A little knowledge. An empire of 21.

Every comparison uses this expedition’s original data and rules. “Would win” describes this matchup only; a different choice would change the later journey.

1. 1
   Round 1Won13 countries · 4 lives left

   AlbaniavsBolivia

   Wealth per person: 24,848 vs 12,903 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Bolivia.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Albania against Bolivia

   Category	Albania	Bolivia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	28,748	1,098,581	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	2,411,658	12,244,159	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	24,848	12,903	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	83.9	11.1	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,764	6,542	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	362	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	9	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	40.7° N	16.7° S	Would lose

2. 2
   Round 2Won14 countries · 4 lives left

   MongoliavsLithuania

   Area: 1,564,116 vs 65,300 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Lithuania.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Mongolia against Lithuania

   Category	Mongolia	Lithuania	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	1,564,116	65,300	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	3,481,145	2,871,585	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	18,020	52,720	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	2.2	44.0	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	4,374	294	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	90	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	46.0° N	55.1° N	Would win

3. 3
   Round 3Won15 countries · 4 lives left

   Sri LankavsLiberia

   Coastline: 1,340 vs 579 km · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Liberia.

   Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Sri Lanka against Liberia

   Category	Sri Lanka	Liberia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	65,610	111,369	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	22,037,000	5,493,031	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	14,512	1,796	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	335.9	49.3	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,524	1,447	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	1,340	579	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	5	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	7.1° N	7.0° N	Would lose

4. 4
   Round 4Won16 countries · 4 lives left

   CzechiavsChina

   Wealth per person: 56,062 vs 25,200 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered China.

   Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

   All eight categories for Czechia against China

   Category	Czechia	China	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	78,867	9,596,960	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	10,864,042	1,410,710,000	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	56,062	25,200	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	137.8	147.0	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,602	8,849	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	14,500	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	49.8° N	32.5° N	Would lose

5. 5
   Round 5Won17 countries · 4 lives left

   ZambiavsNew Zealand

   Proximity to equator: 14.7° S vs 45.3° S from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered New Zealand.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Zambia against New Zealand

   Category	Zambia	New Zealand	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	752,618	268,838	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	20,723,965	5,200,000	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	4,080	54,950	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	27.5	19.3	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,330	3,724	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	15,134	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	14.7° S	45.3° S	Would win

6. 6
   Round 6Won18 countries · 4 lives left

   ArgentinavsPoland

   Area: 2,780,400 vs 312,685 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Poland.

   Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Argentina against Poland

   Category	Argentina	Poland	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	2,780,400	312,685	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	45,538,401	36,687,353	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	30,246	48,473	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	16.4	117.3	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	6,962	2,499	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	4,989	440	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	31.4° S	51.9° N	Would win

7. 7
   Round 7Won19 countries · 4 lives left

   Equatorial GuineavsMauritania

   Proximity to equator: 1.6° N vs 19.4° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Mauritania.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Equatorial Guinea against Mauritania

   Category	Equatorial Guinea	Mauritania	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	28,051	1,030,700	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	1,847,549	5,022,441	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	16,997	6,972	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	65.9	4.9	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,008	915	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	296	754	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	8	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	1.6° N	19.4° N	Would win

8. 8
   Round 8Won20 countries · 4 lives left

   RwandavsCyprus

   Proximity to equator: 1.8° S vs 34.9° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Cyprus.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Rwanda against Cyprus

   Category	Rwanda	Cyprus	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	26,338	9,251	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	13,954,471	1,344,976	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	3,519	59,875	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	529.8	145.4	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	4,519	1,951	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	648	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	1.8° S	34.9° N	Would win

9. 9
   Round 9Won21 countries · 4 lives left

   Côte d’IvoirevsMoldova

   Proximity to equator: 7.5° N vs 47.5° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Moldova.

   Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Côte d’Ivoire against Moldova

   Category	Côte d’Ivoire	Moldova	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	322,463	33,851	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	31,165,654	2,457,783	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	7,243	17,751	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	96.6	72.6	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,752	430	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	515	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	9	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	7.5° N	47.5° N	Would win

10. 10
    Round 10Won22 countries · 4 lives left

    Guinea-BissauvsSaudi Arabia

    Proximity to equator: 12.1° N vs 23.5° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

    Conquered Saudi Arabia.

    Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Guinea-Bissau against Saudi Arabia

    Category	Guinea-Bissau	Saudi Arabia	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	36,125	2,149,690	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	2,153,339	33,702,731	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	2,956	71,624	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	59.6	15.7	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	277	3,000	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	350	2,640	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	2	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	12.1° N	23.5° N	Would win

11. 11
    Round 11Lost21 countries · 3 lives left

    NigervsYemen

    Proximity to equator: 17.6° N vs 15.3° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

    Returned to the world: Niger.

    Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

    All eight categories for Niger against Yemen

    Category	Niger	Yemen	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	1,267,000	527,968	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	26,159,867	39,390,799	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑Yemen: World Bank has no 2023 figure for Yemen.	1,903	Unavailable	Unavailable
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	20.6	74.6	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,022	3,666	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	1,906	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	17.6° N	15.3° N	Would lose