A little knowledge. An empire of 18.

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

   DjiboutivsSlovakia

   Coastline: 314 vs 0 km · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Slovakia.

   Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

   All eight categories for Djibouti against Slovakia

   Category	Djibouti	Slovakia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	23,200	49,035	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	1,152,944	5,426,740	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	7,232	45,865	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	49.7	110.7	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,021	2,655	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	314	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorBlocked in Hard · from the equator · Closer wins ↓	11.4° N	48.7° N	Would win

2. 2
   Round 2Won14 countries · 4 lives left

   NigeriavsLaos

   Area: 923,768 vs 236,800 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Laos.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Nigeria against Laos

   Category	Nigeria	Laos	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	923,768	236,800	Would win
   PopulationBlocked in Hard · people · Higher wins ↑	227,882,945	7,664,993	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	8,712	9,299	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	246.7	32.4	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,419	2,817	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	853	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	3	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	9.4° N	19.6° N	Would win

3. 3
   Round 3Won15 countries · 4 lives left

   GabonvsBurundi

   Coastline: 885 vs 0 km · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Burundi.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Gabon against Burundi

   Category	Gabon	Burundi	Result
   AreaBlocked in Hard · km² · Higher wins ↑	267,667	27,830	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	2,484,789	13,689,450	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	20,773	1,147	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	9.3	491.9	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,050	2,685	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	885	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	0.6° S	3.4° S	Would win

4. 4
   Round 4Won16 countries · 4 lives left

   EthiopiavsSomalia

   Area: 1,104,300 vs 637,657 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Somalia.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Ethiopia against Somalia

   Category	Ethiopia	Somalia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	1,104,300	637,657	Would win
   PopulationBlocked in Hard · people · Higher wins ↑	128,691,692	18,358,615	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	3,063	1,557	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	116.5	28.8	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	4,550	2,460	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	3,025	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	8.5° N	2.6° N	Would lose

5. 5
   Round 5Won17 countries · 4 lives left

   SenegalvsKazakhstan

   Coastline: 531 vs 0 km · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Kazakhstan.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Senegal against Kazakhstan

   Category	Senegal	Kazakhstan	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	196,722	2,724,900	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	18,077,573	20,330,104	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	4,782	38,547	Would lose
   DensityBlocked in Hard · per km² · Higher wins ↑	91.9	7.5	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	648	7,010	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	531	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	15.2° N	48.5° N	Would win

6. 6
   Round 6Won18 countries · 4 lives left

   GhanavsPalestine

   Proximity to equator: 7.0° N vs 32.1° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Palestine.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Ghana against Palestine

   Category	Ghana	Palestine	Result
   AreaBlocked in Hard · km² · Higher wins ↑	238,533	6,220	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	33,787,914	5,165,775	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	7,563	6,179	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	141.6	830.5	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	885	1,020	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	539	40	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	4	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	7.0° N	32.1° N	Would win

7. 7
   Round 7Won19 countries · 4 lives left

   MalaysiavsJapan

   Flag colours: 4 vs 2 colours · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Japan.

   Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

   All eight categories for Malaysia against Japan

   Category	Malaysia	Japan	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	329,847	377,915	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	35,126,298	124,516,650	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	36,497	52,726	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	106.5	329.5	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	4,095	3,776	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	4,675	29,751	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	4	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorBlocked in Hard · from the equator · Closer wins ↓	4.4° N	36.7° N	Would win

8. 8
   Round 8Lost18 countries · 3 lives left

   AlbaniavsNorth Korea

   Proximity to equator: 40.7° N vs 39.9° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Returned to the world: Albania.

   Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

   All eight categories for Albania against North Korea

   Category	Albania	North Korea	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	28,748	120,538	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	2,411,658	26,418,204	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑North Korea: World Bank has no 2023 figure for North Korea.	24,848	Unavailable	Unavailable
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	83.9	219.2	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,764	2,744	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	362	2,495	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	3	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	40.7° N	39.9° N	Would lose