Mean Male Height (cm) 1920
Discover mean male height data across 266+ countries. Compare rankings and explore historical trends with interactive maps.
Interactive Map
Complete Data Rankings
Rank | ||
|---|---|---|
1 | Iceland | 175.479 |
2 | Norway | 174.857 |
3 | Sweden | 174.64 |
4 | Netherlands | 173.953 |
5 | United States | 173.824 |
6 | Denmark | 173.304 |
7 | Estonia | 173.252 |
8 | Canada | 172.526 |
9 | Tonga | 172.154 |
10 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 172.073 |
11 | Slovakia | 171.622 |
12 | Austria | 171.564 |
13 | Australia | 171.501 |
14 | Latvia | 171.44 |
15 | Croatia | 171.357 |
16 | Czech Republic | 171.214 |
17 | Lithuania | 171.208 |
18 | Finland | 171.166 |
19 | French Polynesia | 171.036 |
20 | Luxembourg | 170.93 |
21 | Germany | 170.845 |
22 | Cook Islands | 170.833 |
23 | Switzerland | 170.824 |
24 | American Samoa | 170.816 |
25 | New Zealand | 170.757 |
26 | Serbia | 170.629 |
27 | Slovenia | 170.553 |
28 | United Kingdom | 170.404 |
29 | Fiji | 170.194 |
30 | Belarus | 170.039 |
31 | Ukraine | 170.016 |
32 | Hungary | 169.873 |
33 | North Macedonia | 169.863 |
34 | Belgium | 169.85 |
35 | Montenegro | 169.811 |
36 | Bulgaria | 169.81 |
37 | Niue | 169.75 |
38 | Ireland | 169.648 |
39 | Samoa | 169.578 |
40 | France | 169.188 |
41 | Tokelau | 169.146 |
42 | Barbados | 168.944 |
43 | Senegal | 168.863 |
44 | Georgia | 168.746 |
45 | Russia | 168.743 |
46 | Grenada | 168.678 |
47 | Dominica | 168.621 |
48 | Kenya | 168.297 |
49 | Trinidad and Tobago | 168.224 |
50 | Botswana | 167.991 |
51 | Poland | 167.618 |
52 | Seychelles | 167.574 |
53 | Romania | 167.374 |
54 | Jamaica | 167.36 |
55 | Mali | 167.269 |
56 | Uruguay | 167.245 |
57 | Chad | 167.192 |
58 | Italy | 166.935 |
59 | Zimbabwe | 166.892 |
60 | Kiribati | 166.84 |
61 | Albania | 166.811 |
62 | Tuvalu | 166.78 |
63 | Republic of Moldova | 166.776 |
64 | Cabo Verde | 166.644 |
65 | Tunisia | 166.62 |
66 | South Africa | 166.609 |
67 | Israel | 166.597 |
68 | Namibia | 166.572 |
69 | Saint Lucia | 166.558 |
70 | Niger | 166.549 |
71 | Azerbaijan | 166.446 |
72 | Eritrea | 166.135 |
73 | Andorra | 166.119 |
74 | Argentina | 166.033 |
75 | Micronesia (Fed. States of) | 165.988 |
76 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 165.968 |
77 | Suriname | 165.959 |
78 | Bahamas | 165.947 |
79 | Bermuda | 165.94 |
80 | Armenia | 165.932 |
81 | Antigua and Barbuda | 165.924 |
82 | Pakistan | 165.922 |
83 | Cameroon | 165.921 |
84 | Haiti | 165.901 |
85 | Greece | 165.899 |
86 | Turkmenistan | 165.846 |
87 | Guinea | 165.823 |
88 | Nauru | 165.786 |
89 | Libya | 165.727 |
90 | Algeria | 165.726 |
91 | Uzbekistan | 165.631 |
92 | Brazil | 165.627 |
93 | Burkina Faso | 165.625 |
94 | Palau | 165.536 |
95 | Tajikistan | 165.489 |
96 | Cyprus | 165.468 |
97 | Kazakhstan | 165.385 |
98 | Uganda | 165.374 |
99 | State of Palestine | 165.369 |
100 | Paraguay | 165.256 |
101 | Puerto Rico | 165.215 |
102 | Benin | 165.134 |
103 | Guinea-Bissau | 165.117 |
104 | Eswatini | 165.091 |
105 | Cรดte d'Ivoire | 165.054 |
106 | Zambia | 165.053 |
107 | Lebanon | 165.046 |
108 | Turkey | 165.015 |
109 | Gabon | 164.977 |
110 | Kuwait | 164.973 |
111 | Spain | 164.89 |
112 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 164.85 |
113 | Togo | 164.848 |
114 | Vanuatu | 164.773 |
115 | Angola | 164.468 |
116 | Equatorial Guinea | 164.464 |
117 | Cuba | 164.433 |
118 | Sao Tome and Principe | 164.406 |
119 | Mauritania | 164.397 |
120 | China | 164.381 |
121 | Taiwan | 164.315 |
122 | Congo | 164.299 |
123 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 164.276 |
124 | Ghana | 164.239 |
125 | Marshall Islands | 164.178 |
126 | Guyana | 164.169 |
127 | Burundi | 164.142 |
128 | Djibouti | 164.08 |
129 | Sudan | 164.061 |
130 | Dominican Republic | 164.06 |
131 | Somalia | 164.029 |
132 | Kyrgyzstan | 164.027 |
133 | Ethiopia | 163.986 |
134 | Singapore | 163.955 |
135 | Qatar | 163.917 |
136 | Venezuela | 163.822 |
137 | United Arab Emirates | 163.818 |
138 | Jordan | 163.812 |
139 | Syrian Arab Republic | 163.788 |
140 | Iraq | 163.788 |
141 | Egypt | 163.726 |
142 | Morocco | 163.722 |
143 | Chile | 163.708 |
144 | Malta | 163.703 |
145 | Tanzania | 163.664 |
146 | Central African Republic | 163.617 |
147 | North Korea | 163.381 |
148 | Nigeria | 163.23 |
149 | South Korea | 163.112 |
150 | Lesotho | 163.087 |
151 | Rwanda | 163.038 |
152 | Honduras | 162.995 |
153 | Sierra Leone | 162.911 |
154 | Gambia | 162.902 |
155 | El Salvador | 162.868 |
156 | Iran | 162.867 |
157 | Costa Rica | 162.72 |
158 | Solomon Islands | 162.602 |
159 | Mauritius | 162.594 |
160 | Saudi Arabia | 162.563 |
161 | Mongolia | 162.535 |
162 | Belize | 162.43 |
163 | Portugal | 162.227 |
164 | China, Hong Kong SAR | 162.174 |
165 | India | 162.158 |
166 | Afghanistan | 162.126 |
167 | Greenland | 162.037 |
168 | Malawi | 161.994 |
169 | Nicaragua | 161.835 |
