Niger Republic

The landlocked Niger Republic is located NW of Nigeria. This card shows the stark landscape of this Sahelian nation, with an image of the village of Bouza, in the Ader-Tehoua region.

Niger: lion stamp

100fr this nature protection stamp, showing a wild lion, was affixed to the card above, and posted from the capital, Niamey

Namibia

I am very partial to sunset cards, and this one shows stunning colored skies above the stark landscapes of Namibia

Morocco

This card shows several scenes from Morocco which were not identified, but give a sense of the architecture and historical aspects of various cities

Namibia

This multi-scene card shows:

1. savannah wildflowers (top)

2. the Naute dam (mid)

3. dunes of the Namib Desert (lower)

right: trees and Namib Desert crevasses

Namibia: stamp

50c Mining: this stamp shows a scene from the major industry of Namibia, issued as part of the first definitive set after independence.

Palau

Palau is a group of forested islands in the Pacific known for their rich marine habitats to scuba divers worldwide. I received this card from a diver friend who remarked that the islands were by far the most pristine habitat she had ever visited, and the water clarity and air purity were unparalleled.

Palau: stamps

These stamps graced the card above. As a small archipelago, Palau does not have many land mammals, but has several unique bird species. The stamps were postmarked in the capital, Koror.

Cape Verde

This card shows a typical scene from the hilly and arid Cape Verde islands, due west of Senegal in the mid-Atlantic. The islands have rich fisheries but scant rainfall limits agriculture on most of the islands

Cape Verde: stamp

60p this stamp arrived on the card above, and shows the Ceiba tree, an imposing species known for its height and excellent shade

CAMEROON

This card shows the elaboate carvings of the chief's palace in Banjoun, in the Western region of Cameroon. This palace houses important cultural objects of the Bamoun peoples, such as war weapons, musical instruments and decorated thrones of royalty.

Cameroon: stamp map

This stamp came on the card above, and shows the outline of Cameroon with images of different regions, such as the giraffes of Waza at top, and a forest village scene in the lower right.

Kamchatka, Russia

This amazing landscape of glaciers and geysers is in the Kronotsky Nature Reserve of Kamchatka, Russia. The valley in the foreground is called "death valley" as small animals are often killed by the presence of poisonous gases such as carbon disulfide and hydrogen sulfide.

CHAD

The arid north of Chad presents a forbidding landscape, but is also home to spectacular geological formations, such as the rising plateau pictured in this card.

CHAD: antelope stamp

This lovely stamp graced the card above, and shows the Addax, an endangered antelope

native to the arid plains of Chad, postmarked in the capital, N'Djamena in 2005

UGANDA

This wonderful card shows a family group of Mountain Gorillas, which exist only in the border area of Uganda, Rwanda and the Congo, in small numbers. In Uganda, they are mainly found in two small forest areas: Bwindi and Mahaginga, in the SW.

ZAMBIA

This card shows storks wading in the mighty Zambezi river, home to a diversity of wildlife including hippos, crocodiles, aquatic birds and even large game mammals on its shores.

ZAMBIA bird stamps

These wonderful stamps were affixed to the card above, and show (from left) the Black Sunbird, the Hammerhead, and curiously a dolphin (Zambia is a landlocked country).

Ifugao, Philippines

The terraces of Banaue and a waterfall in Ifugao Province are the subject of this lovely card, which arrived a few months ago. This region is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a notable attraction in the Philippines.