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Average height of women
What this indicator measures
Average height of adult women, in centimeters, estimated by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration scientific network from numerous health measurements. The value corresponds to height at age 18 of people born in 1996 (so adults in 2014), the latest generation published.
How to read this?
A value of 170 means the average height of adult women is 170 cm.
Ranking : ranked from highest to lowest
In brief
Average height of women: across 198 countries and territories, values range from 149.4 cm (Guatemala) to 169.8 cm (Latvia), with a world median of 159 cm. Data: 2014. The top 10% of countries exceed 165.5 cm, while the bottom 10% stay below 154 cm. By continent, the median is highest in Europe (165.2 cm) and lowest in Africa (157.8 cm).
Median by continent
- Europe 165.2 cm (40)
- Oceania 160 cm (18)
- North America 159.9 cm (26)
- South America 158.6 cm (12)
- Asia 158.1 cm (48)
- Africa 157.8 cm (51)
Why this indicator matters
This indicator gives the average height of adult women. It is used to compare countries and partly reflects living conditions during childhood.
What makes this indicator vary
It depends on genetics, nutrition during childhood, health, diseases and the living standards of the generations concerned.
Reading precautions
These are statistical estimates, not measurements of each inhabitant. The value refers to the latest generation published, not the current adult population. Averages hide large differences within countries.
Full ranking
ranked from highest to lowest
| Rank | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1er | 🇱🇻 Latvia | 169.8 cm | 2014 |
| 2e | 🇪🇪 Estonia | 168.7 cm | 2014 |
| 2e | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 168.7 cm | 2014 |
| 4e | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 168.5 cm | 2014 |
| 5e | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 167.7 cm | 2014 |
| 6e | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | 167.5 cm | 2014 |
| 7e | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 167.2 cm | 2014 |
| 8e | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 166.6 cm | 2014 |
| 9e | 🇧🇾 Belarus | 166.3 cm | 2014 |
| 9e | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 166.3 cm | 2014 |
| 11e | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 166.1 cm | 2014 |
| 12e | 🇦🇺 Australia | 165.9 cm | 2014 |
| 12e | 🇩🇪 Germany | 165.9 cm | 2014 |
| 12e | 🇫🇮 Finland | 165.9 cm | 2014 |
| 12e | 🇮🇸 Iceland | 165.9 cm | 2014 |
| 16e | 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 165.8 cm | 2014 |
| 17e | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 165.7 cm | 2014 |
| 18e | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 165.6 cm | 2014 |
| 18e | 🇳🇴 Norway | 165.6 cm | 2014 |
| 20e | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 165.5 cm | 2014 |
| 20e | 🇹🇴 Tonga | 165.5 cm | 2014 |
| 22e | 🇧🇧 Barbados | 165.3 cm | 2014 |
| 22e | 🇷🇺 Russia | 165.3 cm | 2014 |
| 24e | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 165.1 cm | 2014 |
| 25e | 🇫🇷 France | 164.9 cm | 2014 |
| 25e | 🇬🇷 Greece | 164.9 cm | 2014 |
| 25e | 🇲🇪 Montenegro | 164.9 cm | 2014 |
| 25e | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 164.9 cm | 2014 |
| 29e | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 164.8 cm | 2014 |
| 29e | 🇳🇺 Niue | 164.8 cm | 2014 |
| 31e | 🇦🇹 Austria | 164.6 cm | 2014 |
| 31e | 🇮🇹 Italy | 164.6 cm | 2014 |
| 31e | 🇵🇱 Poland | 164.6 cm | 2014 |
| 34e | 🇦🇸 American Samoa | 164.5 cm | 2014 |
| 34e | 🇬🇩 Grenada | 164.5 cm | 2014 |
| 34e | 🇵🇫 French Polynesia | 164.5 cm | 2014 |
| 37e | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 164.4 cm | 2014 |
| 37e | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 164.4 cm | 2014 |
| 39e | 🇩🇲 Dominica | 164.3 cm | 2014 |
| 40e | 🇨🇦 Canada | 163.9 cm | 2014 |
| 41e | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 163.7 cm | 2014 |
| 42e | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 163.5 cm | 2014 |
| 42e | 🇺🇸 United States | 163.5 cm | 2014 |
| 44e | 🇪🇸 Spain | 163.4 cm | 2014 |
| 45e | 🇨🇰 Cook Islands | 163.2 cm | 2014 |
| 45e | 🇲🇩 Moldova | 163.2 cm | 2014 |
| 47e | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 163.1 cm | 2014 |
| 48e | 🇬🇪 Georgia | 163 cm | 2014 |
| 48e | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 163 cm | 2014 |
| 50e | 🇦🇩 Andorra | 162.9 cm | 2014 |
