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Supercentenarian Ann Pouder photographed by Charles Martin on her 110th birthday.

The longest unambiguously documented lifespan is that of Jeanne Calment of France (1875–1997), who was aged 122 years. She met Vincent van Gogh when aged 14. This led to her being noticed by the media in 1988, at age 113. Subsequent investigation found that her life was documented in the records of her native city of Arles beyond reasonable question. More evidence for the Calment case has been produced than for any other supercentenarian case, which makes her case a gold standard among the oldest people recordholders. This is contrasted with the now-disputed claim of age 120 for the oldest man ever, Shigechiyo Izumi. While this case is currently still recognized by Guinness World Records, the Japanese authorities have hinted that his age was not certain.^{[citation needed]} This claim was accepted in 1978, but subsequent additional research (as early as 1984) has raised doubt as to whether his birth date was confused with that of a brother who died at a young age.

Since the death of Yone Minagawa on 13 August 2007, the oldest living person is 114-year-old Edna Parker of the U.S., born on 20 April 1893.^[1] Parker and Maria de Jesus of Portugal are the only validated people born in 1893 who are still alive.

The following is a list of the people who have held the title of oldest recognized person in the world since 1955 (the year Guinness Records began). This list does not reflect the original lists, but is instead retroactive – for example, the Betsy Baker case was not verified until the 2000s.

