Ranked: The countries with the tallest people in the world

Bill Bostock,Jenny McGrath
·9 min read
Ranked: The countries with the tallest people in the world

  • Height varies a lot around the world — and some countries have a definite lead.

  • Using medical data, Insider calculated the mean height for the 25 tallest countries.

  • Many of the countries with the tallest people are found in Europe.

At nearly 8 feet 3 inches tall, Sultan Kösen, who hails from Turkey, may be the tallest person on the planet.

Despite his commanding size, his country doesn't make the list of those with the tallest people.

Insider used mean height data from the medical database NCD Risk Factor Collaboration to find the countries with the tallest people. The project collected information on metrics like height, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels from over 2,500 population surveys from 193 countries.

The NCD lists separate heights for 19-year-old males and females in each country. We took an average of these two figures to give a rough idea of how tall the typical person is in the country and also broke down the list by sex.

It's also important to note that the dataset is only through 2019, and it may not include complete or fully representative information for every country.

Notably, the United States didn't make the ranking either, coming in 58th for women and 47th for men at 5 feet 4.29 inches (163.3 cm) and 5 feet 9.65 inches (176.9 cm), respectively.

These are the 25 countries that (literally) came out on top.

25. Greece — 5 feet 7.93 inches (172.55 cm)

John Aniston and Jennifer Aniston at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, New York (Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Actor John Aniston, late father of Jennifer Aniston, was born on the Greek island of Crete.Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

The mean height for men from Greece: 5 feet 10.59 inches (179.3 cm)

The mean height for women from Greece: 5 feet 5.28 inches (165.8 cm)

24. Austria — 5 feet 7.99 inches (172.7 cm)

Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) poses after receiving from US actor Danny DeVito his lifetime achievement award at the annual German film and television award ceremony Golden Camera.
Austrian-born Arnold Schwarzenegger, who’s about 6 feet 2 inches tall, was cast alongside the much shorter Danny DeVito in the 1980s movie “Twins.”CHRISTIAN CHARISIUS/Getty Images

The mean height for men from Austria:  5 feet 10.28 inches (178.5 cm)

The mean height for women from Austria: 5 feet 5.71 inches (166.9 cm)

22. Belarus — 5 feet 8.03 inches (172.8 cm)

Victoria Azarenka
At 6 feet, Belarusian tennis player Victoria Azarenka used her height to her advantage on the court.THOMAS SAMSON/AFP via Getty Images

The mean height for men from Belarus: 5 feet 10.35 inches (178.7 cm)

The mean height for women from Belarus: 5 feet 5.71 inches (166.9 cm)

22. Cook Islands — 5 feet 8.03 inches (172.8 cm)

Three women in brightly colored clothing and headware stand and wave on a beach on Cook Island
Located in the South Pacific, the Cook Islands aren’t far from French Polynesia.iStock via Getty Images Plus

The mean height for men from the Cook Islands: 5 feet 10.19 inches (178.3 cm)

The mean height for women from the Cook Islands: 5 feet 5.87 inches (167.3 cm)

21. Bermuda — 5 feet 8.07 inches (172.9 cm)

Daren Herbert on stage acting in The Wild Party, a musical
Born in Bermuda, actor and dancer Daren Herbert has appeared in many Canadian and US TV shows and movies.Rick Madonik/Toronto Star via Getty Images

The mean height for men from Bermuda: 5 feet 10.75 inches (179.7 cm)

The mean height for women from Bermuda: 5 feet 5.39 inches (166.1 cm)

19. Poland — 5 feet 8.21 inches (173.25 cm)

Poland Entry Blanka performs "Solo" on stage during The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 Grand Final at M&S Bank Arena on in Liverpool, England
Singer Blanka, center, represented Poland in the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.Anthony Devlin/Getty Images

The mean height for men from Poland: 5 feet 11.14 inches (180.7 cm)

The mean height for women from Poland: 5 feet 5.28 inches (165.8 cm)

19. Germany — 5 feet 8.21 inches (173.25 cm)

angela merkel
Former German chancellor Angela Merkel is just about the typical height of her fellow countrywomen. Omer Messinger-Pool/Getty Images

The mean height for men from Germany: 5 feet 10.98 inches (180.3 cm)

The mean height for women from Germany: 5 feet 5.43 inches (166.2 cm)

 

 