170 | Comoros | 161.807 |
171 | Bhutan | 161.715 |
172 | Madagascar | 161.629 |
173 | Mozambique | 161.568 |
174 | Colombia | 161.416 |
175 | Panama | 161.341 |
176 | Bahrain | 161.34 |
177 | Mexico | 161.25 |
178 | Malaysia | 160.879 |
179 | Thailand | 160.812 |
180 | Japan | 160.74 |
181 | Liberia | 160.432 |
182 | Papua New Guinea | 160.307 |
183 | Myanmar | 160.271 |
184 | Bangladesh | 160.258 |
185 | Sri Lanka | 159.947 |
186 | Oman | 159.726 |
187 | Bolivia | 159.639 |
188 | Yemen | 159.501 |
189 | Ecuador | 158.767 |
190 | Brunei Darussalam | 158.725 |
191 | Nepal | 158.402 |
192 | Guatemala | 158.402 |
193 | Vietnam | 158.391 |
194 | Peru | 158.146 |
195 | Maldives | 158.035 |
196 | Cambodia | 157.908 |
197 | Philippines | 157.778 |
198 | Indonesia | 157.404 |
199 | Timor-Leste | 156.495 |
200 | Laos | 155.972 |
- #1
Iceland
- #2
Norway
- #3
Sweden
- #4
Netherlands
- #5
United States
- #6
Denmark
- #7
Estonia
- #8
Canada
- #9
Tonga
- #10
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Analysis: These countries represent the highest values in this dataset, showcasing significant scale and impact on global statistics.
- #200
Laos
- #199
Timor-Leste
- #198
Indonesia
- #197
Philippines
- #196
Cambodia
- #195
Maldives
- #194
Peru
- #193
Vietnam
- #192
Guatemala
- #191
Nepal
Context: These countries or territories have the lowest values, often due to geographic size, administrative status, or specific characteristics.
Analysis & Context
Overview of Mean Male Height (cm) in 1920
The country with the highest recorded Mean Male Height (cm) in 1920 is Iceland, boasting an impressive height of 175.48 cm, while the global range spans from a minimum of 155.97 cm to a maximum of 175.48 cm. The global average height for males during this year is calculated at 165.50 cm, with a median height of 165.26 cm, indicating a significant variation among different nations.
Geographical Influences on Mean Male Height
Geography plays a crucial role in determining mean male height, as evidenced by the top-ranking countries in 1920. Iceland, with the highest mean height, benefits from a relatively homogenous population and a robust welfare system, which supports nutrition and health. Similarly, Norway and Sweden, with mean heights of 174.86 cm and 174.64 cm respectively, also exhibit high living standards and social policies that promote health and well-being.
In contrast, countries at the bottom of the list, such as Laos at 155.97 cm and Timor-Leste at 156.50 cm, often face challenges related to economic development, healthcare access, and nutrition. The stark differences in mean height highlight how geographic and economic contexts shape public health outcomes.
Impact of Nutrition and Economic Conditions
Nutritional factors significantly influence mean male height, as seen in the disparity between developed and developing nations. The top ten countries, including Denmark at 173.30 cm and the United States at 173.82 cm, benefit from well-established agricultural systems and food security, allowing for better nutritional intake. These countries also experienced industrialization, which improved living standards and health outcomes.
Conversely, in nations like Indonesia at 157.40 cm and the Philippines at 157.78 cm, economic constraints and agricultural challenges limit access to adequate nutrition. This correlation between economic conditions and health suggests that improvements in food security and healthcare could lead to increases in mean height over time.
Year-over-Year Changes: Notable Movers
The data indicates a slight average yearly increase of 0.14 cm (0.1%) in mean male height across the 200 countries surveyed. Notably, Iran experienced the largest increase at 0.27 cm (0.2%), which may be attributed to improvements in healthcare and nutrition policies during this period. Other countries showing significant gains include Algeria with an increase of 0.24 cm and Jordan at 0.23 cm.
On the other hand, several nations, including India, Samoa, and Pakistan, reported stagnation with no change in height. These trends suggest that while some countries are making strides in public health and nutrition, others may be facing systemic issues that hinder progress.
Conclusion: The Significance of Mean Male Height Data
The mean male height data from 1920 provides valuable insights into the social and economic conditions of that era. With a global average of 165.50 cm, the variations among countries underscore the influence of geography, nutrition, and economic stability on health outcomes. As nations continue to develop, monitoring changes in mean male height can serve as an important indicator of public health and quality of life improvements. Understanding these patterns is essential for policymakers aiming to enhance the well-being of their populations.
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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