Let there be light: The 5 ‘darkest’ countries in the world are in Africa

Many people around the world take electricity for granted, but there are still many without it.

According to a map illustrated from a famous photograph taken from the International Space Station in January 2014, huge parts of Africa, alongside notable parts of Asia, are still ‘dark’ and live off the grid.

In fact, the 5 ‘darkest’ countries in the world are in Africa. They are:

1. South Sudan – only 4 percent of the population is connected to the grid
2. Burundi – 7 percent
3. Chad – 8 percent
4. Liberia – 9 percent
5. Malawi – 12 percent

Although this image is from an International Space Station photograph in 2014, it appears that little has changed.

According to a 2018 report, South Sudan is still the least electrified country in the world although it is one of Africa’s largest oil producer.

War before independence in 2011 destroyed South Sudan’s limited infrastructure, including the electricity it had. It now depends entirely on imported diesel to run generators and insecurity and hyperinflation have made diesel scarce, leading to some of the highest energy costs in the region and a thriving black market for diesel.