A little knowledge. An empire of 22.

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

   United KingdomvsSaudi Arabia

   Population: 68,526,000 vs 33,702,731 people · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Saudi Arabia.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for United Kingdom against Saudi Arabia

   Category	United Kingdom	Saudi Arabia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	243,610	2,149,690	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	68,526,000	33,702,731	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	60,787	71,624	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	281.3	15.7	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,345	3,000	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	12,429	2,640	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	52.5° N	23.5° N	Would lose

2. 2
   Round 2Won14 countries · 4 lives left

   LibyavsFinland

   Area: 1,759,540 vs 338,145 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Finland.

   Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Libya against Finland

   Category	Libya	Finland	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	1,759,540	338,145	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	7,305,659	5,583,911	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	13,858	63,467	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	4.2	16.5	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,267	1,328	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	1,770	1,250	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	26.1° N	63.3° N	Would win

3. 3
   Round 3Won15 countries · 4 lives left

   KuwaitvsTunisia

   Wealth per person: 53,083 vs 14,052 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Tunisia.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Kuwait against Tunisia

   Category	Kuwait	Tunisia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	17,818	163,610	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	4,853,420	12,200,431	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	53,083	14,052	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	272.4	74.6	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	300	1,544	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	499	1,148	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	29.4° N	35.3° N	Would win

4. 4
   Round 4Won16 countries · 4 lives left

   SpainvsMadagascar

   Population: 48,352,528 vs 31,195,932 people · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Madagascar.

   Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Spain against Madagascar

   Category	Spain	Madagascar	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	505,370	587,041	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	48,352,528	31,195,932	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	55,661	1,810	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	95.7	53.1	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,718	2,876	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	4,964	4,828	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	10	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	40.0° N	18.4° S	Would lose

5. 5
   Round 5Won17 countries · 4 lives left

   IcelandvsNamibia

   Wealth per person: 82,257 vs 11,248 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Namibia.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Iceland against Namibia

   Category	Iceland	Namibia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	103,000	824,292	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	385,663	2,963,095	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	82,257	11,248	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	3.7	3.6	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,110	2,573	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	4,970	1,572	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	5	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	64.7° N	20.6° S	Would lose

6. 6
   Round 6Won18 countries · 4 lives left

   UruguayvsTimor-Leste

   Wealth per person: 34,546 vs 4,811 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Timor-Leste.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Uruguay against Timor-Leste

   Category	Uruguay	Timor-Leste	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	176,215	14,874	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	3,388,081	1,384,286	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	34,546	4,811	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	19.2	93.1	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	514	2,963	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	660	706	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	4	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	32.9° S	8.9° S	Would lose

7. 7
   Round 7Won19 countries · 4 lives left

   CyprusvsBangladesh

   Wealth per person: 59,875 vs 9,155 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Bangladesh.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Cyprus against Bangladesh

   Category	Cyprus	Bangladesh	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	9,251	148,460	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	1,344,976	171,466,990	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	59,875	9,155	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	145.4	1,155.0	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,951	1,060	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	648	580	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	34.9° N	24.3° N	Would lose

8. 8
   Round 8Won20 countries · 4 lives left

   MauritiusvsKenya

   Density: 612.1 vs 95.4 per km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Kenya.

   Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

   All eight categories for Mauritius against Kenya

   Category	Mauritius	Kenya	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	2,040	580,367	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	1,248,647	55,339,003	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	29,403	6,322	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	612.1	95.4	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	828	5,199	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	177	536	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	4	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	20.3° S	0.4° N	Would lose

9. 9
   Round 9Won21 countries · 4 lives left

   GermanyvsEritrea

   Population: 83,287,273 vs 3,470,390 people · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Eritrea.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Germany against Eritrea

   Category	Germany	Eritrea	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	357,022	117,600	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	83,287,273	3,470,390	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑Eritrea: World Bank has no 2023 figure for Eritrea.	72,262	Unavailable	Unavailable
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	233.3	29.5	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,963	3,018	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	2,389	2,234	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	4	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	51.0° N	16.0° N	Would lose

10. 10
    Round 10Won22 countries · 4 lives left

    NicaraguavsIran

    Proximity to equator: 12.6° N vs 32.1° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

    Conquered Iran.

    Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

    All eight categories for Nicaragua against Iran

    Category	Nicaragua	Iran	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	130,370	1,648,195	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	6,823,613	90,608,707	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	8,327	18,933	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	52.3	55.0	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,085	5,625	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	910	2,440	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	10	3	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	12.6° N	32.1° N	Would win

11. 11
    Round 11Won23 countries · 4 lives left

    AngolavsIsrael

    Area: 1,246,700 vs 21,937 km² · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Israel.

    Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Angola against Israel

    Category	Angola	Israel	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	1,246,700	21,937	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	36,749,906	9,849,000	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	9,550	55,301	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	29.5	449.0	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,620	2,224	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	1,600	273	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	2	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	13.2° S	30.9° N	Would win

12. 12
    Round 12Lost22 countries · 3 lives left

    NetherlandsvsUnited States

    Wealth per person: 80,392 vs 82,587 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Netherlands.

    Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

    All eight categories for Netherlands against United States

    Category	Netherlands	United States	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	41,543	9,833,517	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	17,877,117	336,755,052	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	80,392	82,587	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	430.3	34.2	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	322	6,190	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	451	19,924	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	52.2° N	39.1° N	Would lose