As Trump turns 80, who are the oldest – and youngest – current world leaders?

As Donald Trump approaches his 80th birthday, a Pew Research Center analysis finds he is among the world's oldest national leaders, with 16 of 186 current heads of state older than him, led by Cameroon's 93-year-old president and Saudi Arabia's 90-year-old king. The analysis of leaders in United Nations member states places Trump in a cohort that includes Cameroon President Paul Biya, 93, and Saudi Arabia King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, 90 [1]. Biya has held the presidency for nearly 44 years — longer than 13 current national leaders have been alive — while King Salman has ruled the kingdom since 2015 [1]. Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy governed by the House of Saud since its founding in 1932, is the largest country in the Middle East and a major non-NATO ally of the United States [3]. Seven of the world's 10 oldest leaders govern countries that Freedom House categorizes as "not free," based on political rights and civil liberties [1]. The median age of all national leaders stands at 63, with roughly two-thirds in their 40s, 50s, or 60s [1]. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the youngest national leader is 36-year-old Balen Shah, who became prime minister of Nepal in March after youth-led protests helped oust the previous government [1]. Shah, who is also a rap artist, counts TikTok and YouTube among his primary income sources and released a song about national unity on social media the day before he was sworn in [1]. Iceland Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, 38, and Burkina Faso President Ibrahim Traoré, also 38, are both older than Shah [1]. The age of national leaders has drawn scrutiny in the United States in recent years. Joe Biden, born November 20, 1942, was 78 years and 61 days old when he was inaugurated in 2021, making him the oldest person to assume the presidency at that time [2][4]. That record was surpassed in 2025 when Trump was re-inaugurated at 78 years and 220 days of age [4]. Concerns about Biden's age and health persisted throughout his presidency, and after his performance in the first 2024 debate, intensifying scrutiny led him to withdraw his candidacy [2]. American public opinion reflects unease with advanced age in high office. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey found that 49% of Americans said the ideal age for a U.S. president is in their 50s, while just 3% preferred someone in their 70s or older [1]. A separate 2023 survey showed that 79% of Americans support age limits for elected officials in Washington, D.C., though implementing such limits would likely require a constitutional amendment [1].