Short answer: in Malawi, a man who is 5′3″ counts as slightly below average, and a woman as slightly above average.
Slightly below average
Men · 24% are shorter
Slightly above average
Women · 75% are shorter
160 cm (5′3″)
63 in
24% of adult men in Malawi are shorter than this; 1 in 1.3 men is this tall or taller. The average man is 165 cm (5′5″).
75% of adult women in Malawi are shorter than this; 1 in 4 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″) | −5 cm | 24% | 15% |
| Women | 155.6 cm (5′1″) | +4.4 cm | 75% | 66% |
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 | 0.2% | 13% |
| United States | 2% | 40% |
| Brazil | 5% | 56% |
| China | 12% | 62% |
| Pakistan | 17% | 82% |
| India | 29% | 86% |
| Indonesia | 33% | 90% |
| Timor-Leste | 58% | 91% |