Winter Olympic Games facts for kids

The Winter Olympic Games (French: Jeux olympiques d'hiver) are a big international sports event. They happen every four years for sports played on snow and ice. The very first Winter Olympics were held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. These modern Olympic Games were inspired by the ancient Olympic Games from Greece.

The Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France started the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894. This led to the first modern Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, in 1896. The IOC is the main group that manages the Olympic Movement.

The first Winter Olympic Games had five main sports with nine different events. These included bobsleigh, curling, and ice hockey. There was also Nordic skiing (with events like cross-country skiing and ski jumping). Finally, there was skating (with figure skating and speed skating).

The Games happened every four years from 1924 to 1936. They stopped in 1940 and 1944 because of World War II. They started again in 1948. Until 1992, both the Summer and Winter Olympics happened in the same year. In 1986, the IOC decided to change this. Now, the Summer and Winter Games happen in different even-numbered years, two years apart. For example, the 1992 Winter Olympics were the last to be in the same year as the Summer Games. Then, the next Winter Games were moved up to 1994, and after that, they went back to the four-year cycle in 1998.

The Winter Olympic Games have changed a lot over time. Many new sports have been added. Some, like alpine skiing, luge, and snowboarding, are now regular Olympic sports. Other sports, like curling and bobsleigh, were removed and then brought back. Some sports, like military patrol, were stopped for good. However, the modern sport of biathlon came from military patrol.

Television has helped the Games become very popular worldwide. Selling TV rights and advertising brings in a lot of money for the IOC. This also means that TV companies and sponsors have some influence. The IOC has faced challenges over the years. These include issues with athletes using banned substances and political boycotts. Countries have also used the Games to show off their political systems.

The Winter Olympic Games have been held in thirteen countries across three continents. The United States has hosted four times. France has hosted three times. Countries like Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Japan, Italy, and Canada have hosted twice. Other countries like Germany, Yugoslavia, Russia, South Korea, and China have hosted once. The Italian cities of Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo will host the 2026 Winter Olympics. No city in the Southern Hemisphere has hosted the Winter Olympics yet. This is because the Games are held in February, which is summer there.

As of 2022^[update], twelve countries have been in every Winter Olympic Games. These are Austria, Canada, Finland, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. Six of these countries have won medals at every Games. The United States is the only country to have won a gold medal at every Winter Olympics. Norway has won the most medals overall in the Winter Games.

History of the Winter Olympics

How it Started

Ulrich Salchow at the 1908 Olympics

Before the Winter Olympics, there were the Nordic Games in Sweden. These games started in 1901 and happened every four years. General Viktor Gustaf Balck organized them. He was a friend of Pierre de Coubertin, who started the modern Olympics. Balck tried to add winter sports to the Olympics. He finally succeeded with figure skating at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. Four figure skating events were held. Ulrich Salchow and Madge Syers won the individual titles.

Later, an Italian count suggested a week of winter sports for the 1912 Summer Olympics in Sweden. But the organizers said no. They wanted to protect their Nordic Games. They also worried about not having enough places for winter sports.

The idea came up again for the 1916 Summer Olympics in Germany. A winter sports week was planned with speed skating, figure skating, ice hockey, and Nordic skiing. But the 1916 Olympics were canceled because of World War I.

From 1920 to 1936

Sonia Henie's Olympic gold medal, St. Moritz 1928.

The first Olympics after the war were the 1920 Summer Olympics in Belgium. They included figure skating and an ice hockey tournament. Germany and some other countries were not allowed to compete. The next year, the IOC decided that France, the host of the 1924 Summer Olympics, would also host a special "International Winter Sports Week." Chamonix was chosen for this event, which lasted 11 days.

The 1924 Games in Chamonix were a big hit! More than 250 athletes from 16 countries competed. Athletes from Finland and Norway won many medals. The first gold medal went to Charles Jewtraw of the United States in speed skating. Sonja Henie of Norway was only 11 years old. She competed in figure skating and became very popular. Gillis Grafström of Sweden won his second gold medal in men's figure skating. He was the first Olympian to win gold in both Summer and Winter Games.

