This article was originally published on Buzzerilla
Zhang Juncai — 7'11'' (2. 41 M)
Zhang Juncai is one of the world's tallest men, at 7 foot 11. He is currently the fifth-tallest living person, but we all know that changes from time to time. If anyone wants to challenge his spot, they've got a lot of inches to overcome! Born in Shanxi Province, China, Zhang lives in Wuhan. He is hard to miss on the street as the tallest man in the country and has been for decades. He's in his 50's now, unusual for the super tall.
China's tallest man visited China's tallest woman, Yao Defen, when she was in the hospital. The press went wild since it was a rare chance to photograph them both. We get it, press!
Ella Ewing — 8'4'' (2. 54 M)
Born in 1872 in Missouri, Ella Ewing was the tallest lady of her time. At over eight feet tall, she had to live in a custom house with high doorways and ceilings. Affected with a condition called pituitary gigantism, Ella had very long arms and huge hands and feet. Would you believe she wore a size 24 shoe? It is hard to imagine. And that's why Ella took it on the road!
Ella made paid appearances at circus shows for Barnum & Bailey and Ringling Bros. But not on Sundays! Baptists like Ella took that as their day of prayer. On stage, she was introduced as the world's tallest woman. We are inclined to believe it, just looking at her now.
Sandy Allen — 7'7'' (2. 31 M)
Indiana native Sandy Allen was once recognized by the Guinness World Records as the tallest living woman on earth. She stood 7 feet 7 inches tall, earning her the coveted title. Why was she so large? Well, it was all due to a tumor in her pituitary gland. Sandy's body released 200 to 1,000 times the normal amount of growth hormone, resulting in her unusual size. Although she underwent surgery to correct the problem, she kept growing and growing.
Sandy passed on after suffering from additional medical problems caused by her condition. Some may wonder if she ever married during her lifetime. The answer is no: Sandy said she was an old-fashioned girl and she wouldn't date a shorter guy. That was basically everyone!
Robert Wadlow — 8'11'' (2. 72 M)
Robert Wadlow was known as the Giant of Illinois, during his lifetime. Why? Well, it probably had something to do with his stature. At 8 foot 11, he remains the tallest person in recorded history, that we know of. Raised in a small town called Alton, we are quite sure he stood out. By age 22, he weighed 439 pounds, and it appeared he wasn't done growing. Rob had hypertrophy of his pituitary gland, and a lot more human growth hormone than nature intended.
Unsurprisingly, the famed Ringling Brothers Circus recruited him to tour with them. Basically, he just showed up in his normal, everyday clothes, and wowed audiences. Rob didn't live very long, but that was because an infection killed him in his early 20's. Back in the day, that happened sometimes. His coffin was almost 11 feet long!
Sultan Kösen — 8'4'' (2. 54 M)
Sultan Kösen is a Turkish farmer that has gotten a lot of press in recent years. In our time, he boasts the title of being the world's tallest man. He is as large as he is because of two conditions: Gigantism and acromegaly. He has a tumor in his pituitary gland, like so many in his league. Sultan's height is certainly striking, but he is all done growing: He has received tumor surgery to prevent additional inches!
For years, Sultan publically talked about his struggles to find a girlfriend. As the tallest man in the world, many would think he had ladies lined up. But maybe they were intimidated! Sultan recently got married to a Syrian woman he calls the love of his life. Do they speak the same language? We have no idea!
Broc Brown — 7'9'' (2. 36 M)
22-year-old Broc Brown is 7 foot 9. he has a lot of physical troubles, as a result. But he's a trooper and hasn't given up. He works at a YMCA, and they accommodate his size at the sports desk. He has a supportive family, and fans online! According to Broc: 'A lot of people come up to me and say, 'oh you're that tall guy from TV' and I'm like, 'yep, that's me'...People recognise me in my job too.'
One day, Broc hopes to open a restaurant. We're not sure what kind of cuisine it will be. We just wonder if the portion will be extra-large. The theme would be fitting!
Leonid Stepanovych Stadnyk — 8'5'' (2. 56 M)
Leonid Stadnyk passed away in 2014, at the age of 44. But he definitely belongs on our list! The Ukrainian man claimed to be 8 feet 5 inches tall, but he didn't want to be in an official record book. He refused to get measured! We can still look at pictures of him and realize he was probably correct about his size. Here, he stands with his relatives for comparison. It's easy to see that he is a lot larger, to say the least!
