Albanian woman celebrates 117th birthday, may be world's oldest living person

Qamile Marra marked her 117th birthday recently, a milestone that may place her among the world's oldest living people. The Albanian woman has lived through some of the most turbulent periods in modern European history, having been born during the final years of Ottoman rule in the Balkans.

Marra turned 36 just as World War II was drawing to a close in 1945. She subsequently endured Albania's lengthy communist dictatorship under Enver Hoxha, which lasted until the early 1990s, before witnessing her nation's transition to democracy and eventual integration into European structures.

Her longevity spans an era that saw the region transformed multiple times over. From the decline of the Ottoman Empire through two devastating world wars, the Cold War, and post-communist reorganisation, Marra has remained a living link to an earlier century.

Records of verified supercentenarians are maintained by various international organisations, and Marra's age would place her among the world's oldest confirmed living individuals if verified. Her continued good health and reportedly cheerful disposition have drawn attention from those tracking human longevity and the experiences of those who have lived through extraordinary historical periods.