This list of shortest people includes people who have been described or claimed as "shortest" in their lifetime or profession. Listed here are those who measure 165 centimetres (5.41 ft) or less.
Contents |
Deceased Living
Nationality | Height | Name | Notes | Lifespan |
---|---|---|---|---|
India | 57 cm | Gul Mohammed | Shortest man ever verified, measuring 22 in (57 cm),[1] according to Guinness World Records. | 1957–1997 |
Philippines | 59.93 cm | Junrey Balawing | Current shortest man in the world, measuring 23.59 in (59.93 cm), verified by Guinness World Records on June 12, 2011.[2] | 1993– |
Hungary | 65 cm | István Tóth | Shortest man claimant, was said to be 26 in (65 cm). Verification by Guinness World Records needs to be checked.[3][4] István died in May 2011 at the age of 48.[5] | 1963–2011 |
Nepal | 67 cm | Khagendra Thapa Magar | Former shortest man in the world until 2011, measuring 26.4 in (67 cm), according to Guinness World Records. | 1992– |
Taiwan | 67.5 cm | Lin Yü-chih | Former shortest man in the world until 2009.[6] | 1972– |
Colombia | 70.21 cm | Edward Niño Hernández | Named the shortest man after He Pingping died in March 2010, at 27.64 in (70.21 cm), but lost the title in October 2010 to Magar.[7] | 1986– |
China | 74 cm | He Pingping | Once officially verified as shortest living man (mobile) at 29 in (74 cm), until death in March 2010. | 1988–2010 |
Deceased Living
Nationality | Height | Name | Note | Lifespan |
---|---|---|---|---|
Netherlands | 58 cm | Pauline Musters | At 23 in (58 cm) tall, recognised by the Guinness World Records as the shortest woman ever recorded.[8] | 1876–1895 |
India | 62.8 cm | Jyoti Amge | At 62.8 cm currently recognized by the Guinness World Records as the World's shortest woman [9] | 1993– |
South Africa | 65 cm | Madge Bester | 65 cm in 1998.[10] | 1963– |
Mexico | 67 cm | Lucia Zarate | Smallest woman claimant and the earliest studied example of microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type II. Still under review.[11] | 1864–1890 |
United States | 69 cm | Bridgette Jordan | Former smallest living woman acccording to Guinness World Records and one of the shortest living siblings according to Guinness World Records. [12][13] | 1989- |
Turkey | 71 cm | Hatice Kocaman | Former smallest living woman according to Guinness World Records.[14] | 1989– |
Deceased Living
Nationality | Height | Name | Category | Notes | Lifespan |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 24 cm | Nisa Juarez | Baby | Was born 108 days premature and weighed only 320 g (11.3 oz).[15][16] | 2002 – |
United States | 86.4 cm | Rice brothers | Identical twins | World's shortest twins (Greg Rice, John Rice) until 2005 with the death of John Rice.[17] | 1951 – 2005 |
Deceased Living
Nationality | Height | Name | Note | Lifespan |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dominican Republic | 71 cm | Nelson de la Rosa | Once recognized as the "world's shortest actor" and had a minor role in the 1996 film, The Island of Dr. Moreau.[18] | 1968–2006 |
India | 76 cm | Ajaykumar | Malayalam comedy actor, in the Guinness Book of Records for being the shortest actor (2 ft 6 in (76 cm)) to play a main character in a full length film.[19] He played the lead role in Athbhutha Dweepu, a Malayalam film directed by Vinayan, later dubbed in Tamil. | 1974– |
United States | 79 cm | Tamara De Treaux | Shortest actress, noted for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and as an influence for the novel Maybe the Moon.[20][21] | 1959–1990 |
United States | 81 cm | Verne Troyer | American actor and stunt performer best known for playing Mini-Me in the Austin Powers series. He is 2 ft 8 in (81 cm) tall.[22] | 1969– |
Philippines | 83 cm | Weng Weng | Filipino actor and martial artist who was the shortest actor to have lead roles.[23] | 1957–1992 |
United States | 102 cm | Charles Sherwood Stratton | Toured as General Tom Thumb around the world with Barnum Circus.[24] | 1838–1883 |
United States | 107 cm | Meinhardt Raabe | Was one of the last surviving Munchkin-actors in The Wizard of Oz (portrayed the coroner). Meinhardt was 107 centimetres (42 in) tall.[25] | 1915–2010 |
