TIMELINE: Life and times of Nelson Mandela

(Reuters) - South Africa celebrated former President Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday on Friday.

Here are key dates in his life.

July 18, 1918 - Born Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela near Qunu, in Transkei (now Eastern Cape), the youngest son of a counselor to the chief of his Thembu clan.

1944 - Founds African National Congress (ANC) Youth League with Oliver Tambo and Walter Sisulu.

-- Marries his first wife Evelyn, with whom he had a daughter and two sons. They were divorced in 1957.

1952 - Mandela and others arrested and charged under Suppression of Communism Act; given suspended prison sentence.

-- Elected deputy national president of ANC

1958 - Marries Winnie Madikizela. They separated in April 1992 and were divorced nearly four years later.

1962 - Leaves country secretly. Goes for military training in Algeria. Returning to South Africa, the "Black Pimpernel" is captured and sentenced to five years for incitement and illegally leaving the country.

1963 - While serving five-year sentence, Mandela is charged with conspiracy and sabotage.

June 12, 1964 - Mandela and seven others are sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island, off Cape Town.

February 2, 1990 - FW de Klerk, South Africa's last white president, lifts ban from ANC and other liberation movements. Mandela is freed on February 11.

1991 - Elected president of the ANC.

October 1993 - Wins Nobel Peace Prize with de Klerk.

May 10, 1994 - Mandela is inaugurated in Pretoria as South Africa's first black president.

December 1997 - Hands leadership of ANC to Deputy President Thabo Mbeki in first stage of phased transfer of power.