Mean Male Height (cm) 1897

Discover mean male height data across 266+ countries. Compare rankings and explore historical trends with interactive maps.

200 data pointsโ€ขโ€ขGlobal Coverageโ€ขOur World in Dataโ€ข

Interactive Map

Complete Data Rankings

Rank
1
Sweden flag
Sweden
172.003
2
Norway flag
Norway
171.381
3
United States flag
United States
171.18
4
Estonia flag
Estonia
170.97
5
Canada flag
Canada
170.783
6
Iceland flag
Iceland
170.736
7
Tonga flag
Tonga
170.469
8
Denmark flag
Denmark
170.092
9
French Polynesia flag
French Polynesia
170.061
10
American Samoa flag
American Samoa
169.749
11
Netherlands flag
Netherlands
169.609
12
Cook Islands flag
Cook Islands
169.497
13
Latvia flag
Latvia
169.461
14
Samoa flag
Samoa
169.145
15
Australia flag
Australia
169.033
16
Lithuania flag
Lithuania
169.02
17
Fiji flag
Fiji
168.654
18
Niue flag
Niue
168.63
19
Bosnia and Herzegovina flag
Bosnia and Herzegovina
168.57
20
Slovakia flag
Slovakia
168.472
21
Croatia flag
Croatia
168.258
22
Tokelau flag
Tokelau
168.172
23
Austria flag
Austria
168.163
24
Czech Republic flag
Czech Republic
168.129
25
Finland flag
Finland
167.874
26
Belarus flag
Belarus
167.824
27
Ukraine flag
Ukraine
167.794
28
Switzerland flag
Switzerland
167.659
29
New Zealand flag
New Zealand
167.601
30
Serbia flag
Serbia
167.57
31
Slovenia flag
Slovenia
167.504
32
Luxembourg flag
Luxembourg
167.469
33
Germany flag
Germany
167.298
34
Belgium flag
Belgium
167.296
35
Russia flag
Russia
167.039
36
United Kingdom flag
United Kingdom
166.997
37
Kiribati flag
Kiribati
166.818
38
Senegal flag
Senegal
166.752
39
North Macedonia flag
North Macedonia
166.644
40
Bulgaria flag
Bulgaria
166.593
41
Montenegro flag
Montenegro
166.591
42
France flag
France
166.504
43
Ireland flag
Ireland
166.481
44
Hungary flag
Hungary
166.458
45
Botswana flag
Botswana
166.256
46
Kenya flag
Kenya
165.823
47
Pakistan flag
Pakistan
165.678
48
Seychelles flag
Seychelles
165.555
49
Tuvalu flag
Tuvalu
165.403
50
South Africa flag
South Africa
165.314
51
Mali flag
Mali
165.171
52
Barbados flag
Barbados
165.015
53
Chad flag
Chad
164.982
54
Cabo Verde flag
Cabo Verde
164.923
55
Zimbabwe flag
Zimbabwe
164.86
56
Nauru flag
Nauru
164.829
57
Italy flag
Italy
164.77
58
Republic of Moldova flag
Republic of Moldova
164.718
59
Micronesia (Fed. States of) flag
Micronesia (Fed. States of)
164.698
60
Grenada flag
Grenada
164.688
61
Dominica flag
Dominica
164.631
62
Georgia flag
Georgia
164.582
63
Namibia flag
Namibia
164.291
64
Palau flag
Palau
164.188
65
Tunisia flag
Tunisia
164.168
66
Trinidad and Tobago flag
Trinidad and Tobago
164.075
67
Niger flag
Niger
163.999
68
Romania flag
Romania
163.964
69
Uruguay flag
Uruguay
163.948
70
Eritrea flag
Eritrea
163.886
71
Poland flag
Poland
163.822
72
Vanuatu flag
Vanuatu
163.623
73
Cameroon flag
Cameroon
163.601
74
Burkina Faso flag
Burkina Faso
163.575
75
Israel flag
Israel
163.512
76
Andorra flag
Andorra
163.478
77
Albania flag
Albania
163.466
78
Guinea flag
Guinea
163.451
79
Brazil flag
Brazil
163.309
80
Eswatini flag
Eswatini
163.293
81
Jamaica flag
Jamaica
163.231
82
Guinea-Bissau flag
Guinea-Bissau
162.934
83
Singapore flag
Singapore
162.898
84
Togo flag
Togo
162.865
85
Cyprus flag
Cyprus
162.825
86
Gabon flag
Gabon
162.773
87
Cรดte d'Ivoire flag
Cรดte d'Ivoire
162.731
88
Greece flag
Greece
162.632
89
Benin flag
Benin
162.615
90
Argentina flag
Argentina
162.484
91
Ghana flag
Ghana
162.443
92
Spain flag
Spain
162.374
93
Marshall Islands flag
Marshall Islands
162.361
94
Zambia flag
Zambia
162.321
95
Uganda flag
Uganda
162.307
96
Sao Tome and Principe flag
Sao Tome and Principe
162.275
97
Angola flag
Angola
162.26
98
Equatorial Guinea flag
Equatorial Guinea
162.212
99
Saint Lucia flag
Saint Lucia
162.19
100
Paraguay flag
Paraguay
162.17
101
Armenia flag
Armenia
162.014
102
Congo flag
Congo
161.976
103
India flag
India
161.958
104
Malta flag
Malta
161.94
105
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines flag
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
161.939
106
Congo, Democratic Republic of the flag
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
161.931
107
Bermuda flag
Bermuda
161.916
108
Bahamas flag
Bahamas
161.897
109
Suriname flag
Suriname
161.886
110
Antigua and Barbuda flag
Antigua and Barbuda
161.881
111
Turkmenistan flag
Turkmenistan
161.866
112
Azerbaijan flag
