The world's sunniest countries in 2026, ranked
67 countries ranked by their average annual sunshine across every flyable destination, from long-term climate normals, by Sunshine Map. Published July 2026. Prefer to zoom in? See Europe's sunniest countries.
Key findings
• 🇪🇬 Egypt is the world's sunniest country: 3,782 hours a year on average, led by Sohag (4,007 h).
• Saudi Arabia and Oman complete the top three, at 3,712 and 3,481 h.
• Best for winter sun: 🇴🇲 Oman, 98/100 on the November–February Sunshine Score.
The full ranking — annual sunshine
| # | Country | Avg sun h/yr | Sunniest city | Flyable spots |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 3,782 | Sohag 4,007 h | 8 |
| 2 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 3,712 | Tabuk 4,052 h | 13 |
| 3 | 🇴🇲 Oman | 3,481 | Salalah 3,585 h | 3 |
| 4 | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 3,319 | Tamanrasset 3,864 h | 10 |
| 5 | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 3,316 | Abu Dhabi 3,431 h | 4 |
| 6 | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 3,315 | Essaouira 3,614 h | 10 |
| 7 | 🇮🇷 Iran | 3,309 | Zahedan 3,764 h | 19 |
| 8 | 🇮🇶 Iraq | 3,301 | Basra 3,445 h | 5 |
| 9 | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 3,153 | Hermosillo 3,844 h | 42 |
| 10 | 🇨🇾 Cyprus | 3,153 | Paphos 3,248 h | 3 |
| 11 | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde | 3,071 | São Pedro 3,191 h | 4 |
| 12 | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 3,065 | Cape Town 3,482 h | 4 |
| 13 | 🇦🇺 Australia | 3,056 | Alice Springs 3,770 h | 25 |
| 14 | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 3,000 | Karachi 3,204 h | 5 |
| 15 | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | 2,986 | Bukhara 3,117 h | 6 |
| 16 | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 2,981 | Zarzis 3,296 h | 4 |
| 17 | 🇨🇱 Chile | 2,960 | Calama 4,353 h | 12 |
| 18 | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 2,940 | Mendoza 3,504 h | 6 |
| 19 | 🇬🇷 Greece | 2,903 | Kos 3,218 h | 18 |
| 20 | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 2,902 | Dalaman 3,202 h | 30 |
| 21 | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | 2,872 | La Paz / El Alto 3,332 h | 3 |
| 22 | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 2,808 | Punta Cana 2,882 h | 3 |
| 23 | 🇪🇸 Spain | 2,769 | Gran Canaria 3,298 h | 31 |
| 24 | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 2,746 | Dar es Salaam 2,837 h | 3 |
| 25 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 2,733 | Faro 3,157 h | 6 |
| 26 | 🇮🇳 India | 2,619 | Ahmedabad 3,112 h | 39 |
| 27 | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 2,617 | Shymkent 2,974 h | 7 |
| 28 | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 2,567 | Fernando de Noronha 3,166 h | 45 |
| 29 | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2,556 | Lampedusa 3,136 h | 30 |
| 30 | 🇺🇸 United States | 2,545 | Boulder City 3,837 h | 194 |
| 31 | 🇵🇪 Peru | 2,507 | Arequipa 3,879 h | 15 |
| 32 | 🇭🇳 Honduras | 2,484 | Coxen Hole 2,764 h | 3 |
| 33 | 🇳🇵 Nepal | 2,481 | Siddharthanagar (Bhairahawa) 2,692 h | 5 |
| 34 | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 2,345 | Ubon Ratchathani 2,570 h | 15 |
| 35 | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 2,318 | Tauranga 2,513 h | 10 |
| 36 | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 2,308 | Chattogram (Chittagong) 2,518 h | 5 |
| 37 | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 2,307 | Caticlan 2,593 h | 19 |
| 38 | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 2,282 | Split 2,559 h | 6 |
| 39 | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 2,264 | Kupang 3,118 h | 46 |
| 40 | 🇫🇷 France | 2,247 | Marseille 2,885 h | 27 |
| 41 | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 2,214 | Varna 2,248 h | 3 |
| 42 | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 2,190 | Kano 3,209 h | 6 |
| 43 | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 2,182 | Tawau 2,411 h | 10 |
