Olympic Games
Events > Olympics > Summer > Medal Tally > All-Time
All-Time Olympic Games Medal Tally (Summer Olympics)
Here are the top ranked countries in terms of total medals won when all of the summer Games are considered (not including 2012). The results are compared with simply the total medals, and also the total medals per Olympiad. As per tradition, the ranking order is based first on the number of gold medals, then silver and bronze. A team victory is counted as one medal.
The USA Has Won the Most Medals
The US have clearly won the most gold medals and the most medals overall, more than doubling the next ranked country. Second placed USSR had fewer appearances at the Olympics, and actually won more medals on average (see the 2nd table). The top 10 includes two countries no longer in existence (the Soviet Union and East Germany), so their medal totals will obviously not increase, though China is expected to continue a rapid rise up the ranks. These figures do not include medals won in London 2012.
| rank | Country | no. of Games | gold | silver | bronze | total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States * | 25 | 929 | 729 | 638 | 2,296 |
| 2 | Soviet Union ** | 10 | 440 | 357 | 325 | 1,122 |
| 3 | Germany # * | 22 | 247 | 284 | 320 | 851 |
| 4 | Great Britain * | 26 | 207 | 255 | 253 | 715 |
| 5 | France * | 26 | 191 | 212 | 233 | 636 |
| 6 | Italy | 25 | 190 | 157 | 174 | 521 |
| 7 | Sweden * | 25 | 142 | 160 | 173 | 475 |
| 8 | Hungary | 24 | 159 | 141 | 159 | 459 |
| 9 | Australia * ~ | 24 | 131 | 137 | 164 | 432 |
| 10 | East Germany # | 5 | 153 | 129 | 127 | 409 |
| 11 | China | 8 | 163 | 117 | 105 | 385 |
| 12 | Japan | 20 | 123 | 112 | 126 | 361 |
The USSR were the most successful on average
It seems unfair to rank countries on total medals won when some countries have appeared at the Olympic Games many more times. The following list averages the medals won per Olympiad, so the success of countries can be compared more directly. Based on this calculation, the former Soviet Union was most successful country with 112 medals per appearance compared to the US with 92 medals per appearance. The ranking in this table is based on the average gold medals per Olympiad, though whether using total golds or total all medals, the top 7 would be the same.
| rank | Country | no. of Games | gold | silver | bronze | total medals | gold medals per Olympiad | total medals per Olympiad |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soviet Union ** | 10 | 440 | 357 | 325 | 1,122 | 44 | 112 |
| 2 | United States * | 25 | 929 | 729 | 638 | 2,296 | 37 | 92 |
| 3 | East Germany # | 5 | 153 | 129 | 127 | 409 | 31 | 82 |
| 4 | Russia ^ | 4 | 108 | 97 | 110 | 315 | 27 | 79 |
| 5 | China + | 8 | 163 | 117 | 105 | 385 | 20 | 48 |
| 6 | Germany * # | 22 | 247 | 284 | 320 | 851 | 11 | 39 |
| 7 | Great Britain* | 26 | 207 | 255 | 253 | 715 | 8 | 28 |
| 8 | Italy | 25 | 191 | 157 | 174 | 522 | 8 | 21 |
| 9 | France* | 26 | 191 | 212 | 234 | 637 | 7 | 25 |
| 10 | Ukraine | 4 | 28 | 22 | 46 | 96 | 7 | 24 |
| 11 | Hungary | 24 | 159 | 141 | 159 | 459 | 7 | 19 |
| 12 | Japan | 20 | 123 | 112 | 125 | 360 | 6 | 18 |
Table Notes:
* this list does not include medals won as part of mixed teams with athletes from other nations (US, Germany, Great Britain, France, Sweden, Australia: 1896–1904).
** Soviet Union includes medals won by the Unified Team in 1992.
^ does not include results of the Russian Empire (1900, 1908, 1912)
# medals from East Germany are considered separately, Germany medals include those won by West Germany.
~ does not include medals won as part of the combined Australasia team (Australia and New Zealand) at the Games in 1908 and 1912.
+ Does not include totals of Chinese Taipei or Hong Kong.You can see the medal list of all countries from which this data is extracted.
Related Pages
comments powered by DisqusOld Comments
- It's kinda wrong to include seperate entries for Russia, the USSR and to ommit Russian Empire's results.The USSR was the official successor of Russian Empire, and Russian Federation (Russia) is the official successor of the USSR, even in the IOC, if I'm not mistaken. But certainly in the UN and FIFA. (from Dant, Oct 2012)
- Very interesting your web page. I agree with you in considering the ex-USSR ( Soviet Union ) as the best ever team taking in mind they only attended in 10 Olympic editions. On the other hand, why don't consider Germany as an unique team after its re-unification, if so they are the third ever successful country with 400 gold medals. Congratulations again and greetings from Lima - Peru. (from Carlos Mendoza, Aug 2012)
- I Love my country! U.S.A All the way. Congrats to the other teams too. So proud of my country! They busted their rumps for those metals. (from Ross Pera, 11 Aug 2012)
- Why do you include West Germany in the German totals but not East Germany? This seems arbitrary. East Germany was unified with West Germany into Germany, so if you accept West German medals, you logically have to accept East German medals. (from Ian, Aug 2012)
- Ian, I can see an argument for including West Germany's medals with those of the united Germany as in effect the continuing German state between 1945-89. However, to include those of East Germany as well would be unfair as in many events East and West Germany together would have had twice as many competitors as other countries so distorting the results, eg athletics - six German competitors per event compared with three from the USA or USSR. In any event East Germany's medal success is so completely tainted by systemic drug abuse I'm certain Germany wouldn't wish to be credited with these medals. Many ex-East German athletes, particularly women, are still paying the price for the state sponsored abuse of their bodies. (from Nick, 22 Aug 2012)
- There is no country in the world called GB. I presume you are all thinking of the UK. The ignorance of the morons who organised the UK's team is mind-blowing. I am embarrassed that the good people of Northern Ireland have been so shoddily treated. (from Nick, 5 Aug 2012)
- reply: The British Olympic Association and the IOC both refer to the team from the United Kingdom as Great Britain, even though it is the team of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The team also represents the Crown dependencies (Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) and all but three of the British overseas territories. (Rob at Topend Sports)
- I am an American and am proud of our success, I am also proud of all the people of the world for doing well. GB for being much smaller, Australia for being even smaller in population than GB, wow some impressive totals (from Brian, Aug 2012)
- Being such small nation in comparison to USA and Soviet union team GB is in fourth place so Britain is great. (from Sabin Bhattarai, July 2012)
- is there new Zealand? (from kerralin, July 2012)
- U.S.A. is the king of the Olympic game history ... not anyone country compare wt america ... (from prakas, July 2012)
- hey gb are the best (from jakey baby, May 2012)
- Considering our climate, the distinct lack of facilities, that's pretty impressive ... I hope the poorer countries with their athletes who are struggling to achieve their aim every day ... start to come up the ladder ... make it much more interesting - maybe it's wishful thinking but sport can change things!!
- how is gb the best, when clearly the US leads he pack with 1000's of medals, 3x the number of medals in less games than gb.. the US RULES everything - superiority! (from daryl, July 2012)
- I think that Daryl is being delusional. If you pro-rata the medals vis head of population, the team USA is doing very badly. It is faily typical of an American not to recognise anyone from out side of theire country. They only know where Iraq is as the invaded it. When i lived in the US, kids knowledge of geography was both shameful and incredible as they could name but less than 15 % of the countries on a world map. Need I say more ... (from Pete, 10 Aug 2012)
