Since the modern Olympic Games began in 1896, there have been 26 Summer Olympic Games held in 22 separate cities and 21 Winter Olympic Games held in 18 separate cities. In addition, three summer and two winter games were scheduled but were later canceled due to war, Berlin, Germany in 1916, Tokyo and Sapporo, Japan in 1940, and London, England and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy in 1944. Four cities have been chosen by the International Olympic Committee to host upcoming Olympic Games; London for the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sochi for the 2014 Winter Olympics, Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Summer Olympics and Pyeongchang for the 2018 Winter Olympics. The 1906 Summer Olympics in Athens, known as the 1906 Intercalated Games, is not included in this list as the 1906 games are not officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee.[1]
Seven cities have hosted Olympic Games more than once; Athens in 1896 and 2004, Paris in 1900 and 1924, London in 1908 and 1948, St. Moritz in 1928 and 1948, Lake Placid in 1932 and 1980, Los Angeles in 1932 and 1984, and Innsbruck in 1964 and 1976. In addition, Stockholm has hosted the 1912 Summer Olympics and the equestrian portion of the 1956 Summer Olympics.[b] London will become the first city to host three games as of the 2012 Summer Olympics.
The United States has hosted a total of eight games: more than any other country. France has hosted five and Germany, Italy, Japan, and Canada have each hosted three games. The United Kingdom will host its third games in 2012.
The games have primarily been hosted on the continents of Europe (30 games) and North America (12 games). Seven games have been hosted in Asia, including two games which were canceled due to war, and two games have been hosted in the region of Oceania. Rio de Janeiro's winning bid for 2016 will be the first South American host. No Olympic games have been hosted in the continents of Africa and Antarctica. Other major geographic regions which have not hosted the Olympic games include the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
Host cities are selected by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Currently, they are selected seven years in advance.[2] The selection process takes two years. In the first stage of the selection process, any city in the world may submit an application to become a host city. After ten months, the Executive Board of the IOC decides which of these applicant cities will become candidate cities based on the recommendation of a working group that reviews the applications. In the second stage, the candidate cities are investigated thoroughly by an Evaluation Commission, which then submits a final short list of cities to be considered for selection. The host city is then chosen by vote of the IOC Session, a general meeting of IOC members.[3]
Contents |
City | Country | Continent | Flag | Olympiad | No. | Season | Year | From | To | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Athens | Greece | Europe | I | — | Summer | 1896 | April 6 | April 15 | [4] | |
Paris | France | Europe | II | — | Summer | 1900 | May 14 | October 28 | [5] | |
St. Louis[a] | United States | North America | III | — | Summer | 1904 | July 1 | November 23 | [6] | |
London[b] | Great Britain | Europe | IV | — | Summer | 1908 | April 27 | October 31 | [7] | |
Stockholm | Sweden | Europe | V | — | Summer | 1912 | May 5 | July 27 | [8] | |
Berlin | Germany | Europe | VI | — | Summer | 1916 | Cancelled due to WWI[9] | |||
Antwerp | Belgium | Europe | VII | — | Summer | 1920 | April 20 | September 12 | [10] | |
Chamonix | France | Europe | — | I | Winter | 1924 | January 25 | February 4 | [11] | |
Paris | France | Europe | VIII | — | Summer | 1924 | May 4 | July 27 | [12] | |
St. Moritz | Switzerland | Europe | — | II | Winter | 1928 | February 11 | February 19 | [13] | |
Amsterdam | Netherlands | Europe | IX | — | Summer | 1928 | May 17 | August 12 | [14] | |
Lake Placid | United States | North America | — | III | Winter | 1932 | February 4 | February 15 | [15] | |
Los Angeles | United States | North America | X | — | Summer | 1932 | July 30 | August 14 | [16] | |
Garmisch-Partenkirchen | Germany | Europe | — | IV | Winter | 1936 | February 6 | February 16 | [17] | |
