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

   ParaguayvsBahamas

   Area: 406,752 vs 13,880 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Bahamas.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Paraguay against Bahamas

   Category	Paraguay	Bahamas	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	406,752	13,880	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	6,844,146	399,440	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	17,585	39,122	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	16.8	28.8	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	842	64	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	3,542	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	6	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	21.6° S	24.7° N	Would win

2. 2
   Round 2Lost12 countries · 3 lives left

   MongoliavsLibya

   Area: 1,564,116 vs 1,759,540 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Returned to the world: Mongolia.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Mongolia against Libya

   Category	Mongolia	Libya	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	1,564,116	1,759,540	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	3,481,145	7,305,659	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	18,020	13,858	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	2.2	4.2	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	4,374	2,267	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	1,770	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	4	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	46.0° N	26.1° N	Would lose

3. 3
   Round 3Won13 countries · 3 lives left

   CameroonvsQatar

   Highest peak: 4,045 vs 103 m · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Qatar.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Cameroon against Qatar

   Category	Cameroon	Qatar	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	475,440	11,586	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	28,372,687	2,656,032	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	5,415	129,025	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	59.7	229.2	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	4,045	103	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	402	563	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	4.5° N	25.1° N	Would win

4. 4
   Round 4Lost12 countries · 2 lives left

   South SudanvsMorocco

   Coastline: 0 vs 1,835 km · Higher wins ↑

   Returned to the world: South Sudan.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for South Sudan against Morocco

   Category	South Sudan	Morocco	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	644,329	446,550	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	11,483,374	37,712,505	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑South Sudan: World Bank has no 2023 figure for South Sudan.	Unavailable	9,903	Unavailable
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	17.8	84.5	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,187	4,165	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	0	1,835	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	6	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	7.1° N	31.9° N	Would win

5. 5
   Round 5Won13 countries · 2 lives left

   MadagascarvsEswatini

   Coastline: 4,828 vs 0 km · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Eswatini.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Madagascar against Eswatini

   Category	Madagascar	Eswatini	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	587,041	17,364	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	31,195,932	1,230,506	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	1,810	11,309	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	53.1	70.9	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,876	1,862	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	4,828	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	6	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	18.4° S	26.6° S	Would win

6. 6
   Round 6Won14 countries · 2 lives left

   HondurasvsFiji

   Area: 112,090 vs 18,274 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Fiji.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Honduras against Fiji

   Category	Honduras	Fiji	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	112,090	18,274	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	10,644,851	924,145	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	7,184	14,656	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	95.0	50.6	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,870	1,324	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	823	1,129	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	8	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	14.7° N	17.8° S	Would win

7. 7
   Round 7Won15 countries · 2 lives left

   Republic of the CongovsCabo Verde

   Area: 342,000 vs 4,033 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Cabo Verde.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Republic of the Congo against Cabo Verde

   Category	Republic of the Congo	Cabo Verde	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	342,000	4,033	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	6,182,885	522,331	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	6,856	10,251	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	18.1	129.5	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,020	2,829	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	169	965	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	4	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	0.1° N	15.0° N	Would win

8. 8
   Round 8Won16 countries · 2 lives left

   ZambiavsPeru

   Density: 27.5 vs 26.3 per km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Peru.

   Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

   All eight categories for Zambia against Peru

   Category	Zambia	Peru	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	752,618	1,285,216	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	20,723,965	33,845,617	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	4,080	17,042	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	27.5	26.3	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,330	6,746	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	2,414	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	14.7° S	13.0° S	Would lose

9. 9
   Round 9Won17 countries · 2 lives left

   NetherlandsvsGuyana

   Wealth per person: 80,392 vs 54,774 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Guyana.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Netherlands against Guyana

   Category	Netherlands	Guyana	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	41,543	214,969	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	17,877,117	826,353	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	80,392	54,774	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	430.3	3.8	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	322	2,775	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	451	459	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	5	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	52.2° N	2.7° N	Would lose

10. 10
    Round 10Won18 countries · 2 lives left

    MontenegrovsAfghanistan

    Wealth per person: 31,863 vs 2,204 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Afghanistan.

    Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

    All eight categories for Montenegro against Afghanistan

    Category	Montenegro	Afghanistan	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	13,812	652,230	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	623,529	41,454,761	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	31,863	2,204	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	45.1	63.6	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,534	7,492	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	293.5	0	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	5	5	Would tie
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	42.8° N	34.3° N	Would lose

11. 11
    Round 11Lost17 countries · 1 life left

    BurundivsBulgaria

    Wealth per person: 1,147 vs 38,829 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Burundi.

    Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Burundi against Bulgaria

    Category	Burundi	Bulgaria	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	27,830	110,879	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	13,689,450	6,446,596	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	1,147	38,829	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	491.9	58.1	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,685	2,925	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	354	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	3.4° S	42.5° N	Would win

12. 12
    Round 12Lost16 countries · 0 lives left

    GambiavsArgentina

    Population: 2,697,845 vs 45,538,401 people · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Gambia.

    Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Gambia against Argentina

    Category	Gambia	Argentina	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	11,300	2,780,400	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	2,697,845	45,538,401	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	3,292	30,246	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	238.7	16.4	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	63	6,962	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	80	4,989	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	4	Would tie
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	13.6° N	31.4° S	Would win