Country: Republic of South Africa

Population: 50.5 million (UN, 2010 estimate)

Capital: Pretoria (executive), Bloemfontein (judicial), Cape Town (legislative)

Area: 1.22 million sq km (471 thousand sq miles)

Main languages: 11 official languages - Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swati/Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu

Main religions: Christianity (including independent African Christian churches), Islam, Hinduism

Life expectancy: 54 (WHO, 2009)

Literacy Rate: Adult [15+] 89%, Youth [15-24] 97% (UNESCO, 2008)

Urban population (% of total): 61% (UN, 2009)

Population under 18 years: 18.3 million (UN, 2009)

Child mortality: 62 children in every 1,000 likely to die before 5 years (WHO, 2009)

Child nutrition: 10% of children below 5 years underweight (WHO, 1990-1999)

Number of children (0-17) who have lost one/both parents:
3.4 million (UNICEF, 2009)