In 1925, the IOC officially made the 1924 Chamonix event the first Winter Olympics.

St. Moritz, Switzerland, hosted the second Winter Games in 1928. The weather was tricky. The opening ceremony was in a snowstorm. But then it got warm, causing problems for some events. The 10,000-meter speed-skating event had to be canceled. Sonja Henie of Norway won the ladies' figure skating at age 15. She was the youngest Olympic champion for 70 years. She won her title again in the next two Winter Olympics. Gillis Grafström won his third straight figure skating gold.

The next Winter Olympics were in Lake Placid, New York, United States. This was the first time the Games were held outside Europe. Fewer athletes came because the trip was long and costly during the Great Depression. There was not much snow before the Games. Sonja Henie won her Olympic title again. Eddie Eagan of the United States won gold in men's bobsleigh. He had also won an Olympic gold in boxing in 1920. He is the only Olympian to win gold in different sports at both Summer and Winter Olympics.

The German towns of Garmisch-Partenkirchen hosted the 1936 Winter Olympics. This was the last time the Summer and Winter Olympics were in the same country in the same year. Alpine skiing was new to the Olympics. But ski teachers were not allowed to compete because they were seen as professionals. Because of this, skiers from Switzerland and Austria refused to compete.

World War II stopped the Winter Olympics. The 1940 Winter Olympics were planned for Japan but were canceled. The 1944 Winter Olympics in Italy were also canceled due to the war.

From 1948 to 1962

The opening ceremonies of the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo

St. Moritz, Switzerland, hosted the first post-war Games in 1948. Switzerland was neutral in the war. Many venues from the 1928 Games were still there. This made St. Moritz a good choice. It was the first city to host the Winter Olympics twice. Twenty-eight countries competed. Germany and Japan were not invited.

The Olympic Flame tradition started at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, Norway. The flame was lit by a Norwegian skiing pioneer. The first Winter torch relay was done by 94 torchbearers on skis. Norwegian athletes won 17 medals. Hjalmar Andersen won three gold medals in speed skating.

Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, hosted the 1956 Winter Olympics. At the opening, the final torchbearer, Guido Caroli, fell on his skates but still lit the cauldron. These were the first Winter Games shown on television. They were also the first Olympics broadcast to an international audience.

The Soviet Union competed for the first time. They won more medals than any other country. Their success was partly because they had "full-time amateur athletes." These athletes were paid by the state to train all the time. Chiharu Igaya won the first Winter Olympics medal for Japan and Asia.

The IOC chose Squaw Valley, United States, for the 1960 Winter Olympics. This was a surprise because the resort was new and undeveloped. About $80 million was spent to build everything needed. The opening and closing ceremonies were created by Walt Disney. These Games had the first special village for athletes. They also used a computer to count results for the first time. Women's speed skating events were also new. This was the only Winter Games without bobsleigh competitions.

From 1964 to 1980

The Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid (c. 2007), site of the "Miracle on Ice" in 1980

The Austrian city of Innsbruck hosted in 1964. For the first time, the Olympic torch was lit in Olympia, Greece. Even though Innsbruck was a winter sports place, it was warm. There wasn't enough snow. The Austrian army had to bring snow and ice from other areas. Soviet speed-skater Lidia Skoblikova won all four speed skating events. She set a record with six gold medals in Winter Olympics. Luge was added to the Olympic program. Sadly, a competitor died in a practice run before the Games.

The 1968 Winter Olympics were in Grenoble, France. These were the first Olympic Games shown in color. Over 1,100 athletes from 37 countries competed. French alpine ski racer Jean-Claude Killy won all the men's alpine skiing events. The organizers sold TV rights for $2 million. This was more than double the cost for the Innsbruck Games. The events were spread out to save money. This meant building three Olympic Villages.