| 51e | 🇷🇴 Romania | 162.7 cm | 2014 |
| 52e | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 162.5 cm | 2014 |
| 53e | 🇱🇧 Lebanon | 162.4 cm | 2014 |
| 54e | 🇨🇾 Cyprus | 162.3 cm | 2014 |
| 54e | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 162.3 cm | 2014 |
| 54e | 🇱🇨 St. Lucia | 162.3 cm | 2014 |
| 57e | 🇱🇾 Libya | 162.1 cm | 2014 |
| 57e | 🇸🇨 Seychelles | 162.1 cm | 2014 |
| 57e | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 162.1 cm | 2014 |
| 60e | 🇼🇸 Samoa | 162 cm | 2014 |
| 61e | 🇦🇱 Albania | 161.8 cm | 2014 |
| 61e | 🇮🇱 Israel | 161.8 cm | 2014 |
| 63e | 🇫🇯 Fiji | 161.7 cm | 2014 |
| 63e | 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | 161.7 cm | 2014 |
| 65e | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde | 161.6 cm | 2014 |
| 66e | 🇬🇱 Greenland | 161.5 cm | 2014 |
| 66e | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | 161.5 cm | 2014 |
| 68e | 🇧🇼 Botswana | 161.4 cm | 2014 |
| 69e | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 160.9 cm | 2014 |
| 69e | 🇬🇲 Gambia | 160.9 cm | 2014 |
| 69e | 🇲🇹 Malta | 160.9 cm | 2014 |
| 72e | 🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda | 160.7 cm | 2014 |
| 72e | 🇧🇸 Bahamas | 160.7 cm | 2014 |
| 72e | 🇧🇲 Bermuda | 160.7 cm | 2014 |
| 72e | 🇸🇷 Suriname | 160.7 cm | 2014 |
| 72e | 🇻🇨 St. Vincent & Grenadines | 160.7 cm | 2014 |
| 77e | 🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago | 160.6 cm | 2014 |
| 78e | 🇲🇱 Mali | 160.5 cm | 2014 |
| 78e | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 160.5 cm | 2014 |
| 80e | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 160.4 cm | 2014 |
| 81e | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 160.3 cm | 2014 |
| 82e | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | 160.2 cm | 2014 |
| 82e | 🇹🇩 Chad | 160.2 cm | 2014 |
| 84e | 🇵🇾 Paraguay | 159.9 cm | 2014 |
| 85e | 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | 159.8 cm | 2014 |
| 86e | 🇨🇳 China | 159.7 cm | 2014 |
| 86e | 🇮🇷 Iran | 159.7 cm | 2014 |
| 88e | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 159.6 cm | 2014 |
| 89e | 🇨🇱 Chile | 159.4 cm | 2014 |
| 89e | 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | 159.4 cm | 2014 |
| 89e | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | 159.4 cm | 2014 |
| 89e | 🇶🇦 Qatar | 159.4 cm | 2014 |
| 93e | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 159.2 cm | 2014 |
| 93e | 🇰🇳 St. Kitts & Nevis | 159.2 cm | 2014 |
| 93e | 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | 159.2 cm | 2014 |
| 96e | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 159.1 cm | 2014 |
| 97e | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 159 cm | 2014 |
| 97e | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China | 159 cm | 2014 |
| 97e | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 159 cm | 2014 |
| 100e | 🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe | 158.9 cm | 2014 |
| 101e | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 158.8 cm | 2014 |
| 101e | 🇬🇦 Gabon | 158.8 cm | 2014 |
| 101e | 🇯🇴 Jordan | 158.8 cm | 2014 |
| 101e | 🇳🇦 Namibia | 158.8 cm | 2014 |
| 105e | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 158.7 cm | 2014 |
| 105e | 🇭🇹 Haiti | 158.7 cm | 2014 |
| 105e | 🇮🇶 Iraq | 158.7 cm | 2014 |
| 108e | 🇸🇿 Eswatini | 158.6 cm | 2014 |
| 108e | 🇸🇾 Syria | 158.6 cm | 2014 |
| 110e | 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | 158.3 cm | 2014 |
| 110e | 🇯🇵 Japan | 158.3 cm | 2014 |
| 110e | 🇳🇪 Niger | 158.3 cm | 2014 |
| 110e | 🇹🇬 Togo | 158.3 cm | 2014 |
| 114e | 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | 158.2 cm | 2014 |
| 114e | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 158.2 cm | 2014 |
| 114e | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | 158.2 cm | 2014 |
| 114e | 🇻🇺 Vanuatu | 158.2 cm | 2014 |
| 114e | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | 158.2 cm | 2014 |
| 119e | 🇦🇲 Armenia | 158.1 cm | 2014 |
| 119e | 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire | 158.1 cm | 2014 |
| 119e | 🇹🇻 Tuvalu | 158.1 cm | 2014 |
| 122e | 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | 158 cm | 2014 |
| 122e | 🇨🇺 Cuba | 158 cm | 2014 |
| 122e | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 158 cm | 2014 |
| 125e | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 157.9 cm | 2014 |
| 125e | 🇬🇾 Guyana | 157.9 cm | 2014 |
