Average lightning strikes all over the planet

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A lightning strike is an electric discharge within the atmosphere and the earth. About 69% percent of all lightning cases worldwide are striking between the atmosphere and earth-bound targets.

Below is the heatmap showing global lightning strike density on land created by Joshua Copping using RStat. More extensive and brighter points indicate a greater density of lightning strikes.

Approximately 70 percent of lightning happens on the land in the Tropics, where most thunderstorms occur. The North and South Poles and the territories over the oceans have fewer lightning strikes.

According to the map below lightning strikes most frequently in the small village of the Kifuka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the elevation is around 1.7 thousand meters (5.6 thousand feet). This area experienced 158 lightning strikes per square kilometer (409 per square mile) a year.

Above the Catatumbo River in Venezuela, Catatumbo lightning flashes several times per minute, and this spot has the highest amount of lightning strikes per square kilometer globally. Malaysia has one of the most significant rates of lightning activity worldwide, after Indonesia and Colombia.

Top 10 biggest lightning hot spots worldwide

Rank	Place	Country	Lightning flashes per square kilometer per year
1	Lake Maracaibo	Venezuela	232.52
2	Kabare	DR Congo	205.31
3	Kampene	DR Congo	176.71
4	Caceres	Colombia	172.29
5	Sake	DR Congo	143.21
6	Dagar	Pakistan	143.11
7	El Tarra	Colombia	138.61
8	Nguti	Cameroon	129.58
9	Butembo	DR Congo	129.50
10	Boende	DR Congo	127.52