Which country has the biggest sunshine gap?

China: its sunniest place, Shiquanhe, gets about 3,781 hours of sunshine a year — 5.8× the 649 hours at Wulong, its least-sunny.

What are the sunniest and least-sunny places on Sunshine Atlas?

The sunniest is Calama, Chile (about 4,353 hours a year); the least sunny is Wulong, China (about 649) — a 6.7× difference.

The sunshine divide: every country's sunniest and cloudiest place

Name: The sunshine divide 2026 — within-country sunshine range, Sunshine Atlas
Creator: Sunshine Atlas
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The 81 countries with at least 8 flyable destinations, ranked by the ratio between their sunniest and least-sunny place, from long-term climate normals, by Sunshine Atlas. Published July 2026.

Key findings
• China has the widest gap: Shiquanhe gets 3,781 hours of sun a year — 5.8× the 649 hours at Wulong.
• United States follows at 4.0× (Yuma 3,904 h → Akutan 985 h), then Chile at 3.0×.
• Across the whole atlas the spread is 6.7×: from Calama (Chile, 4,353 h) down to Wulong (China, 649 h).

The most sun-unequal countries

Each bar runs from a country's least-sunny (left dot) to its sunniest (right dot) flyable destination, in annual sunshine hours.

The full ranking

#	Country	Sunniest place	Least-sunny place	Ratio	Gap
1	🇨🇳 China	Shiquanhe 3,781 h	Wulong 649 h	5.8×	3,132 h
2	🇺🇸 United States	Yuma 3,904 h	Akutan 985 h	4.0×	2,919 h
3	🇨🇱 Chile	Calama 4,353 h	Punta Arenas 1,460 h	3.0×	2,893 h
4	🇪🇨 Ecuador	Isla Baltra 2,819 h	Tachina 971 h	2.9×	1,848 h
5	🇵🇪 Peru	Arequipa 3,879 h	Chachapoyas 1,402 h	2.8×	2,477 h
6	🇨🇴 Colombia	Santa Marta 2,935 h	Ipiales 1,075 h	2.7×	1,860 h
7	🇦🇷 Argentina	Mendoza 3,504 h	Ushuaia 1,395 h	2.5×	2,109 h
8	🇦🇴 Angola	Ngiva 3,651 h	Cabinda 1,496 h	2.4×	2,155 h
9	🇨🇦 Canada	Pangnirtung 2,857 h	Terrace 1,257 h	2.3×	1,600 h
10	🇳🇬 Nigeria	Katsina 3,367 h	Calabar 1,495 h	2.3×	1,872 h
11	🇧🇴 Bolivia	Quijarro 4,090 h	Chimore 1,849 h	2.2×	2,241 h
12	🇻🇳 Vietnam	Nha Trang/nha Trang aiurportCam Ranh 2,564 h	Van Don 1,190 h	2.2×	1,374 h
13	🇻🇪 Venezuela	Gran Roque Island 3,250 h	San Antonio del Tachira 1,616 h	2.0×	1,634 h
14	🇮🇷 Iran	Zahedan 3,764 h	Rasht 1,915 h	2.0×	1,849 h
15	🇮🇳 India	Jodhpur 3,331 h	North Lakhimpur 1,765 h	1.9×	1,566 h
16	🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma)	Mandalay 2,833 h	Putao 1,513 h	1.9×	1,320 h
17	🇲🇽 Mexico	Puerto Peñasco 3,864 h	Poza Rica 2,076 h	1.9×	1,788 h
18	🇬🇱 Greenland	Paamiut 2,920 h	Kulusuk 1,569 h	1.9×	1,351 h
19	🇵🇰 Pakistan	Quetta 3,936 h	Skardu 2,127 h	1.9×	1,809 h
20	🇷🇺 Russia	Blagoveschensk 2,736 h	Kurilsk 1,479 h	1.8×	1,257 h

