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To learn what is the real average size we need to look at studies that collected data about penis sizes. Some scientific and commercial research looked into ranges, the standard deviation of penis sizes, both length, and circumference. The results below are relevant in 2020 and still represent the best scientific data on penis sizes among different peoples and races.

Below is a list of over 40 studies from 1899 to 2014, measuring average penis sizes of men, using different methods, different states (flaccid, stretched, erect) across different countries and of different ages, conducted by different researchers.

Penis size measurements show inconsistency, but provide a rough estimate of what is the average penis size, both length and girth

Dozens of studies into average penis size came up with varying results.

These studies were mostly conducted in the scientific fields of urology, virology and there are also a few commercial studies from condom manufacturers, from experiments in ED (erectile dysfunction treatments), and research into other medical/sexual problems.

A short answer would find the mean of the studies - the arithmetic averages.

The long answer would inspect the mean and the standard deviation of the best studies - to establish the averages and the spread of data, to see what is normal for the population of different ethnicities.

Very approximate average penis size:

Approximate average erect penis length:

13.85 cm = 5.45 inches*

Approximate average erect penis girth (width/circumference):

12.01 cm = 4.73 inches*

This appears accurate but not accurate enough. For a thorough analysis scroll down for explanation and exact figures for different ethnicities accompanied by explanations.

*There are documented differences in averages between various ethnicities and ages.

Measuring penis size - different approaches

After analyzing dozens of studies mentioned above. Some (especially the early ones) are not very concise in terms of methodology and some others used questionable methodologies/ substandard measuring techniques and will not be used for our precise estimates.

Some studies were of questionable methodology and therefore provided inaccurate findings.

The findings across multiple studies have been prioritized in this order:

Studies where the measuring was conducted by trained professionals, hospital, and clinic staff (including commercial studies such as the Ansell Condoms (Manufacturer of Lifestyles/Mates condoms). Studies where the measuring was conducted by self-report, motivated by condoms they were ordering that matched their sizes Self-report studies.

Don't trust self-reported measurements

How penis size should be measured

In short, penis girth is measured in the middle of the shaft and the length is measured by pressing a ruler against the pelvic bone above the penis, at the base, and measured from the base to the tip of the glans (also known as the head). This correct way has been considered as standard and therefore it was used to compute the averages and ranges to achieve consistency.

Ethnicity and average penis size:

There appears to be a difference between the findings for different ethnicities, therefore it makes sense to narrow down the penis size averages by ethnicity. However, Chen, Li, Yang, and Dai conducted an excellent study in China, in Yunnan province (known for its ethnically diverse populace) in 2014. They discovered, in very thorough research that even among the local ethnicities the averages of penis sizes varied.

If this is true for people in one country, in one province, of one race and one nationality, it is reasonable to suggest that there is a major variation of penis sizes for different ethnicities. However, since the world today is a melting pot and has been thus for the last few centuries, the averages should be flattening out. However, to have a general idea of what is normal/average penis sizes for different ethnicities, we can use the mathematical principles of the mean and standard deviation to assess the ranges of penis sizes for different ethnicities.

Average penis length is not radically different across different ethnicities

Some difference in penis girth for different ethnicities

What is the real global average erect penis size: length and girth (width/circumference)?

Approximate global average erect penis length:

13.71 cm = 5.4 inches

Approximate global average erect penis girth (width/circumference):

11.55 cm = 4.54 inches

The global average was calculated and approximated using the following ratio of the global population by race, there is limited data on countries in South-East Asia and South Asia which account for almost 30% of the global population.

White 15% ; Hispanic 8% ; Black 15% ; Middle Eastern 8% ; Asian 54% : East Asian 24% (Korea, Mongolia ,China, Japan) ; South Asian 21% (India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal) ; Southeast Asian 9% (Cambodia, Burma, Philippines, Malaysia)

Age and average penis size

Age and penile dimensions appear not to be correlated amongst adults. Until about the age of 50, when length remains the same but the girth or the width of the erect penis decreases.

Average penis girth of American Men aged 18-49 and over 50.

Age 18-49: 12.25 cm

Age 50+ : 11.95 cm

Age appears to have an effect on penile dimensions after the age of 50, as average penis girth (width/circumference) during erection lessens, whilst penis length remains the same.

After the age of 50 and sometimes before, men start to experience various sexual health-related issues, such as ED (erectile dysfunction ) - this problem is a symptom of worsening blood flow, which would incidentally affect the width of the erect penis. For these reasons, despite finding there is no significant difference between average penis lengths for men of different ages, there is a significant difference between the average penis girth of men under and over 50.

