Short answer: in North Korea, a man counts as tall from 177.5 cm (5′10″) (tallest 20%) and very tall from 185.3 cm (6′1″) (tallest 3%). For women the thresholds are 163.8 cm (5′4″) and 171.1 cm (5′7″). Averages: men 171.2 cm (5′7″), women 158 cm (5′2″).
≥ 177.5 cm
Tall for a man (tallest 20%)
≥ 163.8 cm
Tall for a woman (tallest 20%)
| Men | Women | Percentile band | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very short | < 157.1 cm (5′2″) | < 144.9 cm (4′9″) | P0–P3 |
| Short | 157.1–164.8 cm (5′5″) | 144.9–152.1 cm (5′0″) | P3–P20 |
| Slightly below average | 164.8–169.3 cm (5′7″) | 152.1–156.2 cm (5′1″) | P20–P40 |
| Average height | 169.3–173.1 cm (5′8″) | 156.2–159.7 cm (5′3″) | P40–P60 |
| Slightly above average | 173.1–177.5 cm (5′10″) | 159.7–163.8 cm (5′4″) | P60–P80 |
| Tall | 177.5–185.3 cm (6′1″) | 163.8–171.1 cm (5′7″) | P80–P97 |
| Very tall | ≥ 185.3 cm (6′1″) | ≥ 171.1 cm (5′7″) | 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 North Korea, men under 164.8 cm (5′5″) are short (shortest 20%) and under 157.1 cm (5′2″) very short (shortest 3%). For women the limits are 152.1 cm (5′0″) and 144.9 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.