Show all 81 countries

#	Country	Sunniest place	Least-sunny place	Ratio	Gap
1	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Tiwatobi 3,121 h	Dekai 1,717 h	1.8×	1,404 h
2	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	Southampton 1,900 h	Oban 1,046 h	1.8×	854 h
3	🇧🇷 Brazil	Mossoró 3,194 h	Tabatinga 1,825 h	1.8×	1,369 h
4	🇪🇸 Spain	El Hierro 3,418 h	Santander 1,954 h	1.7×	1,464 h
5	🇿🇦 South Africa	Upington 3,988 h	Margate 2,327 h	1.7×	1,661 h
6	🇫🇷 France	Marseille 2,885 h	Lille 1,703 h	1.7×	1,182 h
7	🇯🇵 Japan	Kitadaitōjima 2,359 h	Akita 1,394 h	1.7×	965 h
8	🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa	Lubumbashi 2,978 h	Kinshasa 1,782 h	1.7×	1,196 h
9	🇲🇬 Madagascar	Toliara 3,677 h	Maroantsetra 2,206 h	1.7×	1,471 h
10	🇦🇺 Australia	Bedourie 3,852 h	Yam 2,369 h	1.6×	1,483 h
11	🇹🇷 Türkiye	Dalaman 3,202 h	Rize 2,004 h	1.6×	1,198 h
12	🇹🇼 Taiwan	Kaohsiung (Xiaogang) 2,124 h	Taoyuan 1,334 h	1.6×	790 h
13	🇮🇸 Iceland	Akureyri 1,550 h	Þórshöfn 974 h	1.6×	576 h
14	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	Jijiga 3,488 h	Tippi 2,229 h	1.6×	1,259 h
15	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Dodoma 3,307 h	Bukoba 2,154 h	1.5×	1,153 h
16	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Nicoya 2,604 h	La Fortuna 1,730 h	1.5×	874 h
17	🇳🇴 Norway	Alta 1,800 h	Ørsta 1,225 h	1.5×	575 h
18	🇮🇹 Italy	Lampedusa 3,136 h	Bolzano (BZ) 2,153 h	1.5×	983 h
19	🇳🇵 Nepal	Jumla 2,966 h	Bhadrapur 2,058 h	1.4×	908 h
20	🇲🇦 Morocco	Zagora 3,857 h	Tan Tan 2,683 h	1.4×	1,174 h
21	🇩🇿 Algeria	Djanet 3,938 h	Annaba 2,786 h	1.4×	1,152 h
22	🇵🇹 Portugal	Portimão 3,196 h	Santa Cruz das Flores 2,289 h	1.4×	907 h
23	🇺🇦 Ukraine	Simferopol 2,298 h	Lviv 1,652 h	1.4×	646 h
24	🇵🇦 Panama	Panamá City 2,204 h	Changuinola 1,599 h	1.4×	605 h
25	🇵🇫 French Polynesia	Ua Pou 3,543 h	Rimatara 2,589 h	1.4×	954 h
26	🇱🇾 Libya	Ghat 4,078 h	Misrata 2,987 h	1.4×	1,091 h
27	🇪🇬 Egypt	Abu Simbel 4,078 h	Marsa Matruh 3,012 h	1.4×	1,066 h
28	🇲🇾 Malaysia	Labuan 2,476 h	Johor Bahru 1,839 h	1.3×	637 h
29	🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea	Misima 2,453 h	Tabubil 1,835 h	1.3×	618 h
30	🇸🇪 Sweden	Luleå 1,895 h	Hemavan 1,418 h	1.3×	477 h
31	🇲🇳 Mongolia	Mandalgobi 3,351 h	Ulaangom 2,535 h	1.3×	816 h
32	🇩🇪 Germany	Friedrichshafen 1,913 h	Berlin 1,450 h	1.3×	463 h
33	🇹🇳 Tunisia	Gabès 3,551 h	Hammamet (Enfidha) 2,724 h	1.3×	827 h
34	🇰🇿 Kazakhstan	Turkıstan 3,073 h	Uralsk 2,362 h	1.3×	711 h
35	🇲🇭 Marshall Islands	Utirik 3,065 h	Jabor Jaluit Atoll 2,359 h	1.3×	706 h
36	🇬🇷 Greece	Kos 3,218 h	Kozani 2,478 h	1.3×	740 h