Was he happy about his size, during his life? No, according to him: "To me, my height is a curse, a punishment from God, not something to celebrate. What sin I have committed, I do not know. All my life I have dreamed of being just like everyone else."
Margo Dydek — 7'2'' (2. 18 M)
Margo Dydek was a Polish pro basketball player. During her lifetime, she was the tallest female baller in the world! At 7 foot 2, it's not surprising she was a successful center in the WNBA and the European leagues. At that size, she could block almost any move with ease. Later, she became a coach — and a mom, too! But after two babies, Margo wanted a third. It seems that's where all the trouble started.
Experts say that height can make a pregnancy riskier, in general. Was that a factor here? While pregnant with her third child, Margo suffered a heart attack at home. Sadly, she died eight days later at the hospital. She was just 37!
Maci Currin — 6'10'' (2. 08 M)
When you're already one of the tallest women in the world by your teens, most would be impressed with that record. But Maci Currin of Texas has broken one more record: The 6 foot 10 gal has the world's longest legs, in the female category. Doctors originally predicted she would grow to just 6 foot 4. She's surpassed expectations, and might not be done growing. Currently, her legs make up 60% of her total height.
According to Maci, she doesn't really fit in at school. And beyond that, it's just tough to live in a short world. She shares: “Regular airplane seats are terrible. And the desks at school are just the worst.”
Anna Haining Bates — 7'11'' (2. 41 M)
Way back in the mid 1800's, Anna Haining Bates called Canada home. She was the child of Scottish immigrants, seeking life in the new world. Perhaps they knew that this was a place for strong, healthy children to grow. But we are sure they could not have foreseen their daughter would grow to 7'11''. They had two very average-sized kids already. Third time's the charm when it comes to giants?
By the time she was four, she was already 4 foot 6. By age 11, she was 6 foot 2. And on and on it continued! During her life, Anna lived in a house with 14-foot ceilings and custom-made furniture. She just wanted to be comfortable. We get it!
Morteza Mehrzad — 8'1'' (2. 46 M)
Morteza Mehrzad is an Iranian man who has been measured at 8 foot 1. He is a professional volleyball player. We imagine that his height really helps him block balls at the net. Currently, he is the second tallest man in the world. Not a bad thing to have on your resume, we say. It's all caused by a medical condition called acromegaly. Too much growth hormone, yet again!
Mehrzad's right leg is currently 15 cm shorter than his left leg. A bike accident broke his pelvis and stopped the growth on one side. These days, he uses a walking stick. We're glad it helps!
Zeng Jinlian — 8'1'' (2. 46 M)
Perhaps people don't think of Asia as a hotspot for the tall. But it's a big pool of people, and you will find everything in a large enough sample size. Take basketball player Yao Ming, for example. He really really changed perceptions! And he isn't the first of his height from China, either. A lady named Zeng Jinlian was even taller than him, in her day. At 8 foot 1, she was literally a giant.
Although Zeng passed away in 1982, she will be in the history books forever. Known as the tallest verified woman, she has a record that is going to be tough to beat.
Paul Sturgess — 7'7'' (2. 31 M)
Paul Sturgess is a 7 foot 7 Brit who weighs 325 pounds. You will not be surprised to learn his career choice was basketball, like so many tall men out there. From 2011–2013, he played for the Harlem Globetrotters. Then, he transferred to the Texas Legends and the Cheshire Phoenix. Some might think that he is an anomaly in his family, like so many gigantic folks out there. But no!
Mom is a normal height. But dad is actually 6 foot 10. Sure, Paul is considerably taller. But it's not out of the blue! We must wonder how tall Paul's future son will be. Can the evolutionary trend continue?
Zainab Bibi — 7'2'' (2. 18 M)
Zainab Bibi was already the tallest woman in Pakistan. In 2003, she received the honor of being the world's tallest woman, period. That year, she made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. While she must have been tickled by that, her life was painful. Zainab had diabetes and osteoporosis, and it must have been hard to focus on work sometimes. At first, she didn't receive a lot of governmental assistance.