The 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, were the first in Asia. There was a debate about professionalism. Some alpine skiers were seen as professionals because they made money from their sport. Only Austrian Karl Schranz was not allowed to compete. Canada did not send ice hockey teams in 1972 and 1976. They protested that they couldn't use professional players. They also said the Soviet Union used state-sponsored athletes who were professionals. Francisco Fernández Ochoa became the first and only Spaniard to win a Winter Olympic gold medal.

The 1976 Winter Olympics were first given to Denver, United States. But the city pulled out because of rising costs. The IOC then asked Vancouver, Canada, but they also said no. Salt Lake City offered to host. But the IOC decided to ask Innsbruck, Austria, to host again. Innsbruck accepted. They had kept their venues from the 1964 Games. Two cauldrons were lit at the opening ceremony because it was Innsbruck's second time hosting. The Soviet Union won its fourth straight ice hockey gold medal.

In 1980, the Winter Olympics returned to Lake Placid, United States. Cyprus, People's Republic of China, and Costa Rica made their Olympic debuts. The Republic of China boycotted the Games. They protested the IOC's decision to recognize the People's Republic of China as the only "China."

American speed-skater Eric Heiden set records in all five of his events. He won five individual gold medals. Hanni Wenzel won both the slalom and giant slalom. Her country, Liechtenstein, became the smallest nation to win an Olympic gold. In the "Miracle on Ice" game, the American hockey team of college players beat the strong Soviet Union team. They went on to win the gold medal.

From 1984 to 1998

Alberto Tomba, winner of five Olympic medals in Calgary, Albertville and Lillehammer

Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, was a surprise choice to host the 1984 Winter Olympics. The Games were well-organized. They were not affected by the later war in the country. Many nations and athletes participated. Host nation Yugoslavia won its first Olympic medal. Jure Franko won silver in alpine skiing. Another highlight was the ice dance performance by British dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean. Their Boléro routine earned them perfect scores and a gold medal.

The Olympic Torch from the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary

In 1988, Calgary, Canada, hosted the 1988 Winter Olympics. These were the first Winter Olympics to last 16 days. New events were added. Future Olympic sports like curling and short track speed skating were shown as demonstration sports. Speed skating events were held indoors for the first time. Dutch skater Yvonne van Gennip won three gold medals and set two world records.

Finnish ski jumper Matti Nykänen also won three gold medals. Alberto Tomba, an Italian skier, won both the giant slalom and slalom. East German Christa Luding-Rothenburger won a speed skating gold. Seven months later, she won a silver in cycling at the Summer Games. She is the only athlete to win medals in both Summer and Winter Olympics in the same year. The 1988 Games are famous for two movies: Cool Runnings about the Jamaican bobsled team, and Eddie the Eagle about British ski jumper Michael Edwards.

The 1992 Winter Olympics were the last to be held in the same year as the Summer Games. They were in the French Savoie region. Political changes were seen in the teams. Germany competed as one nation again. Former Yugoslavian republics Croatia and Slovenia made their debuts. Most former Soviet republics competed as the Unified Team. But the Baltic States competed independently. At 16, Finnish ski jumper Toni Nieminen became the youngest male Winter Olympic champion. New Zealand skier Annelise Coberger won a silver medal. She was the first Winter Olympic medalist from the Southern Hemisphere.

The 1994 Winter Olympics were in Lillehammer, Norway. These were the first Winter Games held in a different year from the Summer Games. This was due to a decision in 1986 to separate the Games. Lillehammer is the northernmost city to host the Winter Games. It was the second time Norway hosted. The Olympic Truce was observed for the first time. The Czech Republic and Slovakia made their debuts after Czechoslovakia split.

The women's figure skating competition got a lot of media attention. American skater Nancy Kerrigan was injured in an attack. Both she and her opponent Tonya Harding competed. Oksana Baiul of Ukraine won the gold medal. Johann Olav Koss of Norway won three gold medals in speed skating.

