Norwegians are really tall among other people in the world. But they are still shorter than a few Europeans. So, what is the average height in Norway? Let’s find it out in this blog post at HoodMWR.
As a lot of you might all know, Norway is a gorgeous country in Northern Europe. It is famous for a lot of things, such as its tasty cuisine, its beautiful scenery, and, specifically, its towering population. In reality, Norwegians are widely known for their extremely tall height, which is taller than nearly any other nation.
Generally speaking, people in Norway are exceptionally tall. Having said that, they are not really the tallest individuals on the globe. In addition, as you may know, the average height of Norwegians makes them much shorter than in neighboring nations.
But what is the average height in Norway? Why are they so tall? And which nation has beaten Norway when it comes to height? Well, all of this information is revealed in this blog post. Keep reading to know the answer to them.
Key Takeaway
- As lots of you might know, it is obvious that the tall average height in Norway is not a blessing. In fact, there are a lot of various elements affecting the height of the Norwegian population. A few of them include medical assistance, lifestyle, eating plan, genes, etc. And all of these factors are “inherited” and “available” in Norwegian. Therefore, it is no surprise that they are among the tallest individuals all over the world.
- In addition, even when a few of their mates, Scandinavians, might be a few inches taller than Norwegians, you will definitely find most of the people around you seem to be far away from petite when roaming on the road in Norway.
- The average height of Norwegians is 5 feet 8 inches (approx. 172.65 cm). In particular, Norwegian males stand 5 feet 11 inches (approx. 180 cm) on average, while Norwegian females stand 5 feet 6 inches (approx. 167 cm) on average.
- Norwegians are not some of the tallest populations all over the world, but Scandinavians and Norwegians are still on the list of the top 25 countries with the tallest residents in the globe. Accordingly, Norwegians rank in the 17th position, with people in Denmark being the tallest ones all over the globe.
So, What is the Average Height in Norway?
As previously mentioned, Norwegians are among the tallest individuals all over the world. In particular, the average height of a Norwegian is recorded as 5 feet 7.97 inches (or around 172.65 cm). For Norwegian males, their average height is just a little bit taller than 5 feet 10 inches (or around 179.74 cm). Norwegian females, on average, stand just a bit over 5 feet 5 inches (or around 165.56 cm).
When looking at these average heights, you might think that Norwegians will definitely be much taller than you when wandering down any road in Norway. Even so, they are, in fact, the shortest individuals in Scandinavia, according to these data. Particularly, Norway ranked 17th position in the list of the tallest nations in the globe.
Let’s take Swedish people, for example. So, for those who don’t know, the average height of Swedish individuals is 5 feet 7.99 inches (approx. 172.71 cm). For Swedish males, their average height is 5 feet 10.76 inches (or around 179.73 cm). Swedish females, on average, stand approx. 5 feet 5.23 inches (or around 165.6 cm). As a result, Sweden ranked 16th on the list of the tallest countries all over the world and followed by Norway.
Finland is the next country on this list. In other words, they ranked 15th tallest nation all over the world. In particular, the average height of Finn people is 5 feet 8 inches (or around 172.74 cm). When separated by gender, a female Finn stands 5 feet 31 inches (or around 165.89 cm) on average. Male Finns, on the other hand, are 5 feet 10.70 inches (or around 179.59 cm) on average.
When it comes to Iceland, their population’s average height is approx. 5 feet 8.19 inches (or around 173.21 cm). Specifically, the average height for an Icelandic male is approx. 5 feet 11.05 inches (or around 180.49 cm). Icelandic females, on the other hand, stand approx. 5 feet 5.15 inches (or around 165.94 cm). These figures, as a result, make Iceland rank 10th among the tallest nations throughout the globe.
Having said that, Denmark is widely known as the country with the tallest individuals in this region. In other words, Danes are taller than any other residents from any other nation in this area, with Scandinavians being the tallest folks when it comes to height.
In Denmark, a female’s average height is approx. 5 feet 5.83 inches (or around 167.21 cm), and the average for male Danes is 5 feet 11.40 inches (or around 181.38 cm). In terms of the average height in Denmark, it is known as 5 feet 8.61 inches (or around 174.29 cm). As a consequence, Denmark ranked 4th among the tallest countries all over the globe.
On average, Norwegian women have a height of 5 feet 6 inches or 168cm, making them one of the tallest groups of women in the world. If you’re interested in knowing more about the height of women worldwide, check out this article on the average height of women worldwide to compare with Norway’s average height for women.
Are Norwegians Decreased in Height?
As some of you might know, people in Norway used to rank far higher in the worldwide height charts. Accordingly, Norwegian boys aged 19 years old used to rank 8th among the tallest people all over the world in 1985. However, that ranking dropped to the 17th position in 2019. Norwegian girls, what’s more, fell even further. In particular, they dropped from the 11th position among the tallest folks in the globe in 1985 to the 24th position in 2019. These figures are based on a survey carried out by the Lancet in 2020.
