If you ever need a reminder of the immense challenges facing Africa, then head over to Worldmapper for some jaw-dropping examples. Worldmapper uses equal area cartograms, which resize territories according to the variable being mapped. Here is a map showing worldwide military spending in 2002:
And here is a map showing worldwide landmine deaths between 2003 and 2005:
The Sunday Times ran a few of these maps as part of a feature article this past Sunday, but there are many more maps at the actual site - all of them worth a look.
Link to Worldmapper: The world as you've never seen it before (via White African)