13-year-old Kim Yoon-Mi became the youngest Olympic gold medalist. South Korea won the women's 3,000-meter speed skating relay. Bjørn Dæhli of Norway won many medals in cross-country skiing. He became the most decorated Winter Olympian at that time. Russia won the most gold medals. Norway won the most medals overall on home ground. The IOC President called Lillehammer "the best Olympic Winter Games ever."

The 1998 Winter Olympics were in Nagano, Japan. These were the first Games with over 2,000 athletes. The National Hockey League allowed its players to join the men's ice hockey tournament for the first time. The Czech Republic won. Women's ice hockey was new, and the United States won gold. Bjørn Dæhlie of Norway won three more gold medals in Nordic skiing. He became the most decorated Winter Olympic athlete ever. Austrian Hermann Maier crashed but still won two gold medals. Tara Lipinski of the United States, at 15, became the youngest female gold medalist in an individual event. New world records were set in speed skating because of new skates.

From 2002 to 2022

The Olympic flame during the Opening Ceremony of the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City

After a difficult process, the 2002 Winter Olympics were held in Salt Lake City, United States. Over 2,300 athletes from 77 countries competed. These Games were the first after the September 11 attacks. This meant very high security. The opening ceremony showed signs of the attacks' impact.

German Georg Hackl won a silver medal in luge. He was the first athlete to win medals in the same event in five straight Olympics. Canada won both the men's and women's ice hockey gold medals. There was a controversy in pairs figure skating. The Russian pair won gold, but the Canadian pair also got a gold medal later. This was after an investigation into the judging. Australian Steven Bradbury became the first gold medalist from the Southern Hemisphere. He won in short-track speed skating.

A close-up of the Olympic Flame during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin

The Italian city of Turin hosted the 2006 Winter Olympics. It was Italy's second time hosting. South Korean athletes won many medals in short-track speed skating. Sun-Yu Jin won three gold medals. Her teammate Hyun-Soo Ahn won three golds and a bronze. In a cross-country skiing event, Canadian Sara Renner broke her pole. A Norwegian coach, Bjørnar Håkensmoen, lent her a pole. This helped her team win a silver medal.

Kjetil-Andre Aamodt of Norway became the most decorated ski racer. He won his fourth gold and eighth overall medal. He is also the only ski racer to win the same event at three Olympics. Claudia Pechstein of Germany became the first speed skater to earn nine career medals.

In 2003, the IOC chose Vancouver, Canada, for the 2010 Winter Olympics. This was Canada's second time hosting. Vancouver is the largest city area to host a Winter Olympics. Over 2,500 athletes from 82 countries competed. Sadly, Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili died in a training run. This led to changes in the track for safety.

Norwegian cross-country skier Marit Bjørgen won five medals. She finished with three golds, a silver, and a bronze. For the first time, Canada won a gold medal at an Olympic Games it hosted. The Canadian team finished first in gold medals. They set a new record for most gold medals by a country at a single Winter Olympics.

The Vancouver Games were tough for Russian athletes. They finished sixth in total medals. The Russian President called for sports officials to resign. This poor performance is believed to have led to a doping program for future Games. Asian countries did very well in Vancouver. This increased the chances of an Asian city hosting the next Winter Olympics.

Sochi, Russia, hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics. This was Russia's first Winter Olympics. A record 2,800 athletes from 88 countries competed. The Games were the most expensive ever.

On the snow, Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjørndalen won two golds. He became the most decorated Winter Olympian with 13 medals. Another Norwegian, cross-country skier Marit Bjørgen, won three golds. Snowboarder Ayumu Hirano became the youngest medalist on snow at 15.

On the ice, the Netherlands team was amazing in speed skating. They won 23 medals. Ireen Wüst was their most successful skater. In figure skating, Yuzuru Hanyu made history. Among sledding sports, luger Armin Zöggeler won a bronze. He was the first Winter Olympian to get a medal in six straight Games.