| 44 | 🇷🇴 Romania | 2,075 | Bucharest 2,214 h | 10 |
| 45 | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 2,069 | Santa Marta 2,935 h | 19 |
| 46 | 🇨🇦 Canada | 2,050 | Regina 2,633 h | 31 |
| 47 | 🇬🇪 Georgia | 2,048 | Tbilisi 2,155 h | 3 |
| 48 | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 2,033 | Bern 2,095 h | 3 |
| 49 | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 2,032 | Simferopol 2,298 h | 5 |
| 50 | 🇷🇺 Russia | 2,009 | Blagoveschensk 2,736 h | 63 |
| 51 | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 2,007 | Nha Trang/nha Trang aiurportCam Ranh 2,564 h | 18 |
| 52 | 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 1,999 | Sarajevo 2,082 h | 3 |
| 53 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 1,964 | Busan 2,112 h | 10 |
| 54 | 🇨🇳 China | 1,931 | Lhasa 3,630 h | 158 |
| 55 | 🇦🇹 Austria | 1,859 | Graz 1,953 h | 4 |
| 56 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 1,753 | Luleå 1,895 h | 5 |
| 57 | 🇯🇵 Japan | 1,748 | Shizuoka 2,035 h | 46 |
| 58 | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | 1,722 | Kaohsiung (Xiaogang) 2,124 h | 7 |
| 59 | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 1,695 | Aalborg 1,764 h | 4 |
| 60 | 🇫🇮 Finland | 1,678 | Kittilä 1,732 h | 5 |
| 61 | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 1,654 | Rotterdam 1,668 h | 3 |
| 62 | 🇵🇱 Poland | 1,636 | Rzeszów 1,697 h | 11 |
| 63 | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1,619 | Friedrichshafen 1,913 h | 20 |
| 64 | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 1,573 | Brno 1,643 h | 3 |
| 65 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 1,519 | Southampton 1,900 h | 21 |
| 66 | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 1,515 | Cork 1,693 h | 4 |
| 67 | 🇳🇴 Norway | 1,496 | Alta 1,800 h | 13 |
Some places are sunnier still but have too few flyable destinations to rank fairly — e.g. Namibia (3,829 h at Windhoek), Western Sahara (3,691 h at Dakhla), Mauritania (3,619 h at Nouakchott).
Explore all 3,833 destinations on the interactive globe →
Where the winter sun is — the world's winter-sun countries
The same countries re-ranked by the November–February Sunshine Score (daytime warmth × dryness × sunshine).
| # | Country | Winter sun /100 | Sunniest city | Flyable spots |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇴🇲 Oman | 98 | Salalah 3,585 h | 3 |
| 2 | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 97 | Sohag 4,007 h | 8 |
| 3 | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 97 | Abu Dhabi 3,431 h | 4 |
| 4 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 96 | Tabuk 4,052 h | 13 |
| 5 | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde | 92 | São Pedro 3,191 h | 4 |
| 6 | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 91 | Hermosillo 3,844 h | 42 |
| 7 | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 91 | Karachi 3,204 h | 5 |
| 8 | 🇮🇳 India | 88 | Ahmedabad 3,112 h | 39 |
| 9 | 🇳🇵 Nepal | 88 | Siddharthanagar (Bhairahawa) 2,692 h | 5 |
| 10 | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 88 | Chattogram (Chittagong) 2,518 h | 5 |
| 11 | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 87 | Punta Cana 2,882 h | 3 |
| 12 | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 86 | Cape Town 3,482 h | 4 |
| 13 | 🇨🇱 Chile | 84 | Calama 4,353 h | 12 |
| 14 | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 84 | Kano 3,209 h | 6 |
| 15 | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 80 | Ubon Ratchathani 2,570 h | 15 |
| 16 | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 78 | Nha Trang/nha Trang aiurportCam Ranh 2,564 h | 18 |
| 17 | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 77 | Dar es Salaam 2,837 h | 3 |
| 18 | 🇭🇳 Honduras | 77 | Coxen Hole 2,764 h | 3 |
| 19 | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 76 | Mendoza 3,504 h | 6 |
| 20 | 🇵🇪 Peru | 76 | Arequipa 3,879 h | 15 |
| 21 | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 74 | Essaouira 3,614 h | 10 |
