Democratic Republic of CONGO

This stunning card shows a view of Lake Kivu, forming the border of E. Congo and Rwanda. Set amidst the verdant Virungas mountains, this is one of the highest and deepest lakes in Africa. It is also one of just three known "exploding lakes," whose unstable Rift Valley geology have shown violent volcanic movements affecting its water level and contours.

Rwanda: forest and insect stamps

The card above was mailed across the border in Rwanda, with these showy stamps affixed: a forest theme as well as a Euporus beetle.

Gabon

This card accurately shows the state of many routes in Africa during seasonal rains. In this card, a huge logging truck is stuck in meter-thick rivulets of wet mud, and convey the difficulty of transport and communications in Africa's interior.

Gabon: dinosaur stamp

500fr: this stamp is from a series showing prehistoric life. Though colorful, it is typical of many African stamp issues that seem to have little relevance to local life and culture.