A little knowledge. An empire of 20.

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

   MozambiquevsBosnia and Herzegovina

   Proximity to equator: 14.0° S vs 44.1° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Bosnia and Herzegovina.

   Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Mozambique against Bosnia and Herzegovina

   Category	Mozambique	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	799,380	51,197	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	33,635,160	3,185,073	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	1,680	23,376	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	42.1	62.2	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,436	2,386	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	2,470	20	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	5	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	14.0° S	44.1° N	Would win

2. 2
   Round 2Won14 countries · 4 lives left

   KazakhstanvsEcuador

   Population: 20,330,104 vs 17,980,083 people · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Ecuador.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Kazakhstan against Ecuador

   Category	Kazakhstan	Ecuador	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	2,724,900	283,561	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	20,330,104	17,980,083	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	38,547	15,907	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	7.5	63.4	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	7,010	6,267	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	2,237	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	11	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	48.5° N	1.2° S	Would lose

3. 3
   Round 3Won15 countries · 4 lives left

   SingaporevsMontenegro

   Density: 8,230.4 vs 45.1 per km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Montenegro.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Singapore against Montenegro

   Category	Singapore	Montenegro	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	719	13,812	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	5,917,648	623,529	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	144,728	31,863	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	8,230.4	45.1	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	166	2,534	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	193	293.5	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	5	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	1.4° N	42.8° N	Would win

4. 4
   Round 4Won16 countries · 4 lives left

   BeninvsTurkmenistan

   Coastline: 121 vs 0 km · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Turkmenistan.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Benin against Turkmenistan

   Category	Benin	Turkmenistan	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	112,622	488,100	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	14,111,034	7,364,438	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	4,133	19,645	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	125.3	15.1	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	675	3,139	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	121	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	5	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	10.4° N	39.9° N	Would win

5. 5
   Round 5Tied16 countries · 4 lives left

   AzerbaijanvsMalaysia

   Flag colours: 4 vs 4 colours · Higher wins ↑

   Malaysia became contested.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Azerbaijan against Malaysia

   Category	Azerbaijan	Malaysia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	86,600	329,847	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	10,153,958	35,126,298	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	23,671	36,497	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	117.3	106.5	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	4,466	4,095	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	4,675	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	4	4	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	40.5° N	4.4° N	Would lose

6. 6
   Round 6Won18 countries · 4 lives left

   MauritaniavsLiberia

   Coastline: 754 vs 579 km · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Liberia, Malaysia.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Mauritania against Liberia

   Category	Mauritania	Liberia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	1,030,700	111,369	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	5,022,441	5,493,031	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	6,972	1,796	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	4.9	49.3	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	915	1,447	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	754	579	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	19.4° N	7.0° N	Would lose

7. 7
   Round 7Won19 countries · 4 lives left

   UgandavsMalawi

   Proximity to equator: 2.0° N vs 13.4° S from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Malawi.

   Other category comparisons 6 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Uganda against Malawi

   Category	Uganda	Malawi	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	241,038	118,484	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	48,656,601	21,104,482	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	3,100	1,832	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	201.9	178.1	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	5,110	3,002	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	0	Would tie
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	5	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	2.0° N	13.4° S	Would win

8. 8
   Round 8Won20 countries · 4 lives left

   MaldivesvsSouth Sudan

   Coastline: 644 vs 0 km · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered South Sudan.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Maldives against South Sudan

   Category	Maldives	South Sudan	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	298	644,329	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	525,994	11,483,374	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑South Sudan: World Bank has no 2023 figure for South Sudan.	24,807	Unavailable	Unavailable
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	1,765.1	17.8	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	5	3,187	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	644	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	6	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	3.3° N	7.1° N	Would win

9. 9
   Round 9Won21 countries · 4 lives left

   KuwaitvsIreland

   Proximity to equator: 29.4° N vs 53.1° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Ireland.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Kuwait against Ireland

   Category	Kuwait	Ireland	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	17,818	70,273	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	4,853,420	5,311,538	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	53,083	133,440	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	272.4	75.6	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	300	1,041	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	499	1,448	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	29.4° N	53.1° N	Would win

10. 10
    Round 10Lost20 countries · 3 lives left

    FinlandvsTogo

    Population: 5,583,911 vs 8,223,850 people · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Finland.

    Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Finland against Togo

    Category	Finland	Togo	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	338,145	56,785	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	5,583,911	8,223,850	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	63,467	3,572	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	16.5	144.8	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,328	986	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	1,250	56	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	4	Would lose
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	63.3° N	8.9° N	Would lose

11. 11
    Round 11Lost19 countries · 2 lives left

    North MacedoniavsNepal

    Population: 1,827,816 vs 29,694,614 people · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: North Macedonia.

    Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

    All eight categories for North Macedonia against Nepal

    Category	North Macedonia	Nepal	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	25,713	147,181	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	1,827,816	29,694,614	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	25,354	5,400	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	71.1	201.8	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,764	8,849	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	0	Would tie
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	3	Would lose
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	41.5° N	29.0° N	Would lose

12. 12
    Round 12Won20 countries · 2 lives left

    IraqvsCôte d’Ivoire

    Wealth per person: 14,665 vs 7,243 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Côte d’Ivoire.

    Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Iraq against Côte d’Ivoire

    Category	Iraq	Côte d’Ivoire	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	438,317	322,463	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	45,074,049	31,165,654	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	14,665	7,243	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	102.8	96.6	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,611	1,752	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	58	515	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	33.3° N	7.5° N	Would lose

13. 13
    Round 13Won21 countries · 2 lives left

    MozambiquevsBelarus

    Area: 799,380 vs 207,600 km² · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Belarus.

    Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Mozambique against Belarus

    Category	Mozambique	Belarus	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	799,380	207,600	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	33,635,160	9,178,298	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	1,680	30,860	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	42.1	44.2	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,436	346	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	2,470	0	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	5	3	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	14.0° S	53.8° N	Would win

14. 14
    Round 14Lost20 countries · 1 life left

    Bosnia and HerzegovinavsQatar

    Density: 62.2 vs 229.2 per km² · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Bosnia and Herzegovina against Qatar

    Category	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Qatar	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	51,197	11,586	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	3,185,073	2,656,032	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	23,376	129,025	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	62.2	229.2	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,386	103	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	20	563	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	2	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	44.1° N	25.1° N	Would lose