The lightning characteristics and protective efficiency in the Wuhan area are analyzed statistically, based on the cloudground lightning data from March 2006 to February 2009. The results indicate: the annual mean number of cloudground lightning flashes in the Wuhan area is 45693; the negative lightning accounts for 960% of the total and the average negative lightning intensity is 326 kA; the positive lightning accounts for 40% of the total and the average positive lightning intensity is 383 kA. The number of lightning flashes from April to August accounts for 969% of the annual total, and that from July to August accounts for 708%, that from September to March of next year for 31%. The positive and negative lightning intensites are mostly within the range of 10 kA to 50 kA, and the average steepness is about 12 kA/μs. The accumulation probability equation for the lightning current bigger than certain amplitude is formulated by several statistical methods. The border areas of the southwestern Xinzhou and southeastern Huangpi and the eastern Jiangxia are highdensity lightning centers, where the annual mean lightning number of lightning flushes is above 85 /km2. According to the threegrade lightning protection category, the shielding failure rate is 13%, 33% and 115% ,and the counterattack rate is 01%、02%、16%, respectively. The results can be used as references in lightning protection engineering design and lightning risk assessment.