How old was Nelson Mandela when he died in 2013?

Nelson Mandela was 95 years old when he died in 2013.

Mandela was born on 18 July 1918 in Mvezo, in South Africa’s Cape Province, and died on 5 December 2013 at his home in Johannesburg. His age is calculated from those dates: he had turned 95 several months earlier.

Mandela’s death followed a prolonged respiratory illness. South Africa held a national memorial service at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, attended by international leaders and public figures. His state funeral took place in Qunu on 15 December 2013, where he was buried.

A common mix-up is confusing Mandela’s age at death with the length of his imprisonment. He spent about 27 years in prison, but lived for 95 years overall. His date of birth is also sometimes given using the Gregorian calendar without noting that historical records and biographies may discuss regional naming and calendar conventions.