A little knowledge. An empire of 21.

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

   TurkmenistanvsMontenegro

   Area: 488,100 vs 13,812 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Montenegro.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Turkmenistan against Montenegro

   Category	Turkmenistan	Montenegro	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	488,100	13,812	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	7,364,438	623,529	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	19,645	31,863	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	15.1	45.1	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,139	2,534	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	293.5	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	5	5	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	39.9° N	42.8° N	Would win

2. 2
   Round 2Won14 countries · 4 lives left

   QatarvsSaudi Arabia

   Wealth per person: 129,025 vs 71,624 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Saudi Arabia.

   Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

   All eight categories for Qatar against Saudi Arabia

   Category	Qatar	Saudi Arabia	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	11,586	2,149,690	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	2,656,032	33,702,731	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	129,025	71,624	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	229.2	15.7	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	103	3,000	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	563	2,640	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	2	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	25.1° N	23.5° N	Would lose

3. 3
   Round 3Won15 countries · 4 lives left

   Burkina FasovsMaldives

   Area: 274,200 vs 298 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Maldives.

   Other category comparisons 2 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Burkina Faso against Maldives

   Category	Burkina Faso	Maldives	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	274,200	298	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	23,025,776	525,994	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	2,762	24,807	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	84.0	1,765.1	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	749	5	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	644	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	12.8° N	3.3° N	Would lose

4. 4
   Round 4Won16 countries · 4 lives left

   NepalvsPapua New Guinea

   Highest peak: 8,849 vs 4,509 m · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Papua New Guinea.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Nepal against Papua New Guinea

   Category	Nepal	Papua New Guinea	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	147,181	462,840	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	29,694,614	10,389,635	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	5,400	4,672	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	201.8	22.4	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	8,849	4,509	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	5,152	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	4	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	29.0° N	5.5° S	Would lose

5. 5
   Round 5Won17 countries · 4 lives left

   ZimbabwevsMoldova

   Area: 390,757 vs 33,851 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Moldova.

   Other category comparisons 3 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Zimbabwe against Moldova

   Category	Zimbabwe	Moldova	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	390,757	33,851	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	16,340,822	2,457,783	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	5,796	17,751	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	41.8	72.6	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,592	430	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	0	Would tie
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	6	9	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	19.0° S	47.5° N	Would win

6. 6
   Round 6Won18 countries · 4 lives left

   BahrainvsDenmark

   Density: 2,075.1 vs 138.0 per km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Denmark.

   Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

   All eight categories for Bahrain against Denmark

   Category	Bahrain	Denmark	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	760	43,094	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	1,577,059	5,946,952	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	64,224	77,425	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	2,075.1	138.0	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	135	171	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	161	7,314	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	2	Would tie
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	26.0° N	55.9° N	Would win

7. 7
   Round 7Won19 countries · 4 lives left

   South AfricavsSwitzerland

   Area: 1,219,090 vs 41,277 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Switzerland.

   Other category comparisons 4 other winning choices

   All eight categories for South Africa against Switzerland

   Category	South Africa	Switzerland	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	1,219,090	41,277	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	63,212,384	8,888,822	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	15,212	93,940	Would lose
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	51.9	215.3	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,450	4,634	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	2,798	0	Would win
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	6	2	Would win
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	30.2° S	46.7° N	Would win

8. 8
   Round 8Won20 countries · 4 lives left

   CameroonvsSolomon Islands

   Area: 475,440 vs 28,896 km² · Higher wins ↑

   Conquered Solomon Islands.

   Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

   All eight categories for Cameroon against Solomon Islands

   Category	Cameroon	Solomon Islands	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	475,440	28,896	Would win
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	28,372,687	800,005	Would win
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	5,415	2,599	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	59.7	27.7	Would win
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	4,045	2,335	Would win
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	402	5,313	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	4	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	4.5° N	9.6° S	Would win

9. 9
   Round 9Lost19 countries · 3 lives left

   LaosvsTanzania

   Coastline: 0 vs 1,424 km · Higher wins ↑

   Returned to the world: Laos.

   Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

   All eight categories for Laos against Tanzania

   Category	Laos	Tanzania	Result
   Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	236,800	947,300	Would lose
   Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	7,664,993	66,617,606	Would lose
   Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	9,299	4,022	Would win
   Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	32.4	70.3	Would lose
   Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,817	5,895	Would lose
   Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	0	1,424	Would lose
   Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	4	Would lose
   Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	19.6° N	5.5° S	Would lose

10. 10
    Round 10Won20 countries · 3 lives left

    BelgiumvsMadagascar

    Wealth per person: 72,630 vs 1,810 int’l $ · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Madagascar.

    Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

    All eight categories for Belgium against Madagascar

    Category	Belgium	Madagascar	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	30,528	587,041	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	11,779,946	31,195,932	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	72,630	1,810	Would win
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	385.9	53.1	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	694	2,876	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	66.5	4,828	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	3	3	Would tie
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	50.8° N	18.4° S	Would lose

11. 11
    Round 11Won21 countries · 3 lives left

    CambodiavsHungary

    Population: 17,423,880 vs 9,592,186 people · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Hungary.

    Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Cambodia against Hungary

    Category	Cambodia	Hungary	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	181,035	93,028	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	17,423,880	9,592,186	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	7,437	46,376	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	96.2	103.1	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	1,810	1,014	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	443	0	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	4	3	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	12.6° N	47.3° N	Would win

12. 12
    Round 12Won22 countries · 3 lives left

    NigeriavsParaguay

    Population: 227,882,945 vs 6,844,146 people · Higher wins ↑

    Conquered Paraguay.

    Other category comparisons 5 other winning choices

    All eight categories for Nigeria against Paraguay

    Category	Nigeria	Paraguay	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑	923,768	406,752	Would win
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	227,882,945	6,844,146	Would win
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑	8,712	17,585	Would lose
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	246.7	16.8	Would win
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	2,419	842	Would win
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	853	0	Would win
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	2	6	Would lose
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	9.4° N	21.6° S	Would win

13. 13
    Round 13Lost21 countries · 2 lives left

    TurkmenistanvsVenezuela

    Area: 488,100 vs 912,050 km² · Higher wins ↑

    Returned to the world: Turkmenistan.

    Other category comparisons 1 other winning choice

    All eight categories for Turkmenistan against Venezuela

    Category	Turkmenistan	Venezuela	Result
    Areakm² · Higher wins ↑ · Chosen	488,100	912,050	Would lose
    Populationpeople · Higher wins ↑	7,364,438	28,300,854	Would lose
    Wealth per personint’l $ · Higher wins ↑Venezuela: World Bank has no 2023 figure for Venezuela.	19,645	Unavailable	Unavailable
    Densityper km² · Higher wins ↑	15.1	31.0	Would lose
    Highest peakm · Higher wins ↑	3,139	4,978	Would lose
    Coastlinekm · Higher wins ↑	0	2,800	Would lose
    Flag colourscolours · Higher wins ↑	5	4	Would win
    Proximity to equatorfrom the equator · Closer wins ↓	39.9° N	7.2° N	Would lose