From	To	Name	Age when oldest	Lived	Sex	Country
Title began in 1955	24 October 1955	Betsy Baker	?-113	20 August 1842 – 24 October 1955	F	England, UK (born) Nebraska, U.S. (died)
24 October 1955	25 June 1959	Martha Graham	110-114	27? December 1844 – 25 June 1959	F	North Carolina, U.S.
25 June 1959	10 February 1961	James Brett, Jr.	110-111?	25 June 1849? – 10 February 1961	M	Texas, U.S.
10 February 1961	16 March 1962	Joseph Saint-Amour	108-110	26 February 1852 – 16 March 1962	M	Quebec, Canada
16 March 1962	17 February 1963	Lovisa Svensson	108-109	20 November 1853 – 17 February 1963	F	Sweden
17 February 1963	8 October 1963	Ellen Dart[2]	108	1 November 1854- 8 October 1963	F	England, UK
8 October 1963	6 March 1965	Elizabeth Kensley[3]	108-109	12 May 1855 – 6 March 1965	F	England, UK
6 March 1965	24 July 1965	Auguste Pahl	109	23 November 1855 – 24 July 1965	F	West Germany
24 July 1965	10 January 1966	Hannah Smith	109-110	7 January 1856 – 10 January 1966	F	England, UK
10 January 1966	21 March 1968	John Turner	109-111	15 June 1856 – 21 March 1968	M	England, UK
21 March 1968	16 June 1968	Johanna Booyson	111	17 January 1857 – 16 June 1968	F	Transvaal, South Africa
16 June 1968	October? 1968	Marie Bernátková[4]	110-111	22 October 1857 – fl. October 1968	F	Czechoslovakia
October? 1968	11 January 1970	Ada Roe	110-111	6 February 1858 – 11 January 1970	F	England, UK
11 January 1970	27 February 1973	Josefa Salas Mateo	109-112	14 July 1860 – 27 February 1973	F	Spain
27 February 1973	18 August 1973	Alice Stevenson	111-112	10 July 1861 – 18 August 1973	F	England, UK
18 August 1973	31 October 1973	Elizabeth Watkins	110	10 March 1863 – 31 October 1973	F	Northern Ireland, UK (born) England, UK (died)
31 October 1973	31 May 1975	Mito Umeta	110-112	27 March 1863 – 31 May 1975	F	Japan
31 May 1975	16 November 1976	Niwa Kawamoto	111-113	5 August 1863 – 16 November 1976	F	Japan
16 November 1976	21 February 1986	Shigechiyo Izumi	111-120?	11 July 1865? – 21 February 1986	M	Kyūshū, Japan
20 February 1986	20 September 1986	Mamie Keith	112-113	22 March 1873 – 20 September 1986	F	Illinois, U.S.
20 September 1986	2 February 1987	Mary McKinney	113	30 May 1873 – 2 February 1987	F	California, U.S.
2 February 1987	27 December 1987	Anna Williams	113-114	2 June 1873 – 27 December 1987	F	England, UK (born) Wales, UK (died)
27 December 1987	11 January 1988	Florence Knapp	114	10 October 1873 – 11 January 1988	F	Pennsylvania, U.S.
11 January 1988	14 February 1991	Carrie White	113-116?	18 November 1874? – 14 February 1991	F	Florida, U.S.
14 February 1991	4 August 1997	Jeanne Calment	115-122	21 February 1875 – 4 August 1997	F	Provence, France
4 August 1997	16 April 1998	Marie-Louise Meilleur	116-117	29 August 1880 – 16 April 1998	F	Ontario, Canada
16 April 1998	30 December 1999	Sarah Knauss	117-119	24 September 1880 – 30 December 1999	F	Pennsylvania, U.S.
30 December 1999	2 November 2000	Eva Morris	114	8 November 1885 – 2 November 2000	F	England, UK
2 November 2000	6 June 2001	Marie Brémont	114-115	25 April 1886 – 6 June 2001	F	Pays de la Loire, France
5 June 2001	18 March 2002	Maude Farris-Luse	114-115	21 January 1887 – 18 March 2002	F	Michigan, U.S.
19 March 2002	31 October 2003	Kamato Hongo	114-116?	16 September 1887? – 31 October 2003	F	Kyūshū, Japan
31 October 2003	13 November 2003	Mitoyo Kawate	114	15 May 1889 – 13 November 2003	F	Chūgoku, Japan
13 November 2003	29 May 2004	Ramona Trinidad Iglesias-Jordan	114	31 August 1889 – 29 May 2004	F	Puerto Rico
29 May 2004	27 August 2006	María Capovilla	114-116	14 September 1889 – 27 August 2006	F	Ecuador
27 August 2006	11 December 2006	Elizabeth Bolden	116	15 August 1890 – 11 December 2006	F	Tennessee, U.S.
11 December 2006	24 January 2007	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	115	21 August 1891 – 24 January 2007	M	Puerto Rico
24 January 2007	28 January 2007	Emma Tillman	114	22 November 1892 – 28 January 2007	F	Connecticut, U.S.
29 January 2007	13 August 2007	Yone Minagawa	114	4 January 1893 – 13 August 2007	F	Kyūshū, Japan
13 August 2007	Present	Edna Parker	114*	April 20, 1893 –	F	Indiana, U.S.

The longest consecutive time with the title of World's Oldest Person held was by Shigechiyo Izumi of Japan for 3384 days from November 16, 1976 to February 21, 1986. The shortest consecutive time was by Emma Tillman of the United States for 4 days from January 24, 2007 to January 28, 2007. The average length of time served as World's Oldest Person for the 36 people following Betsy Baker (not including the current serving person, Edna Parker) has been approximately 525.5 days. The country with the most people on the list is the United States with 12, followed by the United Kingdom with 9, and Japan with 6.

Note: Guinness World Records has only maintained the category of oldest living man intermittently over the years, not establishing it permanently until the year 2000. Persons listed prior to 2000 may be based on an historical reconstruction.

