Short answer: in Papua New Guinea, a man counts as tall from 169.2 cm (5′7″) (tallest 20%) and very tall from 176.5 cm (5′9″) (tallest 3%). For women the thresholds are 161 cm (5′3″) and 168 cm (5′6″). Averages: men 163.3 cm (5′4″), women 155.4 cm (5′1″).
≥ 169.2 cm
Tall for a man (tallest 20%)
≥ 161 cm
Tall for a woman (tallest 20%)
| Men | Women | Percentile band | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very short | < 150.1 cm (4′11″) | < 142.7 cm (4′8″) | P0–P3 |
| Short | 150.1–157.4 cm (5′2″) | 142.7–149.7 cm (4′11″) | P3–P20 |
| Slightly below average | 157.4–161.5 cm (5′4″) | 149.7–153.7 cm (5′0″) | P20–P40 |
| Average height | 161.5–165.1 cm (5′5″) | 153.7–157.1 cm (5′2″) | P40–P60 |
| Slightly above average | 165.1–169.2 cm (5′7″) | 157.1–161 cm (5′3″) | P60–P80 |
| Tall | 169.2–176.5 cm (5′9″) | 161–168 cm (5′6″) | P80–P97 |
| Very tall | ≥ 176.5 cm (5′9″) | ≥ 168 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 Papua New Guinea, men under 157.4 cm (5′2″) are short (shortest 20%) and under 150.1 cm (4′11″) very short (shortest 3%). For women the limits are 149.7 cm (4′11″) and 142.7 cm (4′8″). 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.