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List of longest-living state leaders

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This article lists the 100 oldest heads of state or heads of government of sovereign states, often presidents or prime ministers[1], since the early modern period onwards. This list includes those who were or are leaders over a sovereign and internationally recognized state. States with limited recognition are not included (exceptions being for states considered independent in their own right, including members of the Warsaw Pact[note 1]). Leaders who do not have any reliable source about their death currently or have been alive according to a source more than 10 years old are not included in the list. The longest-lived verifiable state leader is Chau Sen Cocsal Chhum of Cambodia at the age of 103 years, 143 days[2]. Muhammad al-Muqri of Morocco is the only state leader who could have lived longer, possibly to the age of 103 years, 219 days[3], while the status of state leader of César Yanes Urías of El Salvador[4] and Josip Manolić of Croatia[5], who have lived to the ages of 104 years, 224 days and 104 years, 24 days respectively, is unclear. Leaders who are currently living are in bold and green, with Guillermo Rodríguez of Ecuador being the longest-living of those at the age of 102 years, 345 days[6].

Gallery

List

  Currently living
More information No., Name ...
No. Name State Position Birth Death Age Citation
1Chau Sen Cocsal Chhum CambodiaActing Prime Minister (1962)1 Sep 190522 Jan 2009103 years, 143 days[2]
2Celâl Bayar Turkey
16 May 188322 Aug 1986103 years, 98 days[7]
3Antoine Pinay FrancePrime Minister (1952–1953)30 Dec 189113 Dec 1994102 years, 348 days[8]
4Guillermo Rodríguez EcuadorActing President (1972–1976)4 Nov 1923Alive102 years, 345 days[6]
5Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni JapanPrime Minister (1945)3 Dec 188720 Jan 1990102 years, 48 days[9]
6Babiker Awadalla SudanActing Prime Minister (1969)2 Mar 191717 Jan 2019101 years, 321 days[10]
7Willem Drees NetherlandsPrime Minister (1948–1958)5 Jul 188614 May 1988101 years, 314 days[11]
8 Đỗ Mười Vietnam
2 Feb 19171 Oct 2018101 years, 241 days[12]
9Tomiichi Murayama JapanPrime Minister (1994–1996)3 Mar 192417 Oct 2025101 years, 228 days[13]
10 Zhang Qun ChinaPremier (1947–1948)9 May 188914 Dec 1990101 years, 219 days[14]
11Yasuhiro Nakasone JapanPrime Minister (1982–1987)27 May 191829 Nov 2019101 years, 186 days[15]
12Piet de Jong NetherlandsPrime Minister (1967–1971)3 Apr 191527 Jul 2016101 years, 115 days[16]
13 Mahathir Mohamad MalaysiaPrime Minister (1981–2003; 2018–2020)10 Jul 1925Alive101 years, 97 days[17]
14Mohammad Hasan Sharq AfghanistanChairman of the Council of Ministers (1988–1989)17 Jul 1925Alive101 years, 90 days[18]
15 Hyun Soong-jong South KoreaPrime Minister (1992–1993)26 Feb 191925 May 2020101 years, 89 days[19]
16Bernardino González Ruiz PanamaActing President (1963)11 Jan 191115 Mar 2012101 years, 64 days[20]
17Khamtai Siphandone Laos
8 Feb 19242 Apr 2025101 years, 53 days[21]
18Christopher Hornsrud NorwayPrime Minister (1928)15 Nov 185912 Dec 1960101 years, 27 days[22]
19Vassos Lyssarides CyprusActing President (1989; 2002)13 May 192026 Apr 2021100 years, 348 days[23]
20Mustafa Ben Halim LibyaPrime Minister (1954–1957)29 Jan 19217 Dec 2021100 years, 312 days[24]
21Telmo Vargas EcuadorActing President (1966)9 Oct 19129 Aug 2013100 years, 304 days[25]
22Francisco Morales Bermúdez PeruPrime Minister (1975)
President (1975–1980)		4 Oct 192114 Jul 2022100 years, 283 days[26]
23Luis Echeverría MexicoPresident (1970–1976)17 Jan 19228 Jul 2022100 years, 172 days[27]
24Abdoulaye Wade SenegalPresident (2000–2012)29 May 1926Alive100 years, 139 days[28]
