who was the tallest person in the world

The tallest person in recorded history was Robert Pershing Wadlow from the United States, who reached a verified height of 2.72 m (8 ft 11.1 in).

Who he was

• Robert Wadlow was born on 22 February 1918 in Alton, Illinois, USA, and became known as the “Alton Giant” or the “Giant of Illinois”.

• He is recognized by Guinness World Records as the tallest man ever reliably measured in medical history.

How tall he was

• Wadlow’s final measured height was 2.72 m (8 ft 11.1 in) on 27 June 1940, shortly before his death.

• His great height was accompanied by very large body measurements, including exceptionally large feet and hands, which also set separate records.

Cause of his height

• His extraordinary stature was caused by an overproduction of growth hormone due to a condition involving his pituitary gland, leading to continuous growth throughout his life.

• At the time, treatment options to control this hormone imbalance were limited, so his growth was never successfully stopped.

Life and death

• Daily life was physically challenging: he needed custom-made clothing, furniture, and especially shoes, which were extremely large and expensive.

• He died in 1940 at age 22 from complications following an infected brace on his leg, which led to sepsis.

Tallest living person today

• While Wadlow holds the “tallest ever” record, the tallest living person today is Sultan Kösen of Turkey, whose height is listed at about 2.51 m (8 ft 3 in).

• Modern medical care has allowed partial management of his growth condition, helping stabilize his height in adulthood.