Which countries produce the world's tallest people, and why?

Twin studies estimate that 60-80% of height variation within a given population is attributable to genetic factors. However, this figure applies within populations with similar environmental conditions. Between populations with different nutritional histories, environmental factors account for a much larger share of differences. The secular trend over the 20th century is entirely environmental: genes do not change over three to four generations, but average heights have increased by 8cm globally. This demonstrates that even where genetics sets an upper bound, environment determines how close populations get to reaching it. For most people in high-income countries today, they are likely close to their genetic potential; for populations with poor childhood nutrition, there is substantial unrealised genetic height potential.

The Netherlands was not always the world leader in average height. In the mid-19th century, Dutch conscripts averaged 165cm, below many European peers. The dramatic increase over the following 150 years is one of the best-documented examples of the environmental contribution to height. Researchers point to the development of the Dutch dairy industry and high per-capita milk consumption, the universal health insurance system introduced in the early 20th century, and relatively equitable distribution of nutrition and healthcare. There may also be a selection effect: taller Dutch men have historically had slightly more children than shorter men, a rare case where natural selection may have contributed to the national average.

Stunting is defined by the WHO as height-for-age more than 2 standard deviations below the WHO Child Growth Standards median. It is caused by chronic malnutrition, particularly protein and micronutrient deficiency, during the first 1,000 days of life (conception to age 2). Stunting permanently reduces adult height: it cannot be reversed by improved nutrition later in childhood. Approximately 149 million children globally were stunted in 2024, concentrated in South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and parts of Central America. The countries with the lowest average heights in the NCD-RisC dataset (Guatemala, Timor-Leste, Bangladesh) all have stunting prevalence above 30% in children under 5.

Yes, significantly in many countries. In most high-income countries, people born in the 1980s are on average 2-4cm taller than those born in the 1950s, reflecting the secular trend. In East Asian countries like South Korea, the generational difference is far larger: South Korean men born in the 1980s are approximately 5-6cm taller than those born in the 1940s. In some low-income countries, the secular trend has stalled or reversed during periods of economic contraction. North Korea is a documented case where average height decreased during the famine years of the 1990s, creating a measurable height gap between North and South Koreans of the same age.

UK men average 175.8cm and women 161.9cm according to NCD-RisC data, placing the UK at approximately 35th for men and 38th for women globally. This puts British men roughly 6-7cm below the Balkan and Northern European leaders, and approximately 2-4cm below France, Germany, and Sweden. The UK average is similar to Italy and slightly above Spain. Among English-speaking countries, Australian men (179.2cm) and Canadian men (178.1cm) are notably taller than UK averages, which researchers attribute partly to selective immigration policies that have historically favoured younger, healthier applicants, and partly to dietary differences.

For men, Montenegro holds the top position with an average height of approximately 183.2 cm (6 feet 0 inches) for men born in the 1980s, according to the NCD-RisC dataset covering 2,181 population-based studies and more than 65 million participants across approximately 200 countries. The Netherlands, widely assumed to be the tallest country, ranks second at 182.5 cm. Bosnia and Herzegovina (182.4 cm), Iceland (182.1 cm), and Denmark (181.9 cm) round out the top five for men. For women, the Netherlands does hold the top position at 170.7 cm (5 feet 7 inches), followed by Latvia (169.8 cm) and Estonia (168.7 cm). The Balkan and Northern European dominance in the rankings reflects a combination of genetic background and high nutritional standards maintained over several generations. The perception gap between Montenegro and the Netherlands is one of the most surprising findings in the data: most people, when asked, name the Netherlands as the world leader for men. (Source: NCD-RisC. A century of trends in adult human height. eLife. 2016. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.13410.)

The average Japanese man born in the 1980s is approximately 170.8 cm (5 feet 7 inches), and the average Japanese woman is approximately 158.0 cm (5 feet 2 inches), according to NCD-RisC data. Japan ranks in the middle tier globally for male height, below most European nations and South Korea but above much of South and Southeast Asia. The more notable story is Japan's generational change: men born in 1920 averaged approximately 160 cm, gaining nearly 11 cm across three generations. This gain is among the largest recorded globally and reflects Japan's rapid improvements in nutrition, healthcare access, and living standards after World War II. The rate of height increase has slowed in recent cohorts, suggesting Japan is approaching its genetic ceiling under current nutritional conditions. Japan's height gain over the 20th century is often cited as one of the clearest demonstrations that environment, not genetics alone, determines national average height. (Source: NCD-RisC. eLife. 2016. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.13410.)

The average Filipino man born in the 1980s is approximately 163.2 cm (5 feet 4 inches), and the average Filipino woman is approximately 149.6 cm (4 feet 11 inches), according to NCD-RisC data. The Philippines ranks among the shorter countries globally for both men and women: Filipino women are the second-shortest nationally averaged female population in the dataset, behind only Guatemala. Filipino average height has increased modestly over the 20th century but at a slower pace than East Asian neighbours such as Japan and South Korea, reflecting differences in economic development trajectories and nutritional access across the country. Regional variation within the Philippines is significant: urban Filipinos, particularly in Metro Manila and other major cities, tend to be taller than rural populations due to differences in dietary quality and access to healthcare during childhood. The country's high stunting prevalence in some regions, caused by protein and micronutrient deficiency in early childhood, is the primary driver of the comparatively low national average. (Source: NCD-RisC. eLife. 2016. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.13410.)

The global average height for adults born around 1980 is approximately 171 cm (5 feet 7 inches) for men and 159 cm (5 feet 3 inches) for women, according to NCD-RisC data covering approximately 200 countries. These figures are population-weighted averages, meaning countries with larger populations such as China and India have proportionally more influence on the global figure than smaller nations. The 12 cm gender gap in average height is remarkably consistent across countries and time periods, though it ranges from about 10 cm in some populations to 14 cm in others. For context, the range between the tallest country average (Montenegro, 183.2 cm for men) and the shortest (Timor-Leste, 159.8 cm for men) is 23.4 cm, a span larger than most people expect. The global average for women runs from approximately 149.4 cm (Guatemala) to 170.7 cm (Netherlands), a range of 21.3 cm. These averages are calculated from birth cohort data and represent the adult height of people who grew up under the nutritional and health conditions of each respective country in the mid-to-late 20th century. (Source: NCD-RisC. eLife. 2016. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.13410.)

Yes, substantially. The NCD-RisC dataset shows that average height has increased in nearly every country in the world over the 20th century. The global average for men has increased from approximately 163 cm (birth cohort 1896) to 171 cm (birth cohort 1996), a gain of about 8 cm over 100 years. The largest gains occurred in countries that experienced the most dramatic improvements in nutrition and living standards: South Korea, Japan, and several Central and Eastern European nations gained 10 to 15 cm over this period. The smallest gains occurred in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia, where persistent poverty and malnutrition limited growth potential. In some countries, including the USA and UK, height gains have plateaued in recent cohorts, suggesting these populations are approaching their genetic ceiling under current nutritional conditions. This long-term trend, called the secular trend in height, is one of the most consistent findings in human biology and serves as a population-level indicator of improving living standards across generations. Historical height data alongside weight and body composition trends is compiled on the body statistics page. (Source: Bentham J et al. NCD-RisC. A century of trends in adult human height. eLife. 2016; 5:e13410. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.13410.)