This is a list of the tallest people, living and dead, in the world. See also List of humans with gigantism.
Contents |
Deceased Living Height disputed
Nationality | Metric | Imperial | Name | Note | Lifespan |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 2.72 m | 8 ft 11.1 in | Robert Wadlow | Tallest person in recorded history confirmed by Guinness World Records.[1] | 1918–1940 |
United States | 2.67 m | 8 ft 9 in | John Rogan | Second tallest male in recorded history. Only weighed 175 lb (79 kg). Unable to stand due to ankylosis | 1868–1905 |
United States | 2.64 m | 8 ft 7¾ in | John F. Carroll | 2.44 m (8 ft 0 in) standing height, 2.64 m (8 ft 7¾ in) assuming normal spinal curvature | 1932–1969 |
Finland | 2.51 m | 8 ft 3 in | Väinö Myllyrinne | Recognized as the tallest living person from 1940 to his death in 1963. Said to have been 2.51 m in his thirties. | 1909–1963 |
Canada | 2.51 m | 8 ft 3 in | Edouard Beaupre | Tallest strongman as well as tallest wrestler in history. | 1881-1904 |
Turkey | 2.51 m | 8 ft 3 in | Sultan Kösen | The tallest living person since September 17, 2009, as determined by Guinness World Records.[2] | 1982– |
United States | 2.49 m | 8 ft 2 in | Bernard Coyne | Coyne's World War I draft registration card, dated 29 August his height as 8 feet, although he had reached a height of 8 feet 2 inches (2.49 m) by the time of his death. Possibly reached up to 8 ft 4 in (2.54 m) | 1897–1921 |
United States | 2.49 m | 8 ft 2 in | Don Koehler | Tallest in world for most of 1970s. Had twin sister who was 1.75 m (5 ft 9) tall | 1925–1981 |
India | 2.49 m | 8 ft 2 in | Vikas Uppal | Was not officially measured by Guinness. | 1986–2007 |
Ireland | 2.46 m | 8 ft 1 in | Patrick Cotter O'Brien Bristol Giant, Irish Giant |
Tallest person recorded at the time and the first in medical history to stand at a verified height of eight feet (2.44 m). Remains examined in 1972 and height verified. | 1760–1806 |
Morocco | 2.46 m | 8 ft 1 in | Brahim Takioullah | Possesses the world's largest feet at 1 ft 3 in (38 cm).[3] | 1982- |
Germany | 2.46 m | 8 ft 0.85 in | Julius Koch Le Geant Constantin |
Probably never the world's tallest person due to his life coinciding with that of John Rogan. Skeleton preserved in the Museum of Natural History in Mons, Belgium. | 1872–1902 |
Mozambique | 2.46 m | 8 ft ¾ in | Gabriel Estêvão Monjane | Guinness World Records listed him as tallest man from 1988 to 1990. He remains perhaps the tallest African recorded. | 1944–1990 |
Libya | 2.45 m | 8 ft 0 in | Suleiman Ali Nashnush | Libyan who may have been the tallest basketball player. | 1943–1991 |
Germany | 2.44 m | 8 ft 0 in | Anton de Franckenpoinct Langer Anton |
Lived during Thirty Years' War; skeleton later measured at 8 ft 0 in (244 cm).[4][5] | Unknown |
China | 2.42 m | 7 ft 11 in | Zhang Juncai | Tallest living Chinese person. | 1983– |
Indonesia | 2.42 m | 7 ft 11 in | Suparwono | Tallest living Indonesian. Officially measured (lying down and in the standing position) by the Indonesian Record Museum (MURI) in December 2009.[6] | 1985– |
Puerto Rico | 2.42 m | 7 ft 11 in | Felipe Birriel | Tallest Puerto Rican recorded. | 1916–1994 |
Soviet Union | 2.41 m | 7 ft 10 in | Alexander Sizonenko | Soviet Union basketball player.[7] | 1959– |
Croatia | 2.38 m | 7 ft 10 in | Grgo Kusić | Tallest Croat recorded. Tallest citizen of Austria-Hungary of his time.[8] | 1892–1918 |
Netherlands | 2.36 m | 7 ft 9 ½ in | Albert Johan Kramer | Born in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Tallest dutchman in history. | 1897–1976 |
China | 2.36 m | 7 ft 9 in | Bao Xishun | Considered the tallest living person by Guinness World Records until September 2009 when he was replaced by Sultan Kösen.[9] | 1951– |
