Amber eyes are one of the rarest eye colors in the world. They are often referred to as wolf eyes or golden eyes due to their captivating appearance. Amber eyes occur when there is a high concentration of lipochrome pigment in the iris of the eye. This pigment only takes up a small percentage of the eye’s melanin and results in amber or yellow-ish color tones.
Amber eyes are thought to make up less than 1% of the global population. This means only an estimated 53 million people worldwide may have true amber eyes. However, getting an exact count is challenging as amber eyes come in a range of shades from light honey brown to a deeper copper.
In this article, we’ll explore the key facts around amber eyes including how genetics play a role, the geographic spread, and what percentage of people are estimated to have this rare eye color.
What Causes Amber Eyes?
Eye color is determined by the amount and type of pigment or melanin in the front part of the eye called the iris. Amber eyes get their color from a pigment called lipochrome – also known as pheomelanin. This is a yellowish pigment.
Along with pheomelanin, the iris contains another darker pigment called eumelanin. The ratio of these two pigments determines your eye shade. Those with amber eyes have a high concentration of pheomelanin compared to eumelanin. Often only about 5% of the iris pigment is eumelanin.
The lipochrome or pheomelanin gene is thought to be a mutation of the OCA2 gene which helps determine how much brown melanin is present in the eyes. When the OCA2 gene is altered it leads to light coloration and in the case of amber eyes – a yellowish hue.
Amber eyes are considered to be a genetic rarity. For someone to have amber eyes, they need to inherit the lipochome gene from both parents. Those who inherit the gene from just one parent are more likely to have hazel eyes.
Geographic Spread of Amber Eyes
When looking at the geographical spread, amber eyes seem to be most common in certain parts of the world. Those with strong amber eye coloration tend to originate from areas around the Baltic Sea such as Finland and Estonia.
Other countries where amber eyes have a strong showing include parts of Southern Europe like Spain and Portugal as well as parts of West Asia and North Africa. There are also high occurrences of amber eyes in countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq.
Some key areas where amber eyes or similar light eye colors are more prevalent include:
| Country/Region | Percentage with Light Eyes |
| Finland | 80% |
| Estonia | 59% |
| Denmark | 50% |
| Iceland | 89% |
| Norway | 79% |
| Sweden | 76% |
| Ireland | 57% |
| Scotland | 50% |
| Spain | 29% |
| Portugal | 36% |
| Afghanistan | 25% |
| Iran | 16% |
| Iraq | 20% |
When looking at the United States and Canada, amber eyes are significantly rarer at well under 5% overall. It’s estimated only 3-5% of the US populations has amber eyes or similar light shades.
Regions with high genetic diversity tend to display a wider range of eye colors. This includes variations like amber eyes. Northern European regions and parts of Central/South Asia have high genetic diversity which contributes to more light eye colors.
Percentage of People with Amber Eyes
Getting exact percentages of people with amber eyes is challenging. Eye colors exist on a spectrum and amber can range from a light yellow-brown to a more bold copper tone. True rich amber is extremely rare.
Most estimates pin the global percentage with amber eyes at less than 1%. That would equate to roughly 53 million people worldwide exhibiting some form of amber coloration.
Looking at more precise data:
- A study in the Netherlands found 0.57% of the population had amber eyes
- Research in Berlin found 0.9% of German inhabitants had amber eyes
- Polls from Hungary and Iceland estimate 0.8-1% there have amber eyes
- UK surveys reveal just 0.06% of Brits have amber eyes
Given these surveys, it’s reasonable to estimate the percentage globally with distinct amber eyes likely falls somewhere around 0.8-1%.
As we’ll explore next, even broader definitions of amber eyes still place the worldwide figure under 5%.
Broader Definitions of Amber Eyes
Many eye color charts classify amber eyes into two main groups:
True Amber: This includes rich copper-like shades with a high concentration of lipochome melanin. These are the rarest type accounting for maybe 0.1-0.5% of people.
Subtle Amber: Encompasses lighter, less saturated amber tones like yellow-brown or honey eyes. These are more common at around 3-5% of the global population.
Adding the percentages, the total for any form of amber eyes comes out to approximately 3-5% worldwide.
This figure lines up with surveys done in the United States and Canada estimating around 5% of the population has amber eyes. It includes even subtle shades leaning towards amber rather than hazel.