25Jimmy Carter United StatesPresident (1977–1981)1 Oct 192429 Dec 2024100 years, 89 days[29]
26Xenophon Zolotas GreeceInterim Prime Minister (1989–1990)26 Mar 190410 Jun 2004100 years, 76 days[30]
27Javier Pérez de Cuéllar PeruPrime Minister (2000–2001)19 Jan 19204 Mar 2020100 years, 45 days[31]
28Abdul Salam Sabrah North YemenActing Prime Minister (1969; 1971; 1971)1 Jan 19122 Feb 2012100 years, 32 days[32]
29Valdas Adamkus LithuaniaPresident (1998–2003; 2004–2009)3 Nov 1926Alive99 years, 346 days[33]
30Raif Dizdarević YugoslaviaPresident of the Presidency (1988–1989)9 Dec 19262 Sep 202699 years, 267 days[34]
31Johan Ferrier SurinamePresident (1975–1980)12 May 19104 Jan 201099 years, 237 days[35]
32 Tun Tin BurmaPrime Minister (1988)2 Oct 19201 May 202099 years, 212 days[36]
33Gulzarilal Nanda IndiaActing Prime Minister (1964; 1966)4 Jul 189815 Jan 199899 years, 195 days[37]
34Mohammed Karim Lamrani MoroccoPrime Minister (1971–1972; 1983–1986; 1992–1994)1 May 191920 Sep 201899 years, 142 days[38]
35Anthony Mamo Malta
9 Jan 19091 May 200899 years, 113 days[39]
36Michail Stasinopoulos GreecePresident (1974–1975)27 Jul 190331 Oct 200299 years, 96 days[40]
37Clifford Campbell JamaicaGovernor-General (1962–1973)28 Jun 189228 Sep 199199 years, 92 days[41]
38Morarji Desai IndiaPrime Minister (1977–1979)29 Feb 189610 Apr 199599 years, 41 days[42]
39 Võ Chí Công VietnamChairman of the Council of State (1987–1992)7 Aug 19128 Sep 201199 years, 32 days[43]
40Ċensu Tabone MaltaPresident (1989–1994)30 Mar 191314 Mar 201298 years, 350 days[44]
41Ali Hassan Mwinyi Tanzania
[note 2]		8 May 192529 Feb 202498 years, 297 days[45]
42Prem Tinsulanonda Thailand
26 Aug 192026 May 201998 years, 273 days[46]
43Pierre Harmel BelgiumPrime Minister (1965–1966)16 Mar 191115 Nov 200998 years, 244 days[47]
44Howard Cooke JamaicaGovernor-General (1991–2006)13 Nov 191511 Jul 201498 years, 240 days[48]
45Joseph Paul-Boncour FrancePrime Minister (1932–1933)4 Aug 187328 Mar 197298 years, 237 days[49]
46Konstantinos Mitsotakis GreecePrime Minister (1990–1993)31 Oct 191829 May 201798 years, 210 days[50]
47Isidro Ayora EcuadorPresident (1926–1931)[note 3]31 Aug 187922 Mar 197898 years, 203 days[51]
48Émile Reuter LuxembourgPrime Minister (1918–1925)2 Aug 187414 Feb 197398 years, 196 days[52]
49Mamadou Dia SenegalPrime Minister (1957–1962)18 Jul 191025 Jan 200998 years, 191 days[53]
50Aden Adde SomaliaPresident (1960–1967)9 Dec 19088 Jun 200798 years, 181 days[54]
51Arthur Foulkes BahamasGovernor-General (2010–2014)11 May 1928Alive98 years, 157 days[55]
52 Lê Đức Anh VietnamPresident (1992–1997)1 Dec 192022 Apr 201998 years, 142 days[56]
53Émile Derlin Zinsou DahomeyPresident (1968–1969)23 Mar 191828 Jul 201698 years, 127 days[57]
54Lubomír Štrougal CzechoslovakiaPrime Minister (1970–1988)19 Oct 19246 Feb 202398 years, 110 days[58]
55Jean  Luxembourg
5 Jan 192123 Apr 201998 years, 108 days[59]
56Gough Whitlam AustraliaPrime Minister (1972–1975)11 Jul 191621 Oct 201498 years, 102 days[60]
57Giorgio Napolitano ItalyPresident (2006–2015)29 Jun 192522 Sep 202398 years, 85 days[61]
58Venceslau Brás BrazilPresident (1914–1918)26 Feb 186815 May 196698 years, 78 days[62]
59Ramaswamy Venkataraman IndiaPresident (1987–1992)4 Dec 191027 Jan 200998 years, 54 days[63]
60Péter Boross HungaryPrime Minister (1993–1994)27 Aug 1928Alive98 years, 49 days[64]
61Gabriel París Gordillo ColombiaActing President (1957–1958)8 Mar 191021 Mar 200898 years, 13 days[65]
62Miloš Jakeš CzechoslovakiaFirst Secretary of the Communist Party (1987–1989)12 Aug 192210 Jul 202097 years, 333 days[66]
63Thanin Kraivichien ThailandPrime Minister (1976–1977)5 Apr 192723 Feb 202597 years, 324 days[67]
64Abdelsalam Majali JordanPrime Minister (1993–1995; 1997–1998)18 Feb 19253 Jan 202397 years, 319 days[68]