Average penis length and girth by ethnicity - charts, and comparisons

When it comes to ethnicity - penis sizes vary. They do not vary enough to say that for example "all black men have a larger penis than white men" because this isn't true. However, when it comes to averages in length and girth there are statistical differences.

Look at the charts below for more information about penis sizes averages by ethnicity.

Adjusted averages take into account global populations, for both penis size and girth

These averages are subject to change as new data becomes available and as old data is revised.

The data gathered from these multiple studies on penis sizes are insufficient to report anything conclusively

The subject of average penis length and girth (width/circumference) requires further study, a more precise methodology and a larger sample, a cross-section of the population, across different ethnicities, of different countries, of different ages, of different heights, of different lifestyles.

Main points:

Ethnicity is a decent indicator of penile dimensions for ethnic groups.

Ethnicity is not a good indicator of penile dimensions for individuals, not because of the averages but because of the spread of data, the standard ranges of sizes.

There is a large difference between Asian-Americans and Asians, which suggests environmental factors rather than hereditary ones.

Ranking of average penis lengths across ethnicities

African-American/ Black

White/Caucasian = Hispanic/Latino

Asian American

Middle-Eastern

South-East Asian

South Asian

East Asian

Ranking of average penis girth across ethnicities:

African-American/ Black = Hispanic/Latino

White/Caucasian

Asian American

Middle-Eastern

South-East Asian

South Asian

East Asian

African-Americans/ Blacks have a larger spread of results, therefore they are more likely to have a larger variety of penis sizes than for example Whites and Hispanics and therefore more extremely large and extremely small penises, in comparison to the White/Hispanic population. *More data is needed

The broad average range of penis sizes for different ethnicities - what is normal?

Standard deviation and what is normal in examples of height and penis size

Not everyone is familiar with data spread and standard deviation, so we will provide the example of height in the United States (2010) with averages and standard deviation. Using the standard deviation (SD) will allow us to understand what is normal, as everyone has their view on what normal is.

The standard deviation allows us to establish the range of results, to achieve an understanding of what is normal, normal height, or normal penis size.

Standard deviation is a method of identifying the average range across data by seeing how much variation there is by assessing how to spread out the data is from the mean. There is a 68–95–99.7 rule, also known as the three-sigma rule or empirical rule, which illustrates nearly all values are within three standard deviations of the mean. This means that in a perfect sample of data, 68% of the data will fall within one SD of the mean, 95% of the data will fall within 2 SD of the mean and 99.7% of the data will fall within 3 SD of the mean.

Typical bell shaped standard deviation chat show the average and 34.1 % in each direction fall within 68.2 of the population

Comparing height and penis sizes averages

What is normal in an example of male height in the United States

In the US men's heights have a mean of 69.1 inches (175.5cm) and a standard deviation of 2.9 inches (7.3cm), while female heights have an of mean 63.7 inches (161.8cm) and a standard deviation of 2.7 inches (6.6cm) according to data from 2010.

From this graph, we see what is normal and what approximate percentage of the US male population fits within these percentages.

Standard deviation within US male height. This shows that the average is 175.5 and 68% of the US males are between 168.2 and 182.8 meters tall.

With the average height is 175.5cm of the men in the US (2010), with the standard deviation of 7.3 cm and 68–95–99.7 rule we can say the following:

68% were 168.2-182.8 cm tall

95% were 160.9-190.1 cm tall

99.7% were 153.6-197.4 cm tall

Which sounds very reasonable. Therefore the same approach can be used to analyze average human penis size ranges. If you think of the extremes, then men shorter than 153.6 cm (under 5 feet) are as rare as men who are 197.4cm tall (over 6'5), each would be around 15 out of 10000. Even if you consider the NBA, which appears to be a sport for the tallest of people, the average height of NBA players is 6'7, even by these standards, in the USA Alone there would be around 250,000 men taller than 6'5, but considering that the population of United States is 316,000,000, and half of that is men - the number of 250,000 doesn't sound that massive = 0.15 % out of over 300 million. Consider this when thinking of extreme penis sizes, the smallest and the largest penises are in a clear minority.

