Growing old and living a fruitful life is something that many people aspire to do. There are various extreme cases of people reaching a ripe old age by surpassing the 110 mark. These people are referred to as “supercentenarians”, and while many ask their secret to living that long, a good number of them simply reply that they literally just lived their life to the fullest.
In this list, you will find a few of the oldest people in the world ranked from oldest to youngest. It should be noted that while there are many that reach a hundred years of age, not many can go pass 110. Records have noted that only 2 percent of those who lived up to 110 years old have gone beyond 115.
See below the list of the most fascinating oldest people to have ever walked this earth:
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1. Shirali Muslimov
Years alive: 1805 – 1973
Age: 168 years
Shirali Muslimov has been the subject of debate and skepticism even after his death. The Azerbaijan born man lived as a shepherd in the rural village of Barzavu. According to the legend, his long life was attributed to his healthy lifestyle as Muslimov chose not to smoke nor did he ever drink alcohol. Instead, he had a diet of fruits, vegetables, chicken broth, low fat cheese and even yogurt.
The reason behind the skepticism of Muslimov’s longevity was that there were no records of his date of birth except for a passport that said he was born on the year 1805. People have argued that this may not be his, saying that it could have belonged to his father or grandfather. Either way, you must admit that Muslimov’s case is an interesting one.
2. Shigechiyo Izumi
Years alive: June 29, 1865 – February 21, 1986
Age:120 years 237 days
Another supercentenarian Shigechiyo Izumi from Japan. His records were verified by the Guinness World Record, but during the publication in 2012 he was replaced by Christian Mortensen for title of “the oldest verified man ever”. Despite that, Izumi is a rare case of men living beyond expectations. Based on statistics, women generally live longer than men. There is no verified reason behind this, but experts have speculated that men experience more stressful lives.
As for Izumi, he did not exactly live a healthy life. He took up smoking at age seventy, and drank brown sugar shochu (a Japanese alcoholic beverage) regularly. Izumi believes that it was the will of Buddha that made him live that long. Eventually, he passed away on February 21, 1986 from pneumonia.
3. Carrie C. White
Years alive: November 18, 1874 – February 14, 1991
Age: 116 years 88 days
Florida born Carrie C. White was recognized by the Guinness World Records after her 114th birthday on the year 1988. Her records were backed up by documents provided by Florida State Hospital where she was institutionalized for having a nervous breakdown. Sadly, White was ultimately abandoned by her family and later transferred to a nursing home where she passed away.
4. Lucy Hannah
Years alive: July 16, 1875 – March 21, 1993
Age: 117 years 248 days
Lucy Hannah is the oldest African American to have ever lived, the second oldest person in America and the third oldest in the world before her death on March 21, 1993. She was born a few months after French supercentenarian Jeanne Calment and American born Sarah Knauss.
5. Tane Ikai
Years alive: January 18, 1879 – 12th July 1995
Age:116 years 175 days
Take Ikai is a important figure in Japan since she holds an undisputed record as the oldest female to have ever lived in her country. Ikai was in the village of Kansei, Aichi Perfecture which is currently a part of Nagoya. At age 113, she was bedridden after experiencing her second stroke. Somehow, Ikai managed to outlive all her children and died at the age of 116 and 175 days. Her body was the first supercentenarian to be autopsied, and it was later found out that the cause of her death had been kidney failure.