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Top 20 Countries Taller than Wide

Name the countries with the most "vertical" shape.
Ratio = ratio of average height to average width. Not counting countries with an area less than 5000 km2. Read the comments for methodology.
Also see Countries Wider than Tall.
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Featured Quiz
Last updated: September 14, 2019
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First submittedSeptember 13, 2019
Times taken33,091
Average score55.0%
Rating4.11
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Ratio
Continent
Country
3.73
South America
Chile
3.23
Africa
Togo
2.54
Europe
Portugal
2.49
North America
Belize
2.47
Europe
Sweden
2.33
Europe
Albania
2.27
Africa
Malawi
2.27
Asia
Israel
2.26
Africa
Benin
2.15
Africa
Tunisia
Ratio
Continent
Country
2.07
Asia
Qatar
2.07
South America
Argentina
2.07
Europe
Finland
2.00
Africa
Madagascar
1.95
Asia
Taiwan
1.83
Asia
Philippines
1.73
Asia
Myanmar
1.72
Asia
Sri Lanka
1.65
South America
Guyana
1.61
Africa
Chad
Quizmaster
+4
Level ∞
Sep 13, 2019
Here's how I computed the average height of a country. I represented each country as a grid of 2500 points. Then, for each point, I calculated how far you could travel in a straight east-west line without leaving the country. The average width is the average of these distances.
TWM03
+1
Level 70
Sep 14, 2019
This is an interesting way to deal with the problem of anomalous parts of a country affecting its height/width ratio (consider Namibia for example). When I read the description I assumed that you hadn't thought the methodology through - if you are using the arithmetic mean of the widths over all latitudes then average width = area/total height, and average height = area/total width, so average height/average width = total height/total width. Using what is approximately a root mean square is a good way to sort this out (though I would just have used a root mean square). However I am a little sceptical as to whether methodology is working. The ratio for Chile seems like it should be more like 8. What happened? I am also wondering how it treats countries that are large collections of islands. The ratio for Indonesia (I suspect) would be quite close to 1 using your methodology but it feels like it should be less.
Djilas
+2
Level 82
Sep 14, 2019
Is it TOO thin and you're quickly out of the country when traveling north-south?
Quizmaster
+1
Level ∞
Sep 14, 2019
Southern Chile has a very ragged coastline with lots of islands. You probably couldn't go very far horizontally or vertically from many parts in that area of the country.
YouLoveEagle
+1
Level 50
Oct 30, 2022
This is why I hate math
Quizmaster
+4
Level ∞
Sep 14, 2019
Update: September 14. A previous version of this quiz had incorrect numbers due to an Excel spreadsheet error. For example, the number for Chile was only 2.33. This has been fixed now.
WT2008
+12
Level 77
Sep 15, 2019
Interesting methodology. Floored to see that Myanmar made the list, but not Vietnam. Using the looking at a map and guessing version I would have expected the opposite!
Sly67
+6
Level 73
Sep 17, 2019
No Norway ?? That's really surprising...
rocamorar
+16
Level 78
Sep 25, 2019
I expected both Norway and Vietnam
QuizWol
+3
Level 59
Oct 24, 2019
So did I. Vietnam is long and skinny certainly more so than Myanmar which is only really skinny to the south. And Norway is skinnier than Sweden.

Why not Japan?

