Sultan Kösen is a Turkish farmer and public figure who holds the Guinness World Record for the tallest living person, standing at 251 cm (8 ft 2.82 in).
He first claimed the title in 2009 and has held it ever since, traveling to over 120 countries and starring in multiple television documentaries.
Who is Sultan Kösen?
Sultan Kösen is the tallest person in the world as of 2026. He holds the Guinness World Record for tallest living person, a title he has held since August 2009.
His official measured height is 251 cm (8 ft 2.82 in). Kösen was born and raised in the Mardin province of southeastern Turkey.
He grew up in a small farming village and worked as a part-time farmer before his record-breaking stature brought him global attention.
Beyond his height, Kösen holds two other Guinness World Records. He holds the record for the largest hands on a living person, measuring 28.5 cm (11.22 in) from wrist to fingertip.
He also holds the record for the largest feet of a living person, with his left foot measuring 36.5 cm (14.37 in) and his right foot 35.5 cm (14 in). Guinness World Records inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2024.
Early Life of Sultan Kösen
Sultan Kösen was born in the village of Alibey, in the Mardin province of southeastern Turkey.
His parents are Abdulkadir Kösen and Cemile Kösen. He grew up alongside his siblings, including his brothers Hasan Kösen and Cemal Kösen.
His parents and four siblings are all of average stature. Kösen did not begin his extraordinary growth spurt until around the age of 10.
By the time he reached adulthood, his size made ordinary life extremely difficult. Because of his height, Kösen could not complete his formal education.
He could not fit into standard school furniture, and the physical challenges his condition posed made daily school life impossible.
Instead, he returned to his village and began helping his family as a farmer. Life in the village brought its own daily difficulties.
Kösen could not fit into a standard car, could not find clothes or shoes in his size, and struggled to move around spaces built for average-height people.
His left foot required a shoe size of 60, with no standard manufacturer producing anything close to that size.
Sultan Kösen Age / Birthday
Sultan Kösen is 43 years old as of 2026, born on December 10, 1982. His zodiac sign is Sagittarius, a sign often linked with adventure and a love of travel, qualities that have defined much of his adult life.
Since gaining global recognition, Kösen has visited more than 120 countries as a goodwill ambassador and public figure.
Sultan Kösen Ethnicity and Nationality
Sultan Kösen holds Turkish nationality, born and raised in the Mardin province of southeastern Turkey.
He is of Kurdish ethnicity, part of the large Kurdish population that has long lived in southeastern Turkey.
His home region of Mardin is known for its multicultural heritage and is one of Turkey’s historically rich provinces.
Sultan Kösen Height and Weight
Sultan Kösen stands at 251 cm (8 ft 2.82 in), making him the tallest living person on earth.
His weight is reported at 168 kg (370 lbs), though this has fluctuated over the years due to his medical condition.
Doctors at the University of Virginia also measured him at 254.3 cm (8 ft 4 in) in August 2010, noting that scoliosis and posture may have reduced the official reading.
Sultan Kösen Medical Condition
Sultan Kösen’s height results from a condition called pituitary gigantism. This happens when a tumor on the pituitary gland causes the gland to overproduce growth hormone.
The pituitary gland sits at the base of the brain and regulates growth hormones throughout the body.
When a tumor damages or disrupts this gland, it can release far too much or too little hormone. In Kösen’s case, the excess production drove his continuous and extreme growth.
The condition also causes thick bones, large hands and feet, and painful joints. Kösen has used crutches at times due to the strain his size places on his body. Daily pain has been a consistent part of his life.
Starting in 2010, Kösen received Gamma Knife treatment at the University of Virginia Medical School.
Doctors used this radiation-based surgery to target his pituitary tumor. In March 2012, doctors confirmed the treatment had successfully halted his growth.
Sultan Kösen Career
Record-Breaking Recognition (2009-2011)
Guinness World Records first measured Kösen on August 25, 2009, recording his height at 246.5 cm (8 ft 1 in).
That single measurement made him the first person over 8 feet tall to appear in the Guinness records in more than 20 years.
His title at that point passed to him from Bao Xishun of China, who stood at 236.1 cm (7 ft 8.95 in).
