How tall is tall in Australia?

What is the average Australian male’s height?

Australia has a population of over 26 million as of the time of writing. The male population accounts for around 50.2%.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, between 2011 and 2012, the average Australian man was 175.6 cm. The definition of an Australian man is considered as someone 18 years or older.

If you look at the below diagram from the Australian Health Survey, you will see that Australians are getting taller on average. Between 1995 and 2011–12, men’s average height increased by 0.8 cm, while women’s average height increased by 0.4 cm. That means the men’s height growth rate is double the women’s height growth rate.

Based on previous growth rates, it is estimated that an Australian man’s average height will grow to 182 cm by 2023.

In general, younger men are taller than older people. In Australia, the average height for young people aged between 18 and 24 years old is 177.8 cm, while the average height for older people aged over 75 years is 169.7 cm, so the difference is 8.1 cm.

Compare Australian men’s height with other countries.

The table below contains data from the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration for 2019. It is based on an analysis of hundreds of population-based studies and displays typical heights for men born between 2009 and 2019.

Australia’s average male’s height drops from 24th place to 29th place with an average height of 179.8cm. Compared with the other 199 countries in the world, the average man’s height is still quite tall.

What are the factors that will impact a male’s height?

There are many factors that can affect height, and it is important to understand how they work to fully grasp how height is determined.

The growth of a person’s body is a result of various factors that are controlled by hormones and genes. The growth plates in a person’s bones are responsible for growing taller, but these plates can only grow so long before they stop. That is why some people stop growing at different stages in life than others. Data shows older adults have a shorter average height than younger adults.

Genes are not the only factor that determines how tall a person will be. There are many lifestyle reasons why some boys, who have the potential to grow taller, don’t grow taller.

Some of these reasons include:

Poor nutrition, which can lead to stunted growth.
Lack of physical activity, which can lead to a lack of muscle mass.
Poor posture and sitting habits.
Stress in early childhood

The following steps will help you to promote height in boys to prevent a lack of growth. The first step is to make sure your child is getting enough calories. A healthy diet with enough calories can help your child grow taller. The second step is to make sure your child has an active lifestyle. Exercise can help promote height in boys because it increases bone density and muscle mass, which will increase their height over time. That is why it is important to help your boy develop an interest in sports at a young age. The third step is to reduce stress levels as much as possible because stress can cause your body to produce hormones that inhibit growth hormones, which can lead to stunted growth in both males and females alike.

References

//ncdrisc.org/height-mean-ranking.html

//www.healthline.com/health/average-height-for-men# international-heights

Some of the world's tallest men: Russian Sergey Ilin, 226cm, American Dave Rasmussen, 221cm, and Robert Steven, 219cm, wait at a pedestrian crossing in Paris. Getty

Height varies a lot around the world — and some countries have a definite lead.
Using medical data, INSIDER calculated average height figures for the 25 tallest countries — which skews heavily towards nations in Europe.
Scroll down to see the nations with the tallest people on earth.
Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.

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The world's tallest man clocks in at 251cm (8 feet 3 inches) and he's called Sultan Kösen, from Turkey.

But despite his commanding size, his compatriots don't quite make the list of countries with the tallest people on average.

INSIDER used average height data from a medical database run by NCD Risk Factor Collaboration, a project linked to Imperial College London.

It lists separate figures for male and female height in each country — we took an average of these two figures to give a rough idea of how tall the average person is in the country, and also listed the separate male and female figures.

Scroll down to see the 25 countries which (literally) came out on top.

25. New Zealand — 171.34cm (5 feet 7.45 inches)

New Zealander and Oklahoma Thunder basketball player Steven Adams is 213cm tall. Getty Images

An average person from New Zealand is 171.34cm (5 feet 7.45 inches) tall on average.

The average Kiwi man is 177.73cm (5 feet 9.97 inches) tall, while the average woman is 164.94cm (5 feet 4.93 inches) tall.

24. Bulgaria — 171.52cm (5 feet 7.52 inches)

Bulgarian tennis pro Grigor Dimitrov is 190cm tall. Julian Finney/Getty Images

An average Bulgarian is 171.52cm (5 feet 7.52 inches) tall.

A Bulgarian man is 178.24cm (5 feet 10.17 inches) tall on average.

A Bulgarian woman is 164.79cm (5 feet 4.88 inches) tall on average.

22. Montenegro —171.56cm (5 feet 7.54 inches)

Montenegrin Nikola Peković played basketball for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and is 6 foot 11 inches tall. YouTube/CaineLovesCali

An average Montenegrins is 171.56cm (5 feet 7.54 inches) tall.

Men in Montenegro are on average 178.27cm (5 feet 10.18 inches) tall.

Women in Montenegro are on average 164.85cm (5 feet 4.90 inches) tall.

22. Ireland — 172.02cm (5 feet 7.72 inches)

Irishman and former One Direction singer Niall Horan is 173cm tall. CraSH/imageSPACE / MediaPunch/AP

The average Irish person is 172.02cm (5 feet 7.72 inches) tall.