65Kenan Evren TurkeyPresident (1982–1989)17 Jul 19179 May 201597 years, 296 days[69]
66 Zhu Rongji ChinaPremier of the State Council (1998–2003)23 Oct 192812 Aug 202697 years, 293 days[70]
67Wellington Koo China
29 Jan 188814 Nov 198597 years, 289 days[71]
68 Baron Ignaz von Plener Austria-HungaryMinister-President (1870)21 May 181017 Feb 190897 years, 272 days[72]
Kim Yong-nam North KoreaPresident of the Presidium (1998–2019)4 Feb 19283 Nov 2025[73]
70Domhnall Ua Buachalla Irish Free StateGovernor-General (1932–1936)3 Feb 186630 Oct 196397 years, 269 days[74]
71Abdelmalek Benhabyles AlgeriaActing President (1992)[note 4]27 Apr 192128 Dec 201897 years, 245 days[75]
72Arnaldo Forlani ItalyPrime Minister (1980–1981)8 Dec 19256 Jul 202397 years, 210 days[76]
73Ramón José Velásquez VenezuelaPresident (1993–1994)28 Nov 191624 Jun 201497 years, 208 days[77]
74 He Yingqin ChinaPremier (1949)2 Apr 189021 Oct 198797 years, 202 days[78]
75Liam Cosgrave IrelandTaoiseach (1973–1977)13 Apr 19204 Oct 201797 years, 174 days[79]
76Alfredo Solf y Muro PeruPrime Minister (1939–1944)15 Mar 187214 Aug 196997 years, 152 days[80]
77Patricio Aylwin ChilePresident (1990–1994)26 Nov 191819 Apr 201697 years, 145 days[81]
78Armando Villanueva PeruPrime Minister (1988–1989)25 Nov 191514 Apr 201397 years, 140 days[82]
79Ion Gheorghe Maurer RomaniaPresident of the Council of Ministers (1961–1974)23 Sep 19028 Feb 200097 years, 138 days[83]
80Martial Célestin HaitiPrime Minister (1988)4 Oct 19134 Feb 201197 years, 123 days[84]
81Édouard Balladur FrancePrime Minister (1993–1995)2 May 192931 Aug 202697 years, 121 days[85]
82Gheorghe Apostol RomaniaGeneral Secretary (1954–1955)16 May 191321 Aug 201097 years, 97 days[86]
83Orville Turnquest BahamasGovernor-General (1995–2001)19 Jul 1929Alive97 years, 88 days[87]
84Pierre-Antoine Lalloy FrancePresident of the National Convention (1792)16 Jan 174916 Mar 184697 years, 59 days[88]
85Kenneth Kaunda ZambiaPresident (1964–1991)[note 5]28 Apr 192417 Jun 202197 years, 50 days[89]
86Giovanni Paolo Lascaris Knights HospitallerGrand Master of the Knights Hospitaller (1636–1657)28 Jun 156014 Aug 165797 years, 47 days[90]
Walter Scheel West Germany
8 Jul 191924 Aug 2016[91]
88Michael J. Williams Trinidad and TobagoActing President (1987)16 Oct 1929Alive96 years, 364 days[92]
89 Gombojavyn Ochirbat MongoliaGeneral Secretary of the People's Revolutionary Party (1990)15 Nov 1929Alive96 years, 334 days[93]
90Helmut Schmidt West GermanyChancellor (1974–1982)23 Dec 191810 Nov 201596 years, 322 days[94]
91Alfred Moisiu AlbaniaPresident (2002–2007)1 Dec 1929Alive96 years, 318 days[95]
92Gennaro Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte Vatican CityDean of the College of Cardinals during vacancy (1939)10 Apr 185116 Feb 194896 years, 312 days[96]
93Khertek Anchimaa-Toka TuvaChairwoman of the Presidium (1940–1944)1 Jan 19124 Nov 200896 years, 308 days[97]
94 Lee Hyun-jae South KoreaPrime Minister (1988)20 Dec 1929Alive96 years, 299 days[98]
95 Nguyễn Văn Xuân South VietnamChief of Provisional Central Government (1948–1949)3 Apr 189214 Jan 198996 years, 286 days[99]
96Ahmed Osman MoroccoPrime Minister (1972–1979)3 Jan 1930Alive96 years, 285 days[100]
97Milan Panić YugoslaviaFederal Prime Minister (1992–1993)20 Dec 192924 Sep 202696 years, 278 days[101]
98Camille Huysmans BelgiumPrime Minister (1946–1947)26 May 187125 Feb 196896 years, 275 days[102]
99Yitzhak Shamir IsraelPrime Minister (1983–1984; 1986–1992)22 Oct 191530 Jun 201296 years, 252 days[103]
100Habib Bourguiba TunisiaPrime Minister (1956–1957)
President (1957–1987)		3 Aug 19036 Apr 200096 years, 247 days[104]
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Addendum

