Not everyone knows about this person. And when a ranking of the planet’s longest-livers is created, for some reason they don’t always remember about it. But there was such a person as Lee Ching-Yun. The man lived to be 256 years old! A striking note about the death of this old man appeared in 1933 in the most famous magazines.

For the whole world history, only this man lived to such a respectable age. Interestingly, Lee Ching-Yun happened to become the father of 180 children! And during his own long life, the man managed to change more than 20 wives.

Although Kalman did not live to see the twenty-first century, as she died in 1997, she did see the very first car. In addition, she lived during the birth of cinema and television. Zhanna also saw the very first airplanes.

3rd place

Shigechiyo Izumi takes an honorable 3rd place in this ranking. The man lived 120 years. It's amazing that until the age of 105, Izumi worked as a school teacher!

The wife of this centenarian was 90 years old when he buried her. Izumi himself was then about 100 years old.

Sarah Knauss rightfully ranks 4th in the ranking. The woman herself did not care one bit that she was the most important person in American history. old woman. Having died on the 30th of December 1999, Sarah was not able to live into the 21st century quite a bit.

The Knauss daughters said that their mother’s calmness could always be envied. Not a single stress touched her during her long life of 119 years. This American woman lived with her husband in happy marriage 64 years old!

Knauss had the opportunity to witness 7 wars in her country.

The ranking of centenarians simply could not do without Lucy Hannah, who lived 117 years. This is the oldest African American woman in world history. Lucy died in 1997. Over her long life, Hannah gave birth to eight children. At the same time, this amazing woman buried six of her own offspring.

6th place

Maria Louise Mailer rightfully takes 6th place in the ranking. This woman died at the age of 117. Together with her own son, Maria was in a nursing home. Actually, her daughter was 90 years old at that time.

During her long life, Maria managed to become the mother of ten children. And this woman was married twice. Maria loved to smoke. She managed to get rid of the bad habit almost 30 years before her own death. The woman also did not disdain alcohol.

7th place

Maria Capovilla, who lived 116 years, could not appear in this ranking. This woman's life was amazing. Maria happened to be born into a wealthy military family. Throughout his life, Capovilla did not have a single bad habit.

At the age of 99, Maria suddenly became seriously ill. Doctors didn't think she could survive. However, everything happened differently. When Capovilla recovered, she was able to walk on her own. IN South America Mary was the oldest woman in history. Capovilla managed to live in three centuries, since she was born in 1889 and died only in 2006.

In Asia, this woman was recognized as the oldest in history. Tane loved embroidery and stucco. Surprisingly, the Japanese woman had to survive her own four children!

9th place

Elizabeth Bolden, like the two previous representatives of the rating, lived to be 116 years old. But after the designated date, Elizabeth lived only 118 days, which is why she ended up in 9th place in the ranking.

At the time of Bolden's death, two of her seven children were still alive.

American Bessie Cooper also lived to be 116 years old. But after this date, the woman lived 102 days. Cooper became a widow at age 68. She then went to a farm and lived there until she moved into a nursing home.

A person who has passed the age of ninety is considered a centenarian. But often older people set real records for life expectancy when their age significantly exceeds the 100-year mark.

Zhanna Kalman 122 years old

Most an old man planets - Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment, who left our world at the age 122 years. There may have been other long-livers in the world who reached this age or even lived longer. But, as a rule, very old people do not keep documents confirming the accuracy of the date of birth they indicate. Modern centenarians were born in turbulent times of wars and revolutions, so their documents often disappeared or were missing from the very beginning.

The Frenchwoman Calment was luckier than others, since she was able not only to live to an impressive age, but also to retain documents confirming her year of birth. This was facilitated by living throughout her long life in a small French town, not affected by world cataclysms.

A very significant event once happened in a woman’s life - as a child she met Vincent Van Gogh, who came to her father’s shop to buy art supplies. Subsequently, the woman even starred in a small role in a film about the great artist, portraying herself there.

It is important to note that Zhanna was never distinguished by her commitment to healthy and the right image life. She had an avid sweet tooth and loved junk food and alcohol, and most importantly, she smoked a lot. There is a photograph of a woman riding a bicycle and smoking a cigarette. At the time of the photo she was 118 years old. Cycling has been the centenarian's favorite hobby since childhood. And by the age of 85, she acquired a new extraordinary hobby - fencing.

