Suu Kyi spent much of the time between each of her election victories as a guarded prisoner in her own home in Yangon. While under house arrest, she became an international face of the fight for democracy, with U.N. Secretary Ban Ki Moon in 2012 calling her a "global symbol" of progress.
Suu Kyi's release came after the election of President Thein Sein in March 2011.
Soon after taking power, Thein Sein set about opening the previously reclusive country to the international community.
His government freed hundreds of prisoners, including Suu Kyi, relaxed media censorship and started a peace process with warring ethnic militia, who have been fighting the central government for six decades.
As a result, sanctions were lifted, opening the country to international trade deals -- and scrutiny.
READ MORE: Aung San Suu Kyi: The Lady in facts and figures