So in summary, while the percentage with bold true amber eyes is less than 1%, the total for any form of amber coloration globally is likely between 3-5%.
Amber Eyes in Relation to Other Eye Colors
To put the rarity of amber eyes in context, let’s look at how amber ranks compared to other eye shades:
| Eye Color | Global Percentage |
| Brown | 79% |
| Blue | 8-10% |
| Green | 2-3% |
| Gray | 1-2% |
| Hazel | 5% |
| Amber | 1-5% |
As you can see, amber is one of the least common eye shades on the planet, beat only by the very rarest colors like red/violet (less than 1%). It’s far rarer than popular shades like blue or green eyes.
Even within the general category of “light eyes” like blue/gray/green, amber eyes make up just a tiny fraction. It ranks after blue, green, hazel, and gray eyes in order of frequency.
Amber Eyes in Infants vs Adults
Many babies are born with blue or grayish eyes that darken over the first year of life as melanin pigment develops. However, amber eyes are unique in that they typically remain stable from infancy into adulthood.
The lipochrome gene responsible for amber eyes leads to consistent coloration over a lifetime. This means if a baby is born with distinct amber eyes, they are highly likely to keep them into maturity.
However, some amber-eyed infants do see subtle shifts towards hazel over time. But the yellowish undertones usually persist into adulthood. True amber coloration remains relatively fixed throughout life.
Amber Eyes Controversy and Origins
There has been some debate around whether “true” amber eyes exist versus being a form of hazel. Some eye researchers claim the yellowish color comes from a brown/yellow mix that appears amber in certain lights.
However, many experts argue that distinct lipochrome concentrations do create a stand-alone shade. The deposits of pheomelanin in the iris allow for a golden appearance distinct from hazel.
In terms of origins, amber eyes are linked to a genetic mutation specifically around the OCA2 gene. Most scientists believe amber eyes emerged from Northern Europe / Scandinavia before spreading to other regions like the Baltic, Asia, and Africa.
The gene for amber eyes possibly arose as an evolutionary advantage in areas where sunlight was limited. Light-colored eyes increased visibility especially in winter environments with less sunlight.
Celebrities with Amber Eyes
Due to their rare beauty, there are many public figures who have captivated audiences with their amber eyes:
| Celebrity | Origin |
| Alexander Skarsgård | Sweden |
| Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez | USA |
| Carolina Guerra | Colombia |
| Diego Luna | Mexico |
| Elizabeth Taylor | UK |
| Esteban Loaiza | Mexico |
| Henry Cavill | UK |
These celebrities showcase the diversity of amber eyes – originating from European, American, and Hispanic backgrounds.
Things to Know About Amber Eyes
A few other key facts about amber eyes:
– They often appear to shift between brown, gold, copper, and greenish-yellow shades depending on lighting conditions. This multi-color effect makes them stand out.
– Amber eyes are known for becoming more vibrant and bright when a person is emotional. The pupils dilate allowing more light to reflect off the iris lipochrome pigments.
– While uncommon, it is possible for amber eyes to run in families if both parents have recessive genes. However, the chances are low at only 25% probability for offspring.
– Amber eyes are not the direct result of albinism, though some crossover is possible. Albinism removes most melanin including lipochrome deposits that color the eyes.
– Wearing bold, warm toned makeup shades like golds, coppers, rust oranges can really make amber eyes pop. Cool tones like silvers and grays tend to dampen the impact.
– There are surgical procedures like lightener drops and lasers that can convert brown eyes to appear more amber. But these carry risks like vision damage.
– Amber eyes are sometimes seen in certain animals like owls, cats, and reptiles. But they originate from different genetic mechanisms.
Conclusion
Amber eyes undeniably have an exotic, warm beauty to them like no other eye color. They are arguably the rarest natural eye shade next to true red irises.
While labeled as a mutation and genetic rarity, amber eyes have captivated people’s imaginations for centuries in works of art and literature. Their connection to animal kingdom eyes gives them an alluring, mystical quality.
Based on current evidence, approximately 1-5% of people worldwide likely have some form of amber eye coloration. But only 0.1-0.5% at most achieve that brilliant, glowing copper shade that makes amber eyes so distinctive.
So if you’re one of the lucky few born with beautiful amber eyes – embrace your inner wolf! Let your golden gaze shine bright.
