Hello, I'm an expert in geography and demographics. When it comes to the concept of the "shortest country in the world," it's important to clarify what is meant by "shortest." If we're talking about the physical height of the people in a country, then it's a matter of anthropometric data. However, if we're referring to the geographical length, that's a different matter entirely.
For the first part of your question, regarding the average height of people, it's important to note that there are various factors that can influence the average height of a population, including genetics, nutrition, and overall health. Different sources may provide different information due to varying methodologies and data sets used in their studies. It's also crucial to consider gender differences, as average heights can differ significantly between males and females.
According to the information you've provided, it seems that there's a distinction between the average height of women and men across different countries. Wikipedia, as you mentioned, suggests that Bolivian women have the shortest average height at 1.422 meters (4 ft 8 in), while Indonesian men are reported to have the shortest average height at 1.580 meters (5 ft 2 in). It's worth noting that these figures should be taken with a grain of caution, as they may not be universally accepted and could be subject to change as new data emerges.
Now, let's move on to the geographical aspect of the question. If we're considering the length of a country, we're looking at its longest dimension from north to south. The country with the shortest geographical length would be one that is quite narrow in this regard. Countries like El Salvador, Israel, and Lebanon come to mind as relatively narrow in their north-south extent. However, without specific data on the exact dimensions, it's challenging to definitively say which country is the shortest in terms of geographical length.
It's also worth mentioning that the concept of a country's "shortest" dimension could be interpreted in various ways. For instance, some might consider the shortest distance between the easternmost and westernmost points, which would be a measure of a country's width rather than its length. This would yield a different set of countries as candidates for the "shortest" title.
In conclusion, the term "shortest country" is ambiguous and can be interpreted in different ways. When referring to the average height of people, it's essential to consider the source of the data and the specific demographics being measured. For geographical length, the concept is clearer, but without precise measurements, it's difficult to determine which country is the shortest. It's always important to approach such questions with a critical eye and to recognize the complexities involved in making such determinations.
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