Ethnicity-based average erect penis size: length and girth (width/circumference)

Caucasian, white, non-Latino, Mediterranean - Mainly Europe, Russia, North America, Australia, New Zealand

Erect penile length: 14.50 cm - 5.7 inches

Standard deviation: 2.4 cm - 0.95 inch

Erect penis girth: 12.25 cm - 4.8 inches

Standard deviation: 1.30 cm - 0.50 inches

Caucasian/White average and normal penis size range: length and girth

Hispanic, Latino - mainly Mexico, Central America, North America, South America

Erect penile length: 14.45 cm - 5.7 inches

Standard deviation: 2.4 cm - 0.95 inches

Erect penis girth: 12.30 cm - 4.8 inches

Standard deviation: 1.30 cm - 0.50 inches

Latino/Hispanic average and normal penis size range: length and girth

Asian-American (perhaps similar figures for Asian Australians, Asian New Zealanders, etc, in the US alone there are up to 12 million Asian-Americans)

Erect penile length: 14.15 cm - 5.6 inches

Standard deviation: 2.89 cm - 1.14 inches

Erect penis girth: 12.10 cm - 4.75 inches

Standard deviation: 2.35 cm - 0.9 inches

Asian-American average penis size - length and girth

Black, African, African-American, Afro-European - Mainly in Africa, North America, Europe, Middle-East

Erect penile length: 14.75 cm - 5.8 inches

Standard deviation: 3.1 cm - 1.2 inches

Erect penis girth: 12.29 - 4.8 inches

Standard deviation: 2.57 cm - 1 inch

Black/ Afro-American average and normal penis size range: length and girth

Middle-Eastern - mainly Arab Peninsula, Israel, North Africa, Near East, Central Asia

Erect penile length: 13.90 cm - 5.5 inches

Standard deviation: 2.4 cm - 0.95 inches

Erect penis girth: 11.90 - 4.7 inches

Standard deviation: 1.30 cm - 0.50 inches

Middle-eastern penis size, length and girth

East Asian - mainly China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Mongolia

Erect penile length: 12.90 cm - 5.1 inches

Standard deviation: 1.3 cm - 0.5 inches

Erect penis girth: 10.5 cm - 4 inches

Standard deviation: 0.9 cm - 0.35 inches

East-Asian average and normal penis size range: length and girth

South Asian - mainly India, Sri-Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan

Erect penile length: 13.01 cm - 5.1 inches

Standard deviation: 1.62 cm - 0.6 inches

Erect penile girth: 11.46 cm - 4.5 inches

Standard deviation: 1.35 cm - 0.5 inches

South-Asian average and normal penis size range: length and girth

South East Asian - mainly Cambodia, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore

Erect penile length: 13.65 cm - 5.4 inches

Standard deviation: 1.5 cm - 0.4 inches

Erect penile girth: 11.2 cm - 4.54 inches

Standard deviation: 0.9cm - 0.35 inches

South-East Asian average and normal penis size range: length and girth

Environment's effect on human penile dimensions

There appears to be a large difference between Asian and Asian-American when it comes to average penis sizes, as with the points above there the hereditary factors play a role along with the environment.

There appears to be a weak correlation of penis size to height and there is a significant height difference between Asians in Asia and Asian-Americans. Whilst this alone is not enough to play a significant enough role, the diet and the lifestyle of the people might differ in terms of body development, both in the womb and during puberty which may play a significant role.

Also, the Asian-Americans may be the second generation of mixed-race couples and therefore would have a larger variety across gene pool which is beneficial for the individual in general. Across many mammal species the larger, healthier specimens are often an example of two diverse individuals coming together.

It may also be that the larger penis size related genes are dominant and therefore more likely to be passed on to the next generation.

This, like much about sexual health and physical characteristics, needs further study, however, if we take for example height as a well studied physical characteristic and compare it to penis sizes:

Humans are about as diverse as it is for human male height and there is about 10-15 % difference for averages for both penile dimensions and height, which may be correlated.

The average male height in India (shortest?) is 162.2 cm

The average male height in Holland (tallest) is 183.8 cm

About 13% difference

Average East Asian penis length 12.90 cm

Average African-American/ Black penis length 14.75 cm

About 14% difference

As you can see the difference between extremes is minor, but it may be mostly related to the diet and lifestyle of individuals. It is believed that diet and lifestyle have a massive effect on the height of a human being, it may be similar for other physical characteristics, such as the penile dimensions. Moreover, studies in Asia shown that in countries such as Singapore and Hong-Kong where the standards of living are higher than that of neighboring regions, people tend to be taller. In North America and Europe however, there may be a difference between urban and rural, because of lifestyles, diet (consider the fast-foods effect on the well-being of the individuals, especially in inner cities).