After the 2010 Games, Russia invested a lot in sports. They initially topped the medal table. However, there were later claims of a state-sponsored doping program. Many Russian athletes were disqualified. Russia's medals were adjusted.

Pyeongchang, South Korea, hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics. This was South Korea's first Winter Olympics. Over 2,900 athletes from 92 countries participated. Tensions between North and South Korea affected the lead-up. But North Korea agreed to participate. They marched with South Korea as a unified Korea. They also had a unified team in women's ice hockey. Russian athletes who followed doping rules could compete as "Olympic Athletes from Russia."

New events were added, like big air snowboarding and mixed doubles curling. The Netherlands again dominated speed skating. Dutch speed skater Sven Kramer won gold in the men's 5000m event three times. On the snow, Norway led in cross-country skiing. Marit Bjørgen won more medals. She now has 15 Olympic medals, the most for any Winter Olympian.

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo of Norway became the youngest male to win cross-country skiing gold at 21. Noriaki Kasai of Japan became the first athlete to be in eight Winter Olympics. Ester Ledecká of the Czech Republic won gold in two different sports: skiing and snowboarding. Norway led the total medal standings with 39 medals. This was the highest number of medals for any nation in a Winter Olympics.

Beijing, China, hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics. Beijing became the first city to host both Summer and Winter Olympics. The COVID-19 pandemic meant strict health rules. Public attendance was limited. The Games had a record 109 events. They were held at venues in Beijing and Zhangjiakou. For the first time, the venues used only renewable energy. Some events had very cold temperatures and strong winds.

The first gold medal went to Therese Johaug of Norway in skiathlon. She also won two other cross-country distances. Lindsey Jacobellis of the United States won gold in snowboard cross. She had lost a gold 16 years earlier due to a fall. On the ice, the Netherlands won six gold medals. Irene Schouten won three women's distances. Nils van der Poel of Sweden won two men's distances, setting new Olympic records. Kamila Valieva of Russia competed in figure skating despite a failed doping test. She did not win an individual medal. Finland won its first ice hockey gold ever.

Norway was first in the overall medal standings. They won 37 medals in total and 16 gold medals. This was the highest number of gold medals for any country in a single Winter Olympics.

Future Games

The amount by which greenhouse gas emissions are reduced is forecast to substantially affect the number of Winter Olympic Game venues that will have reliably cold conditions.

The 2026 Winter Olympics will be held in Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. They will take place in February 2026.

Challenges and Politics

Host City Impact

Hosting the Winter Olympics is very expensive. Most host cities do not make a profit. For example, the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, cost $3.6 billion. The 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, cost $12.5 billion. The Nagano organizers said extending the bullet train from Tokyo to Nagano caused the high cost.

Organizers hoped hosting would help the local economy for years. Nagano's economy did get a boost for a year or two. But the long-term benefits were not as expected. Cities worry about debt and unused sports venues. These venues can cost a lot to maintain after the Games.

The Winter Olympics also need mountain locations for alpine events. This means venues like hockey arenas might be built in areas with few people. These areas may not need large arenas or hotels later. Because of high costs, fewer cities want to host. The IOC tries to help. They fund part of the host city's budget. They also limit host countries to those with enough resources. Finally, cities must have a "legacy plan." This plan looks at the long-term economic and environmental impact of hosting.

Starting with the 2022 Winter Olympics, the IOC allows alpine events to be farther from the main host city. For example, Beijing's venues were 220 km away from the city.

Doping in Sports

In 1967, the IOC started drug testing. They began testing athletes at the 1968 Winter Olympics. The first athlete to test positive was a West German hockey player. In the 1970s, testing outside competitions increased. But the tests were not always the same, which caused problems. In the late 1980s, sports groups started to work together to make testing standard. The IOC created the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in 1999 to fight against banned substances.

