Azerbaijani President is celebrating his 49th birthday today.
Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev was born in December 24, 1961, in Baku.
He attended a secondary school in Baku from 1967 till 1977.
In 1977, he entered the Moscow State University of International Relations (MSUIR).
In 1982, upon his graduation, Mr. Aliyev had continued his education as a postgraduate student in MSUIR.
In 1985, he finalized his research works and received a PhD degree in history.
During the years of 1985-1990, he gave lectures at the Moscow State University of International Relations.
From 1991 to 1994, he led a group of private industrial-commercial enterprises.
In 1994-2003, he was the vise-president, and later the first vise-president of the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR). He had been actively involved in the implementation of Heydar Aliyev's oil strategy.
He is an author of numerous research works on geopolitical aspects of oil strategy of sovereign Azerbaijan. He holds a degree of doctor of political sciences.
In 1995 and 2000, he was twice elected to the Milli Majlis (Parliament) of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
In 2003, he stopped his activity as a Member of Parliament due to his appointment to the post of Prime minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Since 1997, Mr. Ilham Aliyev is the President of the National Olympic Committee of Azerbaijan. For his great contribution to the development of sports and Olympic movement, Mr. Aliyev was awarded the highest order of International Olympic Committee and "Grand Cordon" Order of Merit of International Military Sport Council.
He has been elected deputy chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party in 1999, first deputy chairman in 2001, and the chairman of the Party in 2005.
From 2001 to 2003, he was the head of the Azerbaijani Parliamentary delegation to Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE).
In January 2003, he was elected as Deputy-Chairman of Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe and member of the PACE bureau.
In August 4 2003, following the approval of the Milli Majlis (Parliament), he was appointed as the Prime minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
In October 15, 2003, he was elected as the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. More than 76% of voters supported Ilham Aliyev's candidacy during the elections. He assumed his post on 31 October, 2003.
In April of 2004, Mr. Aliyev was awarded a medal and diploma of honorable member of PACE for his active participation in PACE events and commitment to European values.
Ilham Aliyev was elected to the second term of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, after acquiring 88% of votes of electorate in the elections, held on October 15, 2008. He started to execute the Office of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on October 24, 2008.
Mr. Aliyev is fluent in Azerbaijani, English, Russian, French, and Turkish.
Mr. Aliyev is married, has three children and two grandchildren.
President Aliyevs' honorary names, orders, and awards include: Heydar Aliyev Order (the Republic of Azerbaijan), Ihsan Dogramacı Prize for International Relations for Peace (Turkey), The Star of Romania Order (Romania), King Abdul Aziz Order (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), Order of Honor (Georgia), Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor (France), Sheikhulislam Order (Republic of Azerbaijan), Prepodobniy Sergiy Rodonejskiy first degree Order of Russian Orthodox Church, Grand Cordon Order of Merit (International Military Sport Council), Honorary decoration of International Confederation of Sport Organizations of CIS countries, highest order of FİLA Sport legend, Grand Cross of Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (Republic of Poland), Order of Prince Yaroslav Mudry of 1st Class (Ukraine), Mubarak Al-Kabeer Order (Kuwait), Gold medal of the Hellenic Republic (Greece), Badge of Honor of European Fair Play Movement, Order of the Three Stars (Commander of the Grand Cross) (Latvian Republic);
Honorary Doctor of Lincoln University (USA), Honorary Doctor of the Moscow State University of International Relations, Honorary Professor of L.N.Gumilev Eurasian National University (Kazakhstan), Honorary Doctor of Bilkent University (Turkey), Honorary Doctor of National Academy for Taxes (Ukraine), Honorary Doctor of Petroleum and Gas University of Ploesti (Romania), Honorary Professor of University of National and World Economy (Bulgaria), Honorary Doctor of Kyung Hee University (South Korea), Honorary Doctor of Jordan University (Jordan), Honorary Doctor in Social Sciences of the Corvinus University (Republic of Hungary), Honorary Professor of Moscow State University (Russian Federation), Honorary Doctor of the Kiev National University named after Taras Shevchenko (Ukraine), Honorary Professor of the Turkmenistan State University after Makhtumkuli (Turkmenistan), Honorary Doctor of the Baku State University (Azerbaijan), Honorary Professor of the Belarusian State University (Belarus).