This interesting Gapminder visualisation illustrates how far the various nations of the world have come (in terms of prosperity and life expectancy) over the past 200 years. Presented by Swedish professor Hans Rosling (top left inset), it traces the rise of the West (Australia and New Zealand have fared particularly well) and the recent emergence of China, India and the developing world. The plight of sub-Saharan Africa, however, remains dismal.