List of shortest people

This article's lead section may not adequately summarize its contents. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of the article's key points. (February 2011)

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.

Shortest men

      Deceased       Living

Nationality	Height	Name	Notes	Lifespan
Nepal	54.6 cm	Chandra Bahadur Dangi	Chandra was declared the shortest human adult ever documented and verified, measuring 21.5 in (54.6 cm). Height confirmed by Guinness World Records.[1][2]	1939–
India	57 cm	Gul Mohammed	Shortest man ever verified up to 2012 when he lost the title to Chandra Bahadur Dangi, measuring 22 in (57 cm),[3] according to Guinness World Records.	1957–1997
Philippines	59.93 cm	Junrey Balawing	Former shortest living man in the world, measuring 23.59 in (59.93 cm), verified by Guinness World Records on June 12, 2011.[4]	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.[5][6] István died in May 2011 at the age of 48.[7]	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.[8]	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.[9]	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

Shortest women

      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.[10]	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 [11]	1993–
South Africa	65 cm	Madge Bester	65 cm in 1998.[12]	1963–
Mexico	67 cm	Lucia Zarate	Smallest woman claimant and the earliest studied example of microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type II. Still under review.[13]	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.[14][15]	1989-
Turkey	71 cm	Hatice Kocaman	Former smallest living woman according to Guinness World Records.[16]	1989–

Other categories

      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).[17][18]	2002 –
United States	86.4 cm	Rice brothers	Identical twins	[dubious – discuss]World's shortest twins (Greg Rice, John Rice) until 2005 with the death of John Rice.[19][20]	1951–2005

Shortest by occupation

Actors

      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.[21]	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.[22] 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.[23][24]	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.[25]	1969–
Philippines	83 cm	Weng Weng	Filipino actor and martial artist who was the shortest actor to have lead roles.[26]	1957–1992
United States	102 cm	Charles Sherwood Stratton	Toured as General Tom Thumb around the world with Barnum Circus.[27]	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.[28]	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.[29]	1934–1973

Artists and writers

      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).[30]	1688–1744

Athletes

      Deceased       Living

Nationality	Height	Name	Sport	Note	Lifespan
India	84 cm	Aditya "Romeo" Dev	Bodybuilding	"World's Smallest Bodybuilder" at 2 ft. 9in.[31]	1988–
Canada	106 cm	Henry Franklyn	Ice hockey	A 3-feet, 6-inch tall goaltender, possibly the smallest notable person in ice hockey history.[32]	Late 19th century
United States	109 cm	Eddie Gaedel	Baseball	Shortest to play in Major League Baseball.[33] 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".[34]	1935–1995
United States	132 cm	Dylan Postl	Wrestling	Worlds shortest living professional wrestler.[35]	1986–
United States	149 cm	Julie Krone	Horse racing	Shortest American jockey, stand 4 ft 10.5 in(149 cm).[35]	1963–
Australia	155 cm	Jim Bradford	Australian rules football	Shortest to play Australian rules football at the highest level.[36]	1926–2005
United States	155 cm	Jack Shapiro	American football	Shortest professional player of American football, but only for one game.[37]	1907–2001
United Kingdom	157 cm	Frederick Walden	Association football	Shortest player in England national football team history (5 ft 2 in (157 cm)).[38]	1888–1949
United States	157 cm	Shannon Bobbitt	Basketball	Shortest to play in the Women's National Basketball Association.[35]	1985–
United States	160 cm	Muggsy Bogues	Basketball (inactive)	Shortest at 5 ft 3in to play in the National Basketball Association.[39]	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.[40]	1900–1957
United States	165 cm	Earl Boykins	Basketball (active)	Shortest active player currently in National Basketball Association.[41]	1976–
United States	165 cm	Trindon Holliday	American football	Shortest active player at 5 ft 5in in the National Football League.[42]	1986–

Politicians

      Deceased       Living

Nationality	Height	Name	Note	Lifespan
United Kingdom	84 cm	Nicola Chapman, Baroness Chapman	Disability-rights activist and "people's peer" who had Osteogenesis imperfecta.[43]	1961–2009
United States	114 cm	Charley Lockhart	Texas State Treasurer from 1931 - 1941.[44][45]	1876–1954
Australia	127 cm	Alan Eggleston	An Australian Senator with a form of Achondroplasia dwarfism.[46]	1941-
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[47]	1806–1872
Italy	143 cm	Renato Brunetta	Former Italian Minister.[48]	1950-
United States	147 cm	Robert Reich	Secretary of Labor in Bill Clinton's first cabinet, before and after, a professor of public policy.[49]	1946–
Philippines	150 cm	Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo	14th president of the Republic of the Philippines, reported height is 4'11"[50]	1947–
Italy	153 cm	Victor Emmanuel III of Italy	King of Italy from 1900 to 1946 was 1.53 m tall.[51]	1869–1947
Australia	158 cm	Daniel Deniehy	19th century Australian politician, he was about 5 feet 2 inches tall [52] 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.[53][54][55]	1941–2011
Russia	162 cm	Dmitry Medvedev	Previous Russian President measured at 5 ft 3.78 in or 1.62 m.[56]	1965–
United States	163 cm	James Madison	Shortest US President at 5 ft 4 in or 1.63 m.[57][58]	1751–1836
Soviet Union	163 cm	Joseph Stalin	Leader of the USSR from 1922 to 1953; 5 ft 4 in or 1.63m[59]	1878–1953
Italy	165 cm	Silvio Berlusconi	Billionaire and former Italian Prime Minister. 5'5", he's known for wearing high-heeled shoes.[60][61][62]	1936-
Japan	165 cm	Emperor Akihito	The Current Emperor of Japan. Akihito measures 5 ft 5 in or 1.65 m.[63]	1933–
France	165 cm	Nicolas Sarkozy	Previous French president. Known to wear shoes with particularly high heels.[64][65]	1955–

See also

• Dwarfism
• List of people with dwarfism
• List of shortest players in National Basketball Association history
• List of tallest people

References