A little knowledge. An empire of 23.

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

   TurkmenistanvsNorth Macedonia

   Area: 488,100 vs 25,713 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered North Macedonia.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Turkmenistan against North Macedonia

   Category	Turkmenistan	North Macedonia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	488,100	25,713	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	7,364,438	1,827,816	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	19,645	25,354	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	15.1	71.1	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,139	2,764	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	0	Would tie
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	5	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	39.9° N	41.5° N	Would win

2. 2
   Round 2Won14 countries · 4 lives left

   Trinidad and TobagovsCzechia

   Coastline: 362 vs 0 km · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Czechia.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Trinidad and Tobago against Czechia

   Category	Trinidad and Tobago	Czechia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	5,128	78,867	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	1,367,510	10,864,042	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	34,652	56,062	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	266.7	137.8	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	940	1,602	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	362	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	10.3° N	49.8° N	Would win

3. 3
   Round 3Won15 countries · 4 lives left

   ZambiavsChile

   Population: 20,723,965 vs 19,658,835 people · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Chile.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Zambia against Chile

   Category	Zambia	Chile	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	752,618	756,102	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	20,723,965	19,658,835	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	4,080	33,174	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	27.5	26.0	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,330	6,893	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	6,435	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	14.7° S	23.4° S	Would win

4. 4
   Round 4Won16 countries · 4 lives left

   Timor-LestevsLuxembourg

   Coastline: 706 vs 0 km · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Luxembourg.

   Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Timor-Leste against Luxembourg

   Category	Timor-Leste	Luxembourg	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	14,874	2,586	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	1,384,286	666,430	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	4,811	152,596	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	93.1	257.7	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,963	559	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	706	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	8.9° S	49.7° N	Would win

5. 5
   Round 5Tied16 countries · 4 lives left

   IranvsUnited States

   Flag colours: 3 vs 3 colours · Higher wins ↑

   United States became contested.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Iran against United States

   Category	Iran	United States	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	1,648,195	9,833,517	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	90,608,707	336,755,052	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	18,933	82,587	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	55.0	34.2	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	5,625	6,190	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	2,440	19,924	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	32.1° N	39.1° N	Would win

6. 6
   Round 6Won18 countries · 4 lives left

   Dominican RepublicvsGabon

   Wealth per person: 25,861 vs 20,773 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Gabon, United States.

   Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Dominican Republic against Gabon

   Category	Dominican Republic	Gabon	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	48,670	267,667	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	11,331,265	2,484,789	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	25,861	20,773	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	232.8	9.3	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,098	1,050	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	1,288	885	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	6	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	19.1° N	0.6° S	Would lose

7. 7
   Round 7Won19 countries · 4 lives left

   MauritaniavsMexico

   Proximity to equator: 19.4° N vs 23.5° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Mexico.

   Other category comparisons 0 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Mauritania against Mexico

   Category	Mauritania	Mexico	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	1,030,700	1,964,375	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	5,022,441	129,739,759	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	6,972	25,188	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	4.9	66.0	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	915	5,636	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	754	9,330	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	11	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	19.4° N	23.5° N	Would win

8. 8
   Round 8Won20 countries · 4 lives left

   IraqvsBenin

   Wealth per person: 14,665 vs 4,133 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Benin.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Iraq against Benin

   Category	Iraq	Benin	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	438,317	112,622	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	45,074,049	14,111,034	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	14,665	4,133	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	102.8	125.3	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,611	675	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	58	121	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	33.3° N	10.4° N	Would lose

9. 9
   Round 9Won21 countries · 4 lives left

   JapanvsMongolia

   Wealth per person: 52,726 vs 18,020 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Mongolia.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Japan against Mongolia

   Category	Japan	Mongolia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	377,915	1,564,116	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	124,516,650	3,481,145	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	52,726	18,020	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	329.5	2.2	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,776	4,374	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	29,751	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	3	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	36.7° N	46.0° N	Would win

10. 10
    Round 10Won22 countries · 4 lives left

    BelgiumvsTunisia

    Wealth per person: 72,630 vs 14,052 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Tunisia.

    Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Belgium against Tunisia

    Category	Belgium	Tunisia	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	30,528	163,610	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	11,779,946	12,200,431	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	72,630	14,052	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	385.9	74.6	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	694	1,544	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	66.5	1,148	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	2	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	50.8° N	35.3° N	Would lose

11. 11
    Round 11Won23 countries · 4 lives left

    ZimbabwevsKyrgyzstan

    Proximity to equator: 19.0° S vs 41.7° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

    Conquered Kyrgyzstan.

    Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Zimbabwe against Kyrgyzstan

    Category	Zimbabwe	Kyrgyzstan	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	390,757	199,951	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	16,340,822	7,099,750	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	5,796	7,304	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	41.8	35.5	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,592	7,439	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	0	Would tie
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	6	2	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	19.0° S	41.7° N	Would win

12. 12
    Round 12Won24 countries · 4 lives left

    Burkina FasovsBolivia

    Density: 84.0 vs 11.1 per km² · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Bolivia.

    Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Burkina Faso against Bolivia

    Category	Burkina Faso	Bolivia	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	274,200	1,098,581	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	23,025,776	12,244,159	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	2,762	12,903	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	84.0	11.1	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	749	6,542	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	0	Would tie
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	9	Would lose
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	12.8° N	16.7° S	Would win

13. 13
    Round 13Lost23 countries · 3 lives left

    TurkmenistanvsArgentina

    Highest peak: 3,139 vs 6,962 m · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Turkmenistan.

    Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

    All eight categories for Turkmenistan against Argentina

    Category	Turkmenistan	Argentina	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	488,100	2,780,400	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	7,364,438	45,538,401	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	19,645	30,246	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	15.1	16.4	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	3,139	6,962	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	4,989	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	5	4	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	39.9° N	31.4° S	Would lose