The global average height, which is roughly 166.99 centimetres (5 feet 5.7 inches), varies greatly by area, with the smallest inhabitants mostly in Southeast Asia. In contrast, the Netherlands is home to some of the world’s tallest people, with an average height of 177.07 centimetres (5 feet 9.7 inches), nearly 10 centimetres higher than the global average. Due to a variety of causes, Southeast Asia and areas of Central and South America have the shortest average heights of any country.
The following are the top five countries with the shortest people in the world:
Timor Leste: 156.42 cm (5’1.6″)
Timor Leste (East Timor) has the world’s shortest average height, estimated at 156.42 cm (5 feet 1.6 inches), which is attributable primarily to hereditary variables that influence growth beginning in childhood. The average Timorese woman is about 151.15 cm (4 feet 11.5 inches), whereas the average Timorese man is about 159.79 cm (5 feet 2.9 inches).
Guatemala: 157.64 cm (5′ 2″)
Guatemala has one of the lowest average heights in the world, with the smallest people living there. The entire average height is approximately 157.64 cm (5 feet 2 inches). Women in this region have an average height of 149.38 cm (4 feet 10.8 inches), while men average 163.4 cm (5 feet 4.3 inches). This is primarily due to genetic factors.
Laos: 157.94 cm (5’2.2″)
Laos, a Southeast Asian country, has an average height of 157.94 cm (5 feet 2.2 inches), with women standing at roughly 151.26 cm (4 feet 11.6 inches) and men standing at about 160.51 cm (5 feet 3.2 inches). This is ascribed to socioeconomic conditions that influence diet, health, and inherited factors.
Nepal: 158.38 cm (5’2.4″)
Nepal has one of the world’s shortest populations; the average adult height in Nepal is approximately 158.38 cm (5 feet 2.4 inches), with women standing at 150.86 cm (4 feet 11.4 inches) and men standing at 162.31 cm (5 feet 3.9 inches). This is due to a combination of genetic and socioeconomic factors, particularly those associated with healthcare and nutrition.
Bangladesh: 158.73 cm (5’2.5″)
Bangladesh’s average height is 158.73 cm (5 feet 2.5 inches), with women typically standing at 150.78 cm (4 feet 11.4 inches) and men standing at 163.8 cm (5 feet 4.5 inches), ranking among the world’s lowest.
While genetics is a major factor in determining typical heights across populations, it is only one piece of the puzzle. Majid Ezzati, the director of Imperial College London’s Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD) research, believes that diet, healthcare access, and socioeconomic status all have an equal, if not larger, impact on physical development.
