Skin reflectance


In anthropology, reflectometry devices are often used to gauge human [skin color] through the measurement of skin reflectance. These devices are typically pointed at the upper arm or forehead, with the emitted waves then interpreted at various percentages. Lower percentages represent lower skin reflectance and thus darker pigmentation, whereas higher percentages represent greater skin reflectance and therefore lighter pigmentation.
Below are global estimates of skin reflectance percentages in various countries, populations and areas as observed and predicted by Jablonski and Chaplin.
#Country/Population/AreaHemisphereReflectance siteObserved reflectance at 685 nmPredicted reflectance at 685 nm
1Afghanistan/IranNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm55.7045.55
2Algeria Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm58.0547.91
3Australia Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm19.3036.24
4BelgiumNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm63.1465.66
5Botswana Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm42.4039.45
6Brazil Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm49.4048.53
7Brazil Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm47.2045.29
8Burkina Faso Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm28.6034.23
9CambodiaNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm54.0038.99
10Cameroon Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm21.5034.37
11Chad Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm24.6034.77
12China Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm59.1759.49
13China Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm54.7041.78
14EswatiniNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm35.6044.62
15EthiopiaNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm31.7032.70
16Ethiopia Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm33.5531.35
17Germany Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm66.9065.21
18Greenland Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm55.7070.31
19IndiaNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm44.6048.85
20India Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm49.7344.33
21India Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm46.4038.93
22India Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm41.3041.53
23India Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm53.2644.23
24India Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm32.0541.52
25India Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm54.2447.89
26India Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm52.0042.19
27India Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm46.7037.60
28Iraq/Syria Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm61.1251.50
29Ireland Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm65.2067.11
30Ireland Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm64.5065.84
31Ireland Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm65.0066.99
32Ireland Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm64.7566.73
33IsraelNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm58.2048.67
34Israel Northern hemisphereMedial aspect of upper arm54.89–60.02
35Israel Northern hemisphereMedial aspect of upper arm53.15–56.94
36Japan Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm55.4258.51
37Japan Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm59.1063.58
38Japan Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm54.9061.34
39Japan Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm53.5556.68
40JordanNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm55.4258.51
41Jordan Northern hemisphereForehead44.2–47.1
42Jordan Northern hemisphereMedial aspect of upper arm48.0–52.7
43Jordan Northern hemisphereForehead50.9–52.5
44Jordan Northern hemisphereMedial aspect of upper arm51.9–55.0
45Jordan Northern hemisphereForehead48.5
46Jordan Northern hemisphereMedial aspect of upper arm52.8
47KenyaNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm32.4034.21
48LebanonNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm58.2050.74
49LiberiaNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm29.4040.52
50Libya Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm53.5044.19
51Libya Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm44.0041.31
52Libya Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm54.4048.83
53MalawiSouthern hemisphereUpper inner arm27.0038.67
54Mali Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm34.1034.54
55MoroccoNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm54.8549.09
56Mozambique Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm19.4543.84
57NamibiaSouthern hemisphereUpper inner arm25.5538.29
58Namibia Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm22.9238.63
59Namibia Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm32.9036.49
60Nepal Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm50.4246.31
61NetherlandsNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm67.3765.94
62Nigeria Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm28.2041.86
63Nigeria Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm27.4039.62
64PakistanNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm52.3044.15
65Papua New GuineaSouthern hemisphereUpper inner arm35.3037.26
66Papua New Guinea Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm33.3034.20
67Papua New Guinea Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm32.0037.25
68Papua New Guinea Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm31.2036.88
69Papua New Guinea Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm35.3531.56
70Papua New Guinea Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm41.0035.45
71Peru Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm43.0542.28
72Peru Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm47.7034.89
73Philippines Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm54.1041.53
74Russia Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm53.4559.04
75Saudi ArabiaNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm52.5038.65
76South AfricaNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm42.5045.67
77South Africa Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm50.9650.71
78South Africa Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm46.8043.91
79South Africa Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm43.7541.14
80Spain Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm65.7062.38
81Spain Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm64.6660.80
82SudanNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm35.5033.45
83Tanzania Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm25.8034.12
84Tanzania Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm28.9032.13
85TunisiaNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm56.3052.03
86TurkeyNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm59.1555.56
87United Kingdom Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm66.7566.99
88United Kingdom Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm62.3065.84
89United Kingdom Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm66.1067.49
90United Kingdom Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm65.0066.15
91VietnamNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm55.9043.59
92ZaireNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm33.2037.46
93Zaire Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm29.4039.43