Mean Male Height (cm) 1897
Discover mean male height data across 266+ countries. Compare rankings and explore historical trends with interactive maps.
Interactive Map
Complete Data Rankings
Rank | ||
|---|---|---|
1 | Sweden | 172.003 |
2 | Norway | 171.381 |
3 | United States | 171.18 |
4 | Estonia | 170.97 |
5 | Canada | 170.783 |
6 | Iceland | 170.736 |
7 | Tonga | 170.469 |
8 | Denmark | 170.092 |
9 | French Polynesia | 170.061 |
10 | American Samoa | 169.749 |
11 | Netherlands | 169.609 |
12 | Cook Islands | 169.497 |
13 | Latvia | 169.461 |
14 | Samoa | 169.145 |
15 | Australia | 169.033 |
16 | Lithuania | 169.02 |
17 | Fiji | 168.654 |
18 | Niue | 168.63 |
19 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 168.57 |
20 | Slovakia | 168.472 |
21 | Croatia | 168.258 |
22 | Tokelau | 168.172 |
23 | Austria | 168.163 |
24 | Czech Republic | 168.129 |
25 | Finland | 167.874 |
26 | Belarus | 167.824 |
27 | Ukraine | 167.794 |
28 | Switzerland | 167.659 |
29 | New Zealand | 167.601 |
30 | Serbia | 167.57 |
31 | Slovenia | 167.504 |
32 | Luxembourg | 167.469 |
33 | Germany | 167.298 |
34 | Belgium | 167.296 |
35 | Russia | 167.039 |
36 | United Kingdom | 166.997 |
37 | Kiribati | 166.818 |
38 | Senegal | 166.752 |
39 | North Macedonia | 166.644 |
40 | Bulgaria | 166.593 |
41 | Montenegro | 166.591 |
42 | France | 166.504 |
43 | Ireland | 166.481 |
44 | Hungary | 166.458 |
45 | Botswana | 166.256 |
46 | Kenya | 165.823 |
47 | Pakistan | 165.678 |
48 | Seychelles | 165.555 |
49 | Tuvalu | 165.403 |
50 | South Africa | 165.314 |
51 | Mali | 165.171 |
52 | Barbados | 165.015 |
53 | Chad | 164.982 |
54 | Cabo Verde | 164.923 |
55 | Zimbabwe | 164.86 |
56 | Nauru | 164.829 |
57 | Italy | 164.77 |
58 | Republic of Moldova | 164.718 |
59 | Micronesia (Fed. States of) | 164.698 |
60 | Grenada | 164.688 |
61 | Dominica | 164.631 |
62 | Georgia | 164.582 |
63 | Namibia | 164.291 |
64 | Palau | 164.188 |
65 | Tunisia | 164.168 |
66 | Trinidad and Tobago | 164.075 |
67 | Niger | 163.999 |
68 | Romania | 163.964 |
69 | Uruguay | 163.948 |
70 | Eritrea | 163.886 |
71 | Poland | 163.822 |
72 | Vanuatu | 163.623 |
73 | Cameroon | 163.601 |
74 | Burkina Faso | 163.575 |
75 | Israel | 163.512 |
76 | Andorra | 163.478 |
77 | Albania | 163.466 |
78 | Guinea | 163.451 |
79 | Brazil | 163.309 |
80 | Eswatini | 163.293 |
81 | Jamaica | 163.231 |
82 | Guinea-Bissau | 162.934 |
83 | Singapore | 162.898 |
84 | Togo | 162.865 |
85 | Cyprus | 162.825 |
86 | Gabon | 162.773 |
87 | Cรดte d'Ivoire | 162.731 |
88 | Greece | 162.632 |
89 | Benin | 162.615 |
90 | Argentina | 162.484 |
91 | Ghana | 162.443 |
92 | Spain | 162.374 |
93 | Marshall Islands | 162.361 |
94 | Zambia | 162.321 |
95 | Uganda | 162.307 |
96 | Sao Tome and Principe | 162.275 |
97 | Angola | 162.26 |
98 | Equatorial Guinea | 162.212 |
99 | Saint Lucia | 162.19 |
100 | Paraguay | 162.17 |
101 | Armenia | 162.014 |
102 | Congo | 161.976 |
103 | India | 161.958 |
104 | Malta | 161.94 |
105 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 161.939 |
