What is the oldest standing Guinness World Record, and who holds it?

The oldest standing Guinness World Record is the world's oldest person ever verified. The current holder of this record is Jeanne Calment, who was born on February 21, 1875, and passed away on August 4, 1997, at the age of 122 years and 164 days. Calment lived in France and was considered the oldest living person for more than a decade before her death. She was a vegetarian and a smoker for most of her life, which made her longevity even more remarkable. Her life spanned three centuries, and she saw significant events such as the construction of the Eiffel Tower and both World Wars.

The Guinness World Records started keeping track of the world's oldest person ever verified in 1955, and Jeanne Calment's record has remained unbroken for over two decades. Many people have claimed to have broken Calment's record, but none of these claims have been verified by the Guinness World Records.