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.[1]

Below are global estimates of skin reflectance frequencies in various countries, populations and areas as observed and predicted by Jablonski and Chaplin.[1]

# Country/Population/Area Hemisphere Reflectance site Observed reflectance at 685 nm Predicted reflectance at 685 nm
1 Afghanistan/Iran Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 55.70 45.55
2 Algeria (Aures) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 58.05 47.91
3 Australia (Darwin) Southern hemisphere Upper inner arm 19.30 36.24
4 Belgium Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 63.14 65.66
5 Botswana (San) Southern hemisphere Upper inner arm 42.40 39.45
6 Brazil (Caingan) Southern hemisphere Upper inner arm 49.40 48.53
7 Brazil (Guaraní) Southern hemisphere Upper inner arm 47.20 45.29
8 Burkina Faso (Kurumba) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 28.60 34.23
9 Cambodia Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 54.00 38.99
10 Cameroon (Fali) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 21.50 34.37
11 Chad (Sara) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 24.60 34.77
12 China (Southern) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 59.17 50.49
13 China (Tibet) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 54.70 41.78
14 Eswatini Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 35.60 44.62
15 Ethiopia Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 31.70 32.70
16 Ethiopia (Highland) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 33.55 31.35
17 Germany (Mainz) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 66.90 65.21
18 Greenland (Southern) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 55.70 70.31
19 India Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 44.60 48.85
20 India (Bengal) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 49.73 44.33
21 India (Goa) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 46.40 38.93
22 India (Nagpur) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 41.30 41.53
23 India (Northern) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 53.26 44.23
24 India (Orissa) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 32.05 41.52
25 India (Punjab) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 54.24 47.89
26 India (Rajasthan) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 52.00 42.19
27 India (Southern) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 46.70 37.60
28 Iraq/Syria (Kurds) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 61.12 51.50
29 Ireland (Ballinlough) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 65.20 67.11
30 Ireland (Carnew) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 64.50 65.84
31 Ireland (Longford) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 65.00 66.99
32 Ireland (Rossmore) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 64.75 66.73
33 Israel Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 58.20 48.67
34 Israel (Kurdish Jews)[2] Northern hemisphere Medial aspect of upper arm 54.89–60.02
35 Israel (Yemeni Jews)[2] Northern hemisphere Medial aspect of upper arm 53.15–56.94
36 Japan (Central) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 55.42 58.51
37 Japan (Hidakka) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 59.10 63.58
38 Japan (Northern) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 54.90 61.34
39 Japan (Southwest) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 53.55 56.68
40 Jordan Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 55.42 58.51
41 Jordan (Arabs)[3] Northern hemisphere Forehead 44.2–47.1
42 Jordan (Arabs)[3] Northern hemisphere Medial aspect of upper arm 48.0–52.7
43 Jordan (Chechen)[3] Northern hemisphere Forehead 50.9–52.5
44 Jordan (Chechen)[3] Northern hemisphere Medial aspect of upper arm 51.9–55.0
45 Jordan (Druze, males)[3] Northern hemisphere Forehead 48.5
46 Jordan (Druze, males)[3] Northern hemisphere Medial aspect of upper arm 52.8
47 Kenya Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 32.40 34.21
48 Lebanon Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 58.20 50.74
49 Liberia Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 29.40 40.52
50 Libya (Cyrenaica) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 53.50 44.19
51 Libya (Fezzan) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 44.00 41.31
52 Libya (Tripoli) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 54.40 48.83
53 Malawi Southern hemisphere Upper inner arm 27.00 38.67
54 Mali (Dogon) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 34.10 34.54
55 Morocco Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 54.85 49.09
56 Mozambique (Chopi) Southern hemisphere Upper inner arm 19.45 43.84
57 Namibia Southern hemisphere Upper inner arm 25.55 38.29
58 Namibia (Okavango) Southern hemisphere Upper inner arm 22.92 38.63
59 Namibia (Reheboth Baster) Southern hemisphere Upper inner arm 32.90 36.49
60 Nepal (Eastern) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 50.42 46.31
61 Netherlands Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 67.37 65.94
62 Nigeria (Ebo) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 28.20 41.86
63 Nigeria (Yoruba) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 27.40 39.62
64 Pakistan Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 52.30 44.15
65 Papua New Guinea Southern hemisphere Upper inner arm 35.30 37.26
66 Papua New Guinea (Goroka) Southern hemisphere Upper inner arm 33.30 34.20
67 Papua New Guinea (Karker) Southern hemisphere Upper inner arm 32.00 37.25
68 Papua New Guinea (Lufa) Southern hemisphere Upper inner arm 31.20 36.88
69 Papua New Guinea (Mount Hagan) Southern hemisphere Upper inner arm 35.35 31.56
70 Papua New Guinea (Port Moresby) Southern hemisphere Upper inner arm 41.00 35.45
71 Peru (Maranon) Southern hemisphere Upper inner arm 43.05 42.28
72 Peru (Nunoa) Southern hemisphere Upper inner arm 47.70 34.89
73 Philippines (Manila) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 54.10 41.53
74 Russia (Chechen) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 53.45 59.04
75 Saudi Arabia Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 52.50 38.65
76 South Africa Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 42.50 45.67
77 South Africa (Cape) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 50.96 50.71
78 South Africa (Hottentot) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 46.80 43.91
79 South Africa (San Central) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 43.75 41.14
80 Spain (Basques) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 65.70 62.38
81 Spain (Leon) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 64.66 60.80
82 Sudan Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 35.50 33.45
83 Tanzania (Nyatura) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 25.80 34.12
84 Tanzania (Sandewe) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 28.90 32.13
85 Tunisia Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 56.30 52.03
86 Turkey Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 59.15 55.56
87 United Kingdom (Cumberland) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 66.75 66.99
88 United Kingdom (London) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 62.30 65.84
89 United Kingdom (Northern) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 66.10 67.49
90 United Kingdom (Wales) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 65.00 66.15
91 Vietnam Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 55.90 43.59
92 Zaire Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 33.20 37.46
93 Zaire (Konda) Northern hemisphere Upper inner arm 29.40 39.43
  1. ^ a b Jablonski, N. G.; G. Chaplin (2000). "The evolution of human skin coloration" (PDF). Journal of Human Evolution. 39 (1): 57–106. doi:10.1006/jhev.2000.0403. PMID 10896812. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  2. ^ a b J. A. Lourie (1973). "Physical characteristics of Yemenite and Kurdish Jews in Israel". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences. 266 (876): 101–112. Bibcode:1973RSPTB.266..101L. doi:10.1098/rstb.1973.0039. PMID 4148280. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Sunderland, E.; Elizabeth Coope (1973). "Genetic studies in Jordan". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences. 266 (876): 207–220. Bibcode:1973RSPTB.266..207S. doi:10.1098/rstb.1973.0048. PMID 4148289. Retrieved 30 August 2017.