In the history of mankind, one finds that the average size has increased over the centuries. 300 years ago, people were smaller overall than they are today, and even in the last few decades there have been differences in the average size of people.

It is not only the evolution of humanity that changes the height of people, different races and living conditions also influence the growth of people. Holland has the tallest people in the world with an average male height of 1.84m. In Germany, the average height of men is 1.81m, followed by the USA with 1.78m. The global average height of men is 1.70m, with the shortest people being in Indonesia with an average of 1.58m.

A person's race plays a significant role in height. In the USA, white men are on average 1.79m tall, black men 1.78m and Mexicans 1.71m. Like many physical characteristics, a person's height is largely inherited. Growth can remain underdeveloped due to external life influences such as poor nutrition, smoking or the like. So in auxology, which deals with the size of people, it is believed that the actual size of people is determined by a combination of genetic and environmental influences. Good nutrition in healthy people can promote growth spurts at certain stages of people's lives, while poor nutrition and illness can slow growth. During the pubertal phase, people with healthy lifestyles tend to grow taller than those with unhealthy lifestyles. 

Another factor that can influence a person's height is the health of the mother in her life before and during pregnancy. The health of a family during past generations, not just the immediate parents, influences the physical development of the children born within that family. There is a snowball effect, the healthier the family members, the larger the children, who in turn are more likely to produce larger children. 

Although statistical information has been less reliably reported and recorded in past centuries, the average height of a man in the 17th and 18th centuries appears to have been 1.67m. The reason for the increase in physical size is most likely due to ever-improving health standards over generations.

Average height of the world population 

(Country, Men, Women)

Argentina 174,46cm 161,03cm

Australia 178.4cm 163.9cm

Bahrain 165.1cm 154.7cm

Belgium 176.6cm 163.3cm

Brazil 169.0cm 158.0cm

China 164.8cm 158.6cm

Denmark 180.6cm

Germany 181cm 171cm

Ivory Coast 170.1cm 159.1c,

Estonia 179.1cm

Finland 178.2cm 164.7cm

France 174.1cm 161.9cm

Gambia 168cm 157.8cm

Ghana 169.46cm 158.53cm

Guatemala 158.5cm 142.2cm

Holland 184cm 170cm

Hong Kong 170cm 158.8cm

India 165.3cm

Indonesia 158cm 147cm

Iceland 181.7cm 167.6cm

Israel 175.6cm 162.7cm

Iran 174.24cm 160cm

Iraq 165.4cm 155.8cm

Italy 175.2cm 161.8cm

Japan 171.2cm 158.8cm

Canada 174cm 162cm

Cameroon 170.6cm 161.3cm

Colombia 170.6cm 158.6cm

korea 175.2cm 162.5cm

Lithuania 176.3cm

Malaysia 164.7cm 153.3cm

Malta 169cm 159cm

Mali 171.3cm 160.3cm

Mexico 167cm 155cm

New Zealand 177cm 165cm

Nigeria 163.8cm 157.8cm

Norway 179.9cm 169.2cm

Philippines 163.4cm 151.8cm

Portugal 172.8cm

Sweden 180cm 166.9cm

Switzerland 175,5cm 164,7cm

Singapore 170.6cm 160cm

Spain 170cm 161cm

South Africa 169cm 159cm

Taiwan 171.4cm 159.4cm

Thailand 167.5cm 157.3cm

Czech Republic 180.3cm 167.3cm

Turkey 173.7cm 161.4cm

Hungary 179.1cm 165.8cm

United Kingdom 176.8cm 163.7cm

USA 178cm 163.7cm

Vietnam 167cm 156cm