From	To	Name	Age when oldest	Lived	Country
10 February 1961	16 March 1962	Joseph Saint-Amour	108-110	26 February 1852–16 March 1962	Quebec, Canada
16 March 1962	21 March 1968	John Turner	105-111	15 June 1856–21 March 1968	England, UK
21 March 1968	August? 1970	Khasako Dzugayev	107-110	7 August 1860–August? 1970[5]	USSR
August? 1970	5 May 1973	Friedrich Wedeking	107-110	10 October 1862–5 May 1973	Germany
5 May 1973	9 March 1974	Frederick Butterfield	109-110	28 February 1864–9 March 1974	England, UK
9 March 1974	21 February 1986	Shigechiyo Izumi	108-120?	29 June 1865?–21 February 1986	Kyūshū, Japan
20 February 1986	14 December 1986	Joe Thomas	110-111	1 May 1875–14 December 1986	Louisiana, U.S.
14 December 1986	5 January 1987	Herman Smith-Johannsen	111	15 June 1875–5 January 1987	Norway lived in Quebec, Canada
5 January 1987	25 November 1988	Alphaeus Cole	110-112	12 July 1876–25 November 1988	New Jersey, U.S.
25 November 1988	10 June 1990	John Evans	111-112	19 August 1877–10 June 1990	Wales, UK
10 June 1990	18 June 1990	Henri Pérignon	110	14 October 1879–18 June 1990	Normandy, France
18 June 1990	16 October 1991	James Wiggins	110-112	15 October 1879–16 October 1991	Arkansas, U.S.
16 October 1991	14 June 1993	Frederick L. Frazier	111-113	27 January 1880–14 June 1993	Alabama, U.S.
14 June 1993	25 April 1998	Christian Mortensen	110-115	16 August 1882–25 April 1998	Denmark (born) California, U.S. (died)
25 April 1998	17 July 1998	Johnson Parks	113	15 October 1884–17 July 1998	Florida, U.S.
17 July 1998	25 December 1998	Walter Richardson	112-113	7 November 1885–25 December 1998	Illinois, U.S.
25 December 1998	29 April 1999	Denzo Ishisaki	112	20 October 1886–29 April 1999	Kantō, Japan
29 April 1999	15 November 1999	Antonio Urrea-Hernández	111	16 February 1888–15 November 1999	Catalonia, Spain
15 November 1999	1 March 2001	John Painter	111-112	20 September 1888–1 March 2001	Tennessee, U.S.
1 March 2001	3 January 2002	Antonio Todde	112	22 January 1889–3 January 2002	Sardinia, Italy
3 January 2002	28 September 2003	Yukichi Chuganji	112-114	23 March 1889–28 September 2003	Kyūshū, Japan
28 September 2003	5 March 2004	Joan Riudavets	113-114	15 December 1889–5 March 2004	Minorca, Spain
5 March 2004	19 November 2004	Fred Hale, Sr.	113	1 December 1890–19 November 2004	Maine, U.S.
19 November 2004	24 January 2007	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	113-115	21 August 1891–24 January 2007	Puerto Rico
24 January 2007	Present	Tomoji Tanabe	111-112*	18 September 1895–	Kyūshū, Japan

The longest consecutive time with the title of World's Oldest Man held was by Shigechiyo Izumi of Japan for 4367 days from March 9, 1974 to February 21, 1986. The shortest consecutive time was by Henri Pérignon of France for 8 days from June 10, 1990 to June 18, 1990. The country with the most people on the list is the United States with 9, followed by Japan with 4, and the United Kingdom with 3.

Main article: List of the oldest people

Jeanne Calment, considered to be the oldest person ever (photo at age 119).

Main article: List of living supercentenarians

Please note that 90% of supercentenarians are women. Though this list is currently all female, there have been males in the top 10 as recently as January 2007. Moreover, that particular male was the oldest person in the world.

#	Name	Age as of 30 December 2007	Sex	Born	Residence
1	Edna Parker	114 years, 254 days	F	April 20, 1893	Oldest person in the world (since August 13, 2007). Lives in Indiana, US
2	Maria de Jesus	114 years, 111 days	F	September 10, 1893	Lives in Portugal
3	Arbella Ewing	113 years, 292 days	F	March 13, 1894	Lives in Texas, US
4	Gertrude Baines	113 years, 268 days	F	April 6, 1894	Lives in California, US
5	Tsuneyo Toyonaga	113 years, 223 days	F	May 21, 1894	Lives in Shikoku, Japan
6	Clémentine Solignac	113 years, 114 days	F	September 7, 1894	Lives in Auvergne, France
7	Catherine Hagel	113 years, 32 days	F	November 28, 1894	Lives in Minnesota, US
8	Kaku Yamanaka	113 years, 19 days	F	December 11, 1894	Lives in Chūbu, Japan
9	Beatrice Farve	112 years, 244 days	F	April 30, 1895	Lives in Georgia, US
10	Elizabeth Stefan	112 years, 231 days	F	May 13, 1895	Lives in Connecticut, US

