1No0.100
Nicaragua Flag
Nicaragua0.12811.90.1No0.114
Samoa Flag
Samoa0.1259.40.1No0.086
Marshall Islands Flag
Marshall Islands0.12032.70.1No0.064
French Polynesia Flag
French Polynesia0.11517.20.1No0.093
Kenya Flag
Kenya0.1105.70.1No0.091
Fiji Flag
Fiji0.10312.20.1No0.081
Republic of the Congo Flag
Republic of the Congo0.10129.70.1No0.094
Bhutan Flag
Bhutan0.10124.50.1No0.056
Myanmar Flag
Myanmar0.0925.30.1No0.073
Bolivia Flag
Bolivia0.09240.50.1No0.086
Laos Flag
Laos0.09213.90.0No0.056
Timor-Leste Flag
Timor-Leste0.0912.80.1No0.064
Benin Flag
Benin0.0884.00.1No0.075
Yemen Flag
Yemen0.0856.20.1No0.086
Uganda Flag
Uganda0.0752.10.0No0.056
Kazakhstan Flag
Kazakhstan0.07149.00.1No0.061
Kyrgyzstan Flag
Kyrgyzstan0.07149.00.1No0.061
Burundi Flag
Burundi0.0690.80.0No0.043
Malawi Flag
Malawi0.0672.10.1No0.053
Gabon Flag
Gabon0.06738.30.1No0.062
Comoros Flag
Comoros0.0660.70.0No0.041
Lesotho Flag
Lesotho0.0654.60.1No0.052
Suriname Flag
Suriname0.06171.00.0No0.053
Haiti Flag
Haiti0.0580.70.1No0.056
Tanzania Flag
Tanzania0.0564.40.0No0.043
Angola Flag
Angola0.05610.90.0No0.056
Burkina Faso Flag
Burkina Faso0.0543.30.0No0.045
North Korea Flag
North Korea0.0501.20.0No0.029
Kiribati Flag
Kiribati0.0505.50.0No0.016
Cameroon Flag
Cameroon0.0464.10.0No0.034
Australia Flag
Australia0.04664.20.0No0.041
Mozambique Flag
Mozambique0.0445.80.0No0.037
Zimbabwe Flag
Zimbabwe0.0435.20.0No0.033
Zambia Flag
Zambia0.0428.40.0No0.035
Guinea Flag
Guinea0.0413.80.0No0.029
Guyana Flag
Guyana0.03948.80.0No0.026
French Guiana Flag
French Guiana0.03241.50.0No0.029
Papua New Guinea Flag
Papua New Guinea0.0307.90.0No0.023
Sudan Flag
Sudan0.0296.00.0No0.029
Botswana Flag
Botswana0.02933.00.0No0.025
Sierra Leone Flag
Sierra Leone0.0281.20.0No0.021
Liberia Flag
Liberia0.0282.80.0No0.018
Afghanistan Flag
Afghanistan0.0262.40.0No0.018
Western Sahara Flag
Western Sahara0.02654.80.0No0.024
Ethiopia Flag
Ethiopia0.0201.10.0No0.017
Guinea-Bissau Flag
Guinea-Bissau0.0202.10.0No0.017
Namibia Flag
Namibia0.01929.80.0No0.016
Tokelau Flag
Tokelau0.0192.90.0No0.008
Vanuatu Flag
Vanuatu0.0184.20.1No0.011
Tuvalu Flag
Tuvalu0.0181.60.0No0.009
Solomon Islands Flag
Solomon Islands0.0163.70.0No0.009
DR Congo Flag
DR Congo0.0131.70.0No0.012
Mali Flag
Mali0.0133.90.0No0.012
Mongolia Flag
Mongolia0.01226.10.0No0.011
Cook Islands Flag
Cook Islands0.0112.40.0No0.005
Mauritania Flag
Mauritania0.01011.20.0No0.008
Somalia Flag
Somalia0.0091.70.0No0.007
Madagascar Flag
Madagascar0.0080.80.0No0.007
Niger Flag
Niger0.0082.00.0No0.007
Chad Flag
Chad0.0062.20.0No0.006
Eritrea Flag
Eritrea0.0050.20.0No0.004
Falkland Islands Flag
Falkland Islands0.005131.90.0No0.004
South Sudan Flag
South Sudan0.0030.70.0No0.002
Central African Republic Flag
Central African Republic0.0010.60.0No0.001
Niue Flag
NiueNo
  • The amount of ambient light, or nighttime light pollution, in a country is expressed using the term “radiance”. Generally speaking, lower radiance indicates darker skies.
  • Values shown are derived by original source with the help of NASA’s Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument.
  • Values shown are averages. Nightly light levels can be impacted by many factors, most notably the phase of the moon and the degree of cloud cover.
  • Per 1000 values are computed using each country’s 2019 population.
  • Radiance is typically expressed in watts per square centimeter per steradian (W/(cm^2 -sr)) or nano watts per square centimeter per steradian (nW/(cm^2 -sr)), which measure the amount of radiant energy reaching a given unit of area per unit of solid angle. Data shown below are expressed in nW/(cm^2 -sr)
  • Radiance in countries with a significant portion of territory about 55 degrees latitude may be heavily impacted by aurora borealis activity.
  • The tiny Pacific Island country Niue, which has the world’s lowest radiance (and lowest level of light pollution), was the first entire country to be officially declared an International Dark Sky Place by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), which happened in 2020.
  • By comparison, well-lit micronations such as Vatican City, Macau, and Monaco—all of which are essentially city-sized countries with no rural area—have the highest levels of country-wide light pollution in the world.