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General Information About Nursultan Nazarbayev

General Background on Nursultan Nazarbayev

Nursultan Nazarbayev has been President of Kazakhstan since 1990 and served as its leader from the end of Soviet Russia until his death in 2019. Often described as an authoritarian leader who suppressed dissent.

He has amassed power and amassed vast resources into his hands; his opponents accuse him of becoming a dictator. Additionally, he has established his own cult of personality.

Born of Kazakh peasants, he attended technical colleges in Ukraine and then Karaganda. Working in metallurgical manufacturing industries and later serving as party secretary in his local kombinat (district).

In 1989, he was elected first secretary of the Communist Party in Kazakhstan and later President on 1 December 1991 with 91% support from Mikhail Gorbachev of Russia. Under his rule, revenues increased through oil, gas and other natural resources to provide greater revenues to Kazakhstan's state budget.

He sought to improve Kazakhstan's economy while upholding interethnic harmony among its people, by encouraging regional autonomy and permitting international oil companies to access Tengiz and Kashagan oilfields.

Dariga Nazarbayeva was married to Sara Alpysovna Nazarbayeva and they shared three daughters together. Dariga Nazarbayeva became Speaker of the Upper House of Parliament shortly after her father resigned as head of state in March 2019.

Nazarbayev has succeeded despite many difficulties to lead Kazakhstan into being prosperous, democratic and peaceful for over 20 years. Under his direction has emerged friendly relations between Kazakhstan and Russia as well as large oil fields being discovered and developed.