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 frequencies represent lower skin reflectance and thus darker pigmentation, whereas higher frequencies represent greater skin reflectance and therefore lighter pigmentation.
Below are global estimates of skin reflectance frequencies 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 arm59.1750.49
13China Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm54.7041.78
14EthiopiaNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm31.7032.70
15Ethiopia Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm33.5531.35
16Germany Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm66.9065.21
17Greenland Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm55.7070.31
18IndiaNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm44.6048.85
19India Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm49.7344.33
20India Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm46.4038.93
21India Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm41.3041.53
22India Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm53.2644.23
23India Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm32.0541.52
24India Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm54.2447.89
25India Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm52.0042.19
26India Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm46.7037.60
27Iraq/Syria Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm61.1251.50
28Ireland Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm65.2067.11
29Ireland Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm64.5065.84
30Ireland Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm65.0066.99
31Ireland Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm64.7566.73
32IsraelNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm58.2048.67
33Israel Northern hemisphereMedial aspect of upper arm54.89–60.02
34Israel Northern hemisphereMedial aspect of upper arm53.15–56.94
35Japan Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm55.4258.51
36Japan Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm59.1063.58
37Japan Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm54.9061.34
38Japan Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm53.5556.68
39JordanNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm55.4258.51
40Jordan Northern hemisphereForehead44.2–47.1
41Jordan Northern hemisphereMedial aspect of upper arm48.0–52.7
42Jordan Northern hemisphereForehead50.9–52.5
43Jordan Northern hemisphereMedial aspect of upper arm51.9–55.0
44Jordan Northern hemisphereForehead48.5
45Jordan Northern hemisphereMedial aspect of upper arm52.8
46KenyaNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm32.4034.21
47LebanonNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm58.2050.74
48LiberiaNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm29.4040.52
49Libya Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm53.5044.19
50Libya Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm44.0041.31
51Libya Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm54.4048.83
52MalawiSouthern hemisphereUpper inner arm27.0038.67
53Mali Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm34.1034.54
54MoroccoNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm54.8549.09
55Mozambique Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm19.4543.84
56NamibiaSouthern hemisphereUpper inner arm25.5538.29
57Namibia Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm22.9238.63
58Namibia Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm32.9036.49
59Nepal Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm50.4246.31
60NetherlandsNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm67.3765.94
61Nigeria Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm28.2041.86
62Nigeria Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm27.4039.62
63PakistanNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm52.3044.15
64Papua New GuineaSouthern hemisphereUpper inner arm35.3037.26
65Papua New Guinea Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm33.3034.20
66Papua New Guinea Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm32.0037.25
67Papua New Guinea Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm31.2036.88
68Papua New Guinea Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm35.3531.56
69Papua New Guinea Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm41.0035.45
70Peru Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm43.0542.28
71Peru Southern hemisphereUpper inner arm47.7034.89
72Philippines Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm54.1041.53
73Russia Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm53.4559.04
74Saudi ArabiaNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm52.5038.65
75South AfricaNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm42.5045.67
76South Africa Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm50.9650.71
77South Africa Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm46.8043.91
78South Africa Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm43.7541.14
79Spain Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm65.7062.38
80Spain Northern hemisphereUpper inner arm64.6660.80
81SudanNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm35.5033.45
82SwazilandNorthern hemisphereUpper inner arm35.6044.62
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