It is thanks to her longevity that Jeanne Kalman also became famous throughout the world as a unique businesswoman. At the age of 90, the woman entered into a contract with a lawyer, according to which he would annually transfer 2,500 francs to the woman’s account in exchange for receiving ownership of her apartment after the owner’s death. The market value of the housing was estimated at 25,000 francs. Accordingly, after 10 years, the lawyer fully paid the cost of the apartment, and Madame Kalman continued to enjoy life for another 12 years after that. The lawyer himself died before the woman, so the widow of the unfortunate man continued to pay money for her maintenance.

At the age of 110, Madame Calment started a fire in her own home while cooking, as a result of which she had to move to a nursing home (the woman had no children). At 115 years old, she fell down the stairs and from that age she was unable to move independently. The woman maintained her sobriety until her last days, having only problems with vision and hearing in the last months of her life.

According to the memoirs of contemporaries, the main distinctive features Madame Calment had the ability to enjoy life and wit. Perhaps this is where the phenomenon of longevity of this interesting woman lies.

Photo: Long-Livers of the World. Zhanna Kalman

Long-livers are women. Interesting fact, but among the top ten oldest inhabitants of our planet, whose age is officially confirmed, there is not a single man. The conclusion involuntarily suggests itself that the longevity gene is still more characteristic of the female half of humanity.

In addition to Jeanne Calment, the most famous centenarians are the following representatives of the fair sex:

Sarah Knauss (USA) 119 years old.

The woman was born in the American state of Pennsylvania and lived there all her life. At that time, when she was considered the oldest inhabitant of the planet, she was often asked what emotions this caused her. The centenarian always answered indifferently that the figures of her age that amazed the public’s imagination were not something special for her. The woman’s children recalled that their mother had been distinguished by enviable calm and balance all her life. She was never nervous or angry, nothing could hurt her. Perhaps in such a philosophical attitude to life lies the secret of longevity. After all, everyone knows that emotional experiences significantly shorten our lives. Sarah Knauss died at 119 years old.

Photo: Long-Livers of the World. Sarah Knauss.

Lucy Hannah (USA) 117 years old.

The oldest African-American woman in the world. A woman's place of birth is American state Alabama, from which she had to flee due to problems of a racist nature. She eventually settled in Detroit, where she met her future husband. An interesting fact is that Lucy was a hereditary centenarian, since her mother died at the age of 99, and her sisters successfully passed the century mark. The woman had eight children, but only two of them survived their mother. Lucy Hannah died at 117.

Photo: Long-Livers of the World. Lucy Hannah

Maria Louise Mayor (Canada) 117 years old.

She was born in Quebec, Canada, and during her life she gave birth to 10 children. The woman believed that the path to longevity lies in children. It was in constant worries about them and about the house that she did not have time to be sad or worry about anything. Maria loved alcohol and occasionally allowed herself a glass of good wine. Also, the woman smoked a lot until her 90th birthday. At this age, she made the decision to quit smoking overnight. The doctors were concerned and warned Maria about the risk of death in the event of such a rapid abandonment of a long-term bad habit. But the woman did not listen to them. As a result, Maria lived another 27 years, during which she did not smoke a single cigarette. Maria Luisa Mayor died at 117 years old.

Photo: Long-Livers of the World. Maria Luisa Mayor

Nabi Tajima (Japan) 117 years old.

Nabi Tajima from the Japanese city of Kagoshima currently alive, she is 117 years old. She is the oldest inhabitant of the planet today. She is also the only person living in the world today who was born in the 19th century. Nabi has 9 children and a huge number of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. On the last day of the elderly, the woman accepted congratulations from the head of her city, who wished her many more years of life.

Photo: Long-Livers of the World. Nabi Tajima

Violet Brown (Jamaica) 117 years old.

Born in Jamaica. During one interview, as one of the oldest inhabitants of the planet, the woman admitted that it was difficult for her to objectively perceive her unusual age. According to her self-feelings, it seemed to her that the age should be much younger. Violet admitted that she does not eat pork, chicken, and also does not drink rum. Violet Brown died at 117.

