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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

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198countries with data
169.8 cmmaximum · Latvia
159 cmmedian
149.4 cmminimum · Guatemala
2014data year(s)

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

Lower Higher
  • 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

RankCountryValueYear
1er🇱🇻 Latvia169.8 cm2014
2e🇪🇪 Estonia168.7 cm2014
2e🇳🇱 Netherlands168.7 cm2014
4e🇨🇿 Czechia168.5 cm2014
5e🇷🇸 Serbia167.7 cm2014
6e🇸🇰 Slovakia167.5 cm2014
7e🇩🇰 Denmark167.2 cm2014
8e🇱🇹 Lithuania166.6 cm2014
9e🇧🇾 Belarus166.3 cm2014
9e🇺🇦 Ukraine166.3 cm2014
11e🇸🇮 Slovenia166.1 cm2014
12e🇦🇺 Australia165.9 cm2014
12e🇩🇪 Germany165.9 cm2014
12e🇫🇮 Finland165.9 cm2014
12e🇮🇸 Iceland165.9 cm2014
16e🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina165.8 cm2014
17e🇸🇪 Sweden165.7 cm2014
18e🇭🇷 Croatia165.6 cm2014
18e🇳🇴 Norway165.6 cm2014
20e🇧🇪 Belgium165.5 cm2014
20e🇹🇴 Tonga165.5 cm2014
22e🇧🇧 Barbados165.3 cm2014
22e🇷🇺 Russia165.3 cm2014
24e🇮🇪 Ireland165.1 cm2014
25e🇫🇷 France164.9 cm2014
25e🇬🇷 Greece164.9 cm2014
25e🇲🇪 Montenegro164.9 cm2014
25e🇳🇿 New Zealand164.9 cm2014
29e🇧🇬 Bulgaria164.8 cm2014
29e🇳🇺 Niue164.8 cm2014
31e🇦🇹 Austria164.6 cm2014
31e🇮🇹 Italy164.6 cm2014
31e🇵🇱 Poland164.6 cm2014
34e🇦🇸 American Samoa164.5 cm2014
34e🇬🇩 Grenada164.5 cm2014
34e🇵🇫 French Polynesia164.5 cm2014
37e🇬🇧 United Kingdom164.4 cm2014
37e🇱🇺 Luxembourg164.4 cm2014
39e🇩🇲 Dominica164.3 cm2014
40e🇨🇦 Canada163.9 cm2014
41e🇭🇺 Hungary163.7 cm2014
42e🇨🇭 Switzerland163.5 cm2014
42e🇺🇸 United States163.5 cm2014
44e🇪🇸 Spain163.4 cm2014
45e🇨🇰 Cook Islands163.2 cm2014
45e🇲🇩 Moldova163.2 cm2014
47e🇯🇲 Jamaica163.1 cm2014
48e🇬🇪 Georgia163 cm2014
48e🇵🇹 Portugal163 cm2014
50e🇦🇩 Andorra162.9 cm2014
51e🇷🇴 Romania162.7 cm2014
52e🇸🇳 Senegal162.5 cm2014
53e🇱🇧 Lebanon162.4 cm2014
54e🇨🇾 Cyprus162.3 cm2014
54e🇰🇷 South Korea162.3 cm2014
54e🇱🇨 St. Lucia162.3 cm2014
57e🇱🇾 Libya162.1 cm2014
57e🇸🇨 Seychelles162.1 cm2014
57e🇺🇾 Uruguay162.1 cm2014
60e🇼🇸 Samoa162 cm2014
61e🇦🇱 Albania161.8 cm2014
61e🇮🇱 Israel161.8 cm2014
63e🇫🇯 Fiji161.7 cm2014
63e🇹🇲 Turkmenistan161.7 cm2014
65e🇨🇻 Cape Verde161.6 cm2014
66e🇬🇱 Greenland161.5 cm2014
66e🇹🇼 Taiwan161.5 cm2014
68e🇧🇼 Botswana161.4 cm2014
69e🇧🇷 Brazil160.9 cm2014
69e🇬🇲 Gambia160.9 cm2014
69e🇲🇹 Malta160.9 cm2014
72e🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda160.7 cm2014
72e🇧🇸 Bahamas160.7 cm2014
72e🇧🇲 Bermuda160.7 cm2014
72e🇸🇷 Suriname160.7 cm2014
72e🇻🇨 St. Vincent & Grenadines160.7 cm2014
77e🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago160.6 cm2014
78e🇲🇱 Mali160.5 cm2014
78e🇹🇷 Türkiye160.5 cm2014
80e🇹🇳 Tunisia160.4 cm2014
81e🇸🇬 Singapore160.3 cm2014
82e🇧🇫 Burkina Faso160.2 cm2014
82e🇹🇩 Chad160.2 cm2014
84e🇵🇾 Paraguay159.9 cm2014
85e🇲🇰 North Macedonia159.8 cm2014
86e🇨🇳 China159.7 cm2014
86e🇮🇷 Iran159.7 cm2014
88e🇰🇿 Kazakhstan159.6 cm2014
89e🇨🇱 Chile159.4 cm2014
89e🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan159.4 cm2014
89e🇰🇼 Kuwait159.4 cm2014
89e🇶🇦 Qatar159.4 cm2014
93e🇦🇷 Argentina159.2 cm2014
93e🇰🇳 St. Kitts & Nevis159.2 cm2014
93e🇵🇷 Puerto Rico159.2 cm2014
96e🇩🇿 Algeria159.1 cm2014
97e🇩🇴 Dominican Republic159 cm2014
97e🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China159 cm2014