18. Norway — 5 feet 8.29 inches (173.45 cm)

Magnus Carlsen looks up from the chess board during a match in 2021.
Depending on how he styles his hair, Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen can add a bit to his height.Jon Gambrell/AP Images

The mean height for men from Norway: 5 feet 11.06 inches (180.5 cm)

The mean height for women from Norway: 5 feet 5.51 inches (166.4 cm)

17. Finland — 5 feet 8.31 inches (173.55 cm)

finland happy
A man holds up a Finnish flag.Vesa Moilanen/Lehtikuva/Reuters

The mean height for men from Finland: 5 feet 11.1 inches (180.6 cm)

The mean height for women from Finland: 5 feet 5.55 inches (166.5 cm)

16. Dominica — 5 feet 8.33 inches (173.55 cm)

Danny John-Jules and Petula Langlais dressed up and holding wine at the inaugural Visionary Honours Awards in 2019
"Death in Paradise" actor Danny John-Jules, pictured with Petula Langlais, was born in London and is of Dominican descent.Dave Benett/Getty Images

The mean height for men from Dominica: 5 feet 10.94 inches (180.2 cm)

The mean height for women from Dominica: 5 feet 5.71 inches (166.9 cm)

 

 

15. Sweden — 5 feet 8.35 inches (173.6 cm)

Soccer player Zlatan Ibrahimović wears a white jersey and shorts on the soccer field and spreads his arms wide
Swede and soccer player Zlatan Ibrahimović is 6 feet 5 inches tall.Shaun Clark/Getty Images

The mean height for men from Sweden: 5 feet 11.06 inches (180.5 cm)

The mean height for women from Sweden: 5 feet 5.63 inches (166.7 cm)

 

 

13. Ukraine — 5 feet 8.43 inches (173.8 cm)

(L-R) Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd attend the 2021 World Choreography Awards
“Dancing with the Stars” alum Maksim Chmerkovskiy, pictured with Peta Murgatroyd, emigrated to the US from Ukraine as a teenager.Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

The mean height for men from Ukraine: 5 feet 11.26 inches (181 cm)

The mean height for women from Ukraine: 5 feet 5.59 inches (166.6 cm)

13. Croatia — 5 feet 8.43 inches (173.8 cm)

Slavica Ecclestone and Bernie Ecclestone under a green-and-white umbrella at the British Grand Prix in 2008
Slavica Ecclestone, pictured with her former husband Bernie Ecclestone, is toweringly tall.Crispin Thruston/Action Images via Reuters

The mean height for men from Croatia: 5 feet 11.18 inches (180.8 cm)

The mean height for women from Croatia: 5 feet 5.67 inches (166.8 cm)

12. Slovakia — 5 feet 8.52 inches (174.05 cm)

Slovakia's Petra Vlhova celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, women's parallel slalom World Cup in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019
Slovakian downhill alpine skier Petra Vlhová is nearly 6 feet tall.AP Photo/Sergio Bisi

The mean height for men from Slovakia: 5 feet 11.26 inches (181 cm)

The mean height for women from Slovakia: 5 feet 5.79 inches (167.1 cm)

11. Slovenia — 5 feet 8.54 inches (174.1 cm)

Slovenia's President Natasa Pirc Musar and Kosovo's President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu talk as they pose for a photo during the Brdo-Brijuni Process in Skopje, North Macedonia in 2023
Slovenia's president, Nataša Pirc Musar, and Kosovo's president, Vjosa Osmani, pose together.REUTERS/Ognen Teofilovski

The mean height for men from Slovenia: 5 feet 11.26 inches (181 cm)

The mean height for women from Slovenia: 5 feet 5.83 inches (167.2 cm)

10. Lithuania — 5 feet 8.56 inches (174.15 cm)

Wearing a black warm-up outfit Lithuania's Ruta Meilutyte celebrates on the podium after winning the women's 50m breastroke final at the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships
An Olympic gold medal winner, Lithuania's Ruta Meilutyte has broken several swimming records.REUTERS/Issei Kato

The mean height for men from Lithuania: 5 feet 11.14 inches (180.7 cm)

The mean height for women from Lithuania: 5 feet 5.98 inches (167.6 cm)

9. Serbia — 5 feet 8.7 inches (174.5 cm)

Serbian Prime Minister and leader of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) Aleksandar Vucic wears a suit and gestures during a rally ahead of the 2016 election in Belgrade
Serbian leader Aleksandar Vučić is well over 6 feet tall.REUTERS/Marko Djurica

