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

   Guinea-BissauvsLuxembourg

   Proximity to equator: 12.1° N vs 49.7° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Luxembourg.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Guinea-Bissau against Luxembourg

   Category	Guinea-Bissau	Luxembourg	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	36,125	2,586	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	2,153,339	666,430	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	2,956	152,596	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	59.6	257.7	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	277	559	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	350	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	12.1° N	49.7° N	Would win

2. 2
   Round 2Won14 countries · 4 lives left

   BahrainvsTunisia

   Wealth per person: 64,224 vs 14,052 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Tunisia.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Bahrain against Tunisia

   Category	Bahrain	Tunisia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	760	163,610	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	1,577,059	12,200,431	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	64,224	14,052	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	2,075.1	74.6	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	135	1,544	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	161	1,148	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	2	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	26.0° N	35.3° N	Would win

3. 3
   Round 3Won15 countries · 4 lives left

   Equatorial GuineavsBenin

   Proximity to equator: 1.6° N vs 10.4° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Benin.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Equatorial Guinea against Benin

   Category	Equatorial Guinea	Benin	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	28,051	112,622	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	1,847,549	14,111,034	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	16,997	4,133	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	65.9	125.3	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,008	675	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	296	121	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	8	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	1.6° N	10.4° N	Would win

4. 4
   Round 4Won16 countries · 4 lives left

   AustraliavsBotswana

   Area: 7,741,220 vs 581,730 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Botswana.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Australia against Botswana

   Category	Australia	Botswana	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	7,741,220	581,730	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	26,659,922	2,480,244	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	72,273	21,029	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	3.4	4.3	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,228	1,495	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	25,760	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	23.1° S	22.1° S	Would lose

5. 5
   Round 5Won17 countries · 4 lives left

   SyriavsPeru

   Density: 125.9 vs 26.3 per km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Peru.

   Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

   All eight categories for Syria against Peru

   Category	Syria	Peru	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	187,437	1,285,216	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	23,594,623	33,845,617	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑Syria: World Bank has no 2023 figure for Syria.	Unavailable	17,042	Unavailable
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	125.9	26.3	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,814	6,746	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	193	2,414	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	35.0° N	13.0° S	Would lose

6. 6
   Round 6Won18 countries · 4 lives left

   UzbekistanvsNew Zealand

   Population: 35,652,307 vs 5,200,000 people · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered New Zealand.

   Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Uzbekistan against New Zealand

   Category	Uzbekistan	New Zealand	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	447,400	268,838	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	35,652,307	5,200,000	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	11,679	54,950	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	79.7	19.3	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	4,643	3,724	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	15,134	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	41.5° N	45.3° S	Would win

7. 7
   Round 7Won19 countries · 4 lives left

   UgandavsDominican Republic

   Population: 48,656,601 vs 11,331,265 people · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Dominican Republic.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Uganda against Dominican Republic

   Category	Uganda	Dominican Republic	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	241,038	48,670	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	48,656,601	11,331,265	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	3,100	25,861	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	201.9	232.8	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	5,110	3,098	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	1,288	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	5	6	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	2.0° N	19.1° N	Would win

8. 8
   Round 8Won20 countries · 4 lives left

   FijivsRwanda

   Coastline: 1,129 vs 0 km · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Rwanda.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Fiji against Rwanda

   Category	Fiji	Rwanda	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	18,274	26,338	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	924,145	13,954,471	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	14,656	3,519	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	50.6	529.8	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,324	4,519	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	1,129	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	8	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	17.8° S	1.8° S	Would lose

9. 9
   Round 9Won21 countries · 4 lives left

   BrazilvsPoland

   Population: 211,140,729 vs 36,687,353 people · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Poland.

   Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Brazil against Poland

   Category	Brazil	Poland	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	8,515,770	312,685	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	211,140,729	36,687,353	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	21,193	48,473	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	24.8	117.3	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,994	2,499	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	7,491	440	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	12.6° S	51.9° N	Would win

10. 10
    Round 10Won22 countries · 4 lives left

    MalawivsQatar

    Population: 21,104,482 vs 2,656,032 people · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Qatar.

    Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Malawi against Qatar

    Category	Malawi	Qatar	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	118,484	11,586	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	21,104,482	2,656,032	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	1,832	129,025	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	178.1	229.2	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,002	103	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	563	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	2	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	13.4° S	25.1° N	Would win

11. 11
    Round 11Lost21 countries · 3 lives left

    Papua New GuineavsDR Congo

    Highest peak: 4,509 vs 5,110 m · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Papua New Guinea.

    Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Papua New Guinea against DR Congo

    Category	Papua New Guinea	DR Congo	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	462,840	2,344,858	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	10,389,635	105,789,731	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	4,672	1,732	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	22.4	45.1	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	4,509	5,110	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	5,152	37	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	5.5° S	1.9° S	Would lose