# Europe is the world's tallest continent by far. See the 25 countries with the tallest populations. **By:** Jenny McGrath, James LaForge **Published:** 2026-07-17T13:11:01.263Z **Source:** [Business Insider](https://www.businessinsider.com/countries-with-tallest-people-ranking) --- Sultan Kösen from Turkey is the world's tallest man. Ferdaus Shamim/WireImage via Getty Images Updated 2026-07-17T13:11:01.263Z Read in app Copy link Email Facebook WhatsApp X LinkedIn Bluesky Threads Impact Link Save Saved This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account?. Sultan Kösen, who hails from Turkey, is nearly 8 feet 3 inches tall and may be the tallest person on the planet. Brahim Takioullah, born in Morocco, is about 8 feet 1 inches tall, and Morteza Mehrzad, an Iranian volleyball player, is the same height. Despite the impressive stature of these figures, none of their countries is among those with the tallest people, according to the medical database from the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration. From 1985 to 2019, the project collected height, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other health metrics from over 2,500 population surveys across 193 countries. The NCD lists the mean heights for 19-year-old men and women in each country. Averaging these two figures gives a rough idea of the typical height of a person in the country. Notably, the US isn't on the list. It ranked 58th for women, at 5 feet 4.29 inches (163.3 cm), and 47th for men at 5 feet 9.65 inches (176.9 cm). Despite its lackluster ranking, the US claims the title of the tallest person in recorded history, Robert Wadlow. Wadlow, who died in 1940, was born in Illinois and was about 8 feet 11 inches tall. These are the 25 countries that (literally) came out on top. 25. Greece's mean height is 5 feet 7.93 inches (172.55 cm). Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was born in Athens. His height, wingspan, and athletic ability earned him the nickname "The Greek Freak." Patrick McDermott/Getty Images The mean height for men from Greece is 5 feet 10.59 inches (179.3 cm). The mean height for women from Greece is 5 feet 5.28 inches (165.8 cm). 24. Austria's mean height is 5 feet 7.99 inches (172.7 cm). Austrian-born Arnold Schwarzenegger, who's about 6 feet 2 inches tall, starred alongside Danny DeVito in the 1988 movie "Twins." CHRISTIAN CHARISIUS/Getty Images The mean height for men from Austria is 5 feet 10.28 inches (178.5 cm). The mean height for women from Austria is 5 feet 5.71 inches (166.9 cm). 22. Belarus' mean height is 5 feet 8.03 inches (172.8 cm). The 6-foot Belarusian tennis player Victoria Azarenka used her height to her advantage on the court. THOMAS SAMSON/AFP via Getty Images The mean height for men from Belarus is 5 feet 10.35 inches (178.7 cm). The mean height for women from Belarus is 5 feet 5.71 inches (166.9 cm). 22. Cook Islands' mean height is 5 feet 8.03 inches (172.8 cm). A traditional dancer from The Cook Islands. Located in the South Pacific, the islands aren't far from French Polynesia. William WEST/AFP via GettyImages The mean height for men from the Cook Islands is 5 feet 10.19 inches (178.3 cm). The mean height for women from the Cook Islands is 5 feet 5.87 inches (167.3 cm). 21. Bermuda's mean height is 5 feet 8.07 inches (172.9 cm). Bermuda-born actor and dancer Daren Herbert has appeared in many TV shows and movies. Rick Madonik/Toronto Star via Getty Images The mean height for men from Bermuda is 5 feet 10.75 inches (179.7 cm). The mean height for women from Bermuda is 5 feet 5.39 inches (166.1 cm). 19. Poland's mean height is 5 feet 8.21 inches (173.25 cm). Polish soccer player Robert Lewandowski is 6 feet 1 inch tall, about 2 inches taller than the average male height in Poland. Quality Sport Images/Getty Images The mean height for men from Poland is 5 feet 11.14 inches (180.7 cm). The mean height for women from Poland is 5 feet 5.28 inches (165.8 cm). 19. Germany's mean height is 5 feet 8.21 inches (173.25 cm). Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel is a similar height to many other women in her country. Omer Messinger-Pool/Getty Images The mean height for men from Germany is 5 feet 10.98 inches (180.3 cm). The mean height for women from Germany is 5 feet 5.43 inches (166.2 cm). 18. Norway's mean height is 5 feet 8.29 inches (173.45 cm). Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen adds a bit to his height when he styles his hair a certain way. Jon Gambrell/AP Images The mean height for men from Norway is 5 feet 11.06 inches (180.5 cm). The mean height for women from Norway is 5 feet 5.51 inches (166.4 cm). 16. Finland's mean height is 5 feet 8.33 inches (173.55 cm). Tuomas Harjula, a Finnish biathlete and Olympian, is just under the mean Finnish male height at 5 feet 10 inches. Kevin Voigt/Getty Images The mean height for men from Finland is 5 feet 11.1 inches (180.6 cm). The mean height for women from Finland is 5 feet 5.55 inches (166.5 cm). 16. Dominica's mean height is 5 feet 8.33 inches (173.55 cm). "Death in Paradise" star Danny John-Jules, pictured with Petula Langlais, was born in London and both his parents are from Dominica. Dave Benett/Getty Images The mean height for men from Dominica is 5 feet 10.94 inches (180.2 cm). The mean height for women from Dominica is 5 feet 5.71 inches (166.9 cm). 