The mean height for men from Serbia: 5 feet 11.14 inches (180.7 cm)

The mean height for women from Serbia: 5 feet 6.26 inches (168.3 cm)

8. Czech Republic— 5 feet 8.74 inches (174.6 cm)

tea leoni and madeleine albright hold hands and look at each other on the show madam secretary
Born in Prague in what is now the Czech Republic, Madeleine Albright, seen here on the show “Madam Secretary” with Téa Leoni, was the first woman to serve as the US secretary of state.Sarah Shatz/CBS

The mean height for men from the Czech Republic: 5 feet 11.34 inches (181.2 cm)

The mean height for women from the Czech Republic: 5 feet 6.14 inches (168 cm)

6. Bosnia and Herzegovina — 5 feet 8.9 inches (175 cm)

Athletes from Bosnia and Herzegovina make their entrance at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Athletes from Bosnia and Herzegovina make their entrance at the 2022 Winter Olympics.AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

The mean height for men from Bosnia & Herzegovina: 5 feet 11.85 inches (182.5 cm)

The mean height for women from Bosnia & Herzegovina: 5 feet 5.94 inches (167.5 cm)

6. Latvia — 5 feet 8.9 inches (175 cm)

Athletes from Latvia make their entrance at the Summer Olympics.
Athletes from Latvia make their entrance at the 2020 Summer Olympics.Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP

The mean height for men from Latvia: 5 feet 11.34 inches (181.2 cm)

The mean height for women from Latvia: 5 feet 6.46 inches (168.8 cm)

5. Iceland — 5 feet 9.09 inches (175.5 cm)

Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson and fitness expert Natalie Eva Marie are dressed in costumes at the launch of Monster Energy’s new performance beverage REIGN Total Body Fuel in 2019 in New York City.
"Game of Thrones" actor Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, pictured with fitness expert Natalie Eva Marie, was born in Reykjavík, Iceland and is a few inches shy of 7 feet tall.Brian Ach/Getty Images for REIGN Total Body Fuel

The mean height for men from Iceland: 5 feet 11.69 inches (182.1 cm)

The mean height for women from Iceland: 5 feet 6.5 inches (168.9 cm)

4. Denmark — 5 feet 9.17 inches (175.7 cm)

Mads Mikkelsen in a tuxedo at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival
Trained as a gymnast, actor Mads Mikkelsen started acting in his native country Denmark.Joel C. Ryan/Invision/AP

The mean height for men from Denmark: 5 feet 11.61 inches (181.9 cm)

The mean height for women from Denmark: 5 feet 6.73 inches (169.5 cm)

Estonia — 5 feet 9.19 inches (175.75 cm)

Miss Estonia, Jana Tafenau, wears a black vest, white button-down shirt, and red skirt on stage at the 2002 Miss Universe pageant.
Miss Estonia, Jana Tafenau, performs on stage at the 2002 Miss Universe pageant.Jose Jimenez/Primera Hora/Getty Images

The mean height for men from Estonia: 5 feet 11.97 inches (182.8 cm)

The mean height for women from Estonia: 5 feet 6.42 inches (168.7 cm)

2. Montenegro — 5 feet 9.55 inches (176.65 cm)

Montenegro`s Mirko Vucinic (L) celebrates with Nikola Vukcevic and Fatos Baciraj (R) after scoring a goal during their Euro 2016 qualifying soccer match in Podgorica, Montenegro in 2015.
Members of Montenegro`s soccer team during the Euro 2016 qualifying soccer match.REUTERS/Stevo Vasiljevic

The mean height for men from Montenegro: 6 feet 0.17 inches (183.3 cm)

The mean height for women from Montenegro: 5 feet 6.93 inches (170 cm)

 

1. The Netherlands — 5 feet 9.72 inches (177.1 cm)

Netherlands' King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxim
The Netherlands' King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima are about average height for the country.Reuters

The mean height for men from the Netherlands: 6 feet 0.36 inches (183.8 cm)

The mean height for women from the Netherlands: 5 feet 7.09 inches (170.4 cm)

A note on mean versus average heights: Using the mean heights instead of average gives a sense of which countries have the most people who are tall. In Iceland, for example, you'll find many men who are 5 feet 11 inches.

The list would look a little different if we had ranked by average heights. The Federal Statistical Office of Germany calculates heights by average, for example, and the results would bump the country up in the rankings by several spots.

This post has been updated. It was originally published in 2019.

Read the original article on Insider