Average Heights by Country FYI
For your information, we here have compiled a list of average heights in different countries.
Like most people know, the average height differences from country to country. People are generally higher in the northern latitudes and short closer to the equator. Genetics and nutrition play major roles in determining the altitude. Some countries saw a marked increase in the average height last century when food was abundant enough to feed the population. In many of these countries, older people, who do not have the advantage of better nutrition, is considerably shorter than the younger generations.
The following table shows the height of the various countries and sources for such data. Significant numbers are retained from the source. In some cases a height accurate to .1 inch (or .1 cm), while in others it is just an accuracy of 1 inch (or .1 cm). Multiple studies for a country could determine, because different heights of the age group examined whether the year of the study was conducted.
| Country | Men (cm) |
Women (cm) |
Source | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 5′ 10″ | 178 | 5′ 4.6″ | 164 | Australian Bureau of Statistics 1995 | |
| Brazil | 5′ 6.9″ | 170.0 | Not Avail. | Pheasant 1996 | ||
| China | 5′ 6″ | 168 | 5′ 2″ | 157 | Times Online 2005 | |
| 5′ 6.6″ | 169.1 | 5′ 1.2″ | 155.4 | People Size 1998 | ||
| France | 5′ 7.7″ | 171.9 | 5′ 3.1″ | 160.4 | Rebiffe et al. 1981-82 | |
| Germany | 5′ 8.2″ | 173 | 5′ 3.7″ | 162 | Deutsches institut für Normung 1986 | |
| Italy | 5′ 8.0″ | 172.8 | 5′ 3.4″ | 161.0 | Masali, et al 1992 | |
| Japan | 5′ 6″ | 168 | 5′ 1″ | 155 | Times Online 2005 | |
| 5′ 6.4″ | 168.7 | 5′ 1.3″ | 155.8 | People Size 1998 | ||
| Netherlands | 5′ 10.7″ | 179.5 | 5′ 5.0″ | 165.0 | Pheasant 1996 | |
| 6′ 1″ | 185 | 5′ 8″ | 172 | Times Online 2005 | ||
| Sri Lanka | 5′ 4.5″ | 163.9 | 5′ 0.0″ | 152.3 | Abeysekera & Shahnavas 1987 | |
| Sweden | 5′ 8.5″ | 174 | 5′ 4.6″ | 164 | Pheasant 1996 | |
| United Kingdom | 5′ 10″ | 178 | 5′ 4″ | 163 | Times Online 2005 | |
| 5′ 9.1″ | 175.5 | 5′ 3.8″ | 162.0 | People Size 1998 | ||
| United States | 5′ 10″ | 178 | 5′ 4″ | 163 | Times Online 2005 | |
| 5′ 9.3″ | 176.0 | 5′ 4.1″ | 162.7 | People Size 1998 | ||
| Vietnam | 5′ 3″ | 160 | 4′ 10″ | 147 | Times Online 2005 | |
