The race bar charts above list the top 20 countries in either total medal count or medals per capita for each Olympic game. It can be used to compare countries' performances through each Olympic Game.
Graph Help:
Graph Help:
- To move between games, use the play button under the slider or use the dropdown box above the slider
Why Population Matters
A country with a higher population has a greater chance of winning more medals because it has a larger pool of potential athletes. More people mean more opportunities to discover and develop athletic talent. A larger population increases the likelihood of having individuals with exceptional abilities in various sports.
Give examples!
Why GDP Matters
Similarly, a wealthier country with a higher GDP also has a higher chance of winning medals. This is because wealthier countries can invest more in sports infrastructure, training facilities, coaching, and athlete development programs. Higher GDP often translates to better access to nutrition, healthcare, and equipment, all of which are critical for high-level athletic performance.
Give Examples!
What Is Medals Per Capita?
Medals per capita is another value we can compare countries' performances with. It is calculated by taking a countries total population and dividing it by the number of medals they won. It can be interpreted by saying "For every (MPC) people, the country wins 1 medal". Sometimes this can be better when comparing countries because it takes into account the number of medals relative to the population.
A country with a higher population has a greater chance of winning more medals because it has a larger pool of potential athletes. More people mean more opportunities to discover and develop athletic talent. A larger population increases the likelihood of having individuals with exceptional abilities in various sports.
Give examples!
Why GDP Matters
Similarly, a wealthier country with a higher GDP also has a higher chance of winning medals. This is because wealthier countries can invest more in sports infrastructure, training facilities, coaching, and athlete development programs. Higher GDP often translates to better access to nutrition, healthcare, and equipment, all of which are critical for high-level athletic performance.
Give Examples!
What Is Medals Per Capita?
Medals per capita is another value we can compare countries' performances with. It is calculated by taking a countries total population and dividing it by the number of medals they won. It can be interpreted by saying "For every (MPC) people, the country wins 1 medal". Sometimes this can be better when comparing countries because it takes into account the number of medals relative to the population.
The table above can be used to view country ranking by several different measures across all Olympic Games. The map can also be used to explore and will highlight a selected country on the table.
Weighted medal values are obtained by multiplying gold, silver, and bronze medals by the following values:
Weighted medal values are obtained by multiplying gold, silver, and bronze medals by the following values:
- Gold: 4
- Silver:2
- Bronze: 1
Medal Counts
Select an Olympic Game to view the medal counts for it.
Select an Olympic Game to view the medal counts for it.
The graph below tracks the number of medals that were awarded to male or female atheletes through each Olympic Games. Press the play button under the slider to view the animation.
The graph below can be used to track a countries' performance over time. It is broken down between bronze, silver, gold and total medals. This also must be broken down between the Summer and Winter Olympics because there a significantly fewer medals awarded at the Winter Olympics, it would be confusing to see total medals flucuating so much. Use the dropdown box to select the country you want to track. Then press the play button under the slider to view the animation.
Similar to the graph above, this box plot can be used to view all of the performances of a country at either the Summer or Winter Olympics. This box plot puts all of the performances on one box plot in order to view best and worst performances. Keep in mind GDP and Population data will not appear for Olympic Games that occured before 1960. Use the drop down box to select the country you'd like to view.
