The tallest person in the world
It is completely normal that not all people are the same size. However, not everyone can set a world record with their height.
Who is the tallest person in the world?
The tallest person in the world is currently the Kurdish Sultan Kösen (as of September 2023). He has held this title since 2011 and has truly earned it with his height of 2.51 meters. The average height of a man is around 1.80 meters, which exceeds Kösen by a full 70 centimeters.
Sultan Kösen grew up like any other child until he was ten years old. Then a tumor behind his eye caused the unusual growth spurt that would earn him his world record title. In 2008 the tumor was removed and Kösen's growth stopped. However, his unusual height means that he cannot walk properly without walking aids.
Before Sultan Kösen received the title of tallest living person in the world, it was held by the Chinese-Mongolian shepherd Bao Xishun. He is 2.36 meters tall and therefore 15 centimeters shorter than Kösen.
The tallest woman in the world
In 2021, the world's tallest living woman was added to the Guinness Book of Records. The title was awarded to the Turkish woman Rumeysa Gelgi, who is 2.16 meters tall. For comparison: the average height of women is around 1.66 meters. In Gelgi's case, Weaver syndrome, also known as tall wax syndrome, led to the unusual body growth.
The greatest woman in the world Story was the Dutchwoman Trijntje Keever, who lived from 1616 to 1633 and is said to have been around 2.55 meters tall.
Highest cliff jump in the world - this title can only be achieved by those who are very brave. …
Who was the greatest person who ever lived?
The American Robert Pershing Wadlow was another 20 centimeters taller than Sultan Kösen. He was born in Illinois in 1918 and died in 1940 at the age of 22. With his height of 2.72 meters, he is still considered the tallest person in the history of medicine, and his height has been firmly established. His feet also hold a record to this day with a shoe size of 76.
In Wadlow's case, a brain tumor was also the reason for his extraordinary growth. Since an operation at that time carried significantly more risks than it does today, the family decided against removing the tumor.
It is impossible to say whether Wadlow's record will ever be broken, but at least Kösen's position as the tallest living person has been unchallenged for more than ten years.