But when her story became more well known, she caught the attention of the highest officials. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif handed her a big check to help with her wellbeing, and things seemed brighter for a time. Sadly, Zainab still passed away at just 46 years old.
Hussain Bisad — 7'7 1/2'' (2. 32 M)
Hussain Bisad is one of the tallest people on earth, at 7 ft 7+1⁄2 in. He also held the record for having the largest hands, for a time. Sultan Kosen currently has that record, but he still has the number two spot. That's nothing to scoff at! Docs say he is this large because of a medical condition, which shouldn't surprise anyone familiar with the tall. They think he has a tumor in the pituitary gland behind his eyes. But he can't feel it, day to day.
Born in Somalia, he is definitely the tallest in his nation. But during the recent war, he fled to the UK and received asylum. He's the tallest bloke there, too!
Franz Winkelmeier — 8'6'' (2. 59 M)
Franz Winkelmeier was an Austrian man who was measured to be 8 foot 6. He remains the fifth tallest person ever, and during his lifetime, he got to be the tallest man in the world, for a time. His nickname was the Giant of Friedburg-Lengau. That's his hometown, and we think the name is quite fitting. Some might be surprised to learn that his height was completely normal until he was 14. Yes, really!
Imagine growing up totally normal, and then transforming into a giant as a teen. We wonder how he dealt with the changes, emotionally. We would have felt a bit awkward!
Yasutaka Okayama — 7'8'' (2. 34 M)
Yasutaka Okayama is now in his 60's, and he has been the tallest Japanese person since his youth. He played basketball in the 1980s, as some may remember. During the NBA draft, he was selected by the Golden State Warriors, but he did not sign with them. Instead, he played with the Sumitomo Metal Sparks until 1990. at which time he went into coaching. He's had quite a career, and we have to assume his usual height played a part. How could it not?
As it turns out, Yasutaka is also a trained Judo athlete. He has a second-degree black belt. But we have to wonder who can compete with him on the mat. How would you even approach taking down such a large opponent?
Uljana Semjonova — 7'0'' (2. 13 M)
Uljana Semjonova is often called the best female basketball player of the '70s and '80s. The Latvian athlete was seven feet tall, and boy did she use that to her advantage on the court. Besides being vertically massive, Uljana also had the largest feet in the league: A men's size 21! With her height and her big shoes, it's not an accident she won 15 Euro championships over her career.
Today, Uljana is still alive and kicking. Now almost 70, we wonder if she will soon become the tallest senior citizen in the world. As we can see by now, there are often serious health complications for people in this bracket. But not Uljana!
André the Giant — 7'4'' (2. 23 M)
You may know André the Giant from his role in The Princess Bride, or his wins in the wrestling leagues. In the 80's, this real-life giant was a celeb, no doubt. Born André René Roussimoff in France, he was called "The Eighth Wonder of the World" in his lifetime. A diagnosis of acromegaly led to his large size, at 7 foot 4. But he never complained. It made him a star!
Sadly, that same issue led to his early death. He died of congestive heart failure in his sleep, while in a Paris hotel. It's terribly sad, but we will always treasure the Andre we knew.
Yao Defen — 7'8'' (2. 34)
Just who is the tallest living female? It's a title that keeps shuffling around, but it belonged to Yao Defen, for a time. At 7'8'', Guinness World Records had her listed until she died in 2012. In Yao's case, just like so many others of her size, there was a tumor causing all the growth. At eleven years old, she was already 6 foot 2. Docs advised surgery back then, but her poor farmer family didn't have the money.
Unsurprisingly, she suffered from health problems until her early death at age 39. And it was emotionally tough, too. Yao shared: “I am very unhappy. Why am I this tall? If I were not this tall, others would not look at me like this.”
Édouard Beaupré — 8'3'' (2. 51 M)
Édouard Beaupré was a Canadian of note around the turn of the century. He was 8 foot 3, and naturally, that meant he belonged in the circus. That's how people felt in those days, anyway! During his life, he worked as a wrestler, a strongman, and as a star in the famed Barnum and Bailey's shows. His genetics astounded even his own family. Dad was just 5 foot 7. What happened?
We can't know for sure, at this point. We just know that Ed was lifting horses on his family's ranch for fun, before he was even an adult. Pretty unusual!
