Lighthouses Directory — Global Lighthouse Database

This directory catalogues 14,913 lighthouses and navigation lights worldwide, covering major coastal lights, harbor entrance lights, breakwater lights, and offshore light structures. Lighthouses remain critical aids to navigation despite the prevalence of GPS — they provide visual confirmation of position, mark hazards, and serve as backup when electronic systems fail.

Each entry includes flash characteristics using the IALA(International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities) notation system — the same standard printed on official nautical charts worldwide. Common abbreviations include Fl (flashing), Q (quick), Oc (occulting), Iso (isophase), and Mo (Morse code). Colors are designated as W (white), R (red), and G (green). For example, "Fl(2) W 10s" means a group of two white flashes repeated every 10 seconds, while "Fl WR 5s" indicates alternating white and red flashes every 5 seconds — the color seen depends on the mariner's bearing relative to the light's sector boundaries.

Additional fields include focal height (the height of the light source above mean high water springs, in meters), nominal range(the maximum distance the light is visible in clear conditions with meteorological visibility of 10 nautical miles), precise geographic coordinates, and current operational status. The focal height and range together determine the light's geographic range — the distance at which the curvature of the earth allows the light to be seen from a vessel's bridge.

Individual lighthouse pages show nearby ports within 50 nautical miles, providing cross-reference between navigation aids and the port facilities they serve. Use the search bar to find lighthouses by name, city, or country. Filter by operational status to see only active lights or to identify historical and decommissioned structures.