An Indian woman is celebrating her 18th birthday by winning the title of world's shortest woman from the Guinness World Records.

Guinness representatives today measured Jyoti Amge at 62.8 centimetres (24.7 inches) tall - seven centimetres (2.76 inches) shorter than the 22-year-old American who had held the title since September.

It is not Amge's first Guinness record. Until Friday she was considered the world's shortest teenager, but in turning 18 qualified for the new title.

Guinness says in a statement Amge has grown less than one centimetre (0.4 inch) in the last two years and will grow no more due to a form of dwarfism called achondroplasia.

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