Lists of state leaders by age
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Since 1800, the youngest serving state leader has been 0-day-old Alfonso XIII, King of Spain,[1] while the oldest has been 96-year-old Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms.
This article contains various lists of state leaders organized by age, defined as heads of state and/or heads of government.
Oldest serving state leaders
[edit]Top ten currently serving
[edit]
People currently serving as head of state and/or head of government, a party leader of a one-party state, or a representative of a head of state.
| Rank | Name | Position | Assumed office | Born | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Biya | President of Cameroon | 1982[2] | 13 February 1933 | 92 years, 128 days |
| 2 | Mahmoud Abbas | President of the Palestinian National Authority, President of the State of Palestine | 2005[3] | 15 November 1935 | 89 years, 218 days |
| 3 | Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud | King of Saudi Arabia | 2015[4] | 31 December 1935 | 89 years, 172 days |
| 4 | Harald V | King of Norway[5] | 1991 | 21 February 1937 | 88 years, 120 days |
| 5 | Ali Khamenei | Supreme Leader of Iran | 1989[6] | 19 April 1939 | 86 years, 63 days |
| 6 | Jean-Lucien Savi de Tové | President of Togo | 2025 | 7 May 1939 | 86 years, 45 days |
| 7 | Muhammad Yunus | Chief Adviser of Bangladesh | 2024 | 28 June 1940 | 84 years, 358 days |
| 8 | Mishal I | Emir of Kuwait | 2023 | 27 September 1940 | 84 years, 267 days |
| 9 | Michael D. Higgins | President of Ireland | 2011 | 18 April 1941 | 84 years, 64 days |
| 10 | Sergio Mattarella | President of Italy | 2015 | 23 July 1941 | 83 years, 333 days |
Top ten of all time
[edit]
Currently living
| Rank | Name | Position | Last year in office (reason term ended) | Age at end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Giovanni Paolo Lascaris | Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller | 1657 (death) | 97 years, 47 days |
| Ruler of Malta | ||||
| 2 | Elizabeth II | Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms[7] | 2022 (death) | 96 years, 140 days |
| 3 | Prem Tinsulanonda | Regent of Thailand | 2016 (tenure ended) | 96 years, 97 days |
| 4 | George Tupou I | King of Tonga | 1893 (death) | 95 years, 76 days |
| 5 | Mahathir Mohamad | Prime Minister of Malaysia | 2020 (resigned) | 94 years, 235 days |
| 6 | Nicolò da Ponte | Doge of Venice | 1585 (death) | 94 years, 196 days |
| 7 | Malietoa Tanumafili II | O le Ao o le Malo of Samoa | 2007 (death) | 94 years, 127 days |
| 8 | Robert Mugabe | President of Zimbabwe | 2017 (resigned) | 93 years, 273 days |
| 9 | Leo XIII | Pope of the Holy See[8] | 1903 (death) | 93 years, 140 days |
| 10 | Beji Caid Essebsi | President of Tunisia | 2019 (death) | 92 years, 238 days |
Youngest serving state leaders
[edit]Top ten currently serving
[edit]
| Rank | Name | Position | Assumed office | Born | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kristrún Frostadóttir | Prime Minister of Iceland | 2024 | 12 May 1988 | 37 years, 40 days |
| 2 | Ibrahim Traoré | President of the Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration of Burkina Faso | 2022 | 14 March 1988 | 37 years, 99 days |
| Interim President of Burkina Faso | 2022 | ||||
| 3 | Daniel Noboa | President of Ecuador | 2023 | 30 November 1987 | 37 years, 203 days |
| 4 | Milojko Spajić | Prime Minister of Montenegro | 2023 | 24 September 1987 | 37 years, 270 days |
| 5 | Jakov Milatović | President of Montenegro | 2023 | 7 December 1986 | 38 years, 196 days |
| 6 | Paetongtarn Shinawatra | Prime Minister of Thailand | 2024 | 21 August 1986 | 38 years, 304 days |
| 7 | Gabriel Boric | President of Chile | 2022 | 11 February 1986 | 39 years, 130 days |
