Participating Nations

The Summer Olympic Games is one of the most high-profile events in the world and the number of participating nations has been rising since the first Games in 1896.

*Hover over the circles for more info

Number of Olympians

Just as the number of participating nations has grown, so too has the number of individuals competing. The number of competitors is 60 percent higher than in 1896.

*Hover over the bars for more info

Competitor Breakdown

Women were excluded from the first Olympic Games. The first women competed four years later. The number of female competitors went up 70 percent over the course of 20 years, from 2,7721 in 1992 up to 4,655 in 2012. That was the most female competitors in history, but still accounted for only 40 percent of athletes.

*Hover over the bars for more info

Credit: NBC/Cynthia Andrews

Source: Olympic.org