37	🇵🇭 Philippines	Caticlan 2,593 h	Manila (Pasay) 2,000 h	1.3×	593 h
38	🇳🇿 New Zealand	Tauranga 2,513 h	Invercargill 1,949 h	1.3×	564 h
39	🇭🇷 Croatia	Split 2,559 h	Rijeka(Omišalj) 2,004 h	1.3×	555 h
40	🇹🇭 Thailand	Buriram 2,575 h	Nakhon Si Thammarat 2,056 h	1.3×	519 h
41	🇳🇦 Namibia	Luderitz 4,150 h	Katima Mulilo 3,317 h	1.3×	833 h
42	🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia	Tabuk 4,052 h	Jizan 3,288 h	1.2×	764 h
43	🇫🇮 Finland	Pori 1,876 h	Lappeenranta 1,531 h	1.2×	345 h
44	🇭🇳 Honduras	Coxen Hole 2,764 h	La Ceiba 2,265 h	1.2×	499 h
45	🇰🇪 Kenya	Meru-Kinna 3,207 h	Nanyuki 2,633 h	1.2×	574 h
46	🇰🇷 South Korea	Busan 2,112 h	Jeju City 1,734 h	1.2×	378 h
47	🇫🇯 Fiji	Yasawa 2,760 h	Bureta 2,279 h	1.2×	481 h
48	🇧🇸 Bahamas	Matthew Town 3,219 h	Treasure Cay 2,663 h	1.2×	556 h
49	🇮🇪 Ireland	Cork 1,693 h	Inis Mór 1,409 h	1.2×	284 h
50	🇸🇧 Solomon Islands	Anua 2,394 h	Ballalae 1,996 h	1.2×	398 h
51	🇧🇩 Bangladesh	Chattogram (Chittagong) 2,518 h	Barisal 2,105 h	1.2×	413 h
52	🇳🇨 New Caledonia	Koné 3,126 h	Koumac 2,687 h	1.2×	439 h
53	🇩🇰 Denmark	Rønne 1,789 h	Sønderborg 1,559 h	1.1×	230 h
54	🇻🇺 Vanuatu	Tanna Island 2,654 h	Epi Island 2,324 h	1.1×	330 h
55	🇲🇿 Mozambique	Vilanculo 3,000 h	Lichinga 2,638 h	1.1×	362 h
56	🇧🇿 Belize	San Pedro 2,729 h	Caye Chapel 2,402 h	1.1×	327 h
57	🇷🇴 Romania	Constanța 2,248 h	Cluj-Napoca 1,991 h	1.1×	257 h
58	🇨🇺 Cuba	Cayo Largo del Sur 3,004 h	Santa Clara 2,670 h	1.1×	334 h
59	🇺🇿 Uzbekistan	Termez 3,225 h	Zomin 2,884 h	1.1×	341 h
60	🇵🇱 Poland	Rzeszów 1,697 h	Zielona Góra 1,527 h	1.1×	170 h
61	🇲🇻 Maldives	Gan 2,803 h	Kulhudhuffushi 2,666 h	1.1×	137 h

Explore all 3,833 destinations on the interactive globe →

Methodology

For every country with at least 8 flyable destinations, this ranks the gap between its sunniest and least-sunny place by annual sunshine hours, from long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020). "Places" are the metro-primary airports the atlas covers — every one somewhere you can fly to — so a country's range can span a desert city and a cloud-bound mountain or island airstrip, which is why big, climatically diverse countries top the list. Sunshine hours are validated against 404 met-station cities (correlation 0.92); see the methodology. See also the world's sunniest cities and sunniest countries.

Republish this data

Free to use under CC BY 4.0: credit Sunshine Atlas and link to this page. Download the full ranking as CSV: sunshine-atlas-sunshine-divide.csv (81 countries).

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