Short answer: in South Africa, a man who is 5′5″ counts as slightly below average, and a woman as tall.
Slightly below average
Men · 30% are shorter
Tall
Women · 86% are shorter
165.1 cm (5′5″)
65 in
30% of adult men in South Africa are shorter than this; 1 in 1.4 men is this tall or taller. The average man is 168.8 cm (5′6″).
86% of adult women in South Africa are shorter than this; 1 in 6.9 women is this tall or taller. The average woman is 158.1 cm (5′2″).
| Group | Average | Difference | Shorter in country | Shorter worldwide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 168.8 cm (5′6″) | −3.7 cm | 30% | 33% |
| Women | 158.1 cm (5′2″) | +7 cm | 86% | 86% |
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 | 1% | 35% |
| United States | 8% | 70% |
| Brazil | 17% | 80% |
| China | 29% | 84% |
| Pakistan | 41% | 95% |
| India | 55% | 97% |
| Indonesia | 60% | 98% |
| Timor-Leste | 81% | 98% |
5′2″ 5′3″ 5′4″ 5′6″ 5′7″ 5′8″ 165 cm