Main article: List of living supercentenarians

#	Name	Age as of 30 December 2007	Born	Residence
1	Tomoji Tanabe	112 years, 103 days	September 18, 1895	Oldest man in the world (since 24 January 2007). Lives in Kyūshū, Japan
2	Henry Allingham	111 years, 207 days	June 6, 1896	Lives in England, UK. World War I Veteran
	George Francis	111 years, 207 days	June 6, 1896	Lives in California, US
4	Walter Breuning	111 years, 100 days	September 21, 1896	Lives in Montana, US
5	Augusto Moreira de Oliveira	111 years, 85 days	October 6, 1896	Lives in Portugal
6	Walter Seward	111 years, 78 days	October 13, 1896	Lives in New Jersey, US
7	Jiroemon Kimura	110 years, 255 days	April 19, 1897	Lives in Kansai, Japan
8	Kiyoshi Igarashi	110 years, 150 days	August 2, 1897	Lives in Hokkaidō, Japan
9	Aarne Arvonen	110 years, 148 days	August 4, 1897	Lives in Uusimaa, Finland. Finnish Civil War Veteran
10	Masatake Kinoshita	110 years, 132 days	August 20, 1897	Lives in Okayama, Japan

Name	Born	Died	Age	Sex	Notes
Thomas Peters	1745	1857	111 years 354 days	M	The Netherlands; earliest supercentenarian recognized by the Guinness Book of Records
Geert Boomgaard	1788	1899	110 years 135 days	M	The Netherlands; earliest supercentenarian recognized by scholars
Margaret Neve	1792	1903	110 years 321 days	F	Channel Islands, UK
Ann Pouder	1807	1917	110 years 93 days	F	Born England, UK Died Nebraska, U.S.
Louisa Thiers	1814	1926	111 years 138 days	F	New York, U.S.
Delina Filkins	1815	1928	113 years 214 days	F	New York, U.S.
Miriam Bannister	1817	1928	111 years 21 days	F	Born England, UK Died Missouri, U.S.
Demetrius Philipovitch	1818	1928	110 years 144+ days	M	Yugoslavia
Katherine Plunket	1820	1932	111 years 327 days	F	Ireland

Main article: National longevity recordholders

Country	Age	Sex	Name	Born	Died
France	122 years 164 days	F	Jeanne Calment	21 February 1875	4 August 1997
Japan	120? years 237 days	M	Shigechiyo Izumi	29 June 1865?	21 February 1986
United States	119 years 97 days	F	Sarah Knauss	24 September 1880	30 December 1999
Canada	117 years 230 days	F	Marie-Louise Meilleur	29 August 1880	16 April 1998
Ecuador	116 years 347 days	F	María Capovilla	14 September 1889	27 August 2006
United Kingdom	115 years 228 days	F	Charlotte Hughes	1 August 1877	17 March 1993
Romania	115? years 157 days	F	Anitica Butariu	30 June 1882?	21 November 1997
Netherlands	115 years 62 days	F	Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper	29 June 1890	30 August 2005
Portugal	114 years 274 days	F	Maria do Couto Maia-Lopes	24 October 1890	25 July 2005
Australia	114 years 148 days	F	Christina Cock	25 December 1887	22 May 2002
Spain	114 years 81 days	M	Joan Riudavets	15 December 1889	5 March 2004
Italy	114 years 4 days	F	Virginia Dighero-Zolezzi	24 December 1891	28 December 2005