A light emitting element includes a semiconductor substrate, a light emitting part having a first and second conductivity type cladding layers and an active layer sandwiched between the cladding layers. A reflecting part is disposed between the substrate and the light emitting part. A current dispersing layer disposed on a side of the light emitting part opposite to the reflecting. The reflecting part has at least three pair layers of first and second semiconductor layers, the first semiconductor layer has a first thickness, the second semiconductor layer has a second thickness and a plurality of pair layers of the reflecting part have a different thickness to each other as values of the incident angle of light are different with respect to each pair layer. At least one pair layer is defined by the incident angle of light being not less than 50 degrees.