Fourteen Asian nations are among a recent ranking of the 25 shortest countries in the world.
Insider’s ranking is based on a 2020 medical database run by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration, a project connected to the World Health Organization and Imperial College London. Scientists reportedly found a 7.8-inch difference when comparing the average height of a child in the tallest (the Netherlands) and shortest (East Timor) countries.
Below are the Asian countries ranked according to their citizens’ average height:
14. Sri Lanka (25th place)
Average Sri Lankan = 160.12cm (5 feet 3.04 inches) tall
Average man = 165.68cm (5 feet 5.23 inches) tall
Average woman =154.56cm (5 feet 0.85 inches) tall
13. Myanmar (22nd place)
Average Myanma/Burmese = 159.52cm (5 feet 2.8 inches) tall
Average man = 164.67cm (5 feet 4.83 inches) tall
Average woman = 154.37cm (5 feet 0.77 inches) tall
12. Brunei (21st place)
Average Bruneian = 159.49cm (5 feet 2.79 inches) tall
Average man = 165cm (5 feet 4.96 inches) tall
Average woman = 153.98cm (5 feet 0.62 inches) tall
11. Bhutan (20th place)
Average Bhutanese = 159.46cm (5 feet 2.77 inches) tall
Average man =165.3cm (5 feet 5.07 inches) tall.
Average woman = 153.62cm (5 feet 0.48 inches) tall
10. Vietnam (15th place)
Average Vietnamese = 159.01cm (5 feet 2.60 inches)
Average man = 164.44cm (5 feet 4.74 inches) tall
Average woman = 153.59cm 5 feet 0.46 inches) tall
9. India (14th place)
Average Indian = 158.76cm (5 feet 2.5 inches) tall on average
Average man = 164.94cm (5 feet 4.93 inches) tall
Average woman = 152.58cm (5 feet 0.07 inches) tall
8. Indonesia (11th place)
Average Indonesian = 158.17cm (5 feet 2.27 inches) tall
Average man = 163.55cm (5 feet 4.39 inches) tall
Average woman = 152.79cm (5 feet 0.15 inches) tall
7. Cambodia (10th place)
Average Cambodian = 158.11cm (5 feet 2.24 inches) tall
Average man = 163.32cm (5 feet 4.30 inches) tall
Average woman = 152.9cm (5 feet 0.19 inches) tall
6. Bangladesh (9th place)
Average Bangladeshi = 157.29cm (5 feet 1.92 inches) tall
Average man = 163.8cm (5 feet 4.48 inches) tall
Average woman = 150.78cm (4 feet 11.36 inches) tall
5. The Marshall Islands (8th place)
Average Marshallese = 157.05cm (5 feet 1.83 inches) tall
Average man = 162.8cm (5 fet 4.09 inches) tall
Average woman = 151.3cm (4 feet 11.56 inches) tall
4. Nepal (6th place)
Average Nepalis = 156.58cm (5 feet 1.64 inches) tall
Average man = 162.31cm (5 feet 3.9 inches) tall
Average woman = 150.86cm (4 feet 11.39 inches) tall
3. Philippines (5th place)
Average Filipino = 156.41cm (5 feet 1.57 inches) tall
Average man = 163.22cm (5 feet 4.25 inches) tall
Average woman = 149.6cm (4 feet 10.89 inches) tall
2. Laos (2nd place)
Average Laotian = 155.89cm (5 feet 1.37 inches) tall
Average man = 160.51cm (5 feet 3.19 inches) tall
Average woman =151.26cm (4 feet 11.55 inches) tall
1. East Timor (1st place)
Average East Timorese = 155.47cm (5 feet 1.28 inches) tall
Average man = 159.79cm (5 feet 2.9 inches) tall
Average woman = 151.15cm (4 feet 11.5 inches) tall
The other 11 countries with the shortest populations in the world include five countries in Africa, three in Central and South America, two in the Pacific and one in the Middle East. According to the BBC, poor diets for children likely contribute to the average height gap of 20 centimeters (7.9 inches) between the tallest and shortest countries.