| 125e | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 157.9 cm | 2014 |
| 128e | 🇬🇳 Guinea | 157.8 cm | 2014 |
| 128e | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 157.8 cm | 2014 |
| 128e | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | 157.8 cm | 2014 |
| 131e | 🇲🇷 Mauritania | 157.7 cm | 2014 |
| 132e | 🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville | 157.6 cm | 2014 |
| 133e | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 157.4 cm | 2014 |
| 134e | 🇦🇴 Angola | 157.3 cm | 2014 |
| 134e | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 157.3 cm | 2014 |
| 134e | 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | 157.3 cm | 2014 |
| 134e | 🇹🇯 Tajikistan | 157.3 cm | 2014 |
| 138e | 🇲🇺 Mauritius | 157.2 cm | 2014 |
| 138e | 🇴🇲 Oman | 157.2 cm | 2014 |
| 140e | 🇰🇮 Kiribati | 157 cm | 2014 |
| 141e | 🇧🇿 Belize | 156.9 cm | 2014 |
| 141e | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 156.9 cm | 2014 |
| 143e | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 156.8 cm | 2014 |
| 144e | 🇧🇭 Bahrain | 156.7 cm | 2014 |
| 144e | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 156.7 cm | 2014 |
| 146e | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 156.6 cm | 2014 |
| 147e | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 156.4 cm | 2014 |
| 147e | 🇪🇷 Eritrea | 156.4 cm | 2014 |
| 149e | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 156.3 cm | 2014 |
| 149e | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 156.3 cm | 2014 |
| 151e | 🇧🇯 Benin | 156.2 cm | 2014 |
| 151e | 🇵🇼 Palau | 156.2 cm | 2014 |
| 153e | 🇩🇯 Djibouti | 156.1 cm | 2014 |
| 153e | 🇫🇲 Micronesia | 156.1 cm | 2014 |
| 153e | 🇸🇴 Somalia | 156.1 cm | 2014 |
| 156e | 🇸🇩 Sudan | 156 cm | 2014 |
| 157e | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 155.9 cm | 2014 |
| 157e | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 155.9 cm | 2014 |
| 159e | 🇿🇲 Zambia | 155.8 cm | 2014 |
| 160e | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 155.7 cm | 2014 |
| 160e | 🇱🇷 Liberia | 155.7 cm | 2014 |
| 160e | 🇱🇸 Lesotho | 155.7 cm | 2014 |
| 163e | 🇰🇲 Comoros | 155.6 cm | 2014 |
| 164e | 🇵🇦 Panama | 155.5 cm | 2014 |
| 165e | 🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa | 155.2 cm | 2014 |
| 166e | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 155.1 cm | 2014 |
| 167e | 🇲🇻 Maldives | 155 cm | 2014 |
| 168e | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | 154.9 cm | 2014 |
| 169e | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | 154.8 cm | 2014 |
| 170e | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | 154.6 cm | 2014 |
| 171e | 🇸🇻 El Salvador | 154.5 cm | 2014 |
| 172e | 🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma) | 154.4 cm | 2014 |
| 172e | 🇲🇼 Malawi | 154.4 cm | 2014 |
| 172e | 🇳🇮 Nicaragua | 154.4 cm | 2014 |
| 172e | 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | 154.4 cm | 2014 |
| 176e | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | 154.2 cm | 2014 |
| 177e | 🇧🇮 Burundi | 154 cm | 2014 |
| 177e | 🇧🇳 Brunei | 154 cm | 2014 |
| 177e | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | 154 cm | 2014 |
| 177e | 🇳🇷 Nauru | 154 cm | 2014 |
| 177e | 🇾🇪 Yemen | 154 cm | 2014 |
| 182e | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | 153.9 cm | 2014 |
| 183e | 🇭🇳 Honduras | 153.8 cm | 2014 |
| 183e | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 153.8 cm | 2014 |
| 185e | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | 153.6 cm | 2014 |
| 185e | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 153.6 cm | 2014 |
| 187e | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 152.9 cm | 2014 |
| 187e | 🇵🇪 Peru | 152.9 cm | 2014 |
| 189e | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 152.8 cm | 2014 |
| 190e | 🇮🇳 India | 152.6 cm | 2014 |
| 191e | 🇱🇦 Laos | 151.3 cm | 2014 |
| 191e | 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands | 151.3 cm | 2014 |
| 193e | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | 151.2 cm | 2014 |
| 193e | 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | 151.2 cm | 2014 |
| 195e | 🇳🇵 Nepal | 150.9 cm | 2014 |
| 196e | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 150.8 cm | 2014 |
| 197e | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 149.6 cm | 2014 |
| 198e | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | 149.4 cm | 2014 |
Frequently asked questions
Which country has the highest value for "Average height of women"?