The 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin had a scandal about "blood doping." This is when athletes use blood transfusions or hormones to improve oxygen flow. Italian police raided the Austrian cross-country ski team's residence. They found doping items. Before the Games, 12 skiers were suspended for high hemoglobin levels, which suggests blood doping.

The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi had a big Russian doping scandal. The IOC started investigations against many Russian athletes. This was because their urine samples were tampered with.

Cold War Influence

The Winter Olympics became a stage for the Cold War. This started when the Soviet Union first joined the 1956 Winter Olympics. Both sides saw the Olympics as a powerful way to show off their systems. The Eastern Bloc countries had "full-time amateur athletes." These athletes were paid by the state to train. This put Western athletes, who paid for themselves, at a disadvantage. The IOC kept the amateur rules until the 1990s.

The Cold War caused problems between East and West Germany. Germany was not allowed to compete in 1948. In 1950, the IOC recognized West Germany. They invited East and West Germany to compete as one team. East Germany refused. They wanted to be seen as a separate country.

In 1955, the Soviet Union recognized East Germany. This helped East Germany's goal to be independent. The IOC agreed to accept East Germany's Olympic Committee. But they still said East and West Germans must compete as one team. The situation got worse when the Berlin Wall was built in 1961. Western countries started refusing visas to East German athletes. The IOC finally split the teams at the 1968 Grenoble Games. They also threatened to reject host cities that refused visas to East German athletes.

Boycotts

The Winter Games have only had one national team boycott. Taiwan decided not to participate in the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. Before the Games, the IOC allowed China to compete for the first time since 1952. China was called the "People's Republic of China" and used its flag and anthem. Taiwan had been competing as the "Republic of China." The IOC wanted the countries to compete together. But when this didn't work, the IOC told Taiwan to stop calling itself the "Republic of China."

The IOC renamed Taiwan "Chinese Taipei" and asked them to use a different flag and anthem. Taiwan did not agree. Despite many appeals, the IOC's decision stood. When Taiwanese athletes arrived with their old ID cards, they were not let in. They left the Olympics in protest. Taiwan returned to the Olympics in 1984 as Chinese Taipei. They agreed to compete under a flag with their Olympic Committee's emblem. This agreement is still in place today.

Winter Olympic Sports

The Olympic Charter says winter sports are "those sports which are practised on snow or ice." Since 1992, many new sports have been added. These include short-track speed skating, snowboarding, and freestyle skiing. These new events have made the Winter Olympics more popular outside Europe and North America. Countries like South Korea, Australia, and Canada are doing well in these new sports. This means more countries are winning medals. It also creates more interest and higher TV ratings for the Winter Olympics.

Current Sports

Demonstration Events (No Medals)

In the past, host countries could show off popular local sports as "demonstration sports." No medals were given for these. This practice stopped after 1992. Military patrol, an early version of biathlon, was a medal sport in 1924. It was demonstrated later and became official in 1960. Bandy, a popular sport in Nordic countries and Russia, was demonstrated in Oslo.

Other demonstration sports included Ice stock sport (a German curling game), ski ballet, and Skijöring (skiing behind dogs). A sled-dog race was held in Lake Placid in 1932. Speed skiing was demonstrated in 1992. Winter pentathlon, a mix of cross-country skiing, shooting, downhill skiing, fencing, and horse riding, was demonstrated in 1948.

All-time Medal Table

This table uses official data from the IOC.

     Defunct nation

No.	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total	Games
1	Norway (NOR)	148	134	123	405	24
2	United States (USA)	114	121	95	330	24
3	Germany (GER)	104	98	65	267	13
4	Soviet Union (URS)	78	57	59	194	9
5	Canada (CAN)	77	72	76	225	24
6	Austria (AUT)	71	88	91	250	24
7	Sweden (SWE)	65	51	60	176	24
8	Switzerland (SUI)	63	47	58	168	24
9	Netherlands (NED)	53	49	45	147	22
10	Russia (RUS)	47	39	35	121	6
11	Finland (FIN)	45	65	65	175	24
12	Italy (ITA)	42	43	56	141	24
13	France (FRA)	41	42	55	138	24
14	East Germany (GDR)	39	36	35	110	6
15	South Korea (KOR)	33	30	16	79	19
16	China (CHN)	22	32	23	77	12
17	Japan (JPN)	17	29	30	76	23
18	Great Britain (GBR)	12	5	17	34	24
19	West Germany (FRG)	11	15	13	39	6
20	Czech Republic (CZE)	10	11	13	34	7