106 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 161.931 |
107 | Bermuda | 161.916 |
108 | Bahamas | 161.897 |
109 | Suriname | 161.886 |
110 | Antigua and Barbuda | 161.881 |
111 | Turkmenistan | 161.866 |
112 | Azerbaijan | 161.864 |
113 | Haiti | 161.862 |
114 | Burundi | 161.689 |
115 | Mauritania | 161.632 |
116 | Djibouti | 161.608 |
117 | Sudan | 161.605 |
118 | Tajikistan | 161.557 |
119 | Somalia | 161.551 |
120 | Central African Republic | 161.45 |
121 | Taiwan | 161.442 |
122 | Libya | 161.44 |
123 | Kazakhstan | 161.398 |
124 | Lesotho | 161.388 |
125 | Ethiopia | 161.385 |
126 | Bhutan | 161.278 |
127 | Uzbekistan | 161.271 |
128 | Afghanistan | 161.196 |
129 | Nigeria | 161.13 |
130 | China | 161.126 |
131 | State of Palestine | 161.037 |
132 | Solomon Islands | 160.907 |
133 | Tanzania | 160.901 |
134 | Lebanon | 160.882 |
135 | Chile | 160.813 |
136 | Gambia | 160.795 |
137 | Mauritius | 160.705 |
138 | North Korea | 160.695 |
139 | Puerto Rico | 160.687 |
140 | Kuwait | 160.682 |
141 | Sierra Leone | 160.649 |
142 | Algeria | 160.602 |
143 | Turkey | 160.504 |
144 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 160.486 |
145 | Dominican Republic | 160.413 |
146 | Kyrgyzstan | 160.4 |
147 | Venezuela | 160.116 |
148 | Guyana | 160.08 |
149 | Rwanda | 160.069 |
150 | Cuba | 160.06 |
151 | South Korea | 159.887 |
152 | China, Hong Kong SAR | 159.815 |
153 | Comoros | 159.802 |
154 | Greenland | 159.555 |
155 | United Arab Emirates | 159.483 |
156 | Iraq | 159.435 |
157 | Syrian Arab Republic | 159.418 |
158 | Qatar | 159.407 |
159 | Morocco | 159.387 |
160 | Malawi | 159.319 |
161 | Papua New Guinea | 159.317 |
162 | Mongolia | 159.232 |
163 | Mozambique | 159.218 |
164 | Jordan | 159.085 |
165 | Portugal | 159.069 |
166 | Egypt | 158.841 |
167 | Madagascar | 158.8 |
168 | Liberia | 158.737 |
169 | El Salvador | 158.65 |
170 | Bangladesh | 158.642 |
171 | Honduras | 158.562 |
172 | Thailand | 158.555 |
173 | Saudi Arabia | 158.307 |
174 | Belize | 158.304 |
175 | Costa Rica | 157.887 |
176 | Malaysia | 157.71 |
177 | Nepal | 157.577 |
178 | Colombia | 157.465 |
179 | Myanmar | 157.439 |
180 | Nicaragua | 157.374 |
181 | Iran | 157.287 |
182 | Panama | 157.155 |
183 | Sri Lanka | 157.052 |
184 | Mexico | 156.93 |
185 | Bahrain | 156.893 |
186 | Bolivia | 156.449 |
187 | Japan | 156.367 |
188 | Maldives | 155.924 |
189 | Brunei Darussalam | 155.911 |
190 | Oman | 155.907 |
191 | Ecuador | 155.752 |
192 | Vietnam | 155.426 |
193 | Peru | 155.054 |
194 | Cambodia | 155.005 |
195 | Philippines | 154.857 |
196 | Indonesia | 154.762 |
197 | Yemen | 154.707 |
198 | Guatemala | 154.066 |
199 | Timor-Leste | 153.178 |
200 | Laos | 153.015 |
- #1
Sweden
- #2
Norway
- #3
United States
- #4
Estonia
- #5
Canada
- #6
Iceland
- #7
Tonga
- #8
Denmark
- #9
French Polynesia
- #10
American Samoa
Analysis: These countries represent the highest values in this dataset, showcasing significant scale and impact on global statistics.