Photo: Long-Livers of the World. Violet Brown

Emma Morano (Italy) 117 years old.

Emma was born in Piedmont, Italy, into a special family. Firstly, her family was truly large, since Emma herself had seven brothers and sisters. In addition, among her relatives there were several centenarians, so we can confidently speak about the presence of a factor of good heredity. A number of the woman’s brothers and sisters lived safely to 90 years of age, and one sister died after her 102nd birthday. Emma admitted in an interview that she drank a glass of home-made wine and ate three eggs every day. The most important secret of a long, happy life the woman had a positive outlook on life. Unfortunately, she left no descendants, as her only child died in childhood. Emma Morano herself died at 117 years old.

Misao Okawa (Japan) 117 years old.

The Osaka native noted that the secret to her longevity is eating sushi and getting good sleep. An elderly Japanese woman claimed that you need to sleep at least 8 hours a day. The woman was married to a businessman, with whom she gave birth to three children. She lived out her last days in a nursing home. A month before her death, the woman celebrated her next birthday, which was broadcast on national television. Misao died at 117 years old.

Maria Esther de Capovilla (Ecuador) 116 years old.

The woman was born in Ecuador and always lived there until her last day. In her marriage, the centenarian gave birth to five children, three of whom were able to outlive their mother. The woman basically did not drink alcohol or smoke. She loved art very much, to which she devoted her entire life. Maria died at 116 years old.

Photo: Long-Livers of the World. Maria Esther de Capovilla

Suzanne Mushatt Jones (USA) 116 years old.

The American called the secret of longevity complete absence bad habits and full, healthy sleep. The woman lived out her last days in a nursing home, moving around using a wheelchair. She had problems with hearing and vision. Suzanne celebrated her birthdays on a grand scale, inviting relatives and friends to the holiday. Also, government officials also expressed congratulations to the respected birthday girl in America. Suzanne died at 116 years old.

Photo: Long-Livers of the World. Suzanne Mushatt Jones

Long-livers are men.

Jiroemon Kimura (Japan) 116 years old

The most famous male centenarian in the world. Jiroemon was born in the small Japanese town of Ketango, with a population of no more than 60 thousand people. This small town became very famous, arousing increased interest among scientists when it became known that in addition to Kimura, there were 94 more centenarians aged over 100 years in Ketango. After receiving such information, scientists decided to find out what factors in this area of ​​​​Japan lead to longevity among local residents. Kimura himself worked at the post office for 40 years, and at retirement age he took up farming. The famous Japanese was the father of seven children. Jiroemon died at 116 years old.

Photo: Long-Livers of the World. Jiroemon Kimura

Christian Mortensen (Denmark - USA) 115 years old.

The man was born in Denmark, later moving to the USA. He's been around since early years worked, having already been hired at the age of 16 in a sewing workshop as an apprentice tailor. After moving to America, the man first settled in Chicago, then moved to Texas, and met old age in California in a nursing home, moving to the sunny state at the age of 96. Christian was married only once, but unsuccessfully. After this, he no longer had serious relationships with women. The centenarian left no descendants. The man called the secrets of longevity the use of only boiled water, moderate smoking and vegetarianism, which he adhered to. Christian was not only a long-liver, but also the oldest of the Danes and of the American emigrants. Also, the man was credited with the title of the only Scandinavian centenarian. Christian died at 115 years old.

Photo: Long-Livers of the World. Christian Mortensen

Emiliano Mercado del Toro (Puerto Rico) 115 years old.

The man was born in Puerto Rico, where he worked all his life as a truck driver on a sugar plantation. He was recognized as the oldest veteran on the planet, although he never participated in actual military action. The man's military career amounted to only a few months spent in a US training camp during the First World War. However, the centenarian, on his 102nd birthday, was awarded an award by Bill Clinton himself on the anniversary of the armistice in the war. Emiliano died at 115 years old.

Photo: Long-Livers of the World. Emiliano Mercado del Toro

Countries

The leading countries in terms of longevity among the population are Japan and the USA. These data are confirmed by general statistics on life expectancy of citizens of these states and the real examples given above. A large number of the women and men represented, who lived to an advanced age, lived in America or Japan. This suggests that these countries have local unique features that make the lives of local residents comfortable and long.

