A little knowledge. An empire of 18.

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

   Timor-LestevsHaiti

   Highest peak: 2,963 vs 2,674 m · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Haiti.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Timor-Leste against Haiti

   Category	Timor-Leste	Haiti	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	14,874	27,750	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	1,384,286	11,637,398	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	4,811	3,265	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	93.1	419.4	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	2,963	2,674	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	706	1,771	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	7	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	8.9° S	19.2° N	Would win

2. 2
   Round 2Won14 countries · 4 lives left

   PhilippinesvsGeorgia

   Population: 114,891,199 vs 3,715,483 people · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Georgia.

   Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Philippines against Georgia

   Category	Philippines	Georgia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	300,000	69,700	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	114,891,199	3,715,483	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	10,995	25,093	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	383.0	53.3	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,954	5,193	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	36,289	310	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	17.0° N	42.4° N	Would win

3. 3
   Round 3Won15 countries · 4 lives left

   BelarusvsParaguay

   Wealth per person: 30,860 vs 17,585 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Paraguay.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Belarus against Paraguay

   Category	Belarus	Paraguay	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	207,600	406,752	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	9,178,298	6,844,146	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	30,860	17,585	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	44.2	16.8	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	346	842	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	0	Would tie
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	6	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	53.8° N	21.6° S	Would lose

4. 4
   Round 4Won16 countries · 4 lives left

   PanamavsSlovakia

   Coastline: 2,490 vs 0 km · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Slovakia.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Panama against Slovakia

   Category	Panama	Slovakia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	75,420	49,035	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	4,458,759	5,426,740	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	39,846	45,865	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	59.1	110.7	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,475	2,655	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	2,490	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	8.4° N	48.7° N	Would win

5. 5
   Round 5Won17 countries · 4 lives left

   UkrainevsSri Lanka

   Area: 603,550 vs 65,610 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Sri Lanka.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Ukraine against Sri Lanka

   Category	Ukraine	Sri Lanka	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	603,550	65,610	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	37,732,836	22,037,000	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	17,680	14,512	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	62.5	335.9	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,061	2,524	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	2,782	1,340	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	5	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	49.6° N	7.1° N	Would lose

6. 6
   Round 6Won18 countries · 4 lives left

   ChadvsTürkiye

   Proximity to equator: 17.3° N vs 39.1° N from the equator · Closer wins ↓

   Conquered Türkiye.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Chad against Türkiye

   Category	Chad	Türkiye	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	1,284,000	783,562	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	19,319,064	85,325,965	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	2,703	43,196	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	15.0	108.9	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,445	5,137	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	7,200	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓ · Chosen	17.3° N	39.1° N	Would win

7. 7
   Round 7Won19 countries · 4 lives left

   AfghanistanvsCambodia

   Highest peak: 7,492 vs 1,810 m · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Cambodia.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Afghanistan against Cambodia

   Category	Afghanistan	Cambodia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	652,230	181,035	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	41,454,761	17,423,880	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	2,204	7,437	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	63.6	96.2	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	7,492	1,810	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	443	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	5	4	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	34.3° N	12.6° N	Would lose

8. 8
   Round 8Lost18 countries · 3 lives left

   GhanavsHungary

   Highest peak: 885 vs 1,014 m · Higher wins ↑

   Returned to the world: Ghana.

   Other category comparisons 6 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Ghana against Hungary

   Category	Ghana	Hungary	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	238,533	93,028	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	33,787,914	9,592,186	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	7,563	46,376	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	141.6	103.1	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	885	1,014	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	539	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	7.0° N	47.3° N	Would win