- #200
Laos
- #199
Timor-Leste
- #198
Guatemala
- #197
Yemen
- #196
Indonesia
- #195
Philippines
- #194
Cambodia
- #193
Peru
- #192
Vietnam
- #191
Ecuador
Context: These countries or territories have the lowest values, often due to geographic size, administrative status, or specific characteristics.
Analysis & Context
Global Overview of Mean Male Height (cm) in 1897
The country with the highest Mean Male Height (cm) in 1897 is Sweden, measuring 172.00 cm, while the global range spans from 153.02 cm in Laos to 172.00 cm in Sweden. The global average height for males in this year is 162.60 cm, with a median height of 162.17 cm.
Regional Disparities in Mean Male Height (cm)
The significant variance in mean male height across different countries can be attributed to a combination of genetic, environmental, and socio-economic factors. In Europe, countries such as Norway (171.38 cm) and Denmark (170.09 cm) reflect a trend of taller statures, often linked to better nutrition and health care systems. In contrast, nations in Southeast Asia show lower heights, with Laos at the bottom of the spectrum at 153.02 cm.
This disparity is further illustrated by the average heights of various regions. For instance, the average male height in the United States is recorded at 171.18 cm, indicative of its diverse genetic backgrounds and relatively high living standards. Conversely, countries like Guatemala with a mean height of 154.07 cm struggle with undernutrition and health issues, impacting overall growth.
Economic Factors Influencing Height Trends
The relationship between economic conditions and mean male height is evident when analyzing the data. Countries with higher economic stability and development tend to report taller average heights. For example, Canada has a mean height of 170.78 cm, benefitting from a robust economy and healthcare system that supports growth and nutrition. In contrast, Yemen, which has a mean height of 154.71 cm, faces economic challenges that adversely affect health and nutrition, leading to lower average heights.
Moreover, the impact of socioeconomic status on height is demonstrated by the top-ranking countries. The Scandinavian countries, such as Sweden and Norway, not only prioritize health care but also have policies that promote nutritional welfare, contributing to their higher mean heights.
Year-over-Year Changes and Notable Movers
In 1897, the average year-over-year change in mean male height was a modest 0.12 cm, indicating a slow but steady increase in height across many countries. The largest increases were observed in Iran, Algeria, and Egypt, each showing an improvement of 0.21 cm. This trend may be linked to improvements in agricultural practices and public health initiatives aimed at reducing malnutrition.
Conversely, some countries experienced stagnation or slight decreases in height. For instance, Kiribati saw a marginal decline of -0.02 cm, while both India and Pakistan reported no change. This lack of growth can be attributed to ongoing challenges related to poverty, health care access, and educational outreach concerning nutrition.
Overall, the data from 1897 reveals a complex interplay of factors influencing mean male height across various countries. While some nations benefit from favorable conditions that promote growth, others remain hindered by economic and health-related challenges, resulting in marked differences in height. Understanding these patterns provides valuable insights into the social, economic, and health dynamics that shape human development worldwide.
Data Source
Our World in Data
Our World in Data is a collaborative effort between researchers at the University of Oxford, who are the scientific editors of the website content; and the UK-based nonprofit organization Global Change Data Lab (GCDL), which publishes and maintains the website and the data tools that make our work possible.
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