A little knowledge. An empire of 40.

Every comparison uses this expedition’s original data and rules. “Would win” describes this matchup only; a different choice would change the later journey.

21. 21
    Round 21Won33 countries · 4 lives left

    AngolavsAustria

    Proximity to equator: 13.2° S vs 47.7° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

    Conquered Austria.

    Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Angola against Austria

    Category	Angola	Austria	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	1,246,700	83,871	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	36,749,906	9,131,761	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	9,550	74,261	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	29.5	108.9	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,620	3,798	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	1,600	0	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	2	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	13.2° S	47.7° N	Would win

22. 22
    Round 22Won34 countries · 4 lives left

    KazakhstanvsAlgeria

    Wealth per person: 38,547 vs 16,838 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Algeria.

    Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Kazakhstan against Algeria

    Category	Kazakhstan	Algeria	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	2,724,900	2,381,740	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	20,330,104	46,164,219	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	38,547	16,838	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	7.5	19.4	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	7,010	2,908	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	998	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	3	Would lose
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	48.5° N	27.4° N	Would lose

23. 23
    Round 23Lost33 countries · 3 lives left

    PortugalvsEritrea

    Area: 92,090 vs 117,600 km² · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Portugal.

    Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Portugal against Eritrea

    Category	Portugal	Eritrea	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	92,090	117,600	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	10,578,174	3,470,390	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑Eritrea: World Bank has no 2023 figure for Eritrea.	49,800	Unavailable	Unavailable
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	114.9	29.5	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,351	3,018	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	1,793	2,234	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	6	4	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	40.7° N	16.0° N	Would lose

24. 24
    Round 24Won34 countries · 3 lives left

    United StatesvsCôte d’Ivoire

    Area: 9,833,517 vs 322,463 km² · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Côte d’Ivoire.

    Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

    All eight categories for United States against Côte d’Ivoire

    Category	United States	Côte d’Ivoire	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	9,833,517	322,463	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	336,755,052	31,165,654	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	82,587	7,243	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	34.2	96.6	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	6,190	1,752	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	19,924	515	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	39.1° N	7.5° N	Would lose

25. 25
    Round 25Tied34 countries · 3 lives left

    JamaicavsCuba

    Flag colours: 3 vs 3 colours · Higher wins ↑

    Cuba became contested.

    Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Jamaica against Cuba

    Category	Jamaica	Cuba	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	10,991	110,860	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	2,839,786	11,019,931	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑Cuba: World Bank has no 2023 figure for Cuba.	12,661	Unavailable	Unavailable
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	258.4	99.4	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,256	1,974	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	1,022	3,735	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	3	3	Would tie
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	18.1° N	20.6° N	Would win

26. 26
    Round 26Won36 countries · 3 lives left

    MalawivsSouth Africa

    Proximity to equator: 13.4° S vs 30.2° S from the equator · Closer wins ↓

    Conquered South Africa, Cuba.

    Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

    All eight categories for Malawi against South Africa

    Category	Malawi	South Africa	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	118,484	1,219,090	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	21,104,482	63,212,384	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	1,832	15,212	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	178.1	51.9	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,002	3,450	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	2,798	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	6	Would lose
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	13.4° S	30.2° S	Would win

27. 27
    Round 27Won37 countries · 3 lives left

    NigeriavsBahrain

    Population: 227,882,945 vs 1,577,059 people · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Bahrain.

    Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Nigeria against Bahrain

    Category	Nigeria	Bahrain	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	923,768	760	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	227,882,945	1,577,059	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	8,712	64,224	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	246.7	2,075.1	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,419	135	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	853	161	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	2	Would tie
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	9.4° N	26.0° N	Would win

28. 28
    Round 28Tied37 countries · 3 lives left

    UkrainevsSingapore

    Flag colours: 2 vs 2 colours · Higher wins ↑

    Singapore became contested.

    Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Ukraine against Singapore

    Category	Ukraine	Singapore	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	603,550	719	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	37,732,836	5,917,648	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	17,680	144,728	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	62.5	8,230.4	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,061	166	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	2,782	193	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	2	2	Would tie
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	49.6° N	1.4° N	Would lose

29. 29
    Round 29Won39 countries · 3 lives left

    SenegalvsCyprus

    Proximity to equator: 15.2° N vs 34.9° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

    Conquered Cyprus, Singapore.

    Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Senegal against Cyprus

    Category	Senegal	Cyprus	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	196,722	9,251	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	18,077,573	1,344,976	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	4,782	59,875	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	91.9	145.4	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	648	1,951	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	531	648	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	15.2° N	34.9° N	Would win

30. 30
    Round 30Won40 countries · 3 lives left

    ColombiavsTanzania

    Wealth per person: 21,282 vs 4,022 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Tanzania.

    Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Colombia against Tanzania

    Category	Colombia	Tanzania	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	1,138,910	947,300	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	52,321,152	66,617,606	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	21,282	4,022	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	45.9	70.3	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	5,730	5,895	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	3,208	1,424	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	4	Would lose
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	3.4° N	5.5° S	Would win

31. 31
    Round 31Won41 countries · 3 lives left

    IranvsJapan

    Proximity to equator: 32.1° N vs 36.7° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

    Conquered Japan.

    Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Iran against Japan

    Category	Iran	Japan	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	1,648,195	377,915	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	90,608,707	124,516,650	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	18,933	52,726	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	55.0	329.5	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	5,625	3,776	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	2,440	29,751	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	2	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	32.1° N	36.7° N	Would win

32. 32
    Round 32Lost40 countries · 2 lives left

    NamibiavsEcuador

    Flag colours: 5 vs 11 colours · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Namibia.

    Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

    All eight categories for Namibia against Ecuador

    Category	Namibia	Ecuador	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	824,292	283,561	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	2,963,095	17,980,083	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	11,248	15,907	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	3.6	63.4	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,573	6,267	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	1,572	2,237	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	5	11	Would lose
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	20.6° S	1.2° S	Would lose