Short answer: in Malaysia, a man counts as tall from 173 cm (5′8″) (tallest 20%) and very tall from 180.5 cm (5′11″) (tallest 3%). For women the thresholds are 160.5 cm (5′3″) and 167.6 cm (5′6″). Averages: men 166.9 cm (5′6″), women 154.9 cm (5′1″).
≥ 173 cm
Tall for a man (tallest 20%)
≥ 160.5 cm
Tall for a woman (tallest 20%)
| Men | Women | Percentile band | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very short | < 153.2 cm (5′0″) | < 142.2 cm (4′8″) | P0–P3 |
| Short | 153.2–160.8 cm (5′3″) | 142.2–149.2 cm (4′11″) | P3–P20 |
| Slightly below average | 160.8–165 cm (5′5″) | 149.2–153.1 cm (5′0″) | P20–P40 |
| Average height | 165–168.7 cm (5′6″) | 153.1–156.6 cm (5′2″) | P40–P60 |
| Slightly above average | 168.7–173 cm (5′8″) | 156.6–160.5 cm (5′3″) | P60–P80 |
| Tall | 173–180.5 cm (5′11″) | 160.5–167.6 cm (5′6″) | P80–P97 |
| Very tall | ≥ 180.5 cm (5′11″) | ≥ 167.6 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 Malaysia, men under 160.8 cm (5′3″) are short (shortest 20%) and under 153.2 cm (5′0″) very short (shortest 3%). For women the limits are 149.2 cm (4′11″) and 142.2 cm (4′8″). Short or tall is just a statistical position.
| Percentile | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| P1 | 150 cm (4′11″) | 139.2 cm (4′7″) |
| P5 | 154.9 cm (5′1″) | 143.8 cm (4′9″) |
| P10 | 157.6 cm (5′2″) | 146.2 cm (4′10″) |
| P25 | 162 cm (5′4″) | 150.3 cm (4′11″) |
| P50 | 166.9 cm (5′6″) | 154.9 cm (5′1″) |
| P75 | 171.8 cm (5′8″) | 159.4 cm (5′3″) |
| P90 | 176.2 cm (5′9″) | 163.5 cm (5′4″) |
| P95 | 178.8 cm (5′10″) | 166 cm (5′5″) |
| P99 | 183.8 cm (6′0″) | 170.6 cm (5′7″) |
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.