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

   TanzaniavsAlgeria

   Density: 70.3 vs 19.4 per km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Algeria.

   Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Tanzania against Algeria

   Category	Tanzania	Algeria	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	947,300	2,381,740	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	66,617,606	46,164,219	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	4,022	16,838	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	70.3	19.4	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	5,895	2,908	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	1,424	998	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	5.5° S	27.4° N	Would win

2. 2
   Round 2Won14 countries · 4 lives left

   LibyavsTajikistan

   Area: 1,759,540 vs 144,100 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Tajikistan.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Libya against Tajikistan

   Category	Libya	Tajikistan	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	1,759,540	144,100	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	7,305,659	10,389,799	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	13,858	4,968	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	4.2	72.1	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,267	7,495	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	1,770	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	4	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	26.1° N	38.3° N	Would win

3. 3
   Round 3Won15 countries · 4 lives left

   HaitivsGabon

   Density: 419.4 vs 9.3 per km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Gabon.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Haiti against Gabon

   Category	Haiti	Gabon	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	27,750	267,667	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	11,637,398	2,484,789	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	3,265	20,773	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	419.4	9.3	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,674	1,050	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	1,771	885	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	7	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	19.2° N	0.6° S	Would lose

4. 4
   Round 4Won16 countries · 4 lives left

   MaldivesvsCyprus

   Density: 1,765.1 vs 145.4 per km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Cyprus.

   Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

   All eight categories for Maldives against Cyprus

   Category	Maldives	Cyprus	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	298	9,251	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	525,994	1,344,976	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	24,807	59,875	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	1,765.1	145.4	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	5	1,951	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	644	648	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	3.3° N	34.9° N	Would win

5. 5
   Round 5Won17 countries · 4 lives left

   MoroccovsBhutan

   Area: 446,550 vs 38,394 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Bhutan.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Morocco against Bhutan

   Category	Morocco	Bhutan	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	446,550	38,394	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	37,712,505	786,385	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	9,903	16,229	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	84.5	20.5	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	4,165	7,570	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	1,835	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	4	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	31.9° N	27.5° N	Would lose

6. 6
   Round 6Won18 countries · 4 lives left

   GambiavsPeru

   Density: 238.7 vs 26.3 per km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Peru.

   Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

   All eight categories for Gambia against Peru

   Category	Gambia	Peru	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	11,300	1,285,216	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	2,697,845	33,845,617	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	3,292	17,042	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	238.7	26.3	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	63	6,746	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	80	2,414	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	13.6° N	13.0° S	Would lose

7. 7
   Round 7Won19 countries · 4 lives left

   KuwaitvsRussia

   Wealth per person: 53,083 vs 44,299 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Russia.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Kuwait against Russia

   Category	Kuwait	Russia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	17,818	17,098,242	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	4,853,420	143,826,130	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	53,083	44,299	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	272.4	8.4	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	300	5,642	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	499	37,653	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	29.4° N	63.6° N	Would win

8. 8
   Round 8Won20 countries · 4 lives left

   BangladeshvsNew Zealand

   Population: 171,466,990 vs 5,200,000 people · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered New Zealand.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Bangladesh against New Zealand

   Category	Bangladesh	New Zealand	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	148,460	268,838	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	171,466,990	5,200,000	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	9,155	54,950	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	1,155.0	19.3	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,060	3,724	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	580	15,134	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	3	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	24.3° N	45.3° S	Would win

9. 9
   Round 9Won21 countries · 4 lives left

   SomaliavsIceland

   Area: 637,657 vs 103,000 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Iceland.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Somalia against Iceland

   Category	Somalia	Iceland	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	637,657	103,000	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	18,358,615	385,663	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	1,557	82,257	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	28.8	3.7	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,460	2,110	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	3,025	4,970	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	3	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	2.6° N	64.7° N	Would win

10. 10
    Round 10Won22 countries · 4 lives left

    Côte d’IvoirevsLiberia

    Area: 322,463 vs 111,369 km² · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Liberia.

    Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Côte d’Ivoire against Liberia

    Category	Côte d’Ivoire	Liberia	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	322,463	111,369	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	31,165,654	5,493,031	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	7,243	1,796	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	96.6	49.3	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,752	1,447	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	515	579	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	7.5° N	7.0° N	Would lose

11. 11
    Round 11Lost21 countries · 3 lives left

    EritreavsColombia

    Density: 29.5 vs 45.9 per km² · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Eritrea.

    Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

    All eight categories for Eritrea against Colombia

    Category	Eritrea	Colombia	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	117,600	1,138,910	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	3,470,390	52,321,152	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑Eritrea: World Bank has no 2023 figure for Eritrea.	Unavailable	21,282	Unavailable
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	29.5	45.9	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,018	5,730	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	2,234	3,208	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	16.0° N	3.4° N	Would lose