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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

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Top ten currently serving

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Paul Biya, currently the oldest serving state leader

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 Cameroon President 1982[2] (1933-02-13)13 February 1933 92 years, 188 days
2 Mahmoud Abbas Palestine 2005[3] (1935-11-15)15 November 1935 89 years, 278 days
3 Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud Saudi Arabia King 2015[4] (1935-12-31)31 December 1935 89 years, 232 days
4 Harald V Norway King[5] 1991 (1937-02-21)21 February 1937 88 years, 180 days
5 Ali Khamenei Iran Supreme Leader 1989[6] (1939-04-19)19 April 1939 86 years, 123 days
6 Jean-Lucien Savi de Tové Togo President 2025 (1939-05-07)7 May 1939 86 years, 105 days
7 Muhammad Yunus Bangladesh Chief Adviser 2024 (1940-06-28)28 June 1940 85 years, 53 days
8 Mishal I Kuwait Emir 2023 (1940-09-27)27 September 1940 84 years, 327 days
9 Michael D. Higgins Ireland President 2011 (1941-04-18)18 April 1941 84 years, 124 days
10 Sergio Mattarella Italy President 2015 (1941-07-23)23 July 1941 84 years, 28 days

Top ten of all time

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Giovanni Paolo Lascaris, the oldest serving state leader of all time whose age is fully verifiable
  Currently in office
  Currently living
Rank Name State Position Last year in office
(reason term ended)
Age at end
1 Giovanni Paolo Lascaris  Malta 1657 (death) 97 years, 47 days
2 Elizabeth II United Kingdom Queen and other Commonwealth realms[7] 2022 (death) 96 years, 140 days
3 Prem Tinsulanonda Thailand Regent 2016 (tenure ended) 96 years, 97 days
4 George Tupou I Tonga King 1893 (death) 95 years, 76 days
5 Mahathir Mohamad Malaysia Prime Minister 2020 (resigned) 94 years, 235 days
6 Nicolò da Ponte  Venice Doge of Venice 1585 (death) 94 years, 196 days
7 Malietoa Tanumafili II Samoa O le Ao o le Malo 2007 (death) 94 years, 127 days
8 Robert Mugabe Zimbabwe President 2017 (resigned) 93 years, 279 days
9 Beji Caid Essebsi Tunisia President 2019 (death) 92 years, 238 days
10 Paul Biya Cameroon President Incumbent 92 years, 188 days

Youngest serving state leaders

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Top ten currently serving

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Kristrún Frostadóttir, the youngest serving state leader
Rank Name State Position Assumed office Born Age
1 Kristrún Frostadóttir Iceland Prime Minister 2024 12 May 1988 37 years, 100 days
2 Ibrahim Traoré Burkina Faso 2022 14 March 1988 37 years, 159 days
3 Daniel Noboa Ecuador President 2023 30 November 1987 37 years, 263 days
4 Milojko Spajić Montenegro Prime Minister 2023 24 September 1987 37 years, 330 days
5 Jakov Milatović Montenegro President 2023 7 December 1986 38 years, 256 days
6 Gabriel Boric Chile President 2022 11 February 1986 39 years, 190 days
7 Yulia Svyrydenko Ukraine Prime Minister 2025 25 December 1985 39 years, 238 days
8 Mohammed bin Salman Saudi Arabia Prime Minister 2022 31 August 1985 39 years, 354 days
9 Mahamat Déby Chad President[8] 2024 4 April 1984 41 years, 139 days
10 Assimi Goïta Mali President[9] 2025 9 November 1983 41 years, 284 days

Top ten since 1800

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  Currently living
Rank Name State Position Assumed office Age when assuming office
1 Alfonso XIII Spain King 1886 0 days[1]
2 Sobhuza II Swaziland King 1899 141 days
3 Fuad II Egypt King 1952 192 days
4 Puyi China Emperor 1908 2 years, 299 days
5 Rajendra   Nepal King 1816 2 years, 353 days
6 Isabella II Spain Queen 1833 2 years, 354 days
7 Gyanendra   Nepal King 1950[10] 3 years, 123 days
8 Guangxu China Emperor 1875 3 years, 195 days
9 Faisal II Iraq King 1939 3 years, 337 days
10 Pedro II Brazil Emperor 1831 5 years, 126 days

Oldest state leaders

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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

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Guillermo Rodríguez, the oldest-living state leader
Rank Name State Position Born Age
1 Guillermo Rodríguez Ecuador Acting President (1972–1976) 4 Nov 1923 101 years, 289 days
2 Tomiichi Murayama Japan Prime Minister (1994–1996) 3 Mar 1924 101 years, 170 days
3 Mahathir Mohamad Malaysia Prime Minister (1981–2003; 2018–2020) 7 Jul 1925 100 years, 41 days
4 Mohammad Hasan Sharq Afghanistan Chairman of the Council of Ministers (1988–1989) 17 Jul 1925 100 years, 34 days
5 Abdoulaye Wade Senegal President (2000–2012) 29 May 1926 99 years, 83 days
6 Valdas Adamkus Lithuania President (1998–2003; 2004–2009) 3 Nov 1926 98 years, 290 days
7 Raif Dizdarević Yugoslavia President of the Presidency (1988–1989) 9 Dec 1926 98 years, 254 days
8 Kim Yong-nam North Korea Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly (1998–2019) 4 Feb 1928 97 years, 197 days
9 Arthur Foulkes Bahamas Governor-General (2010–2014) 11 May 1928 97 years, 101 days
10 Péter Boross Hungary Prime Minister (1993–1994) 27 Aug 1928 96 years, 358 days

Top ten since 1800

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Chau Sen Cocsal Chhum, the longest-lived state leader
  Currently living
Rank Name State Position Born Died Age
1 Chau Sen Cocsal Chhum Cambodia Acting Prime Minister (1962) 1905 2009 103 years, 143 days
2 Celâl Bayar Turkey
1883 1986 103 years, 98 days
3 Antoine Pinay France Prime Minister (1952–1953) 1891 1994 102 years, 348 days
4 André Prunet-Foch Andorra French Viguier (1977–1980) 1914 2017 102 years, 211 days
5 Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni Japan Prime Minister (1945) 1887 1990 102 years, 48 days
6 Babiker Awadalla Sudan Prime Minister (1969) 1917 2019 101 years, 321 days
7 Willem Drees Netherlands Prime Minister (1948–1958) 1886 1988 101 years, 314 days
8 Guillermo Rodríguez Ecuador Acting President (1972–1976) 1923 Alive 101 years, 289 days
9 Đỗ Mười Vietnam 1917 2018 101 years, 241 days
10 Zhang Qun China Premier (1947–1948) 1889 1990 101 years, 219 days

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b Became a monarch at birth as his father, Alfonso XII, had died the previous year.
  2. ^ Previously served as Prime Minister from 1975–1982.
  3. ^ Previously served as Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority in 2003.
  4. ^ Served concurrently as Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia from 2015–2022.
  5. ^ The Kingdom of Norway includes the dependent territory of Svalbard.
  6. ^ Previously served as President from 1981–1989.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ Previously President of the Transitional Military Council of Chad from 2021–2022, and Transitional President of Chad from 2022–2024.
  9. ^ Previously Chairman of the National Committee for the Salvation of the People of Mali in 2020 and 2021, and Interim President of Mali from 2021–2025.
  10. ^ Gyanendra's first occupation of the throne was in 1950; he was deposed in the 1951 Nepalese revolution.