The 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, marks the 33rd edition of the Summer Olympic Games. Since the first games of the modern era in 1896 in Athens, Greece, the number of events and participating countries has increased. In that time, thousands of gold, silver, and bronze medals have been awarded.
This animated map tracks which countries have won the most medals in the Summer Olympics. It uses data from Olympedia and covers all Summer Olympic Games from 1896 to 2020.
The map uses an etched metallic basemap to evoke the feel of Olympic medals. For each instance of the Summer Olympics, countries are symbolized based on the highest medal they won in that year. The map also identifies the host city for each year with a red dot. Beneath the map, you’ll find a series of stacked bar charts by region. These show the top five medalists per Summer Olympic Games in each region. Countries are categorized according to each region’s Olympic federation. For example, since North and South America participate in the Pan American Sports Organization, those countries are listed under “Americas”.
The maps and charts update to reflect each year of Summer Olympics, allowing you to isolate a particular year for further exploration. The map also includes historical notes related to changes in format and political activities, such as boycotts that affected the games.
As the video plays, you can see how the Summer Olympics have evolved over time. Early games had fewer medal events (just 43 in 1896, compared to 339 in 2020), and most of the medaled countries were from North America, Europe, and Australia. By the middle of the 20th century, the games begin to feel more like a global event. But even then, the US and (former) Soviet Union dominate medal counts over time.
Like many global, historical maps, you can also see the echoes of human conflict and international relations. There are noticeable gaps in 1916, 1940, and 1944 as a result of two world wars. Boycotts and counter-boycotts also limit participation in the 1976, 1980, and 1984 Olympics.
Despite these issues, the map makes it clear that the Olympics have become a global showcase. Over time, more countries have competed and medaled. The Paris games will continue that trend, with a record 206 countries set to participate.
By The Numbers
The number of participating countries in the first games in 1896.
The number of participating countries in the most recent games in 2020.
The total number of Summer Olympic gold medals won by the US, the most of any country.