Mongolia | 2.36 m | 7 ft 9 in | Öndör Gongor | Very tall man in early-20th century Mongolia. Some other sources even give 2,45 m (8 feet) | 1880/85 – 1925/30 |
United Kingdom | 2.36 m | 7 ft 9 in | Angus MacAskill | Tallest Scotsman recorded. | 1825–1863 |
China | 2.36 m | 7 ft 9 in | Sun Ming-Ming | Chinese basketball player. Formerly second tallest living person. | 1983– |
Germany | 2.36 m | 7 ft 9 in | Walter Straub | Tallest man in Germany while he was alive.[10] | 1925–1986 |
North Korea | 2.35 m | 7 ft 8.5 in | Ri Myung Hun | Former basketball player with the North Korean national team. | 1967– |
Tunisia | 2.35 m | 7 ft 8.5 in | Radhouane Charbib | Listed by Guinness World Records as tallest man until January 15, 2005, before Bao Xishun and Sun Ming Ming.[9] | 1968– |
United States/ Ukraine | 2.35 m | 7 ft 8.3 in | Igor Vovkovinskiy | Currently the tallest person living in the United States. Originally from Ukraine, moved to Rochester, Minnesota to be treated at the Mayo Clinic. Most recently has been acting in commercials and movies.[11] Also became well known by wearing a t-shirt that read "Obama's Biggest Supporter." | 1982– |
United States | 2.34 m | 7 ft 8 in | George Bell | Former Tallest living American.[12] | 1957– |
Japan | 2.34 m | 7 ft 8 in | Yasutaka Okayama | Tallest basketball player drafted in National Basketball Association history. | 1954– |
Austria | 2.34 m | 7 ft 8 in | Adam Rainer | Only person known to have been both a dwarf and giant. He was 1.37 m (4 ft 6 in) tall at age 18 and peaked at 2.34 m (7 ft 8 in) when he died, having grown 96 cm (38 in) as an adult. | 1899–1950 |
Iceland | 2.34 m | 7 ft 8 in | Jóhann Kristinn Pétursson | Was the tallest person in Iceland. | 1913–1984 |
Pakistan | 2.34 m | 7 ft 8 in | Naseer Soomro | Tallest confirmed man living in Pakistan .[13][14] | |
United Kingdom | 2.34 m | 7 ft 8 in | Paul Sturgess | Tied for the tallest player ever to play college basketball in the U.S.[15] | 1987- |
United Kingdom | 2.32.6 m | 7 ft 7.5 in | Neil Fingleton | Was formerly tallest living person born in the UK.[16][17] | 1980– |
Somalia | 2.32 m | 7 ft 7.5 in | Hussain Bisad | Somalia, considered to be one of the tallest living men. | 1975– |
Pakistan | 2.31.8 m | 7 ft 7¼ in | Alam Channa | Pakistani, considered to be the tallest living man when he died in 1998.[18] | 1953–1998 |
United States | 2.31 m | 7 ft 7 in | Kenny George | Tallest Division I basketball player.[19] | 1987– |
Argentina | 2.31 m | 7 ft 7 in | Jorge González | Tallest wrestler in WWE history. | 1966–2010 |
Ireland | 2.31 m | 7 ft 7 in | Charles Byrne | Skeleton now resides in the Hunterian Museum. | 1761–1783 |
United States | 2.31 m | 7 ft 7 in | Max Palmer | Actor and pro wrestler. Listed by Guinness World Records at 7 ft 7 in, claimed 8 ft 1 in. Film Bio - Killer Apes, Invaders From Mars.[20] | 1927–1984 |
Sudan | 2.31 m | 7 ft 7 in | Manute Bol | Tied for tallest in NBA history. | 1962–2010 |
Romania | 2.31 m | 7 ft 7 in | Gheorghe Mureşan | Tied for tallest in NBA history. | 1971– |
Vietnam | 2.30 m | 7 ft 6.5 in | Trần Thành Phố | Was the tallest man in Southeast Asia when he died in 2010[21] | 1947–2010. |
United Kingdom | 2.29 m | 7 ft 6.25 in | Christopher Greener | Formerly Britain's tallest man | 1943- |
Montenegro | 2.29 m | 7 ft 6 in | Slavko Vraneš | Tallest Montenegrin basketball player in the national basketball team | 1983– |
China | 2.29 m | 7 ft 6 in | Yao Ming | Was the tallest player in the NBA until his retirement in 2011. | 1980– |
United States | 2.29 m | 7 ft 6 in | Shawn Bradley | Former player in the NBA, 1993–2005. | 1972– |
United States | 2.29 m | 7 ft 6 in | Matthew McGrory | Was the world's tallest actor when he died in 2005.[22] | 1973–2005 |
Peru | 2.28 m | 7 ft 5.7 in | Margarito Machacuay | Currently the tallest South American person and fifth in American continent.[23] | 1965– |
