Average Height by Country: Where Do You Rank?

The global average height for adult men is about 5′7″ (171 cm). For women, it’s 5′3″ (161 cm). But those averages hide enormous variation. The tallest country in the world—the Netherlands—averages 6′0″ for men. The shortest averages hover around 5′3″.

Here’s how the world stacks up, why the differences exist, and where you fit in.

Average Height by Country

Data sourced from the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration and WHO global health surveys, reflecting the most recent adult population measurements.

Country	Male Average	Female Average
Netherlands	6′0″ (183.8 cm)	5′7″ (170.4 cm)
Montenegro	5′11″ (183.2 cm)	5′6″ (169.4 cm)
Denmark	5′11″ (181.9 cm)	5′6″ (168.7 cm)
Norway	5′11″ (181.7 cm)	5′6″ (167.2 cm)
Germany	5′11″ (181.0 cm)	5′5″ (166.8 cm)
Australia	5′10″ (179.2 cm)	5′5″ (165.9 cm)
Canada	5′10″ (178.8 cm)	5′5″ (165.3 cm)
France	5′10″ (178.6 cm)	5′4″ (164.9 cm)
United Kingdom	5′10″ (178.2 cm)	5′4″ (164.4 cm)
United States	5′9″ (177.1 cm)	5′4″ (163.5 cm)
South Korea	5′9″ (175.5 cm)	5′4″ (162.6 cm)
Brazil	5′9″ (175.3 cm)	5′3″ (161.8 cm)
Turkey	5′9″ (174.2 cm)	5′3″ (161.0 cm)
China	5′8″ (173.4 cm)	5′3″ (160.5 cm)
Japan	5′8″ (172.1 cm)	5′2″ (158.5 cm)
Mexico	5′7″ (170.2 cm)	5′2″ (157.9 cm)
Nigeria	5′7″ (169.8 cm)	5′2″ (158.0 cm)
India	5′6″ (166.5 cm)	5′1″ (155.2 cm)
Indonesia	5′4″ (163.0 cm)	5′1″ (153.7 cm)
Philippines	5′4″ (163.5 cm)	5′0″ (151.8 cm)
Guatemala	5′4″ (163.4 cm)	4′11″ (150.9 cm)

The spread is remarkable: nearly 8 inches separate the tallest and shortest countries for men. That’s the difference between looking someone in the eye and looking at the top of their head.

Use our Height Comparison Tool to see what these differences look like visually.

Why Are Some Countries Taller?

Height is roughly 60–80% genetic. But the remaining 20–40% comes from environment—and that’s where things get interesting.

Nutrition

Access to protein, dairy, and diverse diets during childhood is the single biggest environmental factor. The Dutch height explosion over the past 150 years (they gained ~8 inches on average) tracks almost perfectly with improvements in nutrition and dairy consumption. Countries with widespread childhood malnutrition consistently show shorter average heights.

Healthcare

Childhood diseases stunt growth. Countries with strong public health systems—vaccinations, clean water, disease prevention—see taller populations. Chronic infections during growth years divert calories from growth to immune response.

Wealth Correlation

GDP per capita and average height are strongly correlated, but it’s not the money itself—it’s what money buys: better food, better healthcare, less physical labor during childhood, and lower stress. The correlation holds globally, with some notable exceptions (the Netherlands isn’t the wealthiest country, but it is the tallest).

The South Korea Story

Perhaps the most dramatic height change in modern history. South Korean men born in 1960 averaged about 5′5″. Men born in 1995 average 5′9″—a gain of 4 inches in one generation. The country’s rapid economic development, dietary shift toward more protein, and universal healthcare drove one of the fastest height increases ever recorded.

Height Trends Over Time

Globally, humans are getting taller. The average height has increased by about 4 inches over the past 150 years, driven by the same nutritional and healthcare improvements that explain country-level differences.

But in developed nations, the trend is plateauing. Dutch men haven’t gotten taller in the last two decades. American height growth stalled in the 1980s. This suggests a genetic ceiling—once nutrition and healthcare are optimized, height maxes out at the population’s genetic potential.

Meanwhile, developing nations are still gaining height rapidly. As living standards improve across Africa, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, average heights are climbing steadily. The global gap is narrowing, but slowly.

Where Do You Rank?

Knowing the numbers is one thing. Seeing it is another. Enter your height in our Height Comparison Tool and compare yourself visually against the average for any country in the world. You can even stand yourself next to multiple country averages simultaneously.

For example, a 5′10″ American man is:

• 1 inch above the U.S. average
• Right at the German average
• 2 inches below the Dutch average
• 4 inches above the average in India
• 6 inches above the average in Indonesia

Context changes everything. You might feel average at home and tall abroad—or vice versa.

Height in Professional Sports

Sports select for height in wildly different directions, making athletes some of the most interesting height comparisons:

• NBA players: Average 6′6″ (198 cm)—nearly a foot above the U.S. male average
• NFL quarterbacks: Average 6′3″ (191 cm)
• Soccer/football players: Average 5′11″ (181 cm)—slightly above average, with huge positional variation
• Olympic gymnasts (women): Average 5′1″ (155 cm)—shorter athletes have a center-of-gravity advantage
• Jockeys: Average 5′2″ (157 cm) and under 126 lbs—weight limits keep them small
• Volleyball players: Average 6′4″ (193 cm) for men’s international teams

The difference between an average NBA player (6′6″) and an Olympic gymnast (5′1″) is 17 inches. Both are elite athletes at the absolute peak of human performance, built completely differently for their sports.

Curious how your height compares to your favorite athlete? Our BMI Calculator can also help you understand how your height and weight relate to health benchmarks.

See how you compare at our Height Comparison Tool →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the tallest country in the world?

The Netherlands holds the record with an average male height of 6′0″ (183.8 cm) and female height of 5′7″ (170.4 cm). Montenegro and Denmark are close behind. Northern European and Balkan countries dominate the top of the list.

How is average height measured?

National average heights come from large-scale health surveys where researchers measure participants directly (rather than self-reported heights, which tend to be inflated by 0.5–1 inch). The most comprehensive data comes from the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration, which pools data from over 1,400 studies worldwide.

Does your height change with age?

Yes. Most people reach their maximum height between ages 18–25. After about age 40, spinal disc compression and postural changes can cause gradual height loss of 0.5–1 inch per decade. By age 80, it’s common to have lost 1–3 inches from peak height.

Are humans still getting taller?

In developed nations, height growth has largely plateaued, suggesting populations have reached their genetic potential under optimal nutrition. In developing nations, average heights are still increasing as nutrition and healthcare improve. Globally, the trend is upward but decelerating.

Can you use our tool to convert between feet/inches and centimeters?

Yes. Our Height Comparison Tool accepts both imperial and metric measurements and displays both. For general unit conversions, you can also use our Unit Converter.