Japan

Japan, until the Second World War, never had such indicators. The situation changed in the 20th century, when the standard of living established in the country and the amount of benefits received by the population increased significantly. Level of economic development at this moment– one of the leading ones, therefore the local population has at its disposal high-quality food products, medicine of the highest level, developed ecology, etc. All these factors together form general health nation and have a positive impact on how long the average Japanese person lives.

Photo: Countries of long-livers. Japan

Diet plays a huge role in the health of the Japanese. Residents of the country love to eat seafood, which is a storehouse of substances essential for health (especially fluorine and iodine). Also, soybeans and products containing them are popular in Japan, the consumption of which is recommended to maintain the health of the cardiovascular system and bones. Deserves special attention green tea(activated metabolic processes, occurring in the human body). Such nutritional principles guarantee the absence excess weight in the overwhelming majority of Japanese, which is the key to the health of the body.

USA

main reason high life expectancy in America - a developed economy. The population of the country freely disposes of the material goods and services available to them (general consumer goods, social guarantees, transport, medicine, etc.). A high standard of living guarantees a comfortable existence for people and confidence in the future.

The highest level of medicine is of great importance. Diseases from which people living in disadvantaged countries die are successfully treated in America. This is ensured not only by a developed medical financing system and the availability of high-tech equipment, but also by a successful personnel policy. Talented international specialists are recruited to work in US medical clinics.

Sports are very popular in the USA. All children school age, as a rule, are engaged in sports sections, teams of young athletes participate in various competitions organized between schools. After school, children go to colleges, also supporting the family's sports traditions. As you know, sport is the key to the body’s well-being, and youth sports are of particular importance because they lay the foundation for lifelong health.

Scandinavian countries

The Scandinavian countries have a cold climate and unremarkable summers, but this does not prevent them from being included in the list of countries that record high average ages for their elderly population. The main reason for the health of northern peoples is the consumption of fish containing a lot of fat. It ensures healthy blood vessels, joints and reduces the risk of Alzheimer's.

Photo: Countries of long-livers. Scandinavia

Sports, which are very popular, also play an important role. Thus, among the residents of Finland, about 70% of the country's population choose to exercise in the fresh air.

Europe

The highest life expectancy rate is in France. And this is not surprising. After all, the main long-liver of the planet, Jeanne Kalman, is a native of this country. The secret of French longevity is an easy-going attitude to life, wit and the ability to have fun. These qualities are inherent in most French people who like to gather in large groups and drink wine.

Photo: Countries of long-livers. France

It is important to note that, despite their love of feasts (during which the French eat all kinds of pates, cheeses, olives and much more), the country's residents consume food in fairly small quantities and do it slowly. Portions of French dishes are always miniature. Therefore, among the French there are also a small number of overweight people.

In Italy, life expectancy is also quite high. And this despite the fact that Italy is on the list of countries where the smoking rate is incredibly high. The main secret of the long life of Italians is strong family ties. Families in this country are always large and noisy, and relatives support each other.

Italians eat a lot of vegetables and fruits. The most popular dishes in the country are pizza with all kinds of vegetable toppings, vegetable salads and pasta with sauces.

Not the least role in the health of the nation is played by the mild maritime climate, which shapes the health of local residents. In addition, life by the sea calms and puts you in a positive mood.

Cuba

In Cuba they like to smoke strong cigars, drink large amounts of rum and drink coffee all the time. Nevertheless, this country is distinguished by very high life expectancy rates among the local population. The main reason for this is the natural optimism of Cubans, who know how to enjoy life.

Photo: Countries of long-livers. Cuba

It is also believed that in Cuba medicine is developed at a fairly high level, despite the low economic development states.

Example of Tibetan monks

Photo: Countries of long-livers. Tibetan longevity

Tibetan longevity is considered a special phenomenon. Since ancient times, Tibetan monks have preached certain principles that should be followed in life. Compliance with these principles guarantees a long life. The monks advise always to engage in physical exercises that develop stamina and endurance. It is also important to develop the ability to breathe correctly.

