The tallest man in medical history for whom there is irrefutable evidence is Robert Pershing Wadlow. He was born at exactly 6:30 a.m. at Alton, Illinois, in the United States of America on 22 February 1918. As at the last time he was measured on 27 June 1940, his height was found to be 2.72 M (8 ft 11.1 in) tall.

Wadlow died at 1:30 a.m. on 15 July 1940 (at the age of 22) in a hotel in Manistee, Michigan, as a result of a septic blister on his right ankle caused by a brace, which had been poorly fitted only a week earlier.

He was buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Alton in a coffin measuring 3.28 m (10 ft 9 in) long, 81 cm (32 in) wide and 76 cm (30 in) deep.

His greatest recorded weight was 222.71 kg (35 st 1l b) on his 21st birthday and he weighed 199 kg (31 st 5 lb) at the time of his death.

His shoe size was 37AA (47 cm (18.5 in) long) and his hands measured 32.4 cm (12.75 in) from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger.

He wore a size 25 ring.

His arm span was 2.88 m (9ft 5.75 in) and his peak daily food consumption was 8000 calories.

At the age of nine, he was able to carry his father Harold F. Wadlow (September 1967) later Mayor of Alton, who stood 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) and weighed 77 kg (170 lb), up the stairs of the family home.

The tallest man alive today(2016) is Sultan Kösen from Turkey, born on the 10th of December 1982 he is a farmer and he measures 251cm or 2.51M (8 ft 3 in) tall.

His growth resulted from a tumour affecting his pituitary gland. His stature is such that he must use crutches in order to walk.

Tallest Woman

The tallest woman ever verified in medical history is Zeng Jinlian (June 25, 1964 – February 13, 1982) from China. She measured 8 ft 1.75 in (248.29 cm)

Zeng is also the only woman counted among the 17 people who have reached verified heights of eight feet or more.


She could not stand straight because of a severely deformed spine and died at the age of 17 in Hunan, China.


The tallest woman alive today is Sun Fang
also from China. she is 7ft 3 inches tall (233cm)
She became the tallest woman in China and probably the tallest living woman in the world, after the death of the former record holder for tallest living woman Yao Defen (7ft 8inches) on 13 November 2012.


She is often mistaken for Yao Defen because of their likeness in appearance.