MEASURING UP
Map reveals average penis sizes around the world… but UK and US are nowhere near the top 10
And how to measure your penis correctly, according to scientists
IT'S not a competition, but men sure do seem to be curious about how their todgers measure up to blokes in other countries.
So much so, that a group of German scientists have gone to the trouble of putting together an "international comparison" of penis sizes.
They ranked average penis sizes across the world, from biggest to smallest.
"No other topic on this website has been asked for more often than the average size of male genitalia," researchers from WorldData.com wrote.
The average penis size across all countries was about 5.35 inches, having analysed over 40 studies studies spanning nearly 90 countries.
But you might have to scan through the list for a good few minutes before your eye falls on the UK and US, as neither of them rank very highly compared to countries like Ecuador, Cameroon and Bolivia.
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Men in Ecaudor were deemed to have the largest members, on average measuring 6.93 in from root to tip when erect - that amounts to a whopping 17.61 centimetres.
Blokes from Cameroon followed with an average erect penis size of 6.56 in and Bolivians weren't far behind, measuring about 6.5 in.
Next came Sudan, Haiti and Senegal, where men's penises tended to measure 6.48, 6.3 and 6.26 inches.
In terms of European countries, the Netherlands and France ranked fairly high.
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On average, Dutch and French men's men members measured about 6.25 and 6.2 inches
Meanwhile, Canadians had an average penis size of 6.19 in.
But Americans took up 60th place with a penis size of 5.35 in (13.58 cm).
And Brits placed 68th, with an average of 5.17 in (13.13 cm).
To create a picture of average penis sizes across the world, researchers analyses over 40 studies but tended to exclude ones where participants submitted self reported measurements.
Research suggests that blokes tend to fudge their actual sizes, as they're trying to attain unrealistic standards.
A doctor recently revealed that the average penis size is actually much smaller than most of us think.
How should I be measuring my penis?
When it comes to penis size, chances are you're more hung up about it that any of your sexual partners.
Comparing yourself to other blokes will probably probably bring on more misery than joy.
But if you want to be sure you're measuring your todger correctly, the German researchers from WorldData.info had a few handy tips/
To measure the length of your penis, always do so from the upper side, they suggested.
Go from the root of your shaft to the the tip.
How to look after your penis?
YOUR penis is easier to look after than you might think.
Here are eight simple things you can do to keep your todger healthy:
- Wash your penis once a day with warm water to avoid buildup of smegma and towel off thoroughly afterwards
- Use mild soap instead of strong, perfumed products and steer clear of very hot water
- Clean under the foreskin by gently pulling it and washing underneath with warm water
- Don't re-wear dirty underwear, as it can make you prone to infections and "jock itch"
- Check your testicles for lumps and get to know their feel, weight and shape so you can spot any differences - speak to a GP if you do
- Wear condoms, especially when having sex someone new, a casual partner, or anyone whose STI status isn’t clear, to avoid nasty infections
- Get unusual discharge, pain, lumps, sores or rashes checked out by a GP or sexual health clinic, as they could mean you have an STI
- Speak to your GP if you're suffering from erectile dysfunction
Source: LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor
"If there is a fat pad above the root, this may be slightly pressed in during measurement," researchers advised.
If you want to get an idea of your penis width, wrap the the measuring tape around it at the root, they added.
The research team also busted some myths around parts of the body being able to convey penis size.
"It is often claimed that the length of the male limb can be determined by the size of the shoe or the length of the index finger," they wrote.
"In three of the more than 40 studies evaluated here, no connection to the length of the index finger was determined."
Shoe size also held no clues as to what lies underneath, according to the studies analysed.
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But according to a new study, there's another body part that could reveal the size a man's member - the nose.
Japanese researchers found that big noses were more closely correlated to the size of someone’s penis than any other body part that was measured