Even so, this doesn’t imply that Norwegians are becoming smaller and shorter. In reality, girls and boys in Norway are 0.5 cm and 1 cm taller, respectively, than they used to be in 1985. In other words, people in Norway have not decreased in height, they are simply not becoming taller as much as other individuals in other countries.
In general, height is hugely decided by genetics. Even so, there are a lot of different important elements affecting the average height of people in a country. For instance, a person’s diet and nutrients, the standard of living, as well as other health problems when they come of age.
As per Dr. Pétur Benedikt Juliusson, the decrease in Norwegian height rankings might be because of the rising living standards elsewhere all over the globe. Specifically, he said that over the past decades, Norwegian girls and boys had not developed a lot in height when compared to a lot of other youths in other parts of the universe. This might imply that Norwegians have always had great living conditions, while standards of living in other nations have improved over time.
What’s more, there is another study with results supporting his hypothesis. Specifically, the average height of kids and adolescents in Northwestern Europe used to rank 1st all over the world in 2019. Nevertheless, the majority of this benefit was reached before the latter part of the 20th century. What’s more, a lot of these nations have various below-average heights between 1985 and 2019.
So, the strongest proof of a connection between height and living conditions might be found when comparing height development during the last two hundred years with the rest of history.
For instance, there is a slight distinction in height in pre-industry history. Specifically, there is no obvious distinction between these documents indicating that people in preindustrial societies were simply as bad as their forefathers thousands of years ago.
In reality, this might be just normal, as the past two hundred years have witnessed the advancement and approval of different parties. Some of them include employees’ rights, social services, nationwide health care, modern medicine, etc. Basically, all of these elements have contributed to raising the living standard of the average individual.
But what does this actually mean for the Viking people? Let’s find out their real height in the past in the next section.
How Tall Were the Viking Age Scandinavians?
For those who don’t know, the period from 800 to 1066 is widely known as the time of the Viking Age. So now, we all know that the standard of living can hugely affect a person’s height and that most of the development in Europe came to pass after industrialization. As a result, it is safe to suppose that Scandinavians in the Viking Age were shorter than Scandinavians in the Modern Age.
In Fjälkinge, Sweden, the dimensions of body structures from a Viking Age tomb were between 151 and 171 cm (approx. 4 feet 11 .4 inches and 5 feet 7.3 inches) for females and 160 to 185 cm (approx. 5 feet 3 inches and 6 feet 0.8 inches) for males. Accordingly, these figures were taken from Professor Anders Winroth’s The Age of Vikings. In fact, this is consistent with skeletons in the Viking Age that were found in Denmark. In particular, the approximate average height for females was 158 cm (approx. 5 feet 2.2 inches), and for males was 171 cm (approx. 5 feet 7.3 inches).
Nevertheless, the professor said that the approximate heights of skeletons before and after this area was, in fact, taller than that figure. In other words, this indicates that the Viking Age was not a relatively healthy period with a low level of kid mortality.
| Pre Viking Age | Middle Ages | Viking Age | |||
| Male average height (in inches and cm) | Female average height (in inches and cm) | Male average height (in inches and cm) | Female average height (in inches and cm) | Male average height (in inches and cm) | Female average height (in inches and cm) |
| 5 feet 8.9 inches (approx. 175 cm) | 5 feet 3.78 inches (approx. 162 cm) | 5 feet 8.11 inches (approx. 173 cm) | 5 feet 3 inches (approx. 160 cm) | 5 feet 7.3 inches (approx. 171 cm) | 5 feet 2.2 inches (approx. 158 cm) |
Therefore, you now know that Scandinavians in the Viking Age were shorter than they used to be in any other time of history. But were Scandinavians taller than other individuals during that Viking Age? Let’s say, people in England?
There was a study examining the average height of Britons over the last 20 centuries based on the remains of skeletons. Accordingly, the approximated average height throughout the Viking Age was around 5 feet 5 inches (approx. 165.1 cm).
| Period | From 900 to 950 | From 950 to 100 | From 1001 to 116 |
| Average skeleton height (in inches and cm) | 5 feet 6.33 inches (approx. 168.48 cm) | 5 feet 6. 30 inches (approx. 168.42 cm) | 5 feet 6.26 inches (approx. 168.30 cm) |
So, based on these records, English people in the Viking Age were shorter than Scandinavians during the Viking Age. However, they are just a little bit shorter. And you know, that small difference in height is definitely not enough to guarantee prestige.
Are Norwegians Still Tall These Days?
Definitely yes. Based on previous paragraphs, it is safe to say that Norwegians are really tall. In reality, Norwegians stand 17th among the tallest individuals all over the world. The 1st position belongs to the Netherlands with an average height of 5 feet 7.96 inches (approx. 175.62 cm).
As you can see, I mentioned above that other Scandinavian nations are typically taller than Norway on average. However, this doesn’t always indicate that Norwegians are prejudiced about having all the population begin tall.