15. Sweden's mean height is 5 feet 8.35 inches (173.6 cm). Swede Zlatan Ibrahimović, a former soccer player, is 6 feet 5 inches tall. Shaun Clark/Getty Images The mean height for men from Sweden is 5 feet 11.06 inches (180.5 cm). The mean height for women from Sweden is 5 feet 5.63 inches (166.7 cm). 13. Ukraine's mean height is 5 feet 8.43 inches (173.8 cm). Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (L), pictured next to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, is shorter than Ukraine's male mean height. Zelenskyy is 5 feet 7 inches. Javier SORIANOa/AFP via GettyImages The mean height for men from Ukraine is 5 feet 11.26 inches (181 cm). The mean height for women from Ukraine is 5 feet 5.59 inches (166.6 cm). 13. Croatia's mean height is 5 feet 8.43 inches (173.8 cm). Croatian former model Slavica Ecclestone, pictured with her ex-husband, Bernie Ecclestone, is toweringly tall. Crispin Thruston/Action Images via Reuters The mean height for men from Croatia is 5 feet 11.18 inches (180.8 cm). The mean height for women from Croatia is 5 feet 5.67 inches (166.8 cm). 12. Slovakia's mean height is 5 feet 8.52 inches (174.05 cm). Petra Vlhová, Slovakia's first alpine skier to win an Olympic medal, is nearly 6 feet tall. AP Photo/Sergio Bisi The mean height for men from Slovakia is 5 feet 11.26 inches (181 cm). The mean height for women from Slovakia is 5 feet 5.79 inches (167.1 cm). 11. Slovenia's mean height is 5 feet 8.54 inches (174.1 cm). Born and raised in Slovenia, Melania Trump is 5 feet 11 inches tall. Variety/Variety via Getty Images The mean height for men from Slovenia is 5 feet 11.26 inches (181 cm). The mean height for women from Slovenia is 5 feet 5.83 inches (167.2 cm). 10. Lithuania's mean height is 5 feet 8.56 inches (174.15 cm). Rūta Meilutytė has broken several swimming records and won an Olympic gold medal for Lithuania. REUTERS/Issei Kato The mean height for men from Lithuania is 5 feet 11.14 inches (180.7 cm). The mean height for women from Lithuania is 5 feet 5.98 inches (167.6 cm). 9. Serbia's mean height is 5 feet 8.7 inches (174.5 cm). Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vučić, is well over 6 feet tall. REUTERS/Marko Djurica The mean height for men from Serbia is 5 feet 11.14 inches (180.7 cm). The mean height for women from Serbia is 5 feet 6.26 inches (168.3 cm). 8. The Czech Republic's mean height is 5 feet 8.74 inches (174.6 cm). Born in Prague in what is now the Czech Republic, the late Madeleine Albright was the first woman to serve as the US Secretary of State. E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images The mean height for men from the Czech Republic is 5 feet 11.34 inches (181.2 cm). The mean height for women from the Czech Republic is 5 feet 6.14 inches (168 cm). 6. Bosnia and Herzegovina's mean height is 5 feet 8.9 inches (175 cm). Fans of Bosnia and Herzegovina support their team during the 24th Men's Handball World Championships. Mohamed Farag/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images The mean height for men from Bosnia & Herzegovina is 5 feet 11.85 inches (182.5 cm). The mean height for women from Bosnia & Herzegovina is 5 feet 5.94 inches (167.5 cm). 6. Latvia's mean height is 5 feet 8.9 inches (175 cm). Latvian athletes make their entrance at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP The mean height for men from Latvia is 5 feet 11.34 inches (181.2 cm). The mean height for women from Latvia is 5 feet 6.46 inches (168.8 cm). 5. Iceland's mean height is 5 feet 9.09 inches (175.5 cm). A few inches shy of 7 feet, "Game of Thrones" actor Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, pictured with professional wrestler Natalie Eva Marie, was born in Reykjavík, Iceland. Brian Ach/Getty Images for REIGN Total Body Fuel The mean height for men from Iceland is 5 feet 11.69 inches (182.1 cm). The mean height for women from Iceland is 5 feet 6.5 inches (168.9 cm). 4. Denmark's mean height is 5 feet 9.17 inches (175.7 cm). Trained as a gymnast, Mads Mikkelsen began his acting career in his native Denmark. Joel C. Ryan/AP The mean height for men from Denmark is 5 feet 11.61 inches (181.9 cm). The mean height for women from Denmark is 5 feet 6.73 inches (169.5 cm). 3. Estonia's mean height is 5 feet 9.19 inches (175.75 cm). Estonian athlete Rasmus Roosleht competes in the men's heptathlon pole vault event during the World Athletics Indoor Championships. Andrej ISAKOVIC/AFP via Getty Images The mean height for men from Estonia is 5 feet 11.97 inches (182.8 cm). The mean height for women from Estonia is 5 feet 6.42 inches (168.7 cm). 2. Montenegro's mean height is 5 feet 9.55 inches (176.65 cm). Members of Montenegro`s soccer team during a qualifying match for the 2016 European Championship. REUTERS/Stevo Vasiljevic The mean height for men from Montenegro is 6 feet 0.17 inches (183.3 cm). The mean height for women from Montenegro is 5 feet 6.93 inches (170 cm). 1. The Netherlands' mean height is 5 feet 9.72 inches (177.1 cm). The Netherlands' King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima are typical heights for their country. Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images The mean height for men from the Netherlands is 6 feet 0.36 inches (183.8 cm). The mean height for women from the Netherlands is 5 feet 7.09 inches (170.4 cm).