  Currently living

Uncertain date of birth/death

More information Name, State ...
The following individuals might have been older than #1–100 on this list, but their exact date of birth/death is uncertain.
Name State Position Birth Death Age Citation
Muhammad al-Muqri MoroccoGrand vizier (1911–1913; 1917–1955)2 Feb 1854 or 2 Feb 1860[note 6]9 Sep 1957
  • 103 years, 219 days or
  • 97 years, 219 days
[3]
Ek Yi Oun CambodiaPrime Minister (1958)1910Jan 2013
  • 102 years, 1 day to
  • 103 years, 30 days
[107]
Ghalib bin Ali Imamate of OmanImam (1954–1959)1908 or 191229 Nov 2009
  • 100 years, 333 days to
  • 101 years, 332 days or
  • 96 years, 333 days to
  • 97 years, 332 days
[108]
Hastings Banda MalawiPrime Minister (1964–1966)
President (1966–1994)		ca. 1896–1898[note 7]25 Nov 1997
  • 98 years, 329 days to
  • 101 years, 328 days
[112]
Sheikh Mukhtar Mohamed Hussein SomaliaActing President (1969)before Jun 191212 Jun 2012
  • 100 years, 0 days to
  • 100 years, 163 days
[note 8]		[113]
Abdul Momin BruneiSultan (1852–1885)before May 178829 May 188597 years, 0 days to 97 years, 148 days[note 9][114]
Federico Páez EcuadorPresident (1935–1937)6 Jun 1876 or 4 Jun 18779 Feb 197497 years, 248 days or 96 years, 250 days[115]
Konstantinos Kollias GreecePrime Minister (1967)190113 Jul 1998
  • 96 years, 194 days to
  • 97 years, 193 days
[116]
Close