Rather, you will absolutely notice that Norwegians are much taller when you are standing next to them, as Norwegians are taller than people from approx. 180 nations on average.
Another interesting fact regarding height in Norway. So, you now know that Norwegians are really tall, and some of the birds in Norway are also found to be the biggest of their species. And eagles are one of those biggest species.
But Why Are Norwegians So Towering?
Just like any other people from other countries in the world, Norwegians are tall because of various reasons. Some of them include a healthy diet, great nutrition, perfect health care as well as great public health services. What’s more, people in Norway tend to lead an active and spirited lifestyle. In particular, outdoor activities are an important part of Norwegian culture. Above all, Norwegians seem to inherit tall genes.
However, researchers still believe that tall Norwegian genes are the key element affecting their height. In particular, DNA is in charge of approx. 80% of a person’s height. Nevertheless, environmental elements might influence an individual’s height during growth.
Generally speaking, these factors are eating plans, regular workouts or exercise, and enough sleep. As a lot of you might know, Norwegians have all of these elements, making their average height far higher than most people from other nations.
Want to know more about Nordic height? Look no further than our guide on average height in Sweden. With a similar genetic makeup to Norway, Swedes also tend to tower above the global average. Explore our research to learn more about the cultural and environmental factors that contribute to Nordic height.
Healthy diet
For those who don’t know, Norwegians have a really healthy diet in their daily meals. In particular, most of their foods are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and proteins. And you know, both of them are vital for development. In addition, Norwegians consume a lot of other healthy and fresh foods, such as fruits, veggies, and fish.
According to the Norwegian government, it is better for everybody, regardless of gender and age, to eat fish 2-3 times per week, which is equal to approx. 300-450 grams of fish. But more importantly, at least 200 grams of these fish should be fatty fish, such as herring, trout, mackerel, or salmon.
Having said that, seafood, typically fish, is not the only kind of food that Norwegians eat to increase their height. In addition, Norwegians eat a lot of food that is rich in calcium, and dairy products are some of them. As a lot of you might all know, calcium is crucial for healthy and strong teeth and bones. Besides, it even assists in increasing a person’s height even though the suggestion is that individuals should eat dairy products with low fat.
Active lifestyle
Generally speaking, people in Norway currently live an extremely healthy and active lifestyle. In particular, Norwegians are really active and usually take part in a lot of sports, especially outdoor sports. In addition, the smoking rate in Norway has also decreased a lot. Having said that, weight gain is still a problem in Norway, just like in most Western countries.
Nevertheless, it helps that outside sports are exceptionally common among Norwegians. Some of the most popular activities include cycling, hiking, and skiing. In the end, there is a good reason why a few of the most well-known world-record skiers come from Norway. So, it is safe to say that exercise or workout and fresh air exposures are excellent determining elements to the average height in Norway.
Living an active lifestyle is important for overall health and well-being. If you’re looking for some inspiration, check out these knee strengthening exercises for seniors to keep you active and mobile. These exercises are low-impact and designed specifically for seniors, making them a great way to stay fit at any age.
Tall genes
Again, it is worth mentioning that height is typically genetic, and as stated before, it is believed by researchers that genes are the primary determining element as to why a person might be tall. In fact, heights tend to run in families. Therefore, you are more likely to be towering if your parents are extremely tall, and vice versa.
In reality, this is particularly true for Norwegians. With a long tradition of towering height in the population in Norway, it is not uncommon that people in Norway have an extremely high average height.
Linked to this is that they believe there is slight homogeneity in Norway. In particular, Norway has seen increasing immigration in the last few years. Even so, this homogeneity indicates that the overall medium gene pool of genes is relatively high. As a result, this further contributes to the higher average height of Norwegians compared to almost all other nations.
Great health care
As a lot of you might know, Norway is popularly famous for its perfect health care. In other words, Norwegians have the possibilities to access the right and excellent medical care needed to achieve their maximum potential tallness.
What’s more, Norway is even one of the countries with a global health care system offering free or just affordable medical care to all of their populations. These services include normal check-ups, which might assist them in preventing disease and illness. In reality, the general lifespan of Norwegians ranks one of the highest all over the globe. Particularly, they ranked 17th, just like their position when it comes to the average height.
All of these indicate that Norwegians tend to be extremely healthy. This, as a result, affects their later development when they come of age.
If you are looking for great healthcare in Norway you are in luck. With some of the best hospitals and medical facilities in the world, Norway offers both public and private healthcare options. Check out the top 20 medical schools in the US to see where the best doctors and healthcare providers have been trained.
Low level of air pollution
Last but not least, Norway is one of the countries with exceptionally low air pollution levels. In reality, this is really crucial as height might be decreased if a person is exposed to pollutants for a long time. However, the clean source of water and air in Norway makes their population strong and healthy. As a consequence, it helps them achieve their maximum tallness potential.
