World’s shortest man and woman meet for first time in history

The Guinness World Records, the official authority on record-breaking achievement, today revealed a sneak preview of the 57th edition of the world’s best-selling copyright book, Guinness World Records 2013.

The book has brought together the world’s shortest man and woman for the first time for the production of the book, Chandra Bahadur Dangi (54.6 cm), and Jyoti Amge (62.8 cm).

The historic moment was recorded earlier this year and is the first time in history the shortest male and female in the world have met.

Each wore traditional outfits from their native countries and smiled and laughed throughout. To add scale to the picture, the classic Guinness World Records book – which measures 1ft tall (30cm) – was placed in between them.

The picture and new footage coincides with the recent announcement that the world’s shortest woman, Jyoti Amge, will visit the UK on the 13th of September to help launch the new Guinness World Records 2013 book.

Fact file: the world's shortest man:

• Chandra Bahadur Dangi is 72-years-old and from Nepal.

• He was crowned the world's smallest man in February this year.

• His standing 54.6 cm (21.5 in) broke the previous record held by India's Gul Mohammed (1957–97) who was 57cm (22.5 in) tall.

• Until the recent record announcement, he had spent his entire life in the remote Nepalese mountain village of Rhimkholi.

Fact file: the world's shortest woman:

• On 16 December 2011, at the age of just 18, Jyoti Amge from Nagpur, India took the title.

• Jyoti has a form of dwarfism called Achondroplasia, which means she won't grow any taller than her current height.

• Due to her size, she has to have clothes and jewellery specially made.

• She has already starred in a number of Bollywood films.