But the main condition for longevity from the point of view of the monks is adherence to the principles of nutrition:

1. Do not mix meat and carbohydrates.
2. Eliminate coffee.
3. Chew food thoroughly. This rule will help maintain a healthy stomach and also make you feel full much faster. Thus, food will be absorbed in much smaller quantities. The result is no weight gain. And optimal weight is the key to health.
4. Drink one egg every day. This should be done separately from other meals.

Certainly, to modern man It is difficult to constantly adhere to the principles of life of Tibetan monks, but at least partial use of their advice will help to significantly improve life and improve the health of the body.

Based on the life stories of the world's famous centenarians, as well as on the basis of numerous studies by scientists, we can conclude that there are the following secrets of longevity:

1. Socio-economic conditions. Scientists argue that the standard of living in the country and the quality of life of the person himself play a big role. Availability of quality foods in the diet, access to modern medicine, high level Education and career success make a person’s life comfortable and prosperous. And a state of comfort and satisfaction with one’s lifestyle, as a rule, ensures psychological health. Most of our troubles come from nerves, so we can safely say that a calm, balanced person who is confident in his future will live a long, happy life.
2. Nutrition. It exists for a reason well-known opinion: “We are what we eat.” Systematic consumption of vegetables, fruits, natural juices and the absence of harmful synthetic products in the diet is the key to healthy image life.
3. Physical activity. In most countries with high age populations, sports are popular at the national level. Sports activities stimulate cardiac activity, strengthen blood vessels and joints, make the lungs work and guarantee large quantity positive emotions. It is not necessary to purposefully engage in any sport. For health, it is enough just to be in the fresh air (the more, the better), engaging in active activities. It is not for nothing that most centenarians were residents of small towns and farm workers. These people with early childhood breathed fresh air, got regular physical activity.
4. Work. Labor is not only a source of obtaining material benefits, it also guarantees pleasure from self-realization. Some people make a professional career, while others work for the benefit of their family. In any case, fulfilling the duties assigned to us guarantees satisfaction with the process and the results obtained. Inaction oppresses people, makes them weak and passive. Such conditions have a bad effect on health.
5. Full sleep. Most centenarians said in interviews that they consider healthy, full-fledged sleep to be the key to their longevity. The human body is designed in such a way that after the stresses endured during the day, it should get a good rest.
6. Heredity. Many centenarians came from families in which several representatives lived to be 90 or more. This fact confirms that heredity can indeed be one of the positive factors influencing a person’s life span.
7. Having children. Many of the older people presented in the article had a large number of children. And this is no coincidence. Children bring joy to their parents and do not let them get bored. Having a large number of children does not allow you to be lazy and eliminates the possibility of indulging in melancholy and depression, since there is simply no time for these destructive conditions. Also, responsibility for their lives and the desire to see grandchildren and then great-grandchildren is an excellent incentive for longevity.
8. Emotional mood. Almost all the oldest people on the planet say that you should always be happy and not worry about trifles. It is important to appreciate the joys of family, to give birth and raise children, to enjoy communication with loved ones. This attitude allows you to maintain calm and goodwill. Voltage, constant stress and conflicts are main problem modern society. People have forgotten how to live harmoniously (with themselves, with others). Namely, the ability to take adversity lightly and find joy in everything is the main guarantee of a happy and long life. The longest-livers of the world throughout history serve as further confirmation of this.

The title of “longest living” woman on the planet goes to an American Gertrude Weaver. She was born into a farming family in Arkansas. She got married at 17, gave birth to four children, but after breaking her hip at 104, she ended up in a nursing home. She left this institution several times, lived with relatives, but ultimately decided to stay in specialized institution, where there is adequate care for the elderly.

Gertrude Weaver. Photo: Reuters

Weaver always noted three factors for her longevity - faith in God, hard work and love for others. And her motto in life: “Do everything in your power, and if something is not in your power, then it is not in your power.”

The next on the list of official centenarians on the planet is also an American - Geralian Talley.

Talley was born 115 years ago in Montrose (Georgia) into a large African-American family. She had 10 brothers and sisters. From early childhood, Geralian worked on a farm, picking cotton, peanuts and sweet potatoes.

Talley says that she has never driven a car because one day she mixed up the pedals and the car went in the wrong direction. But Tally still enjoys going... fishing. On her 114th birthday, she gave herself a gift by catching 7 catfish!

