South Africa is a nation of 40.5 million people of diverse origins, cultures, languages and beliefs.

The 1996 census - results of the 2001 census are due in 2003 - provided five racial categories by which people could classify themselves, the last of which, "unspecified/other" drew less than a 1% response. Results for the other categories were:

• African/Black - 76.7%
• White - 10.9%
• Coloured - 8.9%
• Indian/Asian - 2.6%

By far the major part of the population classified itself as African or black, but it is not culturally or linguistically homogenous. Nine of the 11 official languages are African, reflecting a variety of tribal groups, which nevertheless have a great deal in common in terms of background, culture and descent.

The white population descends largely from the colonial immigrants of the late 17th, 18th and 19th centuries - Dutch, German, French Huguenot and British. Linguistically it is divided into Afrikaans and English-speaking groups, although more recent immigration means that many small communities exist that retain the use of other languages.

The label "coloured" is a contentious one, but still largely used for the people of mixed race descended from slaves brought in from the East and central Africa, the indigenous Khoesan who lived in the Cape at the time, indigenous African blacks and whites. The majority speak Afrikaans.

Khoesan is a term used to describe two separate groups, physically similar in that they were light-skinned and small in stature. The Khoe, who were called Hottentots by the Europeans, were pastoralists and were effectively annihilated; the San, called Bushmen by the Europeans, were hunter-gatherers. A small, impoverished San population still lives in South Africa.

The major part of the Asian population of the country is Indian in origin, many of them descended from indentured workers brought in the 19th century to work on the sugar plantations of the eastern coastal area then known as Natal. They are largely English-speaking, although many still retain the languages of their origins as well. There is also a significant group of Chinese South Africans.

In terms of religious affiliation, about two-thirds of South Africans are Christian, mainly Protestant. They belong to a variety of churches, including many that combine Christian and traditional African beliefs. Many non-Christians espouse these traditional beliefs. Other significant religions are Islam, Hinduism and Judaism.

The population as a whole is young, with the highest numbers being recorded in the 5- to 9-year bracket (black) or the 10- to 14-year bracket (coloured, Indian/Asian, white). Of the total population, about 18% are between 20 and 29 years old.

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