Berlin | Germany | Europe | XI | — | Summer | 1936 | August 1 | August 16 | [18] | |
Sapporo | Japan | Asia | — | V | Winter | 1940 | Cancelled due to WWII[9] | |||
Tokyo | Japan | Asia | XII | — | Summer | 1940 | Cancelled due to WWII[9] | |||
Cortina d'Ampezzo | Italy | Europe | — | V | Winter | 1944 | Cancelled due to WWII[9] | |||
London | Great Britain | Europe | XIII | — | Summer | 1944 | Cancelled due to WWII[9] | |||
St. Moritz | Switzerland | Europe | — | V | Winter | 1948 | January 30 | February 8 | ||
London | Great Britain | Europe | XIV | — | Summer | 1948 | July 29 | August 14 | ||
Oslo | Norway | Europe | — | VI | Winter | 1952 | February 14 | February 25 | ||
Helsinki | Finland | Europe | XV | — | Summer | 1952 | July 19 | August 3 | ||
Cortina d'Ampezzo | Italy | Europe | — | VII | Winter | 1956 | January 26 | February 5 | ||
Melbourne Stockholm[c] |
Australia Sweden |
Australia Europe |
XVI | — | Summer | 1956 | November 22 June 10 |
December 8 June 17 |
||
Squaw Valley | United States | North America | — | VIII | Winter | 1960 | February 18 | February 28 | ||
Rome | Italy | Europe | XVII | — | Summer | 1960 | August 25 | September 11 | ||
Innsbruck | Austria | Europe | — | IX | Winter | 1964 | January 29 | February 9 | ||
Tokyo | Japan | Asia | XVIII | — | Summer | 1964 | October 10 | October 24 | ||
Grenoble | France | Europe | — | X | Winter | 1968 | February 6 | February 18 | ||
Mexico City | Mexico | North America | XIX | — | Summer | 1968 | October 12 | October 27 | ||
Sapporo | Japan | Asia | — | XI | Winter | 1972 | February 3 | February 13 | ||
Munich | Germany | Europe | XX | — | Summer | 1972 | August 26 | September 11 | ||
Innsbruck | Austria | Europe | — | XII | Winter | 1976 | February 4 | February 15 | ||
Montreal | Canada | North America | XXI | — | Summer | 1976 | July 17 | August 1 | ||
Lake Placid | United States | North America | — | XIII | Winter | 1980 | February 14 | February 23 | ||
Moscow | Soviet Union | Europe[d] | XXII | — | Summer | 1980 | July 19 | August 3 | ||
Sarajevo | Yugoslavia | Europe | — | XIV | Winter | 1984 | February 7 | February 19 | ||
Los Angeles | United States | North America | XXIII | — | Summer | 1984 | July 28 | August 12 | ||
Calgary | Canada | North America | — | XV | Winter | 1988 | February 13 | February 28 | ||
Seoul | South Korea | Asia | XXIV | — | Summer | 1988 | September 17 | October 2 | ||
Albertville | France | Europe | — | XVI | Winter | 1992 | February 8 | February 23 | ||
Barcelona | Spain | Europe | XXV | — | Summer | 1992 | July 25 | August 9 | ||
Lillehammer | Norway | Europe | — | XVII | Winter | 1994 | February 12 | February 27 | ||
Atlanta | United States | North America | XXVI | — | Summer | 1996 | July 19 | August 4 | ||
Nagano | Japan | Asia | — | XVIII | Winter | 1998 | February 7 | February 22 | ||
Sydney | Australia | Australia | XXVII | — | Summer | 2000 | September 15 | October 1 | ||
Salt Lake City | United States | North America | — | XIX | Winter | 2002 | February 8 | February 24 | ||
Athens | Greece | Europe | XXVIII | — | Summer | 2004 | August 13 | August 29 | ||
Torino | Italy | Europe | — | XX | Winter | 2006 | February 10 | February 26 | ||
Beijing[e] | China | Asia | XXIX | — | Summer | 2008 | August 8 | August 24 | ||
Vancouver | Canada | North America | — | XXI | Winter | 2010 | February 12 | February 28 | ||
London | Great Britain | Europe | XXX | — | Summer | 2012 | July 27 | August 12 | ||
Sochi | Russia | Europe[d] | — | XXII | Winter | 2014 | February 7 | February 23 | ||
Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | South America | XXXI | — | Summer | 2016 | August 5 | August 21 | ||
Pyeongchang | South Korea | Asia | — | XXIII | Winter | 2018 | February 9 | February 25 |
Rank | City | Country | Continent | Summer Olympics hosted | Winter Olympics hosted | Total Olympics hosted |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | London | Great Britain | Europe | 3 (1908, 1948, 2012) | 0 | 3 |
2 | Athens | / Greece | Europe | 2 (1896, 2004) | 0 | 2 |
2 | Los Angeles | USA | North America | 2 (1932, 1984) | 0 | 2 |
2 | Paris | France | Europe | 2 (1900, 1924) | 0 | 2 |
2 | Lake Placid | USA | North America | 0 | 2 (1932, 1980) | 2 |
2 | Innsbruck | Austria | Europe | 0 | 2 (1964, 1976) | 2 |
2 | St. Moritz | Switzerland | Europe | 0 | 2 (1928, 1948) | 2 |