TenThousand
+2
Level 76
Dec 16, 2019
They appear in this quiz, which measures thinness of countries regardless of whether they are oriented north-south, east-west, or diagonally.
stubart409
+1
Level 67
Oct 30, 2022
They were the two most surprising omissions for me, as well. Though Norway does extend a long way eastward at the top of the Scandinavian peninsula.
Sifhraven
+4
Level 67
Dec 16, 2019
Norway goes all the way over to russia.. it is basically as wide as norway sweden finland together. Though yes it has a slim waist.. (and a big bottom). Longest north south line would be a bit east of oslo-trondheim
JonOfKent
+1
Level 56
Oct 30, 2022
Yes, ditto the Lebanon. The north-south focus makes the answers a bit different to what they would be if it were a quiz of "think of a thin country" - which I've just found out does exist.
communisteggplant
+4
Level 73
Sep 23, 2019
I imagine the sticking point is that the calculations use a strict latitude/longitude basis rather than finding the axis on which a country is tall (which would lead to subjective interpretations of tall vs. long)?
Hollywood
+5
Level 62
Oct 11, 2019
No Laos or Vietnam?
Sifhraven
+1
Level 67
Dec 16, 2019
Did much better on this one than the other. Only missed togo, benin, qatar and taiwan. On the other quiz I was floundering and actually below average (2 below I think, only got 1 point)
diamadi
+6
Level 52
Dec 16, 2019
Sorry, I don't like the methodology. Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Chad, Peru. I don't get it.
EytanMelech
+1
Level 67
Mar 23, 2020
Chad is in the quiz?
Kontio100
+1
Level 52
Dec 19, 2019
I really enjoyed this one. Thanks. I was also expecting Norway, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Japan etc, but methodology is methodology.
Pharley
+1
Level 73
Dec 31, 2019
"Here's how I computed the average * height * of a country. ...I calculated how far you could travel in a straight * east-west * line without leaving the country. The average * width * is the average of these distances.
CardinalSin
+3
Level 77
Jan 5, 2020
Maldives?
Lilylee
+1
Level 74
Jan 5, 2020
What about Maldives?
pgb1098
+1
Level 53
Nov 2, 2022
They're taller than they are wide. Moreso than Sri Lanka, I would say.
Geoguessin
+1
Level 69
Jan 5, 2020
I almost missed Portugal, how could I
Gassu
+4
Level 70
Jan 5, 2020
First guess Chile, second guess Vietnam, third guess Mozambique...
pederob
+1
Level 34
Jan 22, 2020
same dude
undeadwarrior
+4
Level 63
Jan 5, 2020
How could the Philippines make this list - it's nothing but non-contiguous islands!
alisonck2004
+2
Level 43
Jan 5, 2020
I don't get how New Zealand isn't on the list...
bmjs98
+4
Level 54
Jan 12, 2020
Because it's pretty much at a 45 degree angle.
SquishyMarie
+4
Level 45
Oct 30, 2022
This is the worst quiz I've ever seen sorry
kalbahamut
+3
Level 82
Oct 30, 2022
I didn't love it but I've seen worse.
YouLoveEagle
+1
Level 50
Oct 30, 2022
Me too
Chad
+1
Level 63
Oct 30, 2022
Out of curiosity, has the math for Israel been done including the West Bank and Gaza Strip?
JamesWood
+1
Level 53
Oct 30, 2022
I feel like quiz is correct. The comparison of Norway and Chile is completely irrelevant because when determining the ratios for this quiz you have to compare the length of the X axis to the length of the Y axis and since Chile is almost completely vertical and not very wide it will have a larger ratio, but Norway while thin has a very noticable angle so the angle will be smaller, because of this Norway does not make the cut. the same applies for Myanmar, Vietnam and Mozambique.

But this is just nerd stuff so who cares.

Amilcar
+1
Level 65
Oct 31, 2022
Well maybe, but that feels like a pretty odd definition of 'wide' when a country shape is actually very thin.
JamesWood
+1
Level 53
Oct 31, 2022
The name of the quiz is "Top 20 Countries Taller than Wide"not 'Top 20 Thinest Countries'. If it was then definitely Norway would be on this list but also counties like The Gambia, Eritrea and Laos would be on this list.
Andr3cit0
+2
Level 51
Oct 30, 2022
Somos el mejor pais de Chile :D
charleee
+1
Level 28
Oct 30, 2022
The main one I can think of is Vietnam. Please correct me if I am wrong, I do not know if it is wrong going off the method you provided, but I would think Vietnam would be taller than wider.
Pearl2270
+3
Level 79
Oct 30, 2022
Didn't like this quiz at all, sorry QM. Weird methodology that led to some weird answers and left off countries that are CLEARLY way longer than wider. Meh.
Rerd
+1
Level 42
Oct 30, 2022
Italy?
JudgeRudy
+2
Level 66
Oct 31, 2022
Many surprises, but Vietnam not being on there was pure disbelief.
Zefyrinus
+1
Level 71
Aug 22, 2023
I wonder what the ratio is for Thailand and Vietnam.
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