Average Male Height in Burkina Faso: 1800 to Today (and Tomorrow)

To measure height is to measure the silent history of a population. These averages are more than mere numbers; they serve as a biological ledger for childhood nutrition, environmental stability, and the cumulative health of generations. When we track these shifts across centuries, we are observing how life conditions leave a physical imprint on the human frame. For Burkina Faso, this data reveals a long-term ascent, detailing the gradual improvement of the circumstances that shape a human life from birth through the vital years of growth.

The historical trajectory is one of steady, incremental progress. In the 1800s estimate 165 cm, a figure that climbed slowly to 166 cm in 1900s estimate 166 cm. By the 1950s, the average reached 167 cm, eventually arriving at the current reality. In the 2020s, average male height in Burkina Faso stands at 169 cm — ranking #109 of 157 countries. Looking forward, the 2030s projection 169.3 cm and the 2100s projection 171.4 cm suggest a continued trajectory that reflects the evolving story of human development in the region.

If you were born into a cohort in the 1830s estimate 165.3 cm, your physical development reflected the specific constraints of that era. Contrast this with the 1980s 168 cm or the 2010s 168.5 cm, where shifting health landscapes altered the baseline for what was biologically expected. Each increment represents real lives lived under changing conditions of access and well-being. We invite you to use our interactive tools to compute your own parallel lives by comparing these trends against other markers of human progress.