Former US president Jimmy Carter has died aged 100

The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023, spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said.

His son Chip Carter last night paid tribute to his “hero” following his father’s death aged 100.

“My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights and unselfish love,” said Mr Carter in a statement on Sunday.

“My brothers, sister and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs.

“The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honouring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.”

The Carter Centre said in a statement issued on Sunday night that public observances will take place in Atlanta and Washington DC.

The final arrangements for Mr Carter’s state funeral, including all public events and motorcade routes, are yet to be confirmed, they added.

The Georgia peanut farmer served one turbulent term in the White House before building a reputation as a global humanitarian and champion of democracy.

He defeated President Gerald Ford in 1976 promising to restore trust in government but lost to Ronald Reagan four years later amid soaring inflation, gas station lines and the Iran hostage crisis.

He and his wife, Rosalynn, then formed The Carter Center, and he earned a Nobel Peace Prize while making himself the most active and internationally engaged of former presidents.

The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s.

“My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Mr Carter once said.

Mr Carter was never afraid of speaking his mind.

Forthright and fearless, the Nobel Prize winner took pot-shots at former prime minister Tony Blair and ex-US president George W Bush among others.

His death came after repeated bouts of illness in which images of the increasingly frail former president failed to erase memories of his fierce spirit.

A skilled sportsman, Mr Carter left his home of Plains to join the US Navy, returning later to run his family’s peanut business.

A stint in the Georgia senate lit the touchpaper on his political career and he rose to the top of the Democratic movement.

Mr Carter’s willingness to address politically uncomfortable topics did not diminish with age.

He recently said that he would be willing to travel to North Korea for peace talks on behalf of US President Donald Trump.

Mr Carter was also voluble over the Rhodesia crisis, which was about to end during his presidency.

His support for Robert Mugabe at the time generated widespread criticism.

In recent years Mr Carter developed a reputation as an international peace negotiator.

He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his commitment to finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts, his work with human rights and democracy initiatives, and his promotion of economic and social programmes.

Mr Carter was dispatched to North Korea in August 2008 to secure the release of US citizen Aijalon Mahli Gomes, who had been sentenced to eight years of hard labour after being found guilty of illegally entering North Korea. He successfully secured the release of Mr Gomes.