The average Irishman is 178.92cm (5 feet 10.44 inches) tall.

The average Irishwoman is 165.11cm (5 feet 5 inches) tall.

21. France — 172.31cm (5 feet 7.83 inches)

WWF star Andre the Giant was 224cm (7 foot 5 inches) tall. EKavet, Flickr

The average person in France is 172.31cm (5 feet 7.83 inches) tall.

The average French man is 179.73cm (5 feet 10.76 inches) tall.

The average French woman is 164.88cm (5 feet 4.91 inches) tall.

20. Belarus — 172.39cm (5 feet 7.87 inches)

Minsk, Belarus. karp5/Shutterstock

The average person in Belarus is 172.39cm (5 feet 7.87 inches) tall.

An average Belarusian man is 178.44cm (5 feet 10.25 inches) tall.

The average Belarusian woman is 166.35cm (5 feet 5.49 inches) tall.

19. Ukraine — 172.39cm (5 feet 7.87 inches)

Ukrainian boxing legend Wladimir Klitschko, 198cm, with his wife, actress Hayden Panettiere, 153cm. Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

Ukrainians are an average 172.39cm (5 feet 7.87 inches) tall.

The average Ukrainian man is 178.45cm (5 feet 10.26 inches) tall, and the average Ukrainian woman is 166.33cm (5 feet 5.48 inches) tall.

18. Australia — 172.53cm (5 feet 7.92 inches)

Australian "Wolverine" actor Hugh Jackman is 188cm tall. Kevin Winter

Australians are 172.53cm (5 feet 7.92 inches) tall on average.

Australian men are 179.20cm (5 feet 10.55 inches) tall on average.

Australian women are 165.85cm (5 feet 5.29 inches) tall.

17. Norway — 172.65cm (5 feet 7.97 inches)

The 170.1cm (5 feet 6.9 inches) Norwegian chess maestro Magnus Carlsen. Alastair Grant/AP

An average Norwegian is 172.65cm (5 feet 7.97 inches) tall.

Norwegian men average out at 179.74cm (5 feet 10.76 inches) tall.

The women measure out at 165.56cm (5 feet 5.18 inches) tall.

16. Sweden — 172.71cm (5 feet 7.99 inches)

Swede and footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic is 195cm tall. Michel Euler/AP

Swedish people are an average 172.71cm (5 feet 7.99 inches) tall.

Swedish men are 179.73cm (5 feet 10.76 inches) tall on average, while Swedish women are 165.6cm (5 feet 5.23 inches) tall.

15. Finland — 172.74cm (5 feet 8 inches)

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

An average Finn is 172.74cm (5 feet 8 inches) tall.

Males in Finland are an average 179.59cm (5 feet 10.70 inches) tall.

Females in Finland are 165.89cm (5 feet 5.31 inches) tall.

14. Lithuania —172.82cm (5 feet 8.03 inches)

A woman takes a photo in Vilnius, Lithuania. Flickr/needoptic

The average Lithuanian is 172.82cm (5 feet 8.03 inches) tall.

An average Lithuanian man is 179.02cm (5 feet 10.48 inches) tall.

The average Lithuanian woman is 166.61cm (5 feet 5.69 inches) tall.

13. Germany — 172.87cm (5 feet 8.06 inches)

The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany. s4svisuals/Shutterstock

The average German is 172.87cm (5 feet 8.06 inches) tall on average.

The average German man is 179.88cm (5 feet 8.81 inches) tall.

The average German woman is 165.86cm (5 feet 5.29 inches) tall.

12. Slovenia — 172.92cm (5 feet 8.07 inches)

Lake Bled, Slovenia. borchee/Getty Images

The average Slovenian is 172.92cm (5 feet 8.07 inches) tall.

The average Slovenian man is 179.80cm (5 feet 10.78 inches) tall.

The average Slovenian woman is 166.05cm (5 feet 5.37 inches) tall.

11. Croatia — 173.20cm (5 feet 8.18 inches)

Dubrovnik, Croatia. Wojtek Chmielewski/Shutterstock

An average Croatian is 173.20cm (5 feet 8.18 inches) tall.

An average Croatian man is 180.78cm (5 feet 11.16 inches) tall.

The average Croatian woman is 165.63cm ( 5 feet 5.20 inches) tall.

10. Iceland — 173.21cm (5 feet 8.19 inches)

206cm (6 feet 9.1 inches) Icelandic Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, who plays The Mountain on HBO's "Game of Thrones." Instagram/thorbjornsson

Icelandic people have an average height of 173.21cm (5 feet 8.19 inches.)

Icelandic women are 165.94cm (5 feet 5.15 inches) tall on average, while Icelandic men are an average 180.49cm (5 feet 11.05 inches) tall.

9. Bosnia and Herzegovina — 173.35cm (5 feet 8.24 inches)

Mostar, Bosnia. Vlada Photo/Shutterstock

Bosnians are 173.35cm (5 feet 8.24 inches) tall on average.