| 8 | Mohammed bin Salman | Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia | 2022 | 31 August 1985 | 39 years, 294 days |
| 9 | Mahamat Déby | President of Chad[9] | 2024 | 4 April 1984 | 41 years, 79 days |
| 10 | Assimi Goïta | Interim President of Mali[10] | 2021 | 9 November 1983 | 41 years, 224 days |
Top ten since 1800
[edit] Currently living
| Rank | Name | Position | Assumed office | Age when assuming office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alfonso XIII | King of Spain | 1886 | 0 days[1] |
| 2 | Sobhuza II | King of Swaziland | 1899 | 141 days |
| 3 | Fuad II | King of Egypt | 1952 | 192 days |
| 4 | Puyi | Emperor of China | 1908 | 2 years, 299 days |
| 5 | Rajendra | King of Nepal | 1816 | 2 years, 353 days |
| 6 | Isabella II | Queen of Spain | 1833 | 2 years, 354 days |
| 7 | Gyanendra | King of Nepal | 1950[11] | 3 years, 123 days |
| 8 | Guangxu | Emperor of China | 1875 | 3 years, 195 days |
| 9 | Faisal II | King of Iraq | 1939 | 3 years, 337 days |
| 10 | Pedro II | Emperor of Brazil | 1831 | 5 years, 126 days |
Oldest state leaders
[edit]The following lists show the oldest people who have served office as state leader (not limited to their age while in office).
Top ten living
[edit].jpg)
| Rank | Name | Position | In office | Born | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guillermo Rodríguez | Acting President of Ecuador | 1972–1976 | 4 November 1923 | 101 years, 229 days |
| 2 | Tomiichi Murayama | Prime Minister of Japan | 1994–1996 | 3 March 1924 | 101 years, 110 days |
| 3 | Mahathir Mohamad | Prime Minister of Malaysia | 1981–2003; 2018–2020 | 10 July 1925 | 99 years, 346 days |
| 4 | Mohammad Hasan Sharq | Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Afghanistan | 1988–1989 | 17 July 1925 | 99 years, 339 days |
| 5 | Abdoulaye Wade | President of Senegal | 2000–2012 | 29 May 1926 | 99 years, 23 days |
| 6 | Valdas Adamkus | President of Lithuania | 1998–2003; 2004–2009 | 3 November 1926 | 98 years, 230 days |
| 7 | Raif Dizdarević | President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia | 1988–1989 | 9 December 1926 | 98 years, 194 days |
| 8 | Kim Yong-nam | Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea | 1998–2019 | 4 February 1928 | 97 years, 137 days |
| 9 | Arthur Foulkes | Governor-General of the Bahamas | 2010–2014 | 11 May 1928 | 97 years, 41 days |
| 10 | Péter Boross | Prime Minister of Hungary | 1993–1994 | 27 August 1928 | 96 years, 298 days |
Top ten since 1800
[edit]
Currently living
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ a b Became a monarch at birth as his father, Alfonso XII, had died the previous year.
- ^ Previously served as Prime Minister of Cameroon from 1975–1982.
- ^ Previously served as Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority in 2003.
- ^ Served concurrently as Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia from 2015–2022.
- ^ The Kingdom of Norway includes the dependent territory of Svalbard.
- ^ Previously served as President of Iran from 1981–1989.
- ^ In 1952, Princess Elizabeth acceded as the monarch of seven Commonwealth realms. At the time of her death, she reigned as Queen of 15 sovereign states including the United Kingdom. From 1957–1983, most of her British colonies attained independence, and some joined the other realms in different years; most states ceased to be a realm upon becoming republics.
- ^ The Vatican was in a territorial dispute with the Kingdom of Italy from 1870–1929.
- ^ Previously President of the Transitional Military Council of Chad from 2021–2022, and Transitional President of Chad from 2022–2024.
- ^ Previously Chairman of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People of Mali in 2020 and 2021.
- ^ Gyanendra's first occupation of the throne was in 1950; he was deposed in the 1951 Nepalese revolution.
This article includes a politicians-related list of lists.