The highest value is in Latvia, at 169.8 cm (2014).
Which country has the lowest value for "Average height of women"?
The lowest value is in Guatemala, at 149.4 cm (2014).
What is the world median value of "Average height of women"?
The world median is 159 cm, calculated across 198 countries: half of the countries are above it, the other half below.
What is the value of "Average height of women" for France?
France scores 164.9 cm (2014), ranking 25 out of 198 countries (ranked from highest to lowest).
Where does the "Average height of women" data come from?
It comes from NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2016), via Our World in Data. Site last updated: November 8, 2026. Each country is shown with the year of its most recent value.
Where does the average height come from?
From estimates by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration scientific network, based on numerous health surveys.
Why is the value not more recent?
It corresponds to height at age 18 of the latest generation published by the source.
Source and update
Source : NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2016), via Our World in Data. Site last updated: November 8, 2026.
Indicators in the same category : Body and lifestyle
- Average weight of womenAverage weight of adult women, in kilograms, as recorded in national health surveys cited by Wikipedia. Only measurements taken on site (not self-reported weights) among adults across a wide age range are used. Partial coverage (about fifty countries).
- Average weight of menAverage weight of adult men, in kilograms, as recorded in national health surveys cited by Wikipedia. Only measurements taken on site (not self-reported weights) among adults across a wide age range are used. Partial coverage (about fifty countries).
- Average height of menAverage height of adult men, in centimeters, estimated by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration scientific network from numerous health measurements. The value corresponds to height at age 18 of people born in 1996 (so adults in 2014), the latest generation published.
- Mean body mass index of menMean body mass index (weight in kg divided by height in meters squared) of adult men aged 18 and over, age-adjusted to allow comparison between countries (WHO modeled estimate).
- Mean body mass index of womenMean body mass index (weight in kg divided by height in meters squared) of adult women aged 18 and over, age-adjusted to allow comparison between countries (WHO modeled estimate).
- Adult obesityShare of adults aged 18 and over whose body mass index is 30 or more, age-adjusted to allow comparison between countries (WHO modeled estimate). Both sexes are counted together.
- Obesity among adult menShare of men aged 18 and over whose body mass index is 30 or more, age-adjusted (WHO modeled estimate).
- Obesity among adult womenShare of women aged 18 and over whose body mass index is 30 or more, age-adjusted (WHO modeled estimate).
- Alcohol consumption per capitaAmount of pure alcohol consumed on average per inhabitant aged 15 and over in a year, in liters (three-year average, WHO estimate). It counts recorded (sold) alcohol and an estimate of unrecorded alcohol.
- Tobacco useShare of people aged 15 and over who currently use tobacco (smoked or smokeless, daily or occasionally) (WHO estimate). E-cigarettes are not counted.
- Tobacco use among menShare of men aged 15 and over who currently use tobacco (smoked or smokeless, daily or occasionally) (WHO estimate).
- Tobacco use among womenShare of women aged 15 and over who currently use tobacco (smoked or smokeless, daily or occasionally) (WHO estimate).
- Diabetes prevalenceShare of people aged 20 to 79 with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, adjusted for the age of the population to allow comparison between countries.