| 22 | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 74 | Tauranga 2,513 h | 10 |
| 23 | 🇦🇺 Australia | 72 | Alice Springs 3,770 h | 25 |
| 24 | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 72 | Santa Marta 2,935 h | 19 |
| 25 | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 71 | Tamanrasset 3,864 h | 10 |
| 26 | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | 71 | Kaohsiung (Xiaogang) 2,124 h | 7 |
| 27 | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 70 | Fernando de Noronha 3,166 h | 45 |
| 28 | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 70 | Caticlan 2,593 h | 19 |
| 29 | 🇮🇶 Iraq | 69 | Basra 3,445 h | 5 |
| 30 | 🇨🇾 Cyprus | 68 | Paphos 3,248 h | 3 |
| 31 | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 67 | Zarzis 3,296 h | 4 |
| 32 | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 67 | Tawau 2,411 h | 10 |
| 33 | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 65 | Kupang 3,118 h | 46 |
| 34 | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | 62 | La Paz / El Alto 3,332 h | 3 |
| 35 | 🇮🇷 Iran | 60 | Zahedan 3,764 h | 19 |
| 36 | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 57 | Faro 3,157 h | 6 |
| 37 | 🇪🇸 Spain | 52 | Gran Canaria 3,298 h | 31 |
| 38 | 🇬🇷 Greece | 48 | Kos 3,218 h | 18 |
| 39 | 🇮🇹 Italy | 32 | Lampedusa 3,136 h | 30 |
| 40 | 🇺🇸 United States | 27 | Boulder City 3,837 h | 194 |
| 41 | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 24 | Dalaman 3,202 h | 30 |
| 42 | 🇨🇳 China | 24 | Lhasa 3,630 h | 158 |
| 43 | 🇯🇵 Japan | 22 | Shizuoka 2,035 h | 46 |
| 44 | 🇫🇷 France | 20 | Marseille 2,885 h | 27 |
| 45 | 🇬🇪 Georgia | 19 | Tbilisi 2,155 h | 3 |
| 46 | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 17 | Split 2,559 h | 6 |
| 47 | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | 15 | Bukhara 3,117 h | 6 |
| 48 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 10 | Busan 2,112 h | 10 |
| 49 | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 9 | Varna 2,248 h | 3 |
| 50 | 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 7 | Sarajevo 2,082 h | 3 |
| 51 | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 4 | Cork 1,693 h | 4 |
| 52 | 🇷🇴 Romania | 3 | Bucharest 2,214 h | 10 |
| 53 | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 3 | Bern 2,095 h | 3 |
| 54 | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 3 | Rotterdam 1,668 h | 3 |
| 55 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 3 | Southampton 1,900 h | 21 |
| 56 | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 2 | Shymkent 2,974 h | 7 |
| 57 | 🇦🇹 Austria | 2 | Graz 1,953 h | 4 |
| 58 | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 1 | Simferopol 2,298 h | 5 |
| 59 | 🇷🇺 Russia | 1 | Blagoveschensk 2,736 h | 63 |
| 60 | 🇩🇪 Germany | 1 | Friedrichshafen 1,913 h | 20 |
| 61 | 🇨🇦 Canada | 0 | Regina 2,633 h | 31 |
| 62 | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 0 | Luleå 1,895 h | 5 |
| 63 | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 0 | Aalborg 1,764 h | 4 |
| 64 | 🇫🇮 Finland | 0 | Kittilä 1,732 h | 5 |
| 65 | 🇵🇱 Poland | 0 | Rzeszów 1,697 h | 11 |
| 66 | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 0 | Brno 1,643 h | 3 |
| 67 | 🇳🇴 Norway | 0 | Alta 1,800 h | 13 |
Methodology
Each country's figure is the average across its flyable destinations — every metro-primary airport the atlas covers — from long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020). It reflects the sunshine across the places you can actually fly to, not a meteorological national average. Countries with fewer than 3 such destinations aren't ranked (too few to average fairly). The winter table uses the 0–100 Sunshine Score averaged over November–February. See also Europe's sunniest countries and the sunniest European cities.
Republish this data
Free to use under CC BY 4.0: credit Sunshine Map and link to this page. Download the full ranking as CSV: sunshine-atlas-sunniest-countries.csv (67 countries, annual hours + winter scores).
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