Zaw Bala Aung - Current World’s Shortest Man in Burma

                    World’s Smallest Man Zaw Bala Aung Photo
At a mere 25 inches (63.5 centimetres) tall, Zaw Bala Aung had lofty dreams of breaking a Guinness World Record, but at 10 years old, he will not officially qualify for the world’s shortest man for another eight years.

The boy, also known as Balagyi, was born in a Burmese village called Htanpoutkone in Kyaukpadaung Township on March 10, 2000, the second child of four and the only son for parents Win Lwin and Khin Hla. However, he is the only one of his siblings with primordial dwarfism and weighs 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms), with a head circumference of 13 inches (33 centimetres).

Yesterday he and his family decided it was time to throw his name in the hat for the title of the world’s shortest man and held a press conference at Karaweik Hall in Burma’s former capital, Rangoon.

“He was medically examined and his medical record is fine,” said a reporter named Khin who was representing the family. “His bone growth had stopped.”

Khin said they recently sent Zaw Bala Aung’s measurements and medical records to Guinness for consideration. Unfortunately, he will not pass the age test.

“To quality for the Guinness World Records title of world’s shortest man, claimants must be 18 years or older (assuming the first year of life is considered year 0, and not year 1),” the measurement body’s website says. “This is irrespective of sexual maturity or a society’s legal, ritualistic or religious coming of age.”

Supporting the entire family by selling shwe yin aye, a traditional Burmese dessert, his father said he was happy that they could do this for his son.

The Guinness World Records has yet to declare a successor to He Pingping, who held the title until March this year when he died at the age of 21. He measured 2 foot, five inches or 74.61 centimetres. 

However, Zaw Bala Aung has competition. Nepalese teenager Khagendra Thapa Magar, who is 17 years and eight months and reaches only 20 inches, claims he should be officially verified as the world’s shortest man, but the official body has rejected the claim, at least for another four months.

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Worlds Smallest Man meet Longest Legs Women

Standing at just 2ft 5in high, He Pingping, from China, has been officially named the smallest man in the world.
Svetlana Pankratova, meanwhile, owns the longest legs in the world, which stretch to 132cm.

Mr Pingping barely came up to Ms Pankratova's knees at a bizarre photoshoot held to mark the launch of the new Guinness Book of World Records.

But the pair seemed rather happy in each other's company as they posed for photos on Trafalgar Square's steps in central London.

In January 2007, Mr Pingping was invited to take part on a television programme in Tokyo, and has since become somewhat of an icon.

It is rumoured he is now so protective of his image, he refuses to have his photo taken unless he is paid a substantial fee.



While Ms Pankratova might have the longest legs in the world, she is not the tallest.
Last month, Sandy Allen, at 7ft 7in, recognized as the world's tallest woman, died aged 53.
In July 2007, Pingping, an internet phenomenon, met with the world's tallest man Bao Xishun.
Earlier this month, it was revealed the midget who shot to fame as the world's smallest bodybuilder had been snapped up by a leading US talent agent and was bound for Hollywood.

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