A little knowledge. An empire of 22.

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

   CubavsKuwait

   Coastline: 3,735 vs 499 km · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Kuwait.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Cuba against Kuwait

   Category	Cuba	Kuwait	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	110,860	17,818	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	11,019,931	4,853,420	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑Cuba: World Bank has no 2023 figure for Cuba.	Unavailable	53,083	Unavailable
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	99.4	272.4	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,974	300	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	3,735	499	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	4	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	20.6° N	29.4° N	Would win

2. 2
   Round 2Won14 countries · 4 lives left

   ItalyvsJordan

   Population: 58,984,216 vs 11,439,213 people · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Jordan.

   Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Italy against Jordan

   Category	Italy	Jordan	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	301,340	89,342	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	58,984,216	11,439,213	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	60,350	11,451	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	195.7	128.0	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	4,748	1,854	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	7,600	26	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	4	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	45.1° N	30.7° N	Would lose

3. 3
   Round 3Won15 countries · 4 lives left

   SloveniavsBhutan

   Wealth per person: 56,151 vs 16,229 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Bhutan.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Slovenia against Bhutan

   Category	Slovenia	Bhutan	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	20,273	38,394	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	2,120,461	786,385	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	56,151	16,229	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	104.6	20.5	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,864	7,570	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	46.6	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	4	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	46.0° N	27.5° N	Would lose

4. 4
   Round 4Won16 countries · 4 lives left

   IranvsPortugal

   Population: 90,608,707 vs 10,578,174 people · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Portugal.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Iran against Portugal

   Category	Iran	Portugal	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	1,648,195	92,090	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	90,608,707	10,578,174	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	18,933	49,800	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	55.0	114.9	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	5,625	2,351	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	2,440	1,793	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	6	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	32.1° N	40.7° N	Would win

5. 5
   Round 5Won17 countries · 4 lives left

   ComorosvsIsrael

   Proximity to equator: 11.7° S vs 30.9° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Israel.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Comoros against Israel

   Category	Comoros	Israel	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	2,235	21,937	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	850,387	9,849,000	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	3,897	55,301	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	380.5	449.0	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,360	2,224	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	340	273	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	5	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	11.7° S	30.9° N	Would win

6. 6
   Round 6Won18 countries · 4 lives left

   BurundivsMauritania

   Density: 491.9 vs 4.9 per km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Mauritania.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Burundi against Mauritania

   Category	Burundi	Mauritania	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	27,830	1,030,700	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	13,689,450	5,022,441	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	1,147	6,972	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	491.9	4.9	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,685	915	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	754	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	3.4° S	19.4° N	Would win

7. 7
   Round 7Won19 countries · 4 lives left

   SyriavsSierra Leone

   Population: 23,594,623 vs 8,460,512 people · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Sierra Leone.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Syria against Sierra Leone

   Category	Syria	Sierra Leone	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	187,437	71,740	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	23,594,623	8,460,512	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑Syria: World Bank has no 2023 figure for Syria.	Unavailable	3,371	Unavailable
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	125.9	117.9	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,814	1,948	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	193	402	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	35.0° N	8.7° N	Would lose

8. 8
   Round 8Won20 countries · 4 lives left

   Central African RepublicvsJamaica

   Area: 622,984 vs 10,991 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Jamaica.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Central African Republic against Jamaica

   Category	Central African Republic	Jamaica	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	622,984	10,991	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	5,152,421	2,839,786	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	1,258	12,661	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	8.3	258.4	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,410	2,256	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	1,022	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	5	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	7.0° N	18.1° N	Would win

9. 9
   Round 9Won21 countries · 4 lives left

   AlbaniavsDR Congo

   Wealth per person: 24,848 vs 1,732 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered DR Congo.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Albania against DR Congo

   Category	Albania	DR Congo	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	28,748	2,344,858	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	2,411,658	105,789,731	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	24,848	1,732	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	83.9	45.1	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,764	5,110	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	362	37	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	3	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	40.7° N	1.9° S	Would lose

10. 10
    Round 10Won22 countries · 4 lives left

    AlgeriavsTanzania

    Area: 2,381,740 vs 947,300 km² · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Tanzania.

    Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

    All eight categories for Algeria against Tanzania

    Category	Algeria	Tanzania	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	2,381,740	947,300	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	46,164,219	66,617,606	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	16,838	4,022	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	19.4	70.3	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,908	5,895	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	998	1,424	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	4	Would lose
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	27.4° N	5.5° S	Would lose

11. 11
    Round 11Won23 countries · 4 lives left

    SingaporevsAzerbaijan

    Density: 8,230.4 vs 117.3 per km² · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Azerbaijan.

    Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Singapore against Azerbaijan

    Category	Singapore	Azerbaijan	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	719	86,600	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	5,917,648	10,153,958	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	144,728	23,671	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	8,230.4	117.3	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	166	4,466	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	193	0	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	4	Would lose
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	1.4° N	40.5° N	Would win

12. 12
    Round 12Lost22 countries · 3 lives left

    MalivsBrunei

    Wealth per person: 3,178 vs 85,103 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Mali.

    Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Mali against Brunei

    Category	Mali	Brunei	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	1,240,192	5,765	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	23,769,127	458,949	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	3,178	85,103	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	19.2	79.6	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,155	1,850	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	161	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	4	Would lose
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	18.6° N	4.5° N	Would lose