Born: 13 September 1951 Akon, Anglo-Egytian Sudan

1960s: First joined southern Sudan rebels against North Sudan;

1972: Joined the Sudanese army, after peace deal with President Jaafar Numeiri;

1983: Became founder member of Sudanese People's Liberation Movement (SPLM);

January 2005: Involved in the conclusion of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which ended 21 years of civil war between North and South Sudan;

2 August 2005: Nominated John Garang's successor as first Vice President of the Government of Sudan (GoS) and President of the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) during the transition period (January 2005 - July 2011) following Garang's sudden death in a helicopter crash;

April 2010: General elections in South Sudan confirming Kiir's presidency;

January 2011: Referendum on Southern Sudan's self-determination overwhelmingly in favour of South Sudan's independence;

9 July 2011: President of the newly independent state of the Republic of South Sudan.