Celebrity & Record Heights
Extraordinary height tends to fascinate from a distance, but for the people who actually live it, it usually comes with a real medical story and real physical challenges. This guide looks at the tallest man alive today, the tallest man ever verified in recorded history, and what's actually known about the medical conditions behind their height.
Tallest Living Man vs. Tallest Man in Recorded History
| Sultan Kösen | Robert Wadlow | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Tallest living man (record held since 2009) | Tallest man ever verified in recorded history |
| Height | 251 cm (8 ft 2.82 in) | 2.72 m (8 ft 11.1 in) |
| Born | December 10, 1982, Mardin Province, Turkey | February 22, 1918, Alton, Illinois, USA |
| Underlying Cause | Pituitary gigantism from a growth hormone-secreting pituitary tumor, surgically removed in 2008 | Pituitary gigantism, also from excess growth hormone; died in 1940 at age 22 |
Sultan Kösen: Today's Tallest Living Man
Sultan Kösen was born on December 10, 1982, in Mardin Province in southeastern Turkey, the second of five children in a family of otherwise average height. His growth accelerated rapidly starting around age 10, and by 18 he had already reached roughly 2.36 m (7 ft 8 in). In 2009, Guinness World Records first measured him at 246.5 cm (8 ft 1 in), and a follow-up measurement in Ankara in 2011 confirmed his height at 251 cm (8 ft 2.82 in), the figure that stands as his official record today. He also holds Guinness World Records for the largest hands and feet of any living person.
Living With Pituitary Gigantism
Kösen's height is caused by pituitary gigantism, in which a tumor on the pituitary gland triggers the release of excessive growth hormone. In 2008, he underwent surgery to remove the tumor, which stopped his growth but did not reverse the height he had already reached. He's since undergone multiple additional surgeries, including operations on his legs and several procedures related to the tumor's effects on his brain, and he has relied on a wheelchair or crutches for mobility since around age 25 because of ongoing joint and bone pain.
Kösen married Syrian national Merve Dibo in October 2013. The couple divorced in 2021, citing a language barrier between them as a central factor. As of the most recent available reporting, Kösen does not have children, contrary to some earlier accounts.
Robert Wadlow: The Tallest Man in Recorded History
Robert Pershing Wadlow was born on February 22, 1918, in Alton, Illinois, to parents of average height, and was the oldest of five children. He was a normal-sized baby but began growing rapidly almost immediately, reaching 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) by age five and surpassing his father's height by age eight. Like Kösen, his extraordinary growth was caused by pituitary gigantism.
The tallest verified human, and a life cut short. By his final measurement on June 27, 1940, Wadlow had reached 2.72 m (8 ft 11.1 in), a height that remains unbroken and is considered by Guinness World Records to be irrefutably documented, unlike some older, unverifiable historical claims of taller individuals. He died just weeks later, on July 15, 1940, at age 22, after a poorly fitted ankle brace caused a blister that became infected and led to sepsis. He remains the tallest person in recorded history for whom there is solid medical documentation.
What Actually Causes Gigantism?
Gigantism happens when a child's body produces far more growth hormone than normal before the growth plates have closed, and in the large majority of cases, this comes down to a tumor on the pituitary gland known as a pituitary adenoma. In children specifically, a genetic mutation is often behind the tumor's formation, most commonly in the AIP gene, though rarer genetic syndromes such as McCune-Albright syndrome, Carney complex, and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 can also raise the risk.
The practical takeaway: both Sultan Kösen and Robert Wadlow's extraordinary height traces back to the same underlying condition, pituitary gigantism, caused by a growth hormone-secreting tumor. Both men also faced serious, life-altering health complications as a result, from joint and mobility problems to, in Wadlow's case, an early death from an infection his condition made him especially vulnerable to. Recognizing unusually rapid growth early and seeking a medical evaluation remains the most important takeaway for parents of a child showing similar signs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is currently the tallest man in the world?
Sultan Kösen of Turkey, measured at 251 cm (8 ft 2.82 in) by Guinness World Records, has held the title of tallest living man since 2009.
What caused Sultan Kösen's height?
Pituitary gigantism, caused by a tumor on his pituitary gland that led to excessive growth hormone production. The tumor was surgically removed in 2008, which stopped his growth.
Is Sultan Kösen married?
He married Merve Dibo in 2013, but the couple divorced in 2021, citing a language barrier as a central factor. He does not have children as of the most recent available reporting.
Who was the tallest man in recorded history?
Robert Pershing Wadlow of Alton, Illinois, who reached 2.72 m (8 ft 11.1 in) before his death in 1940 at age 22. He remains the tallest person in recorded history with solid medical documentation.
How did Robert Wadlow die?
A poorly fitted ankle brace caused a blister that became infected, leading to sepsis. He died on July 15, 1940, just weeks after his final recorded measurement.
