Editor's note: The article below highlights Africa's economic potential in ten charts. It has been put together by Michael Johnston, senior analyst for All Emerging Markets.
If some key hurdles can be cleared, Africa could experience explosive GDP growth over the coming decades.

At present, the contributions of Africa to the global economy are often overlooked. With a GDP of roughly $1.6 trillion, sub-Saharan Africa equals roughly 10 percent of the U.S. total and 2 percent of the global total. In the coming decades, however, Africa is poised to experience incredible growth that will make it a meaningful contributor to the global economy.