Sultan Kösen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sultan Kösen
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Kösen in 2009
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| Born | 10 December 1982 Mardin, Turkey
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| Occupation | Farmer |
| Known for | Tallest living man 7th verified tallest person in history |
| Height | 251 cm (8 ft 3 in) |
| Spouse(s) |
Merve Dibo
(m. 2013; div. 2021) |
Sultan Kösen, born on December 10, 1982, is a farmer from Turkey. He holds the Guinness World Record for being the tallest living man in the world. He stands at an amazing 251 centimeters (8 feet 2.8 inches) tall!
Sultan's incredible height is due to a medical condition. He has gigantism and acromegaly. These conditions happen because of a small growth, called a tumour, on his pituitary gland. This gland is in the brain and controls growth. Because of his height and condition, Sultan uses crutches to help him walk.
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Sultan's Early Life and Challenges
Sultan Kösen is from a village called Alibey in Mardin Province, Turkey. He is of Kurdish background. Because of his great height, Sultan could not finish his schooling. Instead, he worked as a farmer.
Being very tall has both good and challenging parts. Sultan says it's great to see far away. He can also help his family with tasks around the house. For example, he can change light bulbs or hang curtains without needing a ladder!
However, finding clothes and shoes that fit is very hard. His legs are about 126 centimeters (49.6 inches) long. His arms need sleeves about 97 centimeters (38.2 inches) long. His feet are also very big. His left foot is 36.5 centimeters (14.4 inches) long, and his right foot is 35.5 centimeters (14.0 inches) long. His hands are the longest ever measured on a living person, at 28.5 centimeters (11.2 inches). It is also tough for him to fit into a regular car.
From 2002 to 2003, Sultan briefly played basketball. He was part of the Turkish basketball club Galatasaray S.K..
Stopping Sultan's Growth
In 2010, Sultan Kösen started a special treatment. He received something called Gamma Knife treatment. This was for the growth on his pituitary gland. He also took medicine to control his high levels of growth hormone. This treatment happened at the University of Virginia Medical School.
In March 2012, doctors confirmed good news. The treatment worked! It successfully stopped Sultan's growth.
Sultan's Personal Life
In October 2013, Sultan Kösen married Merve Dibo. She was from Syria. Sultan once shared that talking was their biggest challenge. He speaks Turkish, but his wife only spoke Arabic. They divorced in 2021, and the language difference was one of the main reasons.
Meeting the World's Shortest Man
On November 13, 2014, something special happened. It was part of Guinness World Records Day. Sultan Kösen met the world's shortest man ever recorded. His name was Chandra Bahadur Dangi. He was only 54.6 centimeters (1 foot 9.5 inches) tall. They met at an event in London. The height difference between them was huge: 196.4 centimeters (6 feet 5.3 inches)!
Sultan's Travels and Records
In 2014, Sultan Kösen joined the Magic Circus of Samoa. He traveled and performed in different shows around the world.
In 2022, Sultan celebrated his 40th birthday. He visited the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in Orlando, Florida, USA. There, he posed next to a life-sized statue of Robert Wadlow. Robert Wadlow was the tallest man ever recorded in history. He was 272 centimeters (8 feet 11.1 inches) tall.
Guinness World Records Held by Sultan
Sultan Kösen holds several amazing world records:
- On August 25, 2009, Guinness World Records measured his height. He was 246.4 centimeters (8 feet 0.9 inches) tall. This made him the tallest living man. He took the record from Bao Xishun, who was 236.1 centimeters (7 feet 8.9 inches) tall.
- Sultan also holds the record for the largest hands. His hands are 27.5 centimeters (10.8 inches) long.
- He has the second-largest feet. His left foot is 36.5 centimeters (14.4 inches) long. His right foot is 35.5 centimeters (14.0 inches) long.
On February 9, 2011, Guinness World Records measured Sultan again. His height was confirmed at 251 centimeters (8 feet 2.8 inches). They also re-measured his hands. They were 28 centimeters (11.0 inches) long, breaking his own record!
See also
In Spanish: Sultan Kösen para niños
- List of tallest people
- Robert Wadlow, the tallest man in recorded history
- Rumeysa Gelgi, the tallest woman alive (also from Turkey)
- Zeng Jinlian, the tallest woman in recorded history