Nationality | Metric | Imperial | Name | Note | Lifespan |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
China | 2.48 m | 8 ft 1 ¾ in | Zeng Jinlian | Confirmed by Guinness World Records as tallest female ever. Suffered from spine curvature and could not stand at full height. Tallest recorded Chinese person and world's tallest person shortly before her death. | 1964–1982 |
United Kingdom | 2.41 m | 7 ft 11 in | Jane Bunford | Tallest recorded English person and possibly the world's tallest person at the time of her death. Given height is adjusted for spinal curvature; peak standing height was 7 ft 10 in (2.39 m).[24] | 1895–1922 |
China | 2.34 m | 7 ft 8 in | Yao Defen | Tallest living female at 2.34 m (7 ft 8 in).[25][26] Recognized by Guinness World Records in 2010.[27] | 1972– |
United States | 2.33 m | 7 ft 7 ¼ in | Sandy Allen | Listed as tallest living female by Guinness World Records, until her death on August 13, 2008.[28] | 1955–2008 |
Flag | Metric | Imperial | Name | Note | Lifespan |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
France | 3.50 m | 11 ft 6 in | Giant of Castelnau |
Height estimate based on bone fragments found at the Neolithic cemetery of Castelnau-le-Lez, excavated in 1890 by Georges Vacher de Lapouge and published in the journal La Nature, Vol. 18, 1890.[29] | Unknown - Neolithic France |
Russia | 2.85 m | 9 ft 3 in | Feodor Machnow Russian Giant |
Was measured at 2.39m (7 ft 10in) height, the great height of 2.89m (9 ft 3in) seems to have stemmed from wearing a large Russian fur hat. Height is not officially confirmed. | 1878–1912 |
England / United Kingdom | 2.82 m | 9 ft 3 in | John Middleton The Childe of Hale |
Written on his grave is Here lyeth the bodie of John Middleton, the Childe of Hale, nine feet three. Height not officially confirmed. | 1578–1623 |
United States | 2.74 m | 8 ft 11.5 in | John Aasen | American silent film actor, height is not officially confirmed. | 1890–1938 |
Ireland | 2.69 m | 8 ft 10 in | Patrick Murphy | Claimed 8'10", but was later measured at 7'3.4" (222 cm). Height is not officially confirmed. | 1834–1862 |
Italy | 2.59 m | 8 ft 6 in | Maximinus Thrax | Emperor of Rome, first ever recorded person with gigantism. | 173–238 |
China | 2.59 m | 8 ft 5 in | Wang Fengjun | Height not officially confirmed.[30] | 1976- |
Ukraine | 2.59 m | 8 ft 5 in | Leonid Stadnyk | Refuses to undergo independent testing under Guinness World Records rules, so his claim is not recognized by Guinness World Records. | 1971- |
Pakistan | 2.54 m | 8 ft 4 in | Ajaz Ahmed | Claims actually to be 8 feet 4 inches, but this is unverified by Guinness World Records. He claims that he is still growing. | 1976- |
Netherlands | 2.54 m | 8 ft 4 in | Trijntje Keever | Tallest recorded woman. Not confirmed by Guinness World Records.[31][32] | 1616–1633 |
United States | 2.54 m | 8 ft 4 in | Ella Ewing | Claims 8 feet 4 inches, however measured at 7 feet 4.5 inches. Her mother describes her full height at 8 feet 4 inches. | 1872–1913 |
Bangladesh | 2.51 m | 8 ft 3 in | Parimal Barman | Claims of being 8 feet 3 inches, not confirmed. | 1962–1991 |
Finland | 2.47 m | 8 ft 1.4 in | Daniel Cajanus | Height not officially confirmed.[33] | 1703–1749 |
China | 2.46 m | 8 ft 1.1 in | Zhao Liang | Not confirmed by Guinness World Records. Basketball player until an injury in 2001, now a circus performer.[34] | 1982– |
Finland | 2.46 m | 8 ft 1 in | Louis Moilanen Big Louie |
Height not officially confirmed.[35] | 1886–1913 |
China | 2.44 m | 8 ft 0 in | Zhan Shichai | Height not officially confirmed.[36] | 1840s-1893 |
Algeria | 2.44 m | 8 ft 0 in | Mounir Fourar | Height not officially confirmed.[37] | 1972– |
Indonesia | 2.42 m | 7 ft 11 in | Musutaman | Height not officially confirmed.[38] | 1962-? |
Sweden | 2.42 m | 7 ft 11 in | Gustaf Edman | Height not officially confirmed.[39] | 1882–1912 |
