Nursultan Nazarbayev
He steered Kazakhstan from Soviet republic to independent nation, shaping its modern identity and economy while maintaining a firm grip on power for nearly three decades.
Born 1940 (age 86)·President of Kazakhstan from 1991 to 2019·Birthday: July 6·The Silent Generation
Biography
Nursultan Nazarbayev’s political journey began in the steel mills of Karaganda, a background that informed his pragmatic, industrial approach to leadership. As the Soviet Union crumbled, he navigated Kazakhstan to independence, becoming its first president in 1991. His rule was defined by a careful balancing act: courting Western oil investment to build a modern capital, Astana, while maintaining close political and security ties with Russia. He positioned himself as a father of the nation, a role later formalized with the title 'Elbasy.' His tenure fostered stability and economic growth for many, but was also marked by centralized authority, a suppressed political opposition, and a powerful family network. His surprise resignation in 2019 did not end his influence, as he retained key advisory roles, ensuring his vision continued to shape the country's path.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Nursultan was born in 1940, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Nursultan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1940
#1 Movie
Fantasia
Best Picture
Rebecca
Nursultan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1940Born
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1945Started school
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1953Became a teenager
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1956Could drive
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1958Could vote
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1961Turned 21
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
1970Turned 30
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 40
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 50
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 60
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 70
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 80
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 86 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the first President of independent Kazakhstan from 1991 until his resignation in 2019.
- Oversaw the move of the national capital from Almaty to the newly built city of Astana (now Nur-Sultan).
- Maintained a largely stable and growing economy by leveraging Kazakhstan's vast natural resource wealth.
- Relinquished nuclear weapons inherited from the Soviet Union, positioning Kazakhstan as a non-proliferation advocate.
Did You Know?
A trained metallurgist, he worked as a steelworker before entering politics.
The capital city, Astana, was renamed Nur-Sultan in his honor shortly after his resignation.
He authored several books on economics, history, and his political philosophy.
He was a champion boxer in his youth.
“First of all, we have to be a state. And then we can think about what kind of state.”
