Average Height By Country

Physical stature differs greatly around the world, with people's average height varying depending on their geographic location, genetic heritage, diet, healthcare, and socioeconomic status. The average height of a country hence provides crucial insights into the state of its health, wealth, and overall well-being of its citizens. 

In the United States, the average height for a male is 176.94 cm, placing it not so near the top or bottom, but comfortably within the middle range as compared to other nations worldwide. As per the collected data, this article will elucidate the average height of people from different countries, from our long-legged friends in the Netherlands to the shorter statures observed in places like Timor-Leste. 

Key findings from the data include:

• According to comprehensive global data, Netherlands men stand the tallest with an average height of 183.78 cm, followed closely by Montenegro at 183.30 cm and Bosnia and Herzegovina at 182.47 cm. 
• Conversely, males in Timor-Leste have the shortest average height of just 160.13 cm. Laos is another country with shorter average male height at 162.78 cm, while men in Guatemala and Nepal stand on average 164.36 cm tall.
• The United States, with an average male height of 176.94 cm, ranks within the top 40%, significantly higher than the global average. 
• The range of average height across the globe is considerable, with a sizable difference of roughly 23.65 cm or around 9.3 inches between the tallest and shortest nations. 

The exploration of these data underscores how factors like geography, nutrition, healthcare access, and genetics converge to produce the diverse array of heights that characterize individuals worldwide.

When it comes to the countries with the tallest average height for males, ten countries particularly stand out. These are the Netherlands, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine.

The Netherlands ranks at number one with an impressively tall average male height of 183.78 cm. Trailing slightly behind is Montenegro, which reports an average male height of 183.30 cm. The third tallest average male height is reported in Bosnia and Herzegovina with an average of 182.47 cm.

Following closely are Iceland and Denmark with average male heights of 182.10 cm and 181.89 cm respectively. The Czech Republic boasts an average male height of 181.19 cm, while Latvia has an average height of 181.17 cm. Slovakia and Slovenia, along with Ukraine, all report similar average male heights hovering around the 181 cm mark.

10 Countries with the Tallest Average Heights for Males:

1. Netherlands - 183.78 cm
2. Montenegro - 183.30 cm
3. Bosnia and Herzegovina - 182.47 cm
4. Iceland - 182.10 cm
5. Denmark - 181.89 cm
6. Czech Republic - 181.19 cm
7. Latvia - 181.17 cm
8. Slovakia - 181.02 cm
9. Slovenia - 180.98 cm
10. Ukraine - 180.98 cm 

The ten countries with the lowest average male height are Timor-Leste, Laos, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Mozambique, Guatemala, Nepal, Yemen, Bangladesh, and Madagascar. The country with the lowest average male height is Timor-Leste where men have an average height of 160.13 cm. The second country on our list is Laos with an average male height of 162.78 cm. Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea share similar average male heights with 163.07 cm and 163.10 cm respectively. Mozambique holds the fifth position with an average male height of 164.30 cm, closely followed by Guatemala and Nepal, both with an average male height of 164.36 cm. Yemen also makes to the list with an average male height of 164.42 cm. Bangladesh and Madagascar round up our list with average male heights of 165.08 cm and 165.16 cm respectively. 

10 Countries With Lowest Average Male Height:

1. Timor-Leste - 160.13 cm
2. Laos - 162.78 cm
3. Solomon Islands - 163.07 cm
4. Papua New Guinea - 163.10 cm
5. Mozambique - 164.30 cm
6. Guatemala - 164.36 cm
7. Nepal - 164.36 cm
8. Yemen - 164.42 cm
9. Bangladesh - 165.08 cm
10. Madagascar - 165.16 cm

To sort the data in the table, click on the column headers.

Average Male Height 

Year: 2019

Source: Average Male Height for 2019 - NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC)

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Average Female Height

Year: 2019 

Source: Average Female Height for 2019 - NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC)