Your height isn't just a number — it's a data point that doctors, passport offices, and even dating apps use to categorize you. But "average height" changes dramatically depending on where you live, your age, and your gender. A 170 cm man is above average in India but below average in the Netherlands.
This guide compiles the most comprehensive height comparison data available — by country, by age, and by growth percentile — so you can see exactly where you stand.
Global Average Heights (Adults, Age 18-30)
Data from the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2019), the largest height study ever conducted (18.6 million people, 200 countries).
Top 10 Tallest Countries (Men)
| Rank | Country | Average Male Height | |------|---------|-------------------| | 1 | Netherlands | 183.8 cm (6'0") | | 2 | Montenegro | 183.3 cm (6'0") | | 3 | Denmark | 181.9 cm (5'11.5") | | 4 | Norway | 181.8 cm (5'11.5") | | 5 | Serbia | 181.7 cm (5'11.5") | | 6 | Germany | 181.3 cm (5'11.25") | | 7 | Croatia | 180.8 cm (5'11") | | 8 | Czech Republic | 180.6 cm (5'11") | | 9 | Slovenia | 180.4 cm (5'11") | | 10 | Luxembourg | 179.9 cm (5'10.75") |
Top 10 Tallest Countries (Women)
| Rank | Country | Average Female Height | |------|---------|---------------------| | 1 | Netherlands | 170.4 cm (5'7") | | 2 | Montenegro | 169.9 cm (5'7") | | 3 | Denmark | 169.5 cm (5'6.75") | | 4 | Latvia | 169.2 cm (5'6.5") | | 5 | Norway | 168.4 cm (5'6.25") | | 6 | Serbia | 168.3 cm (5'6.25") | | 7 | Estonia | 167.9 cm (5'6") | | 8 | Czech Republic | 167.7 cm (5'6") | | 9 | Finland | 167.5 cm (5'6") | | 10 | Sweden | 167.1 cm (5'5.75") |
Where India Stands
| Gender | Average Height | Global Rank | |--------|---------------|-------------| | Men | 166.5 cm (5'5.5") | 180/200 | | Women | 155.2 cm (5'1") | 192/200 |
India's average height has increased by 5 cm over 30 years (1985-2015) due to improved nutrition, but still ranks below the global median.
Indian Height Data by State
Height varies significantly across Indian states, driven by genetics, nutrition, and socioeconomic factors.
| State | Male Average | Female Average | |-------|-------------|---------------| | Punjab | 172 cm | 160 cm | | Haryana | 171 cm | 159 cm | | Jammu & Kashmir | 170 cm | 158 cm | | Rajasthan | 168 cm | 156 cm | | Gujarat | 167 cm | 155 cm | | Maharashtra | 166 cm | 155 cm | | Tamil Nadu | 165 cm | 154 cm | | West Bengal | 164 cm | 153 cm | | Kerala | 168 cm | 157 cm | | Karnataka | 166 cm | 154 cm | | UP | 164 cm | 152 cm | | Bihar | 163 cm | 151 cm |
The Trench Truth: The 10 cm gap between Punjab (172 cm) and Bihar (163 cm) isn't genetic — it's nutritional. States with higher per-capita income and better public health systems produce taller populations. The same genetic pool, given adequate childhood nutrition, reaches its full height potential. This is why average heights are rising fastest in states with improving economic indicators.
Growth Charts by Age (Indian Percentiles)
These percentiles are based on the Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) growth charts, derived from the WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study adapted for Indian children.
Boys: Height by Age (cm)
| Age | 3rd %ile | 25th %ile | 50th %ile | 75th %ile | 97th %ile | |-----|---------|----------|----------|----------|----------| | 5 | 104 | 110 | 113 | 117 | 124 | | 8 | 117 | 124 | 128 | 132 | 139 | | 10 | 126 | 134 | 138 | 142 | 150 | | 12 | 137 | 146 | 150 | 155 | 164 | | 14 | 150 | 160 | 165 | 170 | 179 | | 16 | 160 | 169 | 173 | 177 | 185 | | 18 | 163 | 172 | 176 | 180 | 188 |
Girls: Height by Age (cm)
| Age | 3rd %ile | 25th %ile | 50th %ile | 75th %ile | 97th %ile | |-----|---------|----------|----------|----------|----------| | 5 | 103 | 109 | 112 | 116 | 123 | | 8 | 116 | 123 | 127 | 131 | 138 | | 10 | 126 | 134 | 138 | 143 | 151 | | 12 | 140 | 149 | 153 | 157 | 165 | | 14 | 148 | 155 | 159 | 163 | 170 | | 16 | 150 | 157 | 160 | 164 | 171 | | 18 | 151 | 158 | 161 | 165 | 172 |
How to read percentiles: If your 12-year-old son is 150 cm, he's at the 50th percentile — exactly average. If he's 164 cm, he's at the 97th percentile — taller than 97% of boys his age.
Use the Height Comparison Calculator Growth Tracker mode to log your child's height and see which percentile they're tracking.
Height and BMI: Why They Matter Together
Height alone doesn't tell you much about health. Height combined with weight gives you BMI — a more useful health metric.
BMI = Weight (kg) ÷ Height (m)²
Two people at 170 cm can have very different health profiles:
| Person | Weight | BMI | Category | |--------|--------|-----|----------| | A | 55 kg | 19.0 | Normal | | B | 75 kg | 26.0 | Overweight | | C | 90 kg | 31.1 | Obese |
For Indian adults, the BMI cutoffs are lower than international standards due to higher body fat at lower weights:
| Category | International | Indian (ICMR) | |----------|--------------|---------------| | Underweight | < 18.5 | < 18.5 | | Normal | 18.5-24.9 | 18.5-22.9 | | Overweight | 25-29.9 | 23-27.9 | | Obese | ≥ 30 | ≥ 28 |
Check your BMI with our BMI Calculator — it uses Indian-specific thresholds automatically.
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