Mongolia | 2.36 m | 7 ft 9 in | Öndör Gongor Tall Gongor |
Was measured by Roy Chapman Andrews, but some other sources even give 2,45 m (8 feet) | 1879–1931 |
Israel | 2.3 m | 7 ft 6 in | Saint Christopher | Saint venerated by the Roman Catholic Church. | ?-251 |
United States | 2.09 m | 6 ft 11 in | Tanya Angus | Woman suffering from Acromegaly. Peak height not officially confirmed. | 1981- |
Nationality | Height | Name | Note | Lifespan |
---|---|---|---|---|
Canada | 2.51 m (8 ft 3 in) | Edouard Beaupre | Tallest strongman as well as tallest wrestler in history | 1881-1904 |
Libya | 2.45 m (8 ft 0 in) | Suleiman Ali Nashnush | Tallest basketball player in history | 1943-1991 |
China | 2.36 m (7 ft 9 in) | Sun Ming Ming | Tallest active professional basketball player. | 1983– |
Romania | 2.31 m (7 ft 7 in) | Gheorghe Mureşan | Retired Romanian professional basketball player. Tied as tallest player in NBA history. | 1971– |
Sudan | 2.31 m (7 ft 7 in) | Manute Bol | Sudanese professional basketball player. Tied as tallest player in National Basketball Association (NBA) history. | 1962–2010 |
Japan | 2.27 m (7 ft 5 in) | Ikuzuki Geitazaemon | Tallest sumo wrestler in history. | 1827–1850 |
Romania | 2.23 m (7 ft 4 in) | Gogea Mitu | Tallest professional boxer in history. | 1914–1936 |
Tanzania | 2.21 m (7 ft 3 in) | Hasheem Thabeet | Tallest Active NBA player. Plays in the NBA. | 1987– |
South Korea | 2.18 m (7 ft 2 in) | Choi Hong-man | Tied tallest Kickboxer and Mixed Martial Artist. | 1980– |
Brazil | 2.18 m (7 ft 2 in) | Giant Silva | Tied tallest Kickboxer and tallest active wrestler. | 1963- |
Poland | 2.18 m (7 ft 2 in) | Małgorzata "Margo" Dydek | Tallest player in WNBA history. | 1974–2011 |
Russia | 2.16 m (7 ft 1 in)[40] | Aleksey Kazakov | Russian volleyball player. | 1976– |
Pakistan | 2.16 m (7 ft 1 in) | Mohammad Irfan | Tallest international cricketer in the world. | 1982– |
Netherlands | 2.15 m (7 ft 1 in) | Loek van Mil | Tallest baseball player. | 1984– |
United Kingdom | 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) | Richard Metcalfe | Tallest Rugby union player in history. | 1973– |
Netherlands | 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) | Ted van der Parre | Tallest World's Strongest Man in history. | 1955– |
United States | 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) | Richard Sligh | Tallest American Football player in NFL history. | 1944–2008 |
Russia | 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) | Nikolai Valuev | Tallest title holder in Heavyweight Boxing. | 1973– |
United States | 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) | Jon Rauch | Tallest Baseball player in Major League Baseball. | 1978– |
Australia | 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) | Aaron Sandilands | The tallest player in the history of Australian Football League. | 1982– |
Australia | 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) | Peter Street | Same as Aaron Sandilands, the tallest player in the history of Australian Football League. | 1980– |
Lithuania | 2.09 m (6 ft 10 in) | Rolandas Gimbutis | Tallest Olympic Swimmer | 1981– |
Croatia | 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) | Ivo Karlović | Tallest Tennis player on the ATP Tour. | 1979– |
Belgium | 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) | Kristof Van Hout | Tallest Association Football player | 1987– |
Slovakia | 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) | Zdeno Chára | Tallest player in National Hockey League history. | 1977– |
Russia | 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) | Nelly Alisheva | Tallest female Volleyball Player. | 1983– |
United States | 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) | Jared Gaither | Tallest American Football player in the NFL | 1986- |
