Short answer: in Malawi, a man who is 5′2″ counts as short, and a woman as slightly above average.
Short
Men · 15% are shorter
Slightly above average
Women · 62% are shorter
157.5 cm (5′2″)
62 in
15% of adult men in Malawi are shorter than this; 1 in 1.2 men is this tall or taller. The average man is 165 cm (5′5″).
62% of adult women in Malawi are shorter than this; 1 in 2.6 women is this tall or taller. The average woman is 155.6 cm (5′1″).
| Group | Average | Difference | Shorter in country | Shorter worldwide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 165 cm (5′5″) | −7.5 cm | 15% | 9% |
| Women | 155.6 cm (5′1″) | +1.9 cm | 62% | 54% |
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% | 7% |
| United States | 0.6% | 27% |
| Brazil | 2% | 42% |
| China | 7% | 48% |
| Pakistan | 9% | 70% |
| India | 19% | 77% |
| Indonesia | 22% | 82% |
| Timor-Leste | 44% | 84% |