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Average Height in South Africa

Men 169.6 cm (5'7") · Women 158.6 cm (5'2"), at age 19 in 2019.

Men, age 19, 2019
169.6 cm (5'7")
Women, age 19, 2019
158.6 cm (5'2")
Difference
11 cm
Rank of 200, men / women
150 / 144
Change since 1985, men / women
+1.9 cm / +0.2 cm
Source
NCD-RisC, Lancet 2020 · CC BY 4.0

Compare with yourself

Both averages drawn to scale. Set the "You" figure to your own height in cm, metres or feet and inches.

Average height in South Africa

Average height in South AfricaHeight comparison of 3 subjects in centimetres: Men, South Africa, 169.6 cm; Women, South Africa, 158.6 cm; You, 170 cm.169.6 cm5'7"Men, South Africa158.6 cm5'2"Women, South Africa170 cm5'7"You
vs

11 cm difference (4.3 in). Men, South Africa is taller than Women, South Africa.

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About the figures for South Africa

In 2019, the average height of 19-year-old men in South Africa was 169.6 cm (5'7"), and of 19-year-old women 158.6 cm (5'2"), according to the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration's pooled analysis of population studies.

That places South Africa 150 of 200 countries and territories for men and 144 of 200 for women. Men in South Africa are on average 11 cm taller than women.

Since 1985, the average for men has changed by +1.9 cm and for women by +0.2 cm. The 2019 estimates carry 95% uncertainty intervals of 168.4 cm to 170.8 cm for men and 157.6 cm to 159.6 cm for women.

These are modelled means for 19-year-olds, not for every adult: people who grew up in earlier decades were on average shorter at the same age, so the mean across all adults can differ. Half of any population is shorter than its mean and half taller. To see where one height falls, set the "You" figure above or use the height difference calculator.

Countries of similar height

The countries just above and below South Africa in the men's ranking.

See every country on the average height by country table.

Frequently asked questions

How tall is the average man in South Africa?

The NCD-RisC estimate for 19-year-old men in South Africa in 2019 is 169.6 cm (5'7"), with a 95% uncertainty interval of 168.4 cm to 170.8 cm.

How tall is the average woman in South Africa?

The NCD-RisC estimate for 19-year-old women in South Africa in 2019 is 158.6 cm (5'2"), with a 95% uncertainty interval of 157.6 cm to 159.6 cm.

Has average height in South Africa changed since 1985?

Between 1985 and 2019 the estimated average for 19-year-old men changed by +1.9 cm and for women by +0.2 cm.

Where does South Africa rank for average height?

Among the 200 countries and territories in the dataset, South Africa ranks 150 for men and 144 for women, tallest first.

Source

NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), Lancet 2020: "Height and body-mass index trajectories of school-aged children and adolescents from 1985 to 2019 in 200 countries and territories", The Lancet 2020; 396: 1511–24, open access under CC BY 4.0. Data file NCD_RisC_Lancet_2020_height_child_adolescent_country.csv (dated 2026-03-30) from ncdrisc.org, imported 2026-09-20. Figures are the study's mean height at age 19 for 2019 and 1985, rounded to one decimal; the uncertainty intervals are the study's 95% intervals. Read how HeightViz handles sources on the methodology page.

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