Bird

I've heard that the Dutch are the tallest people in the world with men at an average height of 6'1".

I'm 6'3" tall and have been to the Netherlands several times and didn't notice many people taller than me. Denmark was another story. I've always felt short compared to the Danes. I wonder if the Danes were included in this study?

wsoxrebel

It could be that there are very few people SHORTER than you in the Netherlands.

Grin - A friend moved to a predominantly Dutch community in the U.S. and found it be very closeknit. She reported "If you're not Dutch, you're not Much"

GeorgeW

In the African nations of Rwanda and Burundi, the Tutsi tribe members are even taller but both tribes are less than twenty percent of the population in either nation. I have come across the last king of Rwanda, who lives in exile in suburban Maryland, at my church. He is almost seven feet tall and needs a special car.

missypie

I think that in the US, as a nation of imigrants, when we read something like "The Dutch are the tallest people in the world", it is natural to think of the Dutch-Americans we know and think "They aren't so tall." But of course, they came here when things weren't so great in their country, just like the Irish, the Italians, etc.

Kingbuff

Well, being Dutch myself I think I could respond properly ^^;
I am 1.84M tall, which would turn into 6.03 feet. Most of my friends are however between 1.84m and 1.95m (Rough 6.3 feet).
But, I've travelled across most of Europe (Rome, Madrid, Barcelona, London, Paris, Berlin, Brussels, and some lesser known cities) and found that mostly I am bigger than the rest of the people around. Germans are quite large too, as are Scandinavian people. Seems that the further you travel south, the shorter people become.

You can't say "O well, I'm 6 feet tall, and everybody I've seen is around the same length, so they aren't that tall after all". It could very well be that you hang out with tall/short people or that you just didn't notice it during your stay

nytraveler

I must admit I'm surprised that the Dutch are the tallest - but it doesn't say by how much. People in Holland are tall - but I also found many tall people in Scandinavia. It would be intresting to se the differences - if they're measuring in 1/4" - or what.

I must admit Scandinavia was the only place I've felt short - I'm 5'9" - and dark - since I'm dark blonde versus white blonde. And I loved that the sample shoes in the store windows were a size 9 (which I wear) versus the size 6 you often see in the US.

zupermaus

actually ever since it became a country last year that title now belongs to Montenegro, formerly subsumed with Serbia. The former Yugoslavs are all very tall, its interesting to note the Kosovar Albanians are some of the tallest, whilst next door in Albainia proper they are some of the shortest in Europe.

The tallest peoples (as opposed to country) are the Dinka tribe of Sudan, the Tutsi tribe of Rwanda/ Burundi, and the reindeer herding tribes of Northern China and Siberia.

mrwunrfl

Bird said: "I'm 6'3" tall and have been to the Netherlands several times and didn't notice many people taller than me."

That would be because, on average, they are 2 inches SHORTER than you!

wsoxrebel said: "It could be that there are very few people SHORTER than you in the Netherlands."

That can't be it

mikesmom

My husband is Dutch - born in the Netherlands. He is 5'11, his brother is 5'9" and his dad was 5'9". I had never heard that the Dutch are the tallest people in the world. I've been to the Netherlands twice to visit the relatives and I never noticed that they were a tall people.

Who knew?

Bertorelli

Yep, we are tall!

I'm Dutch and 2.05m (that's 6'8") ;-)

Ofcourse every country has taller and smaller people.
The average Chinese volleybal player will be taller than me.
Especially the young people seem to get taller and taller (and i mean on average ;-) )

Mayby it's because our country lies below sealevel for the biggest part and we have to grow so we can keep our heads dry with these global warming problems today...

Greetings from above...

Bert

pavfec

I had heard the same thing and was looking forward to our trip to Amsterdam to go shoe shopping (I'm 6'0" and wear size 12 shoes, so I assumed they'd be easy to find).

I didn't find the Dutch to be as tall as I had heard and I didn't have an easy time finding shoes! It turned out to be like the rest of Europe (biggest size 41 - my size 44 )

We were also in Germany on that trip and found Germans to be taller than the Dutch in general.

ckwald

No matter where I am, I feel short-- because I AM short (5"1" on a good day). But in Amsterdam it was ludicrous-- I felt as if I were standing in a hole most of the time. My doctor, who is my height, told me that when he landed at Schipol Airport and went to the men's room, the height of the urinal was a problem-- "and I knew I was in trouble," he said. LOL

bardo1

Yet KLM has the same seat pitch as the others...