Short answer: in Lesotho, a man counts as tall from 173.5 cm (5′8″) (tallest 20%) and very tall from 180.8 cm (5′11″) (tallest 3%). For women the thresholds are 161.8 cm (5′4″) and 168.6 cm (5′6″). Averages: men 167.5 cm (5′6″), women 156.3 cm (5′2″).
≥ 173.5 cm
Tall for a man (tallest 20%)
≥ 161.8 cm
Tall for a woman (tallest 20%)
| Men | Women | Percentile band | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very short | < 154.3 cm (5′1″) | < 143.9 cm (4′9″) | P0–P3 |
| Short | 154.3–161.6 cm (5′4″) | 143.9–150.7 cm (4′11″) | P3–P20 |
| Slightly below average | 161.6–165.7 cm (5′5″) | 150.7–154.6 cm (5′1″) | P20–P40 |
| Average height | 165.7–169.3 cm (5′7″) | 154.6–157.9 cm (5′2″) | P40–P60 |
| Slightly above average | 169.3–173.5 cm (5′8″) | 157.9–161.8 cm (5′4″) | P60–P80 |
| Tall | 173.5–180.8 cm (5′11″) | 161.8–168.6 cm (5′6″) | P80–P97 |
| Very tall | ≥ 180.8 cm (5′11″) | ≥ 168.6 cm (5′6″) | P97–P100 |
Bands are percentiles among adults of the same sex: shortest 3% "very short", tallest 20% "tall", tallest 3% "very tall" — the same scale as every "Is it tall?" page on this site. Not a medical definition.
In Lesotho, men under 161.6 cm (5′4″) are short (shortest 20%) and under 154.3 cm (5′1″) very short (shortest 3%). For women the limits are 150.7 cm (4′11″) and 143.9 cm (4′9″). Short or tall is just a statistical position.
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.