US President Donald Trump turned 80 on June 14, becoming the second US president to reach this milestone while in office, after Joe Biden celebrated his 80th birthday in November 2022.
Trump is also the oldest person ever inaugurated as president, returning to the White House in January 2025 at the age of 78.According to a Pew Research Center analysis of leaders in 186 UN member states, 16 of the current national leaders are older than Trump, making him older than about 91% of his counterparts around the world. The average age of national leaders globally is 63 years.
Who are they? Oldest world leaders ?
The oldest leader in the world is Cameroonian President Paul Biya, who is 93 years old and has been in power since 1982, the tallest of the 13 current national leaders alive.
Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud occupies second place at the age of 90, having served as monarch since 2015.Many of the world’s oldest leaders are based in Africa. In addition to Biya, the leaders of Malawi, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Zimbabwe, the Republic of the Congo and Uganda are among the 10 oldest heads of government. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is now 82 years old and has been in power for four decades, while Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has ruled since 1979.
Seven of the world’s 10 oldest leaders rule the countries ranked by Freedom House “Not free” On the basis of political rights and civil liberties, according to a Pew analysis.
Younger leaders and generational disparity
On the other end of the spectrum, the youngest national leader is Nepal’s Prime Minister Balin Shah, who is just 36 years old. Shah, who is also a rapper, was elected after youth-led protests toppled the previous government. Iceland’s Prime Minister Kristron Frustadóttir, 38, is the second-youngest prime minister.The data indicate a clear hierarchy: the average age of a parliamentarian globally is about 50 years old, members of the Council of Ministers about 55 years old, and heads of government just above 60 years old.This hierarchy reflects what scholars describe as… “nomination hierarchy,” Politicians must accumulate years of experience, party capital, and network connections to advance to the highest office.Younger leaders remain rare, with only about 2% of the years since 1945 having had a leader aged 35 or younger.Academic research has also indicated that leaders who come to power through a coup are on average 7 years younger than those who come to power through elections, and dynastic leaders are 6.5 years younger on average so they can shorten the natural progression of seniority.
