The South is Taller than the North. How Tall is the Average Norwegian?

At the beginning of the 20th century, the average Norwegian man was just over 170 cm tall. Since then, the population has grown by an average of about 10 cm. The largest increase was recorded in the 1950s and 1960s, when living conditions, hygiene, and access to healthcare improved.

In the following decades, the growth of Norwegians slowed down and today remains at a stable level. For women, the increase was slightly smaller but still noticeable. Over the past century, average height has increased by about seven centimeters.

Differences in average height are visible between various regions of the country. The tallest residents live in the south, where the average height of men reaches up to 182 cm, and women around 167 cm.

In the northern districts, such as Troms or Finnmark, the values are lower—about 178 cm and 165 cm, respectively. The variation may result from both genetic factors and different climatic conditions and diets.

Compared to other countries, Norway ranks high, although it is no longer among the world leaders in terms of average height. Young Norwegians aged 17–18 are among the tallest in Europe. Similar results are also recorded by residents of the Netherlands, Denmark, and Iceland.

There is also a general trend of stabilization. In many countries, population height is no longer increasing. This phenomenon may be related to reaching the biological maximum height in well-developed societies.