- Bartolomeu Dias (1488): Rounded Cape of Good Hope in Africa
- Vasco da Gama (1497-1499): Sailed around Africa to India
- Pedro Álvares Cabral (1500): Discovered Brazil
Spain:
- Christopher Columbus (1492-1493): Reached the Americas
- Ferdinand Magellan (1519-1522): Circumnavigated the world
France:
- Samuel de Champlain (1608): Founded Quebec
- Jacques-Cartier (1534-1542): Explored the St. Lawrence River in Canada
England:
- Sir Francis Drake (1577-1580): Circumnavigated the world
- Sir Walter Raleigh (1584-1585): Explored North America and established colonies in Virginia
- James Cook (1768-1779): Explored the Pacific Ocean, Australia, and New Zealand
Netherlands:
- Henry Hudson (1609): Explored the Hudson River in New York
- Abel Janszoon Tasman (1642-1644): Explored the coast of Australia
Russia:
- Vitus Bering (1728-1742): Explored the coast of Alaska and Siberia