Learn more about these living fossils from millions of years ago
Host: Sydney, Australia
Sports (disciplines): 28 (40)
Number of competitors: 10,651
Number of participating nations: 199
Host: Athens, Greece
Sports (disciplines): 28 (40)
Number of competitors: 10,625
Number of participating nations: 201
Host: London, England
Sports (disciplines): 26 (39)
Number of competitors: 10,768
Number of participating nations: 204
Host: Paris, France
Sports (disciplines): 17 (23)
Number of competitors: 3,089
Number of participating nations: 44
Host: Munich, West Germany
Sports (disciplines): 21 (28)
Number of competitors: 7,134
Number of participating nations: 121
Host: Melbourne, Australia
Sports (disciplines): 17 (23)
Number of competitors: 3,314
Number of participating nations: 72
Host: Barcelona, Spain
Sports (disciplines): 25 (34)
Number of competitors: 9,356
Number of participating nations: 169
Host: Atlanta, US
Sports (disciplines): 26 (37)
Number of competitors: 10,318
Number of participating nations: 197
Host: Tokyo, Japan
Sports (disciplines): 19 (25)
Number of competitors: 5,151
Number of participating nations: 93
Host: London, England
Sports (disciplines): 22 (25)
Number of competitors: 2,008
Number of participating nations: 22
Host: Montreal, Canada
Sports (disciplines): 21 (27)
Number of competitors: 6,084
Number of participating nations: 92
Host: Helsinki, Finland
Sports (disciplines): 17 (23)
Number of competitors: 4,955
Number of participating nations: 69
Host: Moscow, Soviet Union
Sports (disciplines): 21 (27)
Number of competitors: 5,179
Number of participating nations: 80
Host: London, United Kingdom
Sports (disciplines): 17 (23)
Number of competitors: 4,104
Number of participating nations: 59
Host: Seoul, South Korea
Sports (disciplines): 23 (31)
Number of competitors: 8,391
Number of participating nations: 159
Host: Beijing, China
Sports (disciplines): 28 (41)
Number of competitors: 10,942
Number of participating nations: 204
Host: Los Angeles, United States
Sports (disciplines): 21 (29)
Number of competitors: 6,829
Number of participating nations: 140
Host: Paris, France
Sports (disciplines): 19 (21)
Number of competitors: 1,226
Number of participating nations: 26
Host: Antwerp, Belgium
Sports (disciplines): 22 (29)
Number of competitors: 2,626
Number of participating nations: 39
Host: Stockholm, Sweden
Sports (disciplines): 14 (18)
Number of competitors: 2,407
Number of participating nations: 28
Host: St. Louis, United States
Sports (disciplines): 16 (18)
Number of competitors: 651
Number of participating nations: 12
Host: Tokyo, Japan
Sports (disciplines): 33 (50)
Number of competitors: 11,676
Number of participating nations: 206
Host: Athens, Greece
Sports (disciplines): 9 (10)
Number of competitors: 241
Number of participating nations: 14
Sources: (CNBC) (Olympics) (Library of Congress)
Host: Mexico City, Mexico
Sports (disciplines): 18 (24)
Number of competitors: 5,516
Number of participating nations: 112
Host: Berlin, Germany
Sports (disciplines): 19 (25)
Number of competitors: 3,963
Number of participating nations: 49
Host: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Sports (disciplines): 28 (42)
Number of competitors: 11,238
Number of participating nations: 207
Host: Rome, Italy
Sports (disciplines): 17 (23)
Number of competitors: 5,338
Number of participating nations: 83
Host: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Sports (disciplines): 14 (20)
Number of competitors: 2,883
Number of participating nations: 46
Host: Los Angeles, United States
Sports (disciplines): 14 (20)
Number of competitors: 1,332
Number of participating nations: 37
Usually held every four years, the international sporting event was only ever cancelled due to World War I (1916) and World War II (1940 and 1944), and postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic (2020). This year, the Games will be held in Paris.
To get into the Olympic spirit, click on to recall the past host cities in the event's modern history.
Where were the last Olympics Games? And the edition before that one? See how many you can remember
Take a look at the history of the modern Summer Olympics
LIFESTYLE Sports
When choosing locations for the Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) specifically gives the honor of holding the Games to a city rather than a country. Indeed, the selection process, international politics, and investment involved with the Olympics has made the host city selection a major deal.
Usually held every four years, the international sporting event was only ever cancelled due to World War I (1916) and World War II (1940 and 1944), and postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic (2020). This year, the Games will be held in Paris.
To get into the Olympic spirit, click on to recall the past host cities in the event's modern history.