Top 12 Countries That Have Won the Most Olympic Medals

The Olympic Games are an international sensation every two years. The Summer Olympics have taken place every four years and the Winter Olympics in alternating years since 1994. The Olympics are a chance for the entire world to get together and watch people compete for their respective countries. It’s a chance for the world to come together in harmony by watching talented individuals compete in fantastic sports. Of course, because it’s a competition, there are medals awarded to those respective athletes. The top three winners get either gold, silver, or bronze. Let’s take a look at the top 12 countries that have won the most Olympic medals. 

United States

Since 1896, the United States has won the most Olympic medals of any country in the world. The country has had athletes participate in every single Olympic Games since the start of the modern Olympics, except the 1980 Summer Olympics held in the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979. The US has won 1,061 gold medals at the Summer Olympics and 113 at the Winter Olympics. In 2028, the United States will host the Summer Olympics, which will be held in Los Angeles.

Soviet Union

The now-defunct country participated in the Olympic Games from 1952 until the fall of communism. In 1984, the Soviet Union decided to boycott the Olympic Games held in Los Angeles in retaliation to the US-led 1980 Olympic boycott. The first Summer Olympics the country participated in was in 1952 and 1956, they first participated in the Winter Olympics. The Soviet Union won 395 gold medals at the Summer Olympics and 78 at the Winter Olympics. 

Great Britain

Since the inception of the modern Olympic Games in 1896, Great Britain has participated. The country has hosted the games three times —  in 1908, 1948, and 2012, and all games were held in London. They were supposed to host in 1944, but the games were canceled due to World War II. Great Britain has won 284 gold medals in the Summer Olympics and 12 gold medals in the Winter Olympics.

Germany

Germany’s relationship with the Olympic games has been quite tumultuous over the years. They first participated in 1896, but after World War I they were banned from participating in 1920 and 1924. They came back in 1928 but again were banned in 1948. The country was divided during the Cold War but was reunified in 1990 competing once again as a single nation. Germany has won 201 gold medals in the Summer Olympics and 104 gold medals in the Winter Olympics.

France

French historian Pierre de Coubertin was the one who founded the modern Olympic Games and thus France has participated in every single one of them since 1896. There is some confusion as to whether they participated in 1904 because it is unknown whether athlete Albert Corey competed for the US or France. France has also hosted the Olympics five times — 1900, 1924 (twice), 1968, and 1992. They will host again in 2024, which will be held in Paris.

Italy

Italy has participated in the modern Olympic Games since 1896, except for the 1904 Summer Olympics. They have also hosted the Olympics three times — 1950 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, 1956 in Rome, and 2006 in Turin. They will host the 2026 Winter Olympics, which will be held in Milan. Italy has won 217 gold medals in the Summer Olympics and 42 gold medals in the Winter Olympics.

China

China’s participation in the Olympics started in 1952 as the People’s Republic of China. Before that, China competed as the Republic of China. Due to political conflicts, they boycotted the Olympics until the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. China has hosted the Olympics twice — 2008 and 2022 in Beijing. Lastly, China has won 263 gold medals in the Summer Olympics and 22 in the Winter Olympics.

Sweden

Ever since 1896 at the first modern Olympic Games, Sweden has participated except for the 1904 Summer Olympics. Sweden is one of the few countries that has gotten medals at every Olympics except for 1896 and 1904. Sweden has only hosted the Olympic Games one time and that was in 1912 for the Summer Olympics held in Stockholm. In 1956, Stockholm again hosted the equestrian Olympic events because of quarantine mishaps in Melbourne (which is where the 1956 Summer Olympics were being held).

Japan

The first Olympic Games that Japan participated in was in 1912. Since then, the nation has gone to nearly every Olympic games. After World War II, the country was banned from the 1948 Olympics. Furthermore, Japan joined the United States in the 1980 Summer Olympics boycott, which was held in Moscow. Japan has hosted the Olympics four times — 1964, 1972, 1998, and 2020 (which was held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). Japan has won 169 gold medals in the Summer Olympics and 17 gold medals in the Winter Olympics.

Norway

The first Olympic Games that Norway participated in was in 1900. They have not participated in one of the games since then — in 1980 when they joined the US-led boycott of the games held in Moscow. Norway has hosted the Olympics twice — 1952 in Oslo and 1994 in Lillehammer. Norway has won 61 gold medals in the Summer Olympics and 148 gold medals in the Winter Olympics.

Australia

The Oceanic country has participated in every modern Summer Olympic Games, although in the 1908 and 1912 Games, they decided to compete as Australasia with New Zealand. The country started competing in the Winter Olympics in 1936, but it did not participate in 1948. Australia has hosted the Olympics twice — 1956 in Melbourne and 2000 in Sydney. The nation will host the 2032 Games, which are going to be held in Brisbane. 

Canada

Canada first participated in the Olympic Games in 1900, except for the 1980 Summer Olympics when they joined the United States in boycotting the games held in Moscow. The nation has hosted the Olympics three times — 1976 in Montreal, 1988 in Calgary, and 2010 in Vancouver. Lastly, Canada has won 71 gold medals in the Summer Olympics and 77 gold medals in the Winter Olympics.

Conclusion

And there you have it, these are the top 12 countries that have won the most Olympic medals. Now, the world awaits the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top. At the end of the day though, this will be a chance for the world to come together as one.

Top 12 Countries That Have Won the Most Olympic Medals