Using the following interactive infographic, you can see how African Countries score against one another on a scale from 0 to 100 on a range of economic, social and security factors.
Rather than relying solely on traditional economic statistics just as GDP, this infographic compares African countries by seven additional categories: health, stability, infrastructure, education, diversity, rights and size.
So how is each country's final score determined?
Each country is given an overall score in each of the categories, compiled by averaging the figures of four indicators within that category and then scaling the results on a scale of 0 to 100. A country's final score in the education category, for example, is determined by its performance in literacy, primary completion, quality of education and government education spending.
Then, each country's overall mark out of 100 is determined by considering its performance in all the categories - except for the country's size, which is included in the infographic purely for information.
The graph in the bottom left hand corner allows you to compare two indicators to discover if there is a correlation. Try plotting ethnic diversity against conflict participation, or completed primary education against extreme poverty.
Naturally, some of these indicators are more quantifiable than others. For instance, ranking each country's GDP per capita is more easily and reliably done than comparing more subjective measurements, such as a country's civil liberties score. Similarly, there are any number of categories and weightings which could be applied, and therefore no infographic of this kind will be exhaustive.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Here are some highlights from Think Africa Press, which may confirm or challenge the outcomes detailed by this infographic:
Home Sweet Home: Changing Times Bring Somali Diaspora Back - These indicators rank Somalia as the worst country overall, with a score of 0, but there have been positive developments for the nation, which are starting to bring the Somali diaspora home.
Rwanda: The Land of Gender Equality? - Although Rwanda is criticised for its human rights record, it is ranked the highest country in Africa for gender equality.
The Squatters of Hangberg: Attacked, Harassed, and Under Threat of Eviction - South Africa is ranked at the top for human rights, but squatters' rights are being violated.
Striking Out: How Kenya's Unions Have Gone from Hero to Zero - Kenya is one of the top-ranked for education, but this doesn't mean that the teaching unions there are necessarily happy.
In Search of Food and Peace in South Sudan - There is not enough data available for Africa's newest country, South Sudan, for it to be ranked by this infographic. Filling in some of the gaps, Think Africa Press looks at how the country is in search of food and peace.
Jamie Pickering is a freelance journalist. He is interested in political, economic and security issues in sub-Saharan Africa. He has a particular interest in Francophone Africa and the current conflict in Mali. You can follow him on twitter at: @JamiePickering2.
