Nūrsūltan Nazarbaev is 86 years old as of October 2026. He was born on 6 July 1940.
Former steelworker who led Kazakhstan for nearly 30 years and moved its capital to Astana
Did you know?Following his resignation in 2019, the country's capital city, Astana, was briefly renamed Nur-Sultan in his honour.
Quick facts
Date of birth6 July 1940
Age86
NationalityKazakh
BirthplaceShamalgan, Kazakhstan
Occupationpolitician
Editor's Take:
Nursultan Nazarbayev ruled Kazakhstan for almost three decades. He began as a worker at the Karaganda steel plant and rose through the Soviet Communist Party. He led Kazakhstan to independence in 1991 as its first president. He agreed to give up the huge Soviet nuclear arsenal on Kazakh soil. Oil wealth brought growth, and he built a gleaming new capital, Astana. Elections were never free, and power stayed concentrated around him. He stepped down in 2019 but kept influence until riots in 2022.
Key Milestones
1984: Prime minister – Kazakh SSR
1991: Independence – president
1995: Nuclear – weapons removed
1997: Astana – new capital
Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev (born 6 July 1940) is a Kazakh politician who served as the first president of Kazakhstan from 1991 to 2019. He also held the special title of Elbasy from 2010 to 2022 and chairman of the Security Council from 1991 to 2022.