Bulgaria | 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) | Kotooshu Katsunori | Currently tallest sumo wrestler. | 1983- |
Germany | 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) | Ingo Schultz | Tallest sprinter. | 1975– |
Bulgaria | 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) | Velichko Cholakov | Tallest Olympic weightlifter. | 1982– |
United States | 1.97 m (6 ft 6 in) | George Archer | Tallest golfer on the PGA Tour. | 1939–2005 |
United Kingdom | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | Justin Wilson | Tallest Formula 1 racing driver. | 1978- |
Croatia | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | Blanka Vlašić | Tallest high jumper. | 1983- |
United States | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | Steven Nyman | Tallest World Cup Competitor in Alpine Skiing. | 1982- |
Czech Republic | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | Eva Hrdinová | Tallest Tennis player on WTA Tour. | 1984– |
Nationality | Height | Name | Note | Lifespan |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 7 ft 6 in (2.29m) | Matthew McGrory | Tallest actor at 2.29m (7 ft 6 in) when he died.[41] | 1973–2005 |
United Kingdom | 7 ft 3 in (2.21m) | Peter Mayhew | Tallest living movie actor 2.21m (7 ft 3 in).[42] | 1944– |
United States | 6 ft 7 in (2.01m) | James Cromwell | Tallest Academy Award nominated actor at 2.01m (6 ft 7 in).[43] | 1940– |
United States | 6 ft 5 in (1.95m) | Tim Robbins | Tallest Academy Award winning actor at 1.95m (6 ft 5 in).[43] | 1958– |
United States | 6 ft 2 in (1.88m) | Tamara Dobson | Possibly the tallest actress to play a leading role at 1.88m (6 ft 2 in). | 1944–2006 |
Nationality | Height | Name | Note | Lifespan |
---|---|---|---|---|
Turkey | 8 ft 3 in (2.51m) | Sultan Kösen | Tallest Turkish at 2.51m (8 ft 3 in).[2] | 1982 – |
Morocco | 8 ft 1 in (2.46m) | Brahim Takioullah | Tallest Moroccan at 2.46m and second tallest person(8 ft 1 in)[3] | 1982 – |
China | 7 ft 11 in (2.42m) | Zhang Juncai | Tallest living Chinese at 2.42 m (7 ft 11 in). | 1983 – |
Indonesia | 7 ft 11 in (2.42m) | Suparwono | Tallest living Indonesian at 2.42 m (7&sbsp;ft 11 in) | 1985 – |
Russia | 7 ft 10 in (2.41m) | Alexander Sizonenko | Soviet Union basketball player. One of the tallest basketball players alive, the tallest Russian alive at 2.41m (7 ft 11 in). | 1959 – |
North Korea | 7 ft 8.5 in (2.35m) | Ri Myung Hun | Tallest North Korean at 2.35m (7 ft 8.5 in). | 1967 – |
Tunisia | 7 ft 8.5 in (2.35) | Radhouane Charbib | Tallest Tunisian and the tallest living person in Africa | 1968 – |
United States | 7 ft 8.3 in (2.345) | Igor Vovkovinskiy | Tallest living person in the United States as well as the tallest living person in North America | 1982 – |
Japan | 7 ft 8 in (2.34m) | Yasutaka Okayama | Tallest Japanese at 2.34m (7 ft 8 in). | 1954 – |
Pakistan | 7 ft 8 in (2.34m) | Naseer Soomro | Tallest living man in Pakistan | |
United Kingdom | 7 ft 7½ in (2.33m) | Neil Fingleton | Tallest person born in UK at 2.33m (7 ft 7½ in).[16][17] | 1980 – |
Romania | 7 ft 7 in (2.31m) | Gheorghe Mureşan | Tallest Romanian at 2.31 m (7 ft 7 in). | 1971 – |
Montenegro | 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) | Slavko Vranes | Tallest living person in Montenegro | 1983 – |
Peru | 7 ft 5.7 in (2.28m) | Margarito Machacuay | Tallest Peruvian at 2.28 m (7 ft 5.7 in). | 1965 – |
Canada | 7 ft 5 in (2.26m) | Jerry Sokoloski | Tallest Canadian at 2.26m (7 ft 5 in). | 1983 – |
Australia | 7 ft 3 in (2.21m) | Sam Harris | Tallest Australian at 2.21m (7 ft 3 in). | 1984 – |
Puerto Rico | 7 ft 3 in (2.20m) | Peter John Ramos | Tallest Puerto Rican at 2.20m (7 ft 3 in). | 1985 – |
Nepal | 7 ft 1 in (2.16m) | Urmila Kumari Chaudhari | Possibly the tallest Nepalese woman at 2.16m (7 ft 1 in).[44] | 1991 – |