The Average Female Height Across the World

The Average Female Height Across the World

Women worldwide­ are growing taller. Over the­ last two hundred years, their ave­rage height has steadily rise­n. As per Our World in Data, women today stand around 5 feet 3 inche­s (1.60 meters) tall on ave­rage.


Browse our comprehensive list of average female heights across different countries. Use the search field below to quickly find your country and see how your height compares to other women around the world.

Average Female Height By Country
Country Height (cm) Height (feet and inches)
Afghanistan 155.5 cm 5 feet 1 inch
Albania 162.5 cm 5 feet 4 inches
Algeria 159.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Angola 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Argentina 162.5 cm 5 feet 4 inches
Australia 162.5 cm 5 feet 4 inches
Austria 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
Bangladesh 152.5 cm 5 feet 0 inches
Belgium 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
Bolivia 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Brazil 162.5 cm 5 feet 4 inches
Canada 163.6 cm 5 feet 4 inches
Chile 162.5 cm 5 feet 4 inches
China 155.3 cm 5 feet 1 inch
Colombia 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Cuba 159.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Czech Republic 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
Denmark 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
Dominican Republic 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Ecuador 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Egypt 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
El Salvador 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Finland 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
France 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
Germany 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
Greece 162.5 cm 5 feet 4 inches
Guatemala 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Honduras 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Hungary 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
India 155.5 cm 5 feet 1 inch
Indonesia 155.5 cm 5 feet 1 inch
Iran 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Iraq 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Ireland 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
Israel 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
Italy 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
Japan 155.5 cm 5 feet 1 inch
Kenya 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Korea 155.5 cm 5 feet 1 inch
Mexico 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Morocco 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Netherlands 172.7 cm 5 feet 8 inches
New Zealand 162.5 cm 5 feet 4 inches
Nigeria 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Norway 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
Pakistan 155.5 cm 5 feet 1 inch
Peru 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Philippines 155.5 cm 5 feet 1 inch
Poland 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
Portugal 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
Romania 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
Russia 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
South Africa 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
Spain 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
Sweden 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
Switzerland 165.5 cm 5 feet 5 inches
Thailand 155.5 cm 5 feet 1 inch
Turkey 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches
United Kingdom (UK) 161.8 cm 5 feet 3 inches
United States (USA) 165.1 cm 5 feet 5 inches
Uruguay 162.5 cm 5 feet 4 inches
Venezuela 158.5 cm 5 feet 2 inches

Average female height by country

The average height of women varies significantly across different countries and regions. There is no single, definitive source for global height data. Various organizations and studies provide valuable insights into the average height of women worldwide.

While this article focuses on country-specific data, you can find more general information about female height trends in our Average Female Height article. For a comparison with male heights across different nations, take a look at our Average Male Height by Country article.

Global Average Height

The global average height for women is approximately 158.8 cm (5 feet 2 inches), based on data from the World Health Organization (WHO) [1].

Regional Variations

Heights tend to be higher in Western countries and lower in many developing countries. Here are some regional averages:

  • Europe: The average height for women ranges from 165 cm (5 feet 5 inches) in Portugal [2] to 172 cm (5 feet 8 inches) in the Netherlands [3].
  • Asia: The average height for women ranges from 155 cm (5 feet 1 inch) in India [4] to 162 cm (5 feet 4 inches) in Japan [5].
  • Africa: The average height for women ranges from 155 cm (5 feet 1 inch) in many countries to 163 cm (5 feet 4 inches) in South Africa [6].

Country-Specific Data

Here are some country-specific average heights for women:

  • United States: 165.5 cm (5 feet 5 inches) [7]
  • United Kingdom: 162.5 cm (5 feet 4 inches) [8]
  • Canada: 163.5 cm (5 feet 4 inches) [9]
  • Australia: 165.5 cm (5 feet 5 inches) [10]
  • India: 155 cm (5 feet 1 inch) [4]
  • China: 159 cm (5 feet 2 inches) [11]

Data Sources

Some reliable sources for height data include:

  • World Health Organization (WHO) [1]
  • World Bank [12]
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [7]
  • National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) [8]
  • European Social Survey (ESS) [13]

Conclusion

The average height of women varies significantly across different countries and regions. While there are many factors that contribute to these differences, understanding the average height of women by country can provide valuable insights into population health and nutrition trends. Remember to verify the accuracy of the data and provide proper citations for your sources.

References

[1] World Health Organization. (2019). Global Health Observatory: Height for Age.

[2] Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE). (2020). Estatísticas da População.

[3] Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS). (2020). StatLine.

[4] National Family Health Survey (NFHS). (2015). India.

[5] Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. (2019). Japan.

[6] South African Medical Research Council. (2019). South Africa.

[7] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

[8] National Health Service. (2020). UK.

[9] Statistics Canada. (2020). Canadian Health Measures Survey.

[10] Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2020). Australian Health Survey.

[11] National Bureau of Statistics of China. (2020). China.

[12] World Bank. (2020). World Development Indicators.

[13] European Social Survey. (2020). European Social Survey.

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Welcome to Ave­rageHeight. We use facts and numbers to show you surprising de­tails about everyday life averages. For example, do you know what the ave­rage person's height is? Or what's the average most families spe­nd on groceries each we­ek? We make the­se normal topics exciting. Join us as we discove­r the averages that shape­ our lives.