Nations with Most Gold Medals

Number of times a nation led in gold medals

•  Norway — 9 times
•  Soviet Union — 7 times
•  Germany — 3 times
•  Russia — 2 times
•  United States — 1 time
•  Sweden — 1 time
•  East Germany — 1 time
•  Canada — 1 time

List of Winter Olympic Games Host Cities

A map of Winter Olympics locations. Countries that have hosted one Winter Olympics are shaded green, while countries that have hosted two or more are shaded blue.

Year	No.	Host City	Games Dates / Opened by	Sports (Events)	Competitors			Events	Nations	Top Nation (by Gold Medals)
					Total	Men	Women
Early Years (Amateur Era)
1924	I	Chamonix	25 January – 5 February 1924 Gaston Vidal	6 (9)	258	247	11	16	16	Norway (NOR)
1928	II	St. Moritz	11–19 February 1928 President Edmund Schulthess	4 (8)	464	438	26	14	25	Norway (NOR)
1932	III	Lake Placid	4–15 February 1932 Governor Franklin Roosevelt	4 (7)	252	231	21	14	17	United States (USA)
1936	IV	Garmisch-Partenkirchen	6–16 February 1936 Chancellor Adolf Hitler	4 (8)	646	566	80	17	28	Norway (NOR)
1940		Planned for Japan (Sapporo); canceled due to World War II
1944		Planned for Italy (Cortina d'Ampezzo); canceled due to World War II
1948	V	St. Moritz	30 January – 8 February 1948 President Enrico Celio	4 (9)	669	592	77	22	28	Norway (NOR)  Sweden (SWE)
1952	VI	Oslo	14–25 February 1952 Princess Ragnhild	4 (8)	694	585	109	22	30	Norway (NOR)
1956	VII	Cortina d'Ampezzo	26 January – 5 February 1956 President Giovanni Gronchi	4 (8)	821	687	134	24	32	Soviet Union (URS)
1960	VIII	Squaw Valley	18–28 February 1960 Vice President Richard Nixon	4 (8)	665	521	144	27	30	Soviet Union (URS)
1964	IX	Innsbruck	29 January – 9 February 1964 President Adolf Schärf	6 (10)	1091	892	199	34	36	Soviet Union (URS)
1968	X	Grenoble	6–18 February 1968 President Charles de Gaulle	6 (10)	1158	947	211	35	37	Norway (NOR)
1972	XI	Sapporo	3–13 February 1972 Emperor Hirohito	6 (10)	1006	801	205	35	35	Soviet Union (URS)
1976	XII	Innsbruck	4–15 February 1976 President Rudolf Kirchschläger	6 (10)	1123	892	231	37	37	Soviet Union (URS)
1980	XIII	Lake Placid	13–24 February 1980 Vice President Walter Mondale	6 (10)	1072	840	232	38	37	Soviet Union (URS)
1984	XIV	Sarajevo	8–19 February 1984 President Mika Špiljak	6 (10)	1272	998	274	39	49	East Germany (GDR)
Modern Era (Open Era)
1988	XV	Calgary	13–28 February 1988 Governor-General Jeanne Sauvé	6 (10)	1423	1122	301	46	57	Soviet Union (URS)
1992	XVI	Albertville	8–23 February 1992 President François Mitterrand	6 (12)	1801	1313	488	57	64	Germany (GER)
1994	XVII	Lillehammer	12–27 February 1994 King Harald V	6 (12)	1737	1215	522	61	67	Russia (RUS)
1998	XVIII	Nagano	7–22 February 1998 Emperor Akihito	7 (14)	2176	1389	787	68	72	Germany (GER)
2002	XIX	Salt Lake City	8–24 February 2002 President George W. Bush	7 (15)	2399	1513	886	78	78	Norway (NOR)
2006	XX	Turin	10–26 February 2006 President Carlo Azeggio Ciampi	7 (15)	2508	1548	960	84	80	Germany (GER)
2010	XXI	Vancouver	12–28 February 2010 Governor-General Michaëlle Jean	7 (15)	2566	1522	1044	86	82	Canada (CAN)
2014	XXII	Sochi	7–23 February 2014 President Vladimir Putin	7 (15)	2873	1714	1159	98	88	Russia (RUS)
2018	XXIII	Pyeongchang	9–25 February 2018 President Moon Jae-in	7 (15)	2922	1680	1242	102	92+1	Norway (NOR)
2022'	XXIV	Beijing	4–20 February 2022 President Xi Jinping	7 (15)	2861	1573	1288	109	91	Norway (NOR)
2026	XXV	Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo	6–22 February 2026	8 (16)	TBA	TBA	TBA	116	TBA	TBA
2030	XXVI	TBA	8–24 February 2030	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA
2034	XXVII	TBA	10–26 February 2034	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA

