List of Olympic Games host cities

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

Olympic host cities

City Country Continent Flag Olympiad No. Season Year From To Ref
Athens Greece Europe S001I Summer 1896 April 6 April 15 [4]
Paris France Europe S002II Summer 1900 May 14 October 28 [5]
St. Louis[a] United States North America S003III Summer 1904 July 1 November 23 [6]
London[b] Great Britain Europe S004IV Summer 1908 April 27 October 31 [7]
Stockholm Sweden Europe S005V Summer 1912 May 5 July 27 [8]
Berlin Germany Europe S006VI Summer 1916 Cancelled due to WWI[9]
Antwerp Belgium Europe S007VII Summer 1920 April 20 September 12 [10]
Chamonix France Europe W001I Winter 1924 January 25 February 4 [11]
Paris France Europe S008VIII Summer 1924 May 4 July 27 [12]
St. Moritz Switzerland Europe W002II Winter 1928 February 11 February 19 [13]
Amsterdam Netherlands Europe S009IX Summer 1928 May 17 August 12 [14]
Lake Placid United States North America W003III Winter 1932 February 4 February 15 [15]
Los Angeles United States North America S010X Summer 1932 July 30 August 14 [16]
Garmisch-Partenkirchen Germany Europe W004IV Winter 1936 February 6 February 16 [17]
Berlin Germany Europe S011XI Summer 1936 August 1 August 16 [18]
Sapporo Japan Asia W005aV Winter 1940 Cancelled due to WWII[9]
Tokyo Japan Asia S012XII Summer 1940 Cancelled due to WWII[9]
Cortina d'Ampezzo Italy Europe W005bV Winter 1944 Cancelled due to WWII[9]
London Great Britain Europe S013XIII Summer 1944 Cancelled due to WWII[9]
St. Moritz Switzerland Europe W005cV Winter 1948 January 30 February 8
London Great Britain Europe S014XIV Summer 1948 July 29 August 14
Oslo Norway Europe W006VI Winter 1952 February 14 February 25
Helsinki Finland Europe S015XV Summer 1952 July 19 August 3
Cortina d'Ampezzo Italy Europe W007VII Winter 1956 January 26 February 5
Melbourne
Stockholm[c]
Australia
Sweden
Australia
Europe

S016XVI Summer 1956 November 22
June 10
December 8
June 17
Squaw Valley United States North America W008VIII Winter 1960 February 18 February 28
Rome Italy Europe S017XVII Summer 1960 August 25 September 11
Innsbruck Austria Europe W009IX Winter 1964 January 29 February 9
Tokyo Japan Asia S018XVIII Summer 1964 October 10 October 24
Grenoble France Europe W010X Winter 1968 February 6 February 18
Mexico City Mexico North America S019XIX Summer 1968 October 12 October 27
Sapporo Japan Asia W011XI Winter 1972 February 3 February 13
Munich Germany Europe S020XX Summer 1972 August 26 September 11
Innsbruck Austria Europe W012XII Winter 1976 February 4 February 15
Montreal Canada North America S021XXI Summer 1976 July 17 August 1
Lake Placid United States North America W013XIII Winter 1980 February 14 February 23
Moscow Soviet Union Europe[d] S022XXII Summer 1980 July 19 August 3
Sarajevo Yugoslavia Europe W014XIV Winter 1984 February 7 February 19
Los Angeles United States North America S023XXIII Summer 1984 July 28 August 12
Calgary Canada North America W015XV Winter 1988 February 13 February 28
Seoul South Korea Asia S024XXIV Summer 1988 September 17 October 2
Albertville France Europe W016XVI Winter 1992 February 8 February 23
Barcelona Spain Europe S025XXV Summer 1992 July 25 August 9
Lillehammer Norway Europe W017XVII Winter 1994 February 12 February 27
Atlanta United States North America S026XXVI Summer 1996 July 19 August 4
Nagano Japan Asia W018XVIII Winter 1998 February 7 February 22
Sydney Australia Australia S027XXVII Summer 2000 September 15 October 1
Salt Lake City United States North America W019XIX Winter 2002 February 8 February 24
Athens Greece Europe S028XXVIII Summer 2004 August 13 August 29
Torino Italy Europe W020XX Winter 2006 February 10 February 26
Beijing[e] China Asia S029XXIX Summer 2008 August 8 August 24
Vancouver Canada North America W021XXI Winter 2010 February 12 February 28
London Great Britain Europe S030XXX Summer 2012 July 27 August 12
Sochi Russia Europe[d] W022XXII Winter 2014 February 7 February 23
Rio de Janeiro Brazil South America S031XXXI Summer 2016 August 5 August 21
Pyeongchang South Korea Asia S023XXIII Winter 2018 February 9 February 25

