What We’re Showing
This graphic shows the countries with the most Olympic medals of all-time, based on data from the International Olympic Committee.
Key Takeaways
- With a total of 2,959 medals, the U.S. surpasses the second-highest country, the former USSR, by more than twofold
- During the Cold War, competition between the U.S. and the USSR dramatically intensified as a means of displaying ideological dominance
- Despite being absent from the Olympics for over three decades, China ranks fifth in the world, with noteworthy success in gymnastics, diving, and badminton
- European countries comprise 13 of the top 20 countries in combined Olympic medals