• This office is technically not head of state in and of itself, but is the presiding officer of the Federal Council which collectively acts as head of state.
• Unlike the Summer Olympics, the canceled 1940 Winter Olympics and 1944 Winter Olympics are not included in the official Roman numeral counts for the Winter Games. While the official titles of the Summer Games count Olympiads, the titles of the Winter Games only count the Games themselves.
• The IOC site for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games gives an erroneous figure of 77 participated teams; however, one can count 78 participated nations looking through Official Report of the XIX Olympic Winter Games: https://digital.la84.org/digital/search/searchterm/Official%20Report%20of%20the%20XIX%20Olympic%20Winter%20Games%20Results/field/title/mode/all/conn/and: https://digital.la84.org/digital/search/searchterm/Official%20Report%20of%20the%20XIX%20Olympic%20Winter%20Games%20Results/field/title/mode/all/conn/and. This error probably resulted from the fact that Costa Rica's delegation of one athlete joined the Games after the Opening Ceremony, so 77 nations participated in the Opening Ceremony and 78 nations participated in the Games.
• The IOC site for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games does not include United Korean (COR) women's ice hockey team as separate "nation" when counting participating nations. Nevertheless the IOC shows the Korean team in the Pyeongchang 2018 Ice Hockey Women's Tournament Results. Thus, 92 national teams plus 1 team composed of athletes from both South Korea and North Korea participated in the Games.
• On November 29, 2023, the IOC entered "targeted dialogue" with both the French Alps as the preferred city for the 2030 Winter Games, as well as Salt Lake City for the 2034 Winter Games. Both decisions are expected to be finalized in 2024. The IOC also entered "privileged dialog" with Switzerland for the 2038 Winter Games.

Images for kids

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  Ulrich Salchow at the 1908 Olympics

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  Sonia Henie's Olympic gold medal, St. Moritz 1928.

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  The opening ceremonies of the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo

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  The Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid (c. 2007), site of the "Miracle on Ice" in 1980

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  Alberto Tomba, winner of five Olympic medals in Calgary, Albertville and Lillehammer

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  The Olympic Torch from the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary

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  The Olympic flame during the Opening Ceremony of the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City

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  A close-up of the Olympic Flame during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin

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  The amount by which greenhouse gas emissions are reduced is forecast to substantially affect the number of Winter Olympic Game venues that will have reliably cold conditions.

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  A map of Winter Olympics locations. Countries that have hosted one Winter Olympics are shaded green, while countries that have hosted two or more are shaded blue.

See also

In Spanish: Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno para niños