Tallest Men in the World Revealed, with a 10-Inch Difference between Top and Bottom. Europe Takes the Lead, but the UK Misses Out.
The Netherlands, known for its scenic tulip fields and iconic windmills, can now add another feather to its cap—it is home to the tallest men in the world. According to data from 1996, men born in that year in the Netherlands have an average height of 182.54cm, or roughly 6ft.
In comparison, men in the UK born in the same year have an average height of 177.49cm, or around 5ft 10. These findings are based on height data collected in 1996 and represent the mean heights of individuals in 195 countries.
The top ten countries with the tallest men are as follows:
Netherlands - 182.54 cm
Belgium - 181.70 cm
Estonia - 181.59 cm
Latvia - 181.42 cm
Denmark - 181.39 cm
Bosnia - 180.87 cm
Croatia - 180.78 cm
Serbia - 180.57 cm
Iceland - 180.49 cm
Czechia - 180.10 cm
Meanwhile, American men have a similar average height, measuring around 177.13cm. The height data, compiled by Our World in Data, a platform supported by Oxford University, encompasses millions of participants.
Researchers point out that height is strongly correlated with living standards and can provide insights into the history of living conditions. However, individual height is largely determined by genetic factors and cannot be used as a direct measure of well-being.
Following the Netherlands, the countries with the next tallest men are Belgium, Estonia, Latvia, and Denmark, rounding off the top five.
On the other end of the spectrum, East Timor has the shortest men, with an average height of 159.79cm (5ft 2). It is followed by Yemen, Laos, Madagascar, and Malawi.
The Guinness World Records states that the tallest man ever recorded was Robert Wadlow, measuring 272cm (8ft 11) in 1940. The current living record holder for the shortest man is Afshin Ghaderzadeh, who stands at 65.24cm (2ft 2). Photo by Nagarjun, Wikimedia commons.