The opening ceremony of the 1896 Summer Olympics in the Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens, Greece

Beijing National Stadium, where opening and closing ceremonies were held for the 2008 Summer Olympics

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 17 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; Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics, London for the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sochi for the 2014 Winter Olympics, and Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Summer 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. Munich, Germany has expressed intent to bid for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games^[2], and if awarded, the city will become the first city to have hosted both Summer and Winter Games.

The United States has hosted a total of eight games: more than any other country. France has hosted five and Germany, Italy, and Japan have each hosted three games. Canada and the United Kingdom will host their third games in 2010 and 2012 respectively.

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 on the continent 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.^[3] 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.^[4]

[edit] Olympic host cities

City	Country	Continent	Flag	Olympiad	No.	Season	Year	From	To
Athens	Greece	Europe		S001I	—	Summer	1896	April 6	April 15
Paris	France	Europe		S002II	—	Summer	1900	May 14	October 28
St. Louis[a]	United States	North America		S003III	—	Summer	1904	July 1	November 23
London	Great Britain	Europe		S004IV	—	Summer	1908	April 27	October 31
Stockholm	Sweden	Europe		S005V	—	Summer	1912	May 5	July 27
Berlin	Germany	Europe		S006VI	—	Summer	1916	Cancelled due to WWI[5]
Antwerp	Belgium	Europe		S007VII	—	Summer	1920	April 20	September 12
Chamonix	France	Europe		—	W001I	Winter	1924	January 25	February 4
Paris	France	Europe		S008VIII	—	Summer	1924	May 4	July 27
St. Moritz	Switzerland	Europe		—	W002II	Winter	1928	February 11	February 19
Amsterdam	Netherlands	Europe		S009IX	—	Summer	1928	May 17	August 12
Lake Placid	United States	North America		—	W003III	Winter	1932	February 4	February 15
Los Angeles	United States	North America		S010X	—	Summer	1932	July 30	August 14
Garmisch-Partenkirchen	Germany	Europe		—	W004IV	Winter	1936	February 6	February 16
Berlin	Germany	Europe		S011XI	—	Summer	1936	August 1	August 16
Sapporo	Japan	Asia		—	W005aV	Winter	1940	Cancelled due to WWII[5]
Tokyo	Japan	Asia		S012XII	—	Summer	1940	Cancelled due to WWII[5]
Cortina d'Ampezzo	Italy	Europe		—	W005bV	Winter	1944	Cancelled due to WWII[5]
London	Great Britain	Europe		S013XIII	—	Summer	1944	Cancelled due to WWII[5]
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[b]	Australia Sweden	Oceania 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[c]		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	Oceania		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
Turin	Italy	Europe		—	W020XX	Winter	2006	February 10	February 26
Beijing[d]	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[c]		—	W022XXII	Winter	2014	February 7	February 23
Rio de Janeiro	Brazil	South America		S031XXXI	—	Summer	2016	August 5	August 21

[edit] Total Olympic games by country

Rank	Country	Continent	Summer Olympics hosted	Winter Olympics hosted	Total Olympics Hosted
1	USA	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	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
14	Brazil	South America	1 (2016)	0	1
14	China	Asia	1 (2008)	0	1
14	Spain	Europe	1 (1992)	0	1
14	South Korea	Asia	1 (1988)	0	1
14	Yugoslavia	Europe	0	1 (1984)	1
14	Mexico	North America	1 (1968)	0	1
14	Finland	Europe	1 (1952)	0	1
14	Netherlands	Europe	1 (1928)	0	1
14	Belgium	Europe	1 (1920)	0	1
14	Sweden	Europe	1 (1912)	0	1

[edit] 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

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

General

• "The Olympic Games". olympic.org. International Olympic Committee. http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/index_uk.asp. Retrieved 2009-06-05. 

Specific

[edit] See also

• Olympic Stadium