97e🇰🇵 North Korea159 cm2014
100e🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe158.9 cm2014
101e🇨🇲 Cameroon158.8 cm2014
101e🇬🇦 Gabon158.8 cm2014
101e🇯🇴 Jordan158.8 cm2014
101e🇳🇦 Namibia158.8 cm2014
105e🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates158.7 cm2014
105e🇭🇹 Haiti158.7 cm2014
105e🇮🇶 Iraq158.7 cm2014
108e🇸🇿 Eswatini158.6 cm2014
108e🇸🇾 Syria158.6 cm2014
110e🇦🇿 Azerbaijan158.3 cm2014
110e🇯🇵 Japan158.3 cm2014
110e🇳🇪 Niger158.3 cm2014
110e🇹🇬 Togo158.3 cm2014
114e🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau158.2 cm2014
114e🇰🇪 Kenya158.2 cm2014
114e🇲🇳 Mongolia158.2 cm2014
114e🇻🇺 Vanuatu158.2 cm2014
114e🇿🇼 Zimbabwe158.2 cm2014
119e🇦🇲 Armenia158.1 cm2014
119e🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire158.1 cm2014
119e🇹🇻 Tuvalu158.1 cm2014
122e🇨🇫 Central African Republic158 cm2014
122e🇨🇺 Cuba158 cm2014
122e🇿🇦 South Africa158 cm2014
125e🇬🇭 Ghana157.9 cm2014
125e🇬🇾 Guyana157.9 cm2014
125e🇹🇭 Thailand157.9 cm2014
128e🇬🇳 Guinea157.8 cm2014
128e🇲🇦 Morocco157.8 cm2014
128e🇺🇿 Uzbekistan157.8 cm2014
131e🇲🇷 Mauritania157.7 cm2014
132e🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville157.6 cm2014
133e🇻🇪 Venezuela157.4 cm2014
134e🇦🇴 Angola157.3 cm2014
134e🇪🇬 Egypt157.3 cm2014
134e🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea157.3 cm2014
134e🇹🇯 Tajikistan157.3 cm2014
138e🇲🇺 Mauritius157.2 cm2014
138e🇴🇲 Oman157.2 cm2014
140e🇰🇮 Kiribati157 cm2014
141e🇧🇿 Belize156.9 cm2014
141e🇨🇴 Colombia156.9 cm2014
143e🇲🇽 Mexico156.8 cm2014
144e🇧🇭 Bahrain156.7 cm2014
144e🇺🇬 Uganda156.7 cm2014
146e🇸🇱 Sierra Leone156.6 cm2014
147e🇨🇷 Costa Rica156.4 cm2014
147e🇪🇷 Eritrea156.4 cm2014
149e🇲🇾 Malaysia156.3 cm2014
149e🇳🇬 Nigeria156.3 cm2014
151e🇧🇯 Benin156.2 cm2014
151e🇵🇼 Palau156.2 cm2014
153e🇩🇯 Djibouti156.1 cm2014
153e🇫🇲 Micronesia156.1 cm2014
153e🇸🇴 Somalia156.1 cm2014
156e🇸🇩 Sudan156 cm2014
157e🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia155.9 cm2014
157e🇹🇿 Tanzania155.9 cm2014
159e🇿🇲 Zambia155.8 cm2014
160e🇪🇹 Ethiopia155.7 cm2014
160e🇱🇷 Liberia155.7 cm2014
160e🇱🇸 Lesotho155.7 cm2014
163e🇰🇲 Comoros155.6 cm2014
164e🇵🇦 Panama155.5 cm2014
165e🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa155.2 cm2014
166e🇦🇫 Afghanistan155.1 cm2014
167e🇲🇻 Maldives155 cm2014
168e🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea154.9 cm2014
169e🇷🇼 Rwanda154.8 cm2014
170e🇱🇰 Sri Lanka154.6 cm2014
171e🇸🇻 El Salvador154.5 cm2014
172e🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma)154.4 cm2014
172e🇲🇼 Malawi154.4 cm2014
172e🇳🇮 Nicaragua154.4 cm2014
172e🇸🇧 Solomon Islands154.4 cm2014
176e🇪🇨 Ecuador154.2 cm2014
177e🇧🇮 Burundi154 cm2014
177e🇧🇳 Brunei154 cm2014
177e🇲🇿 Mozambique154 cm2014
177e🇳🇷 Nauru154 cm2014
177e🇾🇪 Yemen154 cm2014
182e🇧🇴 Bolivia153.9 cm2014
183e🇭🇳 Honduras153.8 cm2014
183e🇵🇰 Pakistan153.8 cm2014
185e🇧🇹 Bhutan153.6 cm2014
185e🇻🇳 Vietnam153.6 cm2014
187e🇰🇭 Cambodia152.9 cm2014
187e🇵🇪 Peru152.9 cm2014
189e🇮🇩 Indonesia152.8 cm2014
190e🇮🇳 India152.6 cm2014
191e🇱🇦 Laos151.3 cm2014
191e🇲🇭 Marshall Islands151.3 cm2014
193e🇲🇬 Madagascar151.2 cm2014
193e🇹🇱 Timor-Leste151.2 cm2014
195e🇳🇵 Nepal150.9 cm2014
196e🇧🇩 Bangladesh150.8 cm2014
197e🇵🇭 Philippines149.6 cm2014
198e🇬🇹 Guatemala149.4 cm2014

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