Since 1800, the youngest serving state leader has been 0-days-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 | State | Position | Assumed office | Born | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Biya | President | 1982[2] | 13 February 1933 | 92 years, 255 days | |
| 2 | Mahmoud Abbas | President | 2005[3] | 15 November 1935 | 89 years, 345 days | |
| 3 | Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud | King | 2015[4] | 31 December 1935 | 89 years, 299 days | |
| 4 | Harald V | King[5] | 1991 | 21 February 1937 | 88 years, 247 days | |
| 5 | Ali Khamenei | Supreme Leader | 1989[6] | 19 April 1939 | 86 years, 190 days | |
| 6 | Jean-Lucien Savi de Tové | President | 2025 | 7 May 1939 | 86 years, 172 days | |
| 7 | Muhammad Yunus | Chief Adviser | 2024 | 28 June 1940 | 85 years, 120 days | |
| 8 | Peter Mutharika | President | 2025[7] | 18 July 1940 | 85 years, 100 days | |
| 9 | Mishal Al-Sabah | Emir | 2023 | 27 September 1940 | 85 years, 29 days | |
| 10 | Michael D. Higgins | President | 2011 | 18 April 1941 | 84 years, 191 days |
Top ten of all time
[edit]
Currently in office
Currently living
| Rank | Name | State | Position | Last year in office (reason term ended) |
Age at end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Giovanni Paolo Lascaris | 1657 (death) | 97 years, 47 days | ||
| 2 | Elizabeth II | Queen[8] | 2022 (death) | 96 years, 140 days | |
| 3 | Prem Tinsulanonda | Regent | 2016 (tenure ended) | 96 years, 97 days | |
| 4 | George Tupou I | King | 1893 (death) | 95 years, 76 days | |
| 5 | Mahathir Mohamad | Prime Minister | 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 | 2007 (death) | 94 years, 127 days | |
| 8 | Robert Mugabe | President | 2017 (resigned) | 93 years, 273 days | |
| 9 | Paul Biya | President | Incumbent | 92 years, 255 days | |
| 10 | Beji Caid Essebsi | President | 2019 (death) | 92 years, 238 days |
Youngest serving state leaders
[edit]Top ten currently serving
[edit]
| Rank | Name | State | Position | Assumed office | Born | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lorenzo Bugli | Captain Regent | 2025 | 20 February 1995 | 30 years, 248 days | |
| 2 | Kristrún Frostadóttir | Prime Minister | 2024 | 12 May 1988 | 37 years, 167 days | |
| 3 | Ibrahim Traoré | 2022 | 14 March 1988 | 37 years, 226 days | ||
| 4 | Daniel Noboa | President | 2023 | 30 November 1987 | 37 years, 330 days | |
| 5 | Milojko Spajić | Prime Minister | 2023 | 24 September 1987 | 38 years, 32 days | |
| 6 | Jakov Milatović | President | 7 December 1986 | 38 years, 323 days | ||
| 7 | José Jerí | President | 2025 | 13 November 1986 | 38 years, 347 days | |
| 8 | Matteo Rossi | Captain Regent | 2025 | 9 July 1986 | 39 years, 109 days | |
| 9 | Sébastien Lecornu | Prime Minister | 2025 | 11 June 1986 | 39 years, 137 days | |
| 10 | Gabriel Boric | President | 2022 | 11 February 1986 | 39 years, 257 days |
Top ten since 1795
[edit] Currently living
| Rank | Name | State | Position | Assumed office | Age when assuming office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alfonso XIII | King | 1886 | 0 days[1] | |
| 2 | Sobhuza II | King | 1899 | 141 days | |
| 3 | Fuad II | King | 1952 | 192 days | |
| 4 | Girvan Yuddha | King | 1799 | 1 year, 140 days | |
| 5 | Puyi | Emperor | 1908 | 2 years, 299 days | |
| 6 | Rajendra | King | 1816 | 2 years, 353 days | |
| 7 | Isabella II | Queen | 1833 | 2 years, 354 days | |
| 8 | Gyanendra | King | 1950[9] | 3 years, 123 days | |
| 9 | Guangxu | Emperor | 1875 | 3 years, 195 days | |
| 10 | Mwambutsa IV | King | 1915 | 3 years, 224 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]
| Rank | Name | State | Position | Born | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guillermo Rodríguez | Acting President (1972–1976) | 4 Nov 1923 | 101 years, 356 days | |
| 2 | Mahathir Mohamad | Prime Minister (1981–2003; 2018–2020) | 10 Jul 1925 | 100 years, 108 days | |
| 3 | Mohammad Hasan Sharq | Chairman of the Council of Ministers (1988–1989) | 17 Jul 1925 | 100 years, 101 days | |
| 4 | Abdoulaye Wade | President (2000–2012) | 29 May 1926 | 99 years, 150 days | |
| 5 | Valdas Adamkus | President (1998–2003; 2004–2009) | 3 Nov 1926 | 98 years, 357 days | |
| 6 | Raif Dizdarević | President of the Presidency (1988–1989) | 9 Dec 1926 | 98 years, 321 days | |
| 7 | Kim Yong-nam | Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly (1998–2019) | 4 Feb 1928 | 97 years, 264 days | |
| 8 | Arthur Foulkes | Governor-General (2010–2014) | 11 May 1928 | 97 years, 168 days | |
| 9 | Péter Boross | Prime Minister (1993–1994) | 27 Aug 1928 | 97 years, 60 days | |
| 10 | Zhu Rongji | Premier of the State Council (1998–2003) | 23 Oct 1928 | 97 years, 3 days |
Top ten since 1800
[edit]
Currently living
| Rank | Name | State | Position | Born | Died | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chau Sen Cocsal Chhum | Acting Prime Minister (1962) | 1905 | 2009 | 103 years, 143 days | |
| 2 | Celâl Bayar |
|
1883 | 1986 | 103 years, 98 days | |
| 3 | Antoine Pinay | Prime Minister (1952–1953) | 1891 | 1994 | 102 years, 348 days | |
| 4 | André Prunet-Foch | French Viguier (1977–1980) | 1914 | 2017 | 102 years, 211 days | |
| 5 | Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni | Prime Minister (1945) | 1887 | 1990 | 102 years, 48 days | |
| 6 | Guillermo Rodríguez | Acting President (1972–1976) | 1923 | Alive | 101 years, 356 days | |
| 7 | Babiker Awadalla | Prime Minister (1969) | 1917 | 2019 | 101 years, 321 days | |
| 8 | Willem Drees | Prime Minister (1948–1958) | 1886 | 1988 | 101 years, 314 days | |
| 9 | Đỗ Mười |
|
1917 | 2018 | 101 years, 241 days | |
| 10 | Tomiichi Murayama | Prime Minister (1994–1996) | 1924 | 2025 | 101 years, 228 days |
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 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 from 1981–1989.
- ^ Previously served as President from 2014–2020.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Gyanendra's first occupation of the throne was in 1950; he was deposed in the 1951 Nepalese revolution.