Statistics

Host cities for multiple Olympic Games

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

Total Olympic Games by country

Rank Country Continent Summer Olympics hosted Winter Olympics hosted Total Olympics hosted
1  United States North America 4 (1904, 1932, 1984, 1996) 4 (1932, 1960, 1980, 2002) 8
2  France Europe 2 (1900, 1924) 3 (1924, 1968, 1992) 5
3  Great Britain Europe 3 (1908, 1948, 2012) 0 3
3  Canada North America 1 (1976) 2 (1988, 2010) 3
3  Italy Europe 1 (1960) 2 (1956, 2006) 3
3  Japan Asia 1 (1964) 2 (1972, 1998) 3
3 / Germany Europe 2 (1936, 1972) 1 (1936) 3
8  South Korea Asia 1 (1988) 1 (2018) 2
8  USSR/ Russia Europe 1 (1980) 1 (2014) 2
8 / Greece Europe 2 (1896, 2004) 0 2
8  Australia Oceania 2 (1956, 2000) 0 2
8  Norway Europe 0 2 (1952, 1994) 2
8  Austria Europe 0 2 (1964, 1976) 2
8  Switzerland Europe 0 2 (1928, 1948) 2
15  Brazil South America 1 (2016) 0 1
15  China Asia 1 (2008) 0 1
15  Spain Europe 1 (1992) 0 1
15  Yugoslavia Europe 0 1 (1984) 1
15  Mexico North America 1 (1968) 0 1
15  Finland Europe 1 (1952) 0 1
15  Netherlands Europe 1 (1928) 0 1
15  Belgium Europe 1 (1920) 0 1
15  Sweden Europe 1 (1912) 0 1

Notes

  • c Equestrian events were held in Stockholm, Sweden. Stockholm had to bid for the equestrian competition separately; it received its own Olympic flame and had its own formal invitations and opening & closing ceremonies, just like the regular Summer Olympics.[22]
  • e Equestrian events were held in China's Hong Kong SAR.[23] Although Hong Kong's separate NOC conducted the equestrian competition, it was an integral part of the Beijing Games; it is not conducted under a separate bid, flame, etc., as was the 1956 Stockholm equestrian competition. The IOC website lists only Beijing as the host city.[24]

References

General
Specific
  1. ^ Findling, John E.; Pelle, Kimberly D. (2004). Encyclopedia of the Modern Olympic Movement. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 41. ISBN 9780313322785. http://books.google.com/?id=QmXi_-Jujj0C. 
  2. ^ Group, Taylor Francis (2003). The Europa World Yearbook. Taylor and Francis Group. pp. 247. ISBN 9781857432275. http://books.google.com/?id=XLvU9lroRuUC&pg=PA247&lpg=PA247&dq=olympic+hosts+six+years+in+advance. 
  3. ^ "Choice of the Host City". olympic.org. International Olympic Committee. http://www.olympic.org/uk/organisation/missions/cities_uk.asp. Retrieved 2009-06-04. 
  4. ^ "Athens 1896". olympic.org. http://www.olympic.org/athens-1896-summer-olympics. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
  5. ^ "Paris 1900". olympic.org. http://www.olympic.org/paris-1900-summer-olympics. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
  6. ^ "St Louis 1904". olympic.org. http://www.olympic.org/st-louis-1904-summer-olympics. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
  7. ^ "London 1908". olympic.org. http://www.olympic.org/london-1908-summer-olympics. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
  8. ^ "Stockholm 1912". olympic.org. http://www.olympic.org/stockholm-1912-summer-olympics. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
  9. ^ a b c d e Durántez, Conrado (April-May 1997). "The Olympic Movement, a twentieth-century phenomenon" (PDF). Olympic Review XXVI (14): 56–57. http://www.la84foundation.org/OlympicInformationCenter/OlympicReview/1997/oreXXVI14/oreXXVI14zl.pdf 
  10. ^ "Antwerp 1920". olympic.org. http://www.olympic.org/antwerp-1920-summer-olympics. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
  11. ^ "Chamonix 1924". olympic.org. http://www.olympic.org/chamonix-1924-winter-olympics. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
  12. ^ "Paris 1924". olympic.org. http://www.olympic.org/paris-1924-summer-olympics. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
  13. ^ "St. Moritz 1928". olympic.org. http://www.olympic.org/st-moritz-1928-winter-olympics. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
  14. ^ "Amsterdam 1928". olympic.org. http://www.olympic.org/amsterdam-1928-summer-olympics. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
  15. ^ "Lake Placid 1932". olympic.org. http://www.olympic.org/lake-placid-1932-winter-olympics. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
  16. ^ "Los Angeles 1932". olympic.org. http://www.olympic.org/los-angeles-1932-summer-olympics. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
  17. ^ "Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936". olympic.org. http://www.olympic.org/garmisch-partenkirchen-1936-winter-olympics. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
  18. ^ "Berlin 1936". olympic.org. http://www.olympic.org/berlin-1936-summer-olympics. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
  19. ^ "St Louis 1904". International Olympic Committee. http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=1&OLGY=1904. Retrieved 2008-07-29. 
  20. ^ "St. Louis gets Olympic Games; International Committee Sanctions the Change for the World's Fair in 1904" (PDF). The New York Times. 1903-02-12. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9400E0DD1130E733A25751C1A9649C946297D6CF. Retrieved 2008-07-29. 
  21. ^ "Rome Games moved to London". realclearsports.com. http://www.realclearsports.com/lists/disasters_affecting_sports/1908_olympics.html. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 
  22. ^ "Stockholm/Melbourne 1956". Swedish Olympic Committee. http://www.sok.se/inenglish/stockholmmelbourne1956.4.18ea16851076df63622800011093.html. Retrieved 2008-08-01. 
  23. ^ Tim Pile (June 25, 2008). "Hong Kong saddles up for the Olympics". London: The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/2008/06/25/expat-in-hong--kong.xml. Retrieved 2008-07-29. 
  24. ^ "2008 Beijing Olympic home page". International Olympic Committee. http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/beijing/index_uk.asp. Retrieved 2008-05-04. 

See also