Short answer: in the United Kingdom, a man who is 159 cm counts as very short, and a woman as slightly below average.
Very short
Men · 0.9% are shorter
Slightly below average
Women · 34% are shorter
159 cm (5′3″)
62.6 in
0.9% of adult men in the United Kingdom are shorter than this; 1 in 1 men is this tall or taller. The average man is 176.1 cm (5′9″).
34% of adult women in the United Kingdom are shorter than this; 1 in 1.5 women is this tall or taller. The average woman is 161.8 cm (5′4″).
| Group | Average | Difference | Shorter in country | Shorter worldwide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 176.1 cm (5′9″) | −17.1 cm | 0.9% | 12% |
| Women | 161.8 cm (5′4″) | −2.8 cm | 34% | 61% |
Calculate your rank as a man → Calculate your rank as a woman →
Values are cohort-weighted averages for adults aged 18+, derived from NCD-RisC 2020 and UN population estimates; they do not reflect regional differences within a country. Details: methodology and sources.
What share of adults of the same sex is shorter than this?
| Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 0.1% | 10% |
| United States | 1% | 35% |
| Brazil | 4% | 50% |
| China | 9% | 57% |
| Pakistan | 14% | 77% |
| India | 24% | 83% |
| Indonesia | 28% | 87% |
| Timor-Leste | 52% | 89% |
154 cm 155 cm 156 cm 157 cm 158 cm 160 cm 161 cm 162 cm 163 cm 164 cm 5′3″
Average height in the United Kingdom →