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

   BrazilvsMali

   Population: 211,140,729 vs 23,769,127 people · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Mali.

   Other category comparisons 7 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Brazil against Mali

   Category	Brazil	Mali	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	8,515,770	1,240,192	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	211,140,729	23,769,127	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	21,193	3,178	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	24.8	19.2	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,994	1,155	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	7,491	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	12.6° S	18.6° N	Would win

2. 2
   Round 2Won14 countries · 4 lives left

   KyrgyzstanvsMalaysia

   Highest peak: 7,439 vs 4,095 m · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Malaysia.

   Other category comparisons 0 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Kyrgyzstan against Malaysia

   Category	Kyrgyzstan	Malaysia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	199,951	329,847	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	7,099,750	35,126,298	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	7,304	36,497	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	35.5	106.5	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	7,439	4,095	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	4,675	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	4	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	41.7° N	4.4° N	Would lose

3. 3
   Round 3Won15 countries · 4 lives left

   BruneivsChad

   Wealth per person: 85,103 vs 2,703 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Chad.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Brunei against Chad

   Category	Brunei	Chad	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	5,765	1,284,000	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	458,949	19,319,064	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	85,103	2,703	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	79.6	15.0	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,850	3,445	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	161	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	4.5° N	17.3° N	Would win

4. 4
   Round 4Lost14 countries · 3 lives left

   BahamasvsPanama

   Wealth per person: 39,122 vs 39,846 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Returned to the world: Bahamas.

   Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

   All eight categories for Bahamas against Panama

   Category	Bahamas	Panama	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	13,880	75,420	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	399,440	4,458,759	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	39,122	39,846	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	28.8	59.1	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	64	3,475	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	3,542	2,490	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	24.7° N	8.4° N	Would lose

5. 5
   Round 5Won15 countries · 3 lives left

   BangladeshvsGuyana

   Population: 171,466,990 vs 826,353 people · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Guyana.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Bangladesh against Guyana

   Category	Bangladesh	Guyana	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	148,460	214,969	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	171,466,990	826,353	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	9,155	54,774	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	1,155.0	3.8	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,060	2,775	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	580	459	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	5	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	24.3° N	2.7° N	Would lose

6. 6
   Round 6Won16 countries · 3 lives left

   AfghanistanvsGuinea

   Area: 652,230 vs 245,857 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Guinea.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Afghanistan against Guinea

   Category	Afghanistan	Guinea	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	652,230	245,857	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	41,454,761	14,405,468	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	2,204	4,337	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	63.6	58.6	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	7,492	1,752	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	320	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	5	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	34.3° N	10.7° N	Would lose

7. 7
   Round 7Won17 countries · 3 lives left

   ArmeniavsCuba

   Highest peak: 4,090 vs 1,974 m · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Cuba.

   Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

   All eight categories for Armenia against Cuba

   Category	Armenia	Cuba	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	29,743	110,860	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	2,964,300	11,019,931	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑Cuba: World Bank has no 2023 figure for Cuba.	21,552	Unavailable	Unavailable
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	99.7	99.4	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	4,090	1,974	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	3,735	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	40.6° N	20.6° N	Would lose

8. 8
   Round 8Won18 countries · 3 lives left

   TunisiavsHonduras

   Population: 12,200,431 vs 10,644,851 people · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Honduras.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Tunisia against Honduras

   Category	Tunisia	Honduras	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	163,610	112,090	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	12,200,431	10,644,851	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	14,052	7,184	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	74.6	95.0	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,544	2,870	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	1,148	823	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	2	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	35.3° N	14.7° N	Would lose

9. 9
   Round 9Won19 countries · 3 lives left

   NepalvsGambia

   Highest peak: 8,849 vs 63 m · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Gambia.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Nepal against Gambia

   Category	Nepal	Gambia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	147,181	11,300	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	29,694,614	2,697,845	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	5,400	3,292	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	201.8	238.7	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	8,849	63	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	80	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	4	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	29.0° N	13.6° N	Would lose

10. 10
    Round 10Won20 countries · 3 lives left

    EswatinivsRomania

    Proximity to equator: 26.6° S vs 45.7° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

    Conquered Romania.

    Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

    All eight categories for Eswatini against Romania

    Category	Eswatini	Romania	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	17,364	238,391	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	1,230,506	19,061,062	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	11,309	45,982	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	70.9	80.0	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,862	2,544	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	225	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	6	3	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	26.6° S	45.7° N	Would win

11. 11
    Round 11Won21 countries · 3 lives left

    AustraliavsFrance

    Area: 7,741,220 vs 551,500 km² · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered France.

    Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Australia against France

    Category	Australia	France	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	7,741,220	551,500	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	26,659,922	65,925,961	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	72,273	60,927	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	3.4	119.5	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,228	4,810	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	25,760	3,427	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	23.1° S	46.7° N	Would win

12. 12
    Round 12Lost20 countries · 2 lives left

    SudanvsArgentina

    Area: 1,861,484 vs 2,780,400 km² · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Sudan.

    Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Sudan against Argentina

    Category	Sudan	Argentina	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	1,861,484	2,780,400	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	50,042,791	45,538,401	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	2,423	30,246	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	26.9	16.4	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,042	6,962	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	853	4,989	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	4	Would tie
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	16.6° N	31.4° S	Would win