On February 9, 2011, Guinness remeasured Kösen at 251 cm (8 ft 2.82 in), extending his record.
At the same session, his hands were remeasured at 28 cm (11 in), also breaking his prior hand-size record.
The 2011 measurement stands as his official Guinness record height. It has not been surpassed since, and Kösen remains the titleholder as of 2026.
Television and Public Life
Fame followed Kösen quickly after his 2009 measurement. He visited London for the first time in September 2009 and met with fans, journalists, and school children during his trip.
A 2011 Channel 4 documentary titled “World’s Tallest Man: Looking for Love” followed his search for medical treatment and personal happiness, reaching a wide audience in the UK.
In 2014, Kösen joined the Magic Circus of Samoa, performing in shows around the world.
That same year, on Guinness World Records Day in November 2014, he met Chandra Bahadur Dangi, the world’s shortest man ever recorded at 54.6 cm (1 ft 9.5 in), at an event in London.
Kösen appeared on the Italian record-breaking television show Lo Show dei Record in 2024, flying to Milan for the taping.
He has described his travels as a way to share Turkish and Kurdish culture with the world.
Recent Work (2025-2026)
On December 10, 2025, Kösen celebrated his 43rd birthday in London, signing copies of the Guinness World Records 2026 annual book at Hamleys toy store alongside Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday.
A Channel 4 documentary crew filmed the visit.
That footage formed part of a full-length documentary titled “The World’s Tallest Man: The Next Chapter,” which aired on TLC in the United States on April 8, 2026, and on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom on April 27, 2026.
The film followed Kösen traveling back to London for medical tests, as doctors assessed the long-term effects of his condition on his frame.
It also explored two potential challengers to his height title, with Guinness measuring him again to confirm he still held the record.
The documentary gave Kösen a platform to speak publicly about his divorce, his health, and his ongoing search for companionship.
Sultan Kösen Guinness World Records
Sultan Kösen holds three active Guinness World Records as of 2026:
- Tallest living person (251 cm / 8 ft 2.82 in), official measurement date: February 9, 2011
- Largest hands on a living person, male (28.5 cm / 11.22 in per hand)
- Largest feet of a living person
He ranks as the 7th tallest verified person in recorded history. The tallest confirmed person ever was Robert Wadlow of the United States, who reached 272 cm (8 ft 11.1 in) before his death in 1940.
Sultan Kösen Wife
Sultan Kösen married Syrian-born Merve Dibo in October 2013 in a ceremony in Mardin, Turkey.
The wedding drew over 1,500 guests, including a representative from Guinness World Records and local dignitaries.
Merve stood at 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in), and the couple met through a mutual friend earlier that year. The pair divorced in 2021. Kösen cited the language barrier as a central reason.
He speaks Turkish, while Merve spoke primarily Arabic. In an interview, he described communication as the biggest challenge in their marriage.
No children from the marriage have been reported by any verified source.
In the 2026 Channel 4 documentary, Kösen spoke openly about the divorce and his continued search for a partner.
He has said in past interviews that finding love was always his deepest personal wish.
Sultan Kösen Net Worth
Sultan Kösen’s estimated net worth is $2 million as of 2026. His income comes mainly from public appearances, endorsements, and television work tied to his Guinness World Record status.
Kösen earns fees from international appearances at events, record-breaking showcases, and media engagements.
His participation in Channel 4 and TLC productions, appearances on Italian television, and sponsored public events all contribute to his income.
He has traveled to over 120 countries, many of those trips supported by sponsors or event organizers.
Since his 2009 record, his main earnings have shifted away from farming and toward his public profile.
His Guinness Hall of Fame induction in 2024 and the 2026 documentary both added to his visibility and his commercial value as a public figure.
Sultan Kösen Social Media
Kösen maintains a TikTok account under the handle @sultankosen82, where he posts personal moments and clips from his travels and appearances. He is also active on Instagram and YouTube.
Conclusion
Sultan Kösen has spent more than 15 years as the world’s tallest living man, a title that took him from a farming village in southeastern Turkey to over 120 countries and onto television screens worldwide.
His 2026 documentary gave audiences a new look at both his medical reality and the personal life behind the record books.