The invention relates to a surface illuminator and a liquid crystal display having the same and provides a surface illuminator capable of achieving high display quality by employing an array of discrete light sources and a liquid crystal display having the same. A reflective surface for reflecting light in a light guide region of a light guide extends from an end of a light entrance surface through which light enters the light guide region. An LED light source serving as an array of discrete light source is constituted by a red emission LED, a green emission LED, a blue emission LED, and another green emission LED provide alternately and discretely along the light entrance surface. A red LED serving as an end light source provided at the end of the LED light source on the side of an end of a reflective surface is disposed such that about one half of an emitting region of the same is obscured by the reflective surface to prevent about one half of the quantity of light emitted from entering the light guide region.