Average Height for Men Worldwide: All 200 Countries

Average male height is more than a curiosity. Researchers use it to track nutrition, evaluate healthcare systems, and study how living standards change from one generation to the next. Looking at the average height for men worldwide, country by country, shows just how much those conditions differ. Among young men measured in 2019, the national averages ranged from about 5'3" in Timor-Leste to just over 6 feet in the Netherlands. Below you'll find the average for every one of the 200 countries and territories in the largest global height study to date, along with what the numbers mean and why they differ so much.

Key Takeaways

• Average height for 19-year-old men ranges from 5'3.0" (160.1 cm) in Timor-Leste to 6'0.4" (183.8 cm) in the Netherlands, a gap of more than 9 inches.
• The middle country in the list sits at about 5'8.3" (173.5 cm).
• The tallest averages cluster in northwestern and central Europe; the shortest are in parts of South and Southeast Asia, the Pacific, Latin America, and Africa.
• China, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea saw the biggest gains between 1985 and 2019, while average height fell in 24 countries.
• Genetics shapes each person's range, but differences between countries mostly reflect childhood nutrition, health, and living conditions.

What Is the Average Height for Men Worldwide?

The NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), a global network of health researchers, pooled measured height data from 2,181 population studies to estimate average heights in 200 countries and territories [1]. For 19-year-old men in 2019, the averages ran from 160.1 cm (5'3.0") in Timor-Leste to 183.8 cm (6'0.4") in the Netherlands. Laos, the Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea joined Timor-Leste at the short end, while Montenegro, Estonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina followed the Netherlands at the top.

The ten most populous countries in the dataset show how wide the spread is even among the world's largest nations:

How to Read These Numbers

The figures in this article are NCD-RisC estimates for 19-year-old men in 2019. By 19, most young men have reached or nearly reached their adult height, so the numbers are a good snapshot of the newest generation of adults. They are modeled estimates built from measured (not self-reported) height data, and countries with few surveys have wider uncertainty ranges [2].

That's why these numbers can differ from national surveys of all adults. For example, the CDC's most recent measurement of U.S. men age 20 and older found an average of 68.9 inches, just under 5'9" (175.1 cm) [3]. The NCD-RisC estimate for U.S. 19-year-olds is a little higher, at 5'9.7" (176.9 cm), partly because older adults born in earlier decades are shorter on average. For U.S. figures by age, percentile, and ethnicity, see our guide to the average height for men in the US.

Average Height for Men by Country (A–Z)

The table lists all 200 countries and territories in alphabetical order, with each country's rank from tallest (1) to shortest (200). If you're looking only for the top of the list, our world ranking of average heights by country covers the 10 tallest countries for both men and women.

Source: NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), 2020; mean height at age 19 in 2019. Rank 1 is the tallest. Some entries are territories rather than independent countries.

Where Men Have Grown the Most

Comparing 19-year-olds in 1985 with those in 2019 shows where living conditions have changed fastest. China saw the largest gain among young men, about 8.0 cm (3.1 inches), followed by Saudi Arabia (7.7 cm) and South Korea (6.8 cm) [2]. The study's authors note that much of northwestern Europe's height advantage was achieved before the late 20th century, while countries such as Montenegro and Poland made a substantial part of their gains after 1985 [1].

Not every country moved up. Average height for 19-year-old men fell in 24 countries over the same period, with some of the largest drops in the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea (about 2.5 cm each) and in several West African countries. U.S. young men gained only about 1.2 cm.

The longer view is just as striking. A century ago, men in Sweden, Norway, and the United States were among the tallest in the world. Iranian men born in 1996 were 16.5 cm taller than those born a century earlier, and South Korean men 15.2 cm taller [4].

Why Are Men Different Heights Around the World?

Height differences between countries don't come down to one thing. In practice, it's always a combination.

Genetics sets the range. Scientists estimate that about 80% of the differences in height between individuals come from inherited DNA [5]. But genetics alone doesn't explain why whole populations grow taller or shorter across generations, which is where environment comes in.

Childhood nutrition is probably the most influential environmental factor. Enough calories, protein, calcium, zinc, and vitamin D during early childhood and puberty affect how close children get to their genetic potential.

Healthcare and sanitation matter more than most people realize. Repeated childhood illness diverts energy away from growth, so countries with strong pediatric care, vaccination, and clean water tend to produce taller adults over time.

Economic development correlates strongly with average height, largely because wealthier countries can provide better nutrition, healthcare, and sanitation.

Does Height Affect Health?

Height and health have a complicated relationship. A large sibling-based genetic study found that each standard deviation of extra height (about 6.8 cm, or 2.7 inches, for men) was linked to 14% lower odds of coronary heart disease but 18% higher odds of cancer [6]. For most outcomes, height works more as a marker of the conditions people grew up in than as a direct cause.

Supporting Growth During Development

For parents of growing children or teens, nutrition and lifestyle habits matter considerably. Adequate sleep, regular physical activity, and a diet rich in protein, calcium, and micronutrients create the conditions that let a young person reach their genetic height potential.

When a child's diet falls short, some families ask their pediatrician about a nutritional supplement. Doctor Taller is a supplement for children and teens that provides amino acids, vitamins, and minerals to help fill nutrient gaps during the growing years. Like any supplement, it works alongside a balanced diet, not in place of one, and it can't add height beyond a child's genetic range.

Final Thoughts

The average height for men worldwide spans more than 9 inches from country to country, from about 5'3" to just over 6 feet. Those differences say less about the people in any one country than about the food, healthcare, and living conditions their children grow up with. The map keeps changing, too: China, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia have gained quickly, while some countries have stalled or slipped. Height is one of the clearest signs of how well a society takes care of its kids.

References

1. NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2020). Height and body-mass index trajectories of school-aged children and adolescents from 1985 to 2019 in 200 countries and territories. Lancet. doi.org

2. NCD Risk Factor Collaboration. Height: Country-specific data download. ncdrisc.org

3. Fryar CD, et al. (2025). Anthropometric reference data for children and adults: United States, August 2021–August 2023. Vital Health Stat 3. cdc.gov

4. NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2016). A century of trends in adult human height. eLife. doi.org

5. MedlinePlus Genetics. Is height determined by genetics? medlineplus.gov

6. Howe LJ, et al. (2022). Taller height and risk of coronary heart disease and cancer: A within-sibship Mendelian randomization study. eLife. doi.org