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

   ThailandvsPalestine

   Area: 513,120 vs 6,220 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Palestine.

   Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Thailand against Palestine

   Category	Thailand	Palestine	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	513,120	6,220	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	71,702,435	5,165,775	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	23,598	6,179	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	139.7	830.5	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,565	1,020	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	3,219	40	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	4	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	15.5° N	32.1° N	Would win

2. 2
   Round 2Won14 countries · 4 lives left

   BoliviavsNetherlands

   Area: 1,098,581 vs 41,543 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Netherlands.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Bolivia against Netherlands

   Category	Bolivia	Netherlands	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	1,098,581	41,543	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	12,244,159	17,877,117	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	12,903	80,392	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	11.1	430.3	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	6,542	322	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	451	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	9	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	16.7° S	52.2° N	Would win

3. 3
   Round 3Won15 countries · 4 lives left

   BelizevsMoldova

   Proximity to equator: 17.0° N vs 47.5° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Moldova.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Belize against Moldova

   Category	Belize	Moldova	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	22,966	33,851	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	411,106	2,457,783	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	13,741	17,751	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	17.9	72.6	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,124	430	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	386	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	12	9	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	17.0° N	47.5° N	Would win

4. 4
   Round 4Won16 countries · 4 lives left

   CameroonvsBahamas

   Area: 475,440 vs 13,880 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Bahamas.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Cameroon against Bahamas

   Category	Cameroon	Bahamas	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	475,440	13,880	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	28,372,687	399,440	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	5,415	39,122	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	59.7	28.8	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	4,045	64	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	402	3,542	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	4.5° N	24.7° N	Would win

5. 5
   Round 5Won17 countries · 4 lives left

   BulgariavsQatar

   Area: 110,879 vs 11,586 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Qatar.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Bulgaria against Qatar

   Category	Bulgaria	Qatar	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	110,879	11,586	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	6,446,596	2,656,032	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	38,829	129,025	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	58.1	229.2	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,925	103	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	354	563	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	42.5° N	25.1° N	Would lose

6. 6
   Round 6Won18 countries · 4 lives left

   BurundivsAlgeria

   Proximity to equator: 3.4° S vs 27.4° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Algeria.

   Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

   All eight categories for Burundi against Algeria

   Category	Burundi	Algeria	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	27,830	2,381,740	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	13,689,450	46,164,219	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	1,147	16,838	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	491.9	19.4	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,685	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 ↓ · Chosen	3.4° S	27.4° N	Would win

7. 7
   Round 7Won19 countries · 4 lives left

   GuineavsYemen

   Proximity to equator: 10.7° N vs 15.3° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Yemen.

   Other category comparisons 0 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Guinea against Yemen

   Category	Guinea	Yemen	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	245,857	527,968	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	14,405,468	39,390,799	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑Yemen: World Bank has no 2023 figure for Yemen.	4,337	Unavailable	Unavailable
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	58.6	74.6	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,752	3,666	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	320	1,906	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	10.7° N	15.3° N	Would win

8. 8
   Round 8Won20 countries · 4 lives left

   SwedenvsMauritania

   Wealth per person: 68,458 vs 6,972 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Mauritania.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Sweden against Mauritania

   Category	Sweden	Mauritania	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	450,295	1,030,700	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	10,536,632	5,022,441	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	68,458	6,972	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	23.4	4.9	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,100	915	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	3,218	754	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	3	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	65.8° N	19.4° N	Would lose

9. 9
   Round 9Won21 countries · 4 lives left

   EswatinivsArgentina

   Density: 70.9 vs 16.4 per km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Argentina.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Eswatini against Argentina

   Category	Eswatini	Argentina	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	17,364	2,780,400	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	1,230,506	45,538,401	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	11,309	30,246	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	70.9	16.4	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,862	6,962	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	4,989	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	6	4	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	26.6° S	31.4° S	Would win

10. 10
    Round 10Won22 countries · 4 lives left

    ZimbabwevsHungary

    Area: 390,757 vs 93,028 km² · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Hungary.

    Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Zimbabwe against Hungary

    Category	Zimbabwe	Hungary	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	390,757	93,028	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	16,340,822	9,592,186	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	5,796	46,376	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	41.8	103.1	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,592	1,014	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	0	Would tie
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	6	3	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	19.0° S	47.3° N	Would win

11. 11
    Round 11Lost21 countries · 3 lives left

    Sierra LeonevsSuriname

    Area: 71,740 vs 163,820 km² · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Sierra Leone.

    Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Sierra Leone against Suriname

    Category	Sierra Leone	Suriname	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	71,740	163,820	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	8,460,512	628,886	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	3,371	21,128	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	117.9	3.8	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,948	1,230	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	402	386	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	4	Would lose
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	8.7° N	4.1° N	Would lose