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

   GhanavsSpain

   Proximity to equator: 7.0° N vs 40.0° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Spain.

   Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

   All eight categories for Ghana against Spain

   Category	Ghana	Spain	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	238,533	505,370	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	33,787,914	48,352,528	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	7,563	55,661	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	141.6	95.7	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	885	3,718	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	539	4,964	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	10	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	7.0° N	40.0° N	Would win

2. 2
   Round 2Won14 countries · 4 lives left

   EcuadorvsAlgeria

   Proximity to equator: 1.2° S vs 27.4° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Algeria.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Ecuador against Algeria

   Category	Ecuador	Algeria	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	283,561	2,381,740	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	17,980,083	46,164,219	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	15,907	16,838	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	63.4	19.4	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	6,267	2,908	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	2,237	998	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	11	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	1.2° S	27.4° N	Would win

3. 3
   Round 3Won15 countries · 4 lives left

   NetherlandsvsArmenia

   Density: 430.3 vs 99.7 per km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Armenia.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Netherlands against Armenia

   Category	Netherlands	Armenia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	41,543	29,743	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	17,877,117	2,964,300	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	80,392	21,552	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	430.3	99.7	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	322	4,090	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	451	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	52.2° N	40.6° N	Would lose

4. 4
   Round 4Won16 countries · 4 lives left

   BulgariavsLithuania

   Area: 110,879 vs 65,300 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Lithuania.

   Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Bulgaria against Lithuania

   Category	Bulgaria	Lithuania	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	110,879	65,300	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	6,446,596	2,871,585	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	38,829	52,720	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	58.1	44.0	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,925	294	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	354	90	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	42.5° N	55.1° N	Would win

5. 5
   Round 5Lost15 countries · 3 lives left

   MyanmarvsKenya

   Population: 54,133,798 vs 55,339,003 people · Higher wins ↑

   Returned to the world: Myanmar.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Myanmar against Kenya

   Category	Myanmar	Kenya	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	676,578	580,367	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	54,133,798	55,339,003	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	5,958	6,322	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	80.0	95.4	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	5,870	5,199	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	1,930	536	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	4	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	21.6° N	0.4° N	Would lose

6. 6
   Round 6Won16 countries · 3 lives left

   CambodiavsSouth Sudan

   Density: 96.2 vs 17.8 per km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered South Sudan.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Cambodia against South Sudan

   Category	Cambodia	South Sudan	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	181,035	644,329	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	17,423,880	11,483,374	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑South Sudan: World Bank has no 2023 figure for South Sudan.	7,437	Unavailable	Unavailable
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	96.2	17.8	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,810	3,187	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	443	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	6	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	12.6° N	7.1° N	Would lose

7. 7
   Round 7Won17 countries · 3 lives left

   GuyanavsTogo

   Proximity to equator: 2.7° N vs 8.9° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Togo.

   Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Guyana against Togo

   Category	Guyana	Togo	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	214,969	56,785	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	826,353	8,223,850	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	54,774	3,572	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	3.8	144.8	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,775	986	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	459	56	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	5	4	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	2.7° N	8.9° N	Would win

8. 8
   Round 8Won18 countries · 3 lives left

   ZambiavsAustralia

   Proximity to equator: 14.7° S vs 23.1° S from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Australia.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Zambia against Australia

   Category	Zambia	Australia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	752,618	7,741,220	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	20,723,965	26,659,922	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	4,080	72,273	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	27.5	3.4	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,330	2,228	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	25,760	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	14.7° S	23.1° S	Would win

9. 9
   Round 9Won19 countries · 3 lives left

   JamaicavsMontenegro

   Density: 258.4 vs 45.1 per km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Montenegro.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Jamaica against Montenegro

   Category	Jamaica	Montenegro	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	10,991	13,812	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	2,839,786	623,529	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	12,661	31,863	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	258.4	45.1	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,256	2,534	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	1,022	293.5	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	5	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	18.1° N	42.8° N	Would win

10. 10
    Round 10Lost18 countries · 2 lives left

    NigervsCroatia

    Coastline: 0 vs 5,835 km · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Niger.

    Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Niger against Croatia

    Category	Niger	Croatia	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	1,267,000	56,594	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	26,159,867	3,859,686	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	1,903	47,760	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	20.6	68.2	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,022	1,831	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	0	5,835	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	6	Would lose
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	17.6° N	45.8° N	Would win

11. 11
    Round 11Lost17 countries · 1 life left

    IraqvsAngola

    Area: 438,317 vs 1,246,700 km² · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Iraq.

    Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Iraq against Angola

    Category	Iraq	Angola	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	438,317	1,246,700	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	45,074,049	36,749,906	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	14,665	9,550	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	102.8	29.5	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,611	2,620	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	58	1,600	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	33.3° N	13.2° S	Would lose

12. 12
    Round 12Lost16 countries · 0 lives left

    TürkiyevsKazakhstan

    Area: 783,562 vs 2,724,900 km² · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Türkiye.

    Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Türkiye against Kazakhstan

    Category	Türkiye	Kazakhstan	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	783,562	2,724,900	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	85,325,965	20,330,104	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	43,196	38,547	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	108.9	7.5	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	5,137	7,010	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	7,200	0	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	2	Would tie
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	39.1° N	48.5° N	Would win