Unclear status as state leaders

More information Name, State ...
The following individuals lived longer than #1–75 on this list, but their status as a state leader is unclear.[note 10]
Name State Position Birth Death Age Citation
César Yanes Urías El SalvadorMember of the Junta of Government (1960–1961)24 Apr 19204 Dec 2024104 years, 224 days[4]
Josip Manolić CroatiaPrime Minister (1991)22 Mar 192015 Apr 2024104 years, 24 days[5]
Kazi Lhendup Dorjee SikkimPrime Minister (1974–1975)11 Oct 190428 Jul 2007102 years, 290 days[117]
André Prunet-Foch Andorra[note 11]French Viguier (1977–1980)3 Jul 191430 Jan 2017102 years, 211 days[118]
Edward Bernard Raczyński Poland
19 Dec 189130 Jul 1993101 years, 223 days[119]
Kim Yong-ju North KoreaVice president during vacancy (1994–1998)21 Sep 192013 Dec 2021101 years, 83 days[120]
Hau Pei-tsun TaiwanPresident of the Executive Yuan (1990–1993)8 Aug 191930 Mar 2020100 years, 235 days[121]
Ali Haroun AlgeriaMember of the High Council of State (1992–1994)8 Feb 1927Alive99 years, 249 days[122]
Abdel Halim Mohamed SudanMember of Sovereignty Council (1964–1965)10 Apr 191016 Apr 200999 years, 6 days[123]
Ivan Kedryn-Rudnytskyi UkraineChairman of the Council of People's Ministers in-exile (1976–1978)22 Apr 18964 Mar 199598 years, 316 days[124]
Matthew Ridgway JapanSupreme Commander for the Allied Powers (1951–1952)3 Mar 189526 Jul 199398 years, 145 days[125]
Borys Martos UkraineChairman of the Council of People's Ministers (1919)20 May 187919 Sep 197798 years, 122 days[126]
Artúr Görgei Hungarian StateGovernor-President (1849)30 Jan 181821 May 191698 years, 112 days[127]
Claude Rostain Andorra[note 11]French Viguier (1972–1977)16 Dec 191610 Feb 201598 years, 56 days[128]
Dezső Pattantyús-Ábrahám HungaryPrime Minister of the Counter-Revolutionary Government (1919)10 Jul 187525 Jul 197398 years, 15 days[129]
Sawai Tej Singh Naruka AlwarRaja during Independence from British Raj (1947–1948)17 Mar 191115 Feb 200997 years, 335 days[130]
Abraham Gijsbertus Verster Batavian RepublicChairman of the National Assembly (1797)31 Jan 17517 Oct 184897 years, 250 days[131]
Laurie Greig Cook IslandsActing Queen's Representative (2000–2001)24 Feb 1929Alive97 years, 233 days[132]
Janak Singh Jammu and KashmirPrime Minister (1947)5 Aug 187215 Mar 197097 years, 222 days[133]
Francesc Badia i Batalla Andorra[note 11]Episcopal Viguier (1972–1993)10 Jan 192314 Aug 202097 years, 217 days[134]
Lee Teng-hui TaiwanPresident (1988–2000)15 Jan 192330 Jul 202097 years, 197 days[135]
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Unclear status as state leaders with uncertain date of birth/death

More information Name, State ...
The following individuals might have been older than #19–82 on this list, but his exact date of birth/death is uncertain and his status as a state leader is unclear.[note 12]
Name State Position Birth Death Age Citation
M. A. Sreenivasan GwaliorDewan during Independence from British Raj (1947–1948)189715 Jan 1998
  • 100 years, 15 days to
  • 101 years, 14 days
[136]
Yahya Hammuda PalestineChairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (1967–1969)Mar 190912 Jun 200697 years, 73 days to 97 years, 103 days[137]
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See also

Notes

  1. [1]
    For states since the United Nations was formed, having significant international recognition by the international community or being an Observer state is enough for entering the main list. For states prior to the United Nations Security Council Resolution 109 on 14 December 1955 and during the League of Nations' era, recognition by at least one widely recognised state is enough for entry.
  2. [2]
    Mwinyi ruled as chairman until 1996, however it ceased to be the ruling party after his presidency ended in 1995.
  3. [3]
    He was interim President until 1929.
  4. [4]
    Chairman of the Constitutional Council from 1989; Became Acting President on 11 January 1992 after state President Chadli Bendjedid was ousted.
  5. [5]
    Kaunda was also the Prime Minister of Northern Rhodesia, a British protectorate, in 1964.
  6. [6]
    Muhammad al-Muqri's birthdate is disputed, but he is generally agreed to have been born in either 1854 or 1860.[105][106]
  7. [7]
    Hastings Banda's birthdate is disputed, but he is generally agreed to have been born between 1896[109] and 1898[110], though some sources suggest 1906.[111]
  8. [8]
    Sheikh Mukhtar Mohamed Hussein's birthdate is uncertain, but it is known he was 100 when he died and that he was born in 1912.
  9. [9]
    Abdul Momin's birthdate is uncertain, but it is known he was 97 when he died and that he was born in 1788.
  10. [10]
    They were either members of collective presidencies without a clear leader, interim leaders, de facto leaders, widely recognised leaders whose true power was limited or leaders of political entities whose status as sovereign states was unclear or disputed.
  11. [11]
    Andorra was not recognised by the UN until 28 July 1993.
  12. [12]
    Sreenivasan was ruling Gwalior during its brief independence from the British Raj, meaning his state as a sovereign state leader was disputed and unclear.Hammuda was ruler of Palestine before it became a widely recognised state, meaning his status as a sovereign state leader was disputed and unclear.

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