World's shortest man meets leggiest woman

updated 4:11 p.m. ET Sept. 16, 2008

LONDON - Trafalgar Square routinely serves as a stage for mimes, jugglers and other acts, but the tourist attraction drew an exceptionally curious crowd Tuesday when the shortest man who can walk met the woman with the longest legs.

He Pingping of China stands precisely 2 feet 5.37 inches tall. The 20-year-old was born with a type of dwarfism.

He called Svetlana Pankratova's legs "very beautiful."

The two met, with He standing at Pankratova's knees, to publicize the release of "Guinness World Records 2009." This year's version of the popular book is due out Wednesday.

Video   She's got (long) legs! Sept. 17: MSNBC's Willie Geist reports on the historic meeting between the world's smallest man and the woman with the longest legs. Morning Joe

Pankratova, 36, who is Russian but lives in Spain, has legs that are nearly 52 inches  long, or more than 4 feet long. Her upper body has nearly typical proportions, giving her a giraffe-like appearance.

Dressed in a bright-blue mini-dress and low-heeled pumps, Pankratova, 36, said she liked her legs, though they can complicate things. "It's hard to find clothes, especially pants," she said.

She isn't the tallest woman on record. Sandy Allen, of Shelbyville, Indiana, who died recently, held that title, according to the book. And He is the shortest man who is mobile, the book says.

The latest edition of the book lists pop star Britney Spears as the most-searched person on the Internet and the television show "Lost" as the most-downloaded show of all time.

The book has been around for half a century. About 3.5 million copies are sold each year, according to editor-in-chief Craig Glenday.

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