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Populations of shorter people, often called pygmies, are to be found in Africa, South-east Asia and central South America, but the reasons behind this shorter development is still being researched. This 2007 article from Scientific American explores that issue.
Not So Tall Tale: Why Pygmies Evolved to Be Shorter
Pygmies, the most well-known group of diminutive humans, whose men on average grow to a maximum of five feet tall and their women about a half foot shorter, were thought to be endowed with their characteristic small body sizes due to poor nutrition and environmental conditions.
But the theories did not hold up, given that these populations—primarily hunter–gatherers—are found mostly in Africa but also in Southeast Asia and central South America, and thereby are exposed to varying climates and diets. Further, other populations who live under conditions of low sustenance, such as Kenya’s Masai tribes, are among the world’s tallest people. [more]
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