United States | 117 cm | Michael Dunn | Stated to be the only "little person" actor to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.[26] | 1934–1973 |
Deceased Living
Nationality | Height | Name | Note | Lifespan |
---|---|---|---|---|
England | 137 cm | Alexander Pope | English poet and satirist, never grew beyond 4 ft 6 in (137 cm).[27] | 1688–1744 |
Deceased Living
Nationality | Height | Name | Sport | Note | Lifespan |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
India | 84 cm | Aditya "Romeo" Dev | Bodybuilding | "World's Smallest Bodybuilder" at 2 ft. 9in.[28] | 1988– |
Canada | 106 cm | Henry Franklyn | Ice hockey | A 3-feet, 6-inch tall goaltender, possibly the smallest notable person in ice hockey history.[29] | Late 1800s |
United States | 109 cm | Eddie Gaedel | Baseball | Shortest to play in Major League Baseball.[30] This however was a publicity stunt and Gaedel only stood once at the plate. | 1925–1961 |
Canada | 130 cm | Lionel Giroux | Wrestling | Also known as "Little Beaver". Shortest professional wrestler in the WWF at around 4'4".[31] | 1935–1995 |
United States | 132 cm | Dylan Postl | Wrestling | Worlds shortest living professional wrestler.[32] | 1986– |
United States | 149 cm | Julie Krone | Horse racing | Shortest American jockey, stand 4 ft 10.5 in(149 cm).[32] | 1963– |
United Kingdom | 157 cm | Frederick Walden | Association football | Shortest player in England national football team history (5 ft 2 in (157 cm)).[33] | 1888–1949 |
United States | 157 cm | Shannon Bobbitt | Basketball | Shortest to play in the Women's National Basketball Association.[32] | 1985– |
United States | 160 cm | Muggsy Bogues | Basketball (inactive) | Shortest at 5 ft 3in to play in the National Basketball Association.[34] | 1965– |
Canada | 160 cm | Roy Worters | Ice hockey | Shortest to play in the National Hockey League and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969.[35] | 1900–1957 |
United States | 165 cm | Earl Boykins | Basketball (active) | Shortest active player currently in National Basketball Association.[36] | 1976– |
United States | 165 cm | Trindon Holliday | American football | Shortest active player at 5 ft 5in in the National Football League.[37] | 1986– |
Deceased Living
Nationality | Height | Name | Note | Lifespan |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mexico | 137 cm | Benito Juárez | Reportedly the shortest world leader to have height recorded. He was reportedly 4 ft 6 in or 1.37 meters[38] | 1806–1872 |
Italy | 143 cm | Renato Brunetta | Italian Minister.[39] | 1950- |
United States | 147 cm | Robert Reich | Secretary of Labor in Bill Clinton's first cabinet, before and after, a professor of public policy.[40] | 1946– |
Philippines | 150 cm | Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo | 14th president of the Republic of the Philippines, reported height is 4'11"[41] | 1947– |
Italy | 153 cm | Victor Emmanuel III of Italy | King of Italy from 1900 to 1946 was 1.53 m tall.[42] | 1869–1947 |
Australia | 158 cm | Daniel Deniehy | 19th century Australian politician, he was about 5 feet 2 inches tall [43] and coined the term 'bunyip aristocracy' | 1828–1865 |
North Korea | 160 cm | Kim Jong-il | North Korean dictator from 1997 to 2011. He was about 5'3"; had a penchant for wearing platform shoes and sported a bouffant hairstyle to conceal his short stature. [44][45][46] | 1941–2011 |
Russia | 162 cm | Dmitry Medvedev | Current Russian President measured at 5 ft 3.78 in or 1.62 m.[47] | 1965– |
United States | 163 cm | James Madison | Shortest US President at 5 ft 4 in or 1.63 m.[48][49] | 1751–1836 |
Soviet Union | 163 cm | Joseph Stalin | Leader of the USSR from 1922 to 1953; 5 ft 4 in or 1.63m[50] | 1878–1953 |
Italy | 165 cm | Silvio Berlusconi | Billionaire and former Italian Prime Minister. 5'5", he's known for wearing high-heeled shoes.[51][52][53] | 1936- |
Japan | 165 cm | Emperor Akihito | The Current Emperor of Japan. Akihito measures 5 ft 5 in or 1.65 m.[54] | 1933– |
France | 165 cm | Nicolas Sarkozy | Current French president. Known to wear shoes with particularly high heels.[55][56] | 1955– |