Geralian Talley's motto, which allows her to keep her spirits up and great mood every day, “treat others the way you want them to treat you.”

The third place among the planet's centenarians belongs to a native of Alabama - Suzanne Mushatt Jones.

She, like Geralian Talley, was born in large family. At the age of 24, Suzanne moved to New York, where she got a job as a nanny. Suzanne Mushatt Jones spent her entire life looking after other people's children, but she never knew the joys of motherhood. For the last 26 years she has lived in a nursing home, uses a wheelchair, but feels well.

Suzanne attributes the secret to her longevity to the fact that she never drank alcohol or smoked.

Positive attitude

The fourth most old woman planet is italian Emma Martina Luigia Morano. Today she is 115 years old.

Emma was born into a large family - she had 8 brothers and sisters. In October 1926, she married Giovanni Martinuzzi. But this marriage was not happy. Emma could not cope with the loss of their only child and broke off relations with her husband.

Emma says that she has always worked very hard. She was a cook, worked at a jute factory and at a boarding school. Only at the age of 75 did Emma retire.

When the Italian was asked what the secret of her longevity was, she said that she never took drugs, eats three eggs a day, drinks a glass of homemade brandy and sometimes indulges in chocolate. And, of course, he always looks into the future with optimism!

Another one, fifth on the list, is a long-liver Violet Brown born March 10, 1900 in Jamaica. She was the fourth child in her parents' family, but the only one who crossed the 100-year-old mark. In the early 1960s, Violette married August Gaynor Brown, but did not become a mother of many children. Her only daughter never found out that her mother was one of the world's top five centenarians.

Men live less

It is noteworthy that it is the fair sex who are at the top of the “hit parade” of centenarians. "Men's" places in this long list start only... from the 36th line! So, the oldest living man is considered Japanese. Sakari Momoi.

Sakari Momoi is “only” 112 years old. He was born into a peasant family in the city of Fukushima. Fortunately, the large-scale man-made accident of 2011 did not catch Momoi - by that time he had moved to another city.

Sakari Momoi worked all his life in the education system - he was first the director of technical and then high school in the city of Saitama.

Momoi has three children. It is noteworthy that they are all alive to this day. And the Japanese grandfather also has 11 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren.

In 2013, journalists asked Sakari Momoi how long he wanted to live. Momoi replied that he wanted to live for two more years. And, as we see, he kept his promise.

In second place among living male centenarians is also a Japanese man - Koide Yasutaro.

Nothing is known about Koide, except that he lives in the city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture. And on January 27, 2015, Koide became the 35th oldest verified man in the world to ever live.

Yasutaro Koide and Sakari Momoi are the only men who are included in the verified (confirmed) list of the planet's centenarians.

Required to prove

However there is a list oldest people planets whose status has not yet been confirmed by official bodies and relevant documents. Here men occupy dominant positions. And the age they attribute to themselves simply does not fit in their heads.

The oldest of these men is Indian Mahashta Murasi. He claims to have been born in January 1835. This means that today he is 180 years old!

If you believe the Indian “passport girls”, then Mahashta Mursai was born on January 6, 1835 in the city of Bangalore. Then Mahashta moved to Varanasi, where he got a job as a shoemaker and worked in this position until 1957. Thus it turns out that Mursai retired at the age of 122. “I outlived all my children and grandchildren,” says Mahashta Mursai, “it seems that death has forgotten about me...”

Unfortunately, Mursai has not yet undergone a special medical examination to confirm his age. Therefore, we can only take his word for it.

Another long-living record holder is an Indonesian Mbah Gowo. It is not completely known whether this person has a real name or a fictitious one. There is also no certainty about the place of birth of Mbah Govo. Today he resides on the island of Java, where the local village chief and the islanders look after him. Mbah Gowo says he was born 144 years ago. His words are indirectly confirmed and historical facts, which was witnessed by Mbah Gowo. Thus, he very clearly remembers the construction of a local sugar factory in 1880. He was 10 years old at that time. Also, according to Mbah Govo, throughout his long life he had 4 wives and five children, but all of them had already died.

