A little knowledge. An empire of 16.

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

   New ZealandvsFinland

   Coastline: 15,134 vs 1,250 km · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Finland.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for New Zealand against Finland

   Category	New Zealand	Finland	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	268,838	338,145	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	5,200,000	5,583,911	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	54,950	63,467	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	19.3	16.5	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,724	1,328	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	15,134	1,250	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	45.3° S	63.3° N	Would win

2. 2
   Round 2Lost12 countries · 3 lives left

   Solomon IslandsvsNicaragua

   Flag colours: 4 vs 10 colours · Higher wins ↑

   Returned to the world: Solomon Islands.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Solomon Islands against Nicaragua

   Category	Solomon Islands	Nicaragua	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	28,896	130,370	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	800,005	6,823,613	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	2,599	8,327	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	27.7	52.3	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,335	2,085	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	5,313	910	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	4	10	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	9.6° S	12.6° N	Would win

3. 3
   Round 3Won13 countries · 3 lives left

   BotswanavsAlgeria

   Wealth per person: 21,029 vs 16,838 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Algeria.

   Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

   All eight categories for Botswana against Algeria

   Category	Botswana	Algeria	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	581,730	2,381,740	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	2,480,244	46,164,219	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	21,029	16,838	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	4.3	19.4	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,495	2,908	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	998	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	22.1° S	27.4° N	Would win

4. 4
   Round 4Lost12 countries · 2 lives left

   Papua New GuineavsCroatia

   Coastline: 5,152 vs 5,835 km · Higher wins ↑

   Returned to the world: Papua New Guinea.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Papua New Guinea against Croatia

   Category	Papua New Guinea	Croatia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	462,840	56,594	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	10,389,635	3,859,686	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	4,672	47,760	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	22.4	68.2	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	4,509	1,831	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	5,152	5,835	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	6	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	5.5° S	45.8° N	Would win

5. 5
   Round 5Won13 countries · 2 lives left

   ComorosvsRussia

   Proximity to equator: 11.7° S vs 63.6° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Russia.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Comoros against Russia

   Category	Comoros	Russia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	2,235	17,098,242	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	850,387	143,826,130	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	3,897	44,299	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	380.5	8.4	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,360	5,642	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	340	37,653	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	5	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	11.7° S	63.6° N	Would win

6. 6
   Round 6Won14 countries · 2 lives left

   BrazilvsMauritania

   Flag colours: 4 vs 3 colours · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Mauritania.

   Other category comparisons 7 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Brazil against Mauritania

   Category	Brazil	Mauritania	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	8,515,770	1,030,700	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	211,140,729	5,022,441	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	21,193	6,972	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	24.8	4.9	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,994	915	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	7,491	754	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	4	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	12.6° S	19.4° N	Would win

7. 7
   Round 7Won15 countries · 2 lives left

   FijivsAlbania

   Proximity to equator: 17.8° S vs 40.7° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Albania.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Fiji against Albania

   Category	Fiji	Albania	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	18,274	28,748	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	924,145	2,411,658	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	14,656	24,848	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	50.6	83.9	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,324	2,764	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	1,129	362	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	8	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	17.8° S	40.7° N	Would win

8. 8
   Round 8Lost14 countries · 1 life left

   BahrainvsMauritius

   Flag colours: 2 vs 4 colours · Higher wins ↑

   Returned to the world: Bahrain.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Bahrain against Mauritius

   Category	Bahrain	Mauritius	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	760	2,040	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	1,577,059	1,248,647	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	64,224	29,403	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	2,075.1	612.1	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	135	828	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	161	177	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	2	4	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	26.0° N	20.3° S	Would lose

9. 9
   Round 9Won15 countries · 1 life left

   BelgiumvsSingapore

   Flag colours: 3 vs 2 colours · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Singapore.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Belgium against Singapore

   Category	Belgium	Singapore	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	30,528	719	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	11,779,946	5,917,648	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	72,630	144,728	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	385.9	8,230.4	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	694	166	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	66.5	193	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	3	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	50.8° N	1.4° N	Would lose

10. 10
    Round 10Won16 countries · 1 life left

    QatarvsUzbekistan

    Proximity to equator: 25.1° N vs 41.5° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

    Conquered Uzbekistan.

    Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Qatar against Uzbekistan

    Category	Qatar	Uzbekistan	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	11,586	447,400	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	2,656,032	35,652,307	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	129,025	11,679	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	229.2	79.7	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	103	4,643	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	563	0	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	4	Would lose
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	25.1° N	41.5° N	Would win

11. 11
    Round 11Won17 countries · 1 life left

    PeruvsCzechia

    Proximity to equator: 13.0° S vs 49.8° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

    Conquered Czechia.

    Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Peru against Czechia

    Category	Peru	Czechia	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	1,285,216	78,867	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	33,845,617	10,864,042	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	17,042	56,062	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	26.3	137.8	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	6,746	1,602	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	2,414	0	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	3	Would lose
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	13.0° S	49.8° N	Would win

12. 12
    Round 12Lost16 countries · 0 lives left

    TogovsAfghanistan

    Flag colours: 4 vs 5 colours · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Togo.

    Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Togo against Afghanistan

    Category	Togo	Afghanistan	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	56,785	652,230	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	8,223,850	41,454,761	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	3,572	2,204	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	144.8	63.6	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	986	7,492	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	56	0	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	4	5	Would lose
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	8.9° N	34.3° N	Would win