Jinnat Ali — 8'6'' (2. 59 M)
Jinnat Ali has passed away, but he had the honor of being the tallest person from Bangladesh until 2020. One of three sons in a normal height family, Jinnat started to rapidly grow in childhood and continued into his early 20's. To keep normal muscle mass at his size, he had to eat a kilo of food every single day. He was diagnosed with acromegalic gigantism, caused by a pesky pituitary gland tumor.
Locally, Jinnat was hard to miss on the street. He even got the attention of his nation's prime minister in 2018. It doesn't surprise us that he was a bit of a celeb! But sadly, he was soon diagnosed with a brain tumor. Surgery was ineffective, and he died of complications during recovery. Sad!
Gitika Srivastava — 6'11'' (2. 10 M)
When you're as tall as Gitika Srivastava, you might sit back and rest on your laurels. But being 6 foot 11 wasn't enough for Gitika. She had already played on the Indian women's national basketball team, and she had serious academic dreams. After attending MIT and Harvard for computer science and business, she founded Navya Network. That's a healthcare tech startup, where she is currently CEO. What does she attribute for her success?
According to Gitika: "Luck plays a part, but not without hard work. Hard work without luck, will get you nowhere. For a hard-working person to be successful, she must also have luck by her side."
Väinö Myllyrinne — 8'3'' (2. 51 M)
Väinö Myllyrinne was a Finnish giant who once held the title for the world's tallest living person. At 21, he was 7 foot 4 and weighed 311 pounds. But he wasn't done growing! In his late 30's, Väinö went into a bizarre second growth spurt. Eventually, he achieved his world record height of 8 foot 3. It sounds very intimidating, in person. Would you believe he used his size to fight in wars?
Considered the tallest soldier of all time, he served in the Finnish Defence Forces in the Viipuri Heavy Artillery Regiment. Then, he traveled around Europe as a wrestler and circus act. But when war broke out in his home country, he returned to fight. We know we wouldn't want to challenge him!
Malee Duangdee — 6'10'' (2. 08 M)
If you've been wondering who the tallest lady in Thailand was, we've found the answer. Although she has passed on now, it was Malee Duangdee for a few years. At 6 foot 10, her growth was considered abnormal. A brain tumor pressed on a nerve and caused a hormone imbalance. Other people didn't necessarily understand that, and it wasn't easy to be this tall as a teen. Malee said she was bullied!
It's not easy to be different when you're young. Sadly, Malee didn't get much of a chance to grow old, because of health problems associated with her condition. She died of a heart attack at age 24. Before that, she lost her sight!
Caroline Welz — 6'9'' (2. 05 M)
Germans are known as strong, tall folks. But even in Deutschland, there is a standard for giant. Caroline Welz is 6 foot 9, and is not only taller than the other women her age, but she's taller than all her dates. She is currently the tallest woman in her country, and number 8 worldwide. Caroline is often asked if she played basketball. She replies she does not, but she does play the trumpet!
Lots of men are fascinated by this big beauty. But does she show any interest back? At first, Caroline said she wanted a taller boyfriend. But basically, that was impossible. Over time, she warmed up to a guy who was only 6 foot 3. Tough market, for a tall girl!
Rita Miniva Besa — 6'8'' (2. 03 M)
Rita Miniva Besa is 6 foot 8, and ranks in the top ten tallest women in the world today. Originally from Zimbabwe, Rita was recruited to a basketball team in the United States because of her natural gift. How did the athletic recruiters find her, way out in Africa? Well, the average female in her country is just 5 foot 3. You probably could have picked her out from space!
But it's not like she fits in now, either. The average WNBA player is just 6 feet tall. No matter where she goes, Rita Miniva Besa is an extraordinary size.
Liz Cambage — 6'8" (2. 03 M)
Liz Cambage grew up quite tall in Australia. But her height wasn't the only reason she felt she stood out. According to the WBNA star: "As a teenager, I was really self-conscious because I was so much taller than everyone else. And in Australia there weren’t many black girls around — there definitely weren’t any dark girls on TV — so I didn’t really have anyone to look up to."
Liz said she was bullied for being different when she was younger. But today, she is known to have a sharp tongue herself on the court. No one is messing with this athlete, now!