Also, one of the oldest people on the planet who has not yet confirmed their status is a Brazilian Jose Aginelo dos Santos. He says that he was born on July 7, 1888 into a family of African slaves in the city of Pedra Branca in Brazil. Jose has never been married, he does not and never has had children. To this day he walks without a cane, has an excellent appetite and has no serious problems with health. And this despite the fact that Jose has been smoking a pack of cigarettes every day for the last 50 years!

For most of his life, José Aginelo dos Santos worked on a coffee plantation in the city of Bauru. And after he retired, he moved into a local nursing home. Jose loves to tell jokes and sing songs and never misses his daily serving of rice and beans.

“There is no secret to living a long life,” José Aginelo dos Santos said in an interview with reporters, “you just need to accept everything as it is. I lived to this age simply because I lived a lot. That's all".

In the most ancient book it is said that a person lives “...70 years, and with greater strength 80 years...”. According to average statistics, this figure is much less, but what can be said about the unique exceptions to the rules? About those who live longer than others. About people who personal experience they know what life is like after a hundred years.

According to historical data, the longest living person in the world lived in China. His name was Li Qingyun. This man was born in 1677 and died at the beginning of the twentieth century (1933). In total, he lived 256 years, and, according to eyewitnesses, he looked 50 years younger. How did he manage to live so long? During his lifetime he was often asked such a question, and he paid attention first of all to proper nutrition And physical exercise.

It is known that he was so physically strong that at the age of 70 he became a teacher in the Chinese martial arts army. In addition to nutrition and exercise, from early childhood he devoted a lot of time to collecting and studying medicinal herbs, from which he often made health-promoting infusions. Therefore in modern history of humanity, this is the most unique man who lived the longest.

Centenarians today

According to the UN decision, a person can be considered a centenarian if his age exceeds 90 years. All over the world you can find people who live the longest, but in some countries they are especially numerous. For example, in Japan there are about 50 thousand centenarians, and these are only those who survived the turn of the century. Of these, approximately 87% are women, average duration which in this country is about 86 years old.

Particularly outstanding individuals are included in the Guinness Book of Records. Now it includes Misao Okawa, a Japanese woman who is 115 years old. She is considered the oldest woman in the world. Before her was Koto Okubo, who died earlier this year at the age of 115 years and 19 days.

As for long-living men, the oldest is now almost 116 years old. He is the oldest living person in the world. He lives in Kyoto (Japan) and his name is Jiroemon Kimura. He twice became a Guinness World Records holder and, born in 1897, achieved three centuries during his lifetime. During his lifetime, people invented the television, the car and the Internet. While he lives, Britain has had 6 monarchs, the USA - 20 presidents, Japan - 5 emperors, collapsed Soviet Union, and with it the communist regime.

This amazing man was a postman for 40 years and a farmer until he was 90. He has a very large family: 7 children (he outlived two of them), 14 grandchildren and granddaughters, 25 great-grandchildren and already 13 great-great-grandchildren. According to him, life expectancy depends on moderation in food. Therefore, he recommends never eating more than necessary, even if the dish is very tasty.

Centenarians in the past

Other longest-living people who have already died are also worthy of attention. There are not many of them, so they will be listed below.
Long-lived women:

• Jeanne Kalman lived 122 years and 164 days (02/21/1875-08/04/1997);
• Knauss Sarah lived 119 years and 97 days (09/24/1880-12/30/1999);
• Hana Lucy lived 117 years and 248 (07/16/1875-03/21/1993);
• Maria Louise Mailer lived 117 years and 230 days (08/29/1880-04/16/1998);
• Maria Esther de Capovilla lived 116 years and 347 days (09/14/1889-08/27/2006);
• Ikai Tane lived 116 years and 175 days (01/18/1879-07/12/1995);
• Elizabeth Bolden lived 116 years and 118 days (08/15/1890-12/11/2006);
• Besie Cooper lived to be 116 years old and 100 years old (08/26/1896-12/4/2012).

Long-lived men:

• Christian Mortensen lived 115 years and 252 days (08/16/1882-04/25/1998);
• Emiliano Mercado del Toro lived 115 years and 156 days (08/21/1891-01/24/2007);
• Brüning Walter lived 114 years and 205 days (09/21/1896-04/14/2011);
• Chunanji Yukichi lived 114 years and 189 days (03/23/1889-09/28/2003).