Bosnian men are 180.87cm (5 feet 11.20 inches) tall on average.

Bosnian women are 165.84cm (5 feet 5.29 inches) tall on average.

8. Slovakia — 173.48cm (5 feet 8.29 inches)

Slovakian downhill alpine skier Petra Vlhova is 180cm tall. Reuters

Slovakians are 173.48cm (5 feet 8.29 inches) tall on average.

Slovakian men are 179.50cm (5 feet 10.66 inches) tall on average, while Slovakian women are 167.46cm (5 feet 5.92 inches) tall on average.

7. Belgium — 173.59cm (5 feet 8.34 inches)

A glass of Belgian beer. PixieMe / Shutterstock

Belgians are 173.59cm (5 feet 8.34 inches) tall on average.

The average Belgian man is 181.69cm (5 feet 11.53 inches) tall.

The average Belgian woman is 165.49cm (5 feet 5.15 inches) tall.

6. Serbia — 174.13cm (5 feet 8.55 inches)

Serbian leader Aleksandar Vucic who is 199cm tall. Thomson Reuters

Serbians are 174.13cm (5 feet 8.55 inches) tall on average.

Serbian men are 180.57cm (5 feet 11.09 inches) tall on average.

Serbian women are 167.69cm (5 feet 6.01 inches) tall on average.

5. Czech Republic — 174.28cm (5 feet 8.61 inches)

Czech-born Ivana Trump (R,) who is 182cm, with her 190cm US husband Donald in 1991. Luis Rubeiro/AP

The average Czech measures an average 174.28cm (5 feet 8.61 inches) tall.

Czech men measure an average 180.10cm tall (5 fet 10.9 inches) tall.

Czech women measure an average 168.45cm (5 feet 6.31 inches) tall.

4. Denmark — 174.29cm (5 feet 8.61 inches)

Danish teenagers walk through the Rådhudspladsen plaza in the snow in Copenhagen, Denmark on March 2, 2018. Kristoffer Trolle/Flickr

The average Dane is 174.29cm (5 feet 8.61 inches) tall.

The average Danish man is 181.38cm (5 feet 11.40 inches) tall.

The average Danish woman is 167.21cm (5 feet 5.83 inches) tall.

3. Estonia — 175.13cm (5 feet 8.94 inches)

Miss Estonia, Jana Tafenau, May 24, 2002. Jose Jimenez/Primera Hora/Getty Images

An average Estonian is 175.13cm (5 feet 8.94 inches) tall.

Estonian males are an average 181.59cm tall (5 feet 11.49 inches) tall.

Estonian females are an average 168.67cm (5 feet 6.40 inches) tall.

2. Latvia — 175.61cm (5 feet 9.13 inches)

Riga, Latvia. Shutterstock

Latvians are an average 175.61cm (5 feet 9.13 inches) tall.

Latvian men are an average 181.42cm tall (5 feet 11.42 inches) tall.

Latvian women are an average 169.79cm (5 feet 6.84 inches) tall.

1. The Netherlands — 175.62cm (5 feet 7.96 inches)

Both about the average, Netherlands' King Willem-Alexander is 183cm tall, and Queen Maxim is 178cm tall. Reuters

Dutch people are the world's tallest, with an average height of 175.62cm (5 feet 7.96 inches.)

Dutch men are an average 182.53cm (5 feet 11.86 inches) tall.

Dutch women are an average 168.72cm (5 feet 6.42 inches) tall.

The world's tallest living man and woman, though, don't hail from any of those countries.

Sultan Kösen (L), tallest living male at 251cm, (8 feet 2.5 inches) and Jyoti Amge (R), world's smallest living woman pose for a photo at the Giza pyramid complex. Getty

The world's tallest living man, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, is the 251cm (8 feet 2.5 inches) Turkish giant Sultan Kösen.

The world's tallest living woman? Sun Fang, from China, measuring 221cm (7 feet 3 inches.)

Data source: Average Height, Guinness World Records.

What height is considered tall in Australia?

Men: 183cm, 178cm–188cm. Men under 170cm would considered “very short”, and above 190cm is “too tall”.

Are Australians usually tall?

Australians are 172.53cm (5 feet 7.92 inches) tall on average. Australian men are 179.20cm (5 feet 10.55 inches) tall on average. Australian women are 165.85cm (5 feet 5.29 inches) tall.

Why are Australians so tall?

Australia's population has grown taller and taller over the past century, thanks to improved healthcare, nutrition and hygiene. A global height analysis of 200 countries quite literally measured the average growth of global populations from 1914 to 2014, with every country recording an increase in height.

Are Australians getting taller?

Between 1995 and 2011–12, men's average height increased by 0.8 cm, while women's average height increased by 0.4 cm. That means the men's height growth rate is double the women's height growth rate. Based on previous growth rates, it is estimated that an Australian man's average height will grow to 182 cm by 2022.