Azerbaijan
161.864
113
Haiti flag
Haiti
161.862
114
Burundi flag
Burundi
161.689
115
Mauritania flag
Mauritania
161.632
116
Djibouti flag
Djibouti
161.608
117
Sudan flag
Sudan
161.605
118
Tajikistan flag
Tajikistan
161.557
119
Somalia flag
Somalia
161.551
120
Central African Republic flag
Central African Republic
161.45
121
Taiwan flag
Taiwan
161.442
122
Libya flag
Libya
161.44
123
Kazakhstan flag
Kazakhstan
161.398
124
Lesotho flag
Lesotho
161.388
125
Ethiopia flag
Ethiopia
161.385
126
Bhutan flag
Bhutan
161.278
127
Uzbekistan flag
Uzbekistan
161.271
128
Afghanistan flag
Afghanistan
161.196
129
Nigeria flag
Nigeria
161.13
130
China flag
China
161.126
131
State of Palestine flag
State of Palestine
161.037
132
Solomon Islands flag
Solomon Islands
160.907
133
Tanzania flag
Tanzania
160.901
134
Lebanon flag
Lebanon
160.882
135
Chile flag
Chile
160.813
136
Gambia flag
Gambia
160.795
137
Mauritius flag
Mauritius
160.705
138
North Korea flag
North Korea
160.695
139
Puerto Rico flag
Puerto Rico
160.687
140
Kuwait flag
Kuwait
160.682
141
Sierra Leone flag
Sierra Leone
160.649
142
Algeria flag
Algeria
160.602
143
Turkey flag
Turkey
160.504
144
Saint Kitts and Nevis flag
Saint Kitts and Nevis
160.486
145
Dominican Republic flag
Dominican Republic
160.413
146
Kyrgyzstan flag
Kyrgyzstan
160.4
147
Venezuela flag
Venezuela
160.116
148
Guyana flag
Guyana
160.08
149
Rwanda flag
Rwanda
160.069
150
Cuba flag
Cuba
160.06
151
South Korea flag
South Korea
159.887
152
China, Hong Kong SAR flag
China, Hong Kong SAR
159.815
153
Comoros flag
Comoros
159.802
154
Greenland flag
Greenland
159.555
155
United Arab Emirates flag
United Arab Emirates
159.483
156
Iraq flag
Iraq
159.435
157
Syrian Arab Republic flag
Syrian Arab Republic
159.418
158
Qatar flag
Qatar
159.407
159
Morocco flag
Morocco
159.387
160
Malawi flag
Malawi
159.319
161
Papua New Guinea flag
Papua New Guinea
159.317
162
Mongolia flag
Mongolia
159.232
163
Mozambique flag
Mozambique
159.218
164
Jordan flag
Jordan
159.085
165
Portugal flag
Portugal
159.069
166
Egypt flag
Egypt
158.841
167
Madagascar flag
Madagascar
158.8
168
Liberia flag
Liberia
158.737
169
El Salvador flag
El Salvador
158.65
170
Bangladesh flag
Bangladesh
158.642
171
Honduras flag
Honduras
158.562
172
Thailand flag
Thailand
158.555
173
Saudi Arabia flag
Saudi Arabia
158.307
174
Belize flag
Belize
158.304
175
Costa Rica flag
Costa Rica
157.887
176
Malaysia flag
Malaysia
157.71
177
Nepal flag
Nepal
157.577
178
Colombia flag
Colombia
157.465
179
Myanmar flag
Myanmar
157.439
180
Nicaragua flag
Nicaragua
157.374
181
Iran flag
Iran
157.287
182
Panama flag
Panama
157.155
183
Sri Lanka flag
Sri Lanka
157.052
184
Mexico flag
Mexico
156.93
185
Bahrain flag
Bahrain
156.893
186
Bolivia flag
Bolivia
156.449
187
Japan flag
Japan
156.367
188
Maldives flag
Maldives
155.924
189
Brunei Darussalam flag
Brunei Darussalam
155.911
190
Oman flag
Oman
155.907
191
Ecuador flag
Ecuador
155.752
192
Vietnam flag
Vietnam
155.426
193
Peru flag
Peru
155.054
194
Cambodia flag
Cambodia
155.005
195
Philippines flag
Philippines
154.857
196
Indonesia flag
Indonesia
154.762
197
Yemen flag
Yemen
154.707
198
Guatemala flag
Guatemala
154.066
199
Timor-Leste flag
Timor-Leste
153.178
200
Laos flag
Laos
153.015

โ†‘Top 10 Countries

  1. #1Sweden flagSweden
  2. #2Norway flagNorway
  3. #3United States flagUnited States
  4. #4Estonia flagEstonia
  5. #5Canada flagCanada
  6. #6Iceland flagIceland
  7. #7Tonga flagTonga
  8. #8Denmark flagDenmark
  9. #9French Polynesia flagFrench Polynesia
  10. #10American Samoa flagAmerican Samoa

Analysis: These countries represent the highest values in this dataset, showcasing significant scale and impact on global statistics.

โ†“Bottom 10 Countries

  1. #200Laos flagLaos
  2. #199Timor-Leste flagTimor-Leste
  3. #198Guatemala flagGuatemala
  4. #197Yemen flagYemen
  5. #196Indonesia flagIndonesia
  6. #195Philippines flagPhilippines
  7. #194Cambodia flagCambodia
  8. #193Peru flagPeru
  9. #192Vietnam flagVietnam
  10. #191Ecuador flagEcuador

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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Historical Data by Year

Explore Mean Male Height (cm) data across different years. Compare trends and see how statistics have changed over time.

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