Brahim Takioullah — 8'1'' (2. 46 M)
Brahim Takioullah is a Moroccan man who once held the world record for the largest feet. He's now in second place in two contests: The feet, of course. But also, as the overall tallest in the world. At age18, he got a blood test and was diagnosed with acromegaly, Why were doctors concerned? Well, he grew a whole meter in just one year. Has that ever happened to anyone in your circles? We think not.
These days, his hormone level is normal after surgery to remove a tumor. It was successful, and his heart is in good condition, too. This is often a concern for the ultra-large among us. We wish Brahim all the best!
Igor Vovkovinskiy — 7'8'' (2. 33 M)
Igor Vovkovinskiy is 7 foot 8, and he always had a problem. He was in a lot of pain, due to his size. He just couldn't find a pair of shoes that fit, which doesn't;t surprise us. Reebok made him a custom pair, though. The media came to see him try them on, and capture his joy. He explained: "For so long it hurt to have shoes on...Every day, I was in pain. I want to be active again and walk. I can barely walk two blocks now. Before, I could walk two miles."
In Europe, people may know him from his appearance on Eurovision as a big viking. He carried a singer, like only he could. We think he might have a future in film!
Zhan Shichai — 8'0'' (2. 44 M)
Zhan Shichaiwas a Chinese giant known as "Chang the Chinese Giant". He did world tours back in the 19th century; at a time when people were quite excited to see human abnormalities. From Europe to Australia, audiences were shocked at his size. We think we would be too. Back then, today, anytime! Along the way, Zhan learned ten languages, we find just as impressive. Eventually, he moved to the USA, and the Austrailia.
He opened a teahouse, which locals really enjoyed. He also ran a s tore selling Chinese imports with his wife. At age 50m he passed away. His coffin was more 8 feet long!
Rumeysa Gelgi — 7'0. 7'' (2. 31 M)
Turkish gal Rumeysa Gelgi is 7 feet, 0.7 inches. As of 2021,. she was confirmed as the largest living lady by the Guinness World Records organization. Why is she so enormous? Well, it's all due to something called Weaver syndrome. This medical condition causes accelerated growth, and we can see that is exactly what happened. Gelgi was already the world's biggest teen, just a few years ago. She's a double record holder now.
According to the giantess: "Being different is not as bad as you think. It can bring you unexpected success...I personally think that differences and other features which seem like a disadvantage can be turned to advantages if you want it and make the effort for it. That is exactly what I did."
Neil Fingleton — 7'7'' (2. 31 M)
You may recognize him from Doctor Who and Game of Thrones: Actor Neil Fingleton was once the tallest man in the UK. During his life, he had a great attitude about his size. According to the actor: “I do cause a bit of a stir wherever I go, with people pulling out cameras, but it doesn’t bother me...I’ve never been embarrassed about my height and I actually like the size I am. It’s something unique and original. My group of friends are great and I come from a good family, so being tall hasn’t ever been an issue. I’ve not been self-conscious.”
It's great to hear he had a supportive group around him. Sadly, he died at age 36. Like so many men of his size, heart failure was the cause. We will miss you, Neil!
Feodor Makhnov — 7'10'' (2. 39 M)
Feodor Makhnov was born in 1876 in modern day Belarus. As twenty-something, he toured Europe because of his enormous size. It was never officially measured by any record books, but he was billed as being over seven feet tall. The crowd certainly came to see! When he visited America, he impressed President Roosevelt. Sometimes, the tours would advertise him as 9 feet tall, but we don't believe that. We can guesstimate from the photos!
Some people think the number was exaggerated because his Russian fur hat and boots made him seem even taller. We can buy that explanation, but we're going with the conservative figure. He's still incredibly tall!
Eddie Carmel — 8'9'' (2. 67 M)
Eddie Carmel was an Israeli giant who moved to America to play roles in Hollywood. No one will be surprised to hear was diagnosed with gigantism and acromegaly, and had a pituitary tumor. His nickname was "The Jewish Giant", and "The Happy Giant." Based on his movie roles, some also called him "The World's Biggest Cowboy." He liked them all, and never complained. We think they're silly, but they fit!
Sadly, Eddie stopped working in 1969. Why? Well, he had physical challenges, due to his size. It's not all upside! His arthritis made moving around in scenes difficult, and he needed a cane to walk. Sad times!