Ilham Aliyev
The long-ruling president who has wielded Azerbaijan's oil wealth to project national power while maintaining an iron grip at home.
Born 1961 (age 65)·President of Azerbaijan since 2003·Birthday: December 24·Baby Boomers
Biography
Ilham Aliyev assumed the presidency of Azerbaijan in 2003, succeeding his father, Heydar Aliyev, in a transition that cemented a political dynasty. Educated in Moscow and steeped in his father's Soviet-era political network, he has presided over a period defined by petrodollar-fueled transformation. Baku's skyline has been remade with glittering towers, while the country's military, buoyed by energy revenues, has grown in capability. His tenure has been marked by a decisive victory in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, a moment of profound national triumph. Internationally, he has positioned Azerbaijan as a strategic energy partner to Europe and a host of global events. At home, however, his rule is characterized by centralized authority, suppression of political dissent, and tight control over media and civil society.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Ilham was born in 1961, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ilham Was Born
The biggest hits of 1961
#1 Movie
101 Dalmatians
Best Picture
West Side Story
#1 TV Show
Wagon Train
Ilham's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1961Born
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1966Started school
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1974Became a teenager
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Could drive
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1979Could vote
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Turned 21
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1991Turned 30
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 40
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 50
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 60
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 65 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Has served as President of Azerbaijan since 2003, winning multiple elections amid criticism from international observers.
- Oversaw Azerbaijan's military victory in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, reclaiming territory held by Armenian forces for decades.
- Transformed Baku into a host city for major international events like the Eurovision Song Contest and Formula One Grand Prix.
- Secured the Southern Gas Corridor, a major pipeline network delivering Azerbaijani gas to European markets.
Did You Know?
He earned a Ph.D. in history from Moscow State Institute of International Relations.
He served as the President of the National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan for many years.
He is married to Mehriban Aliyeva, who serves as the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan.
Before politics, he was involved in the family's business interests, including in the tourism and energy sectors.
“The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is not subject to discussion.”
