The first Winter Olympic Games were held in 1924 in Chamonix, France and featured 16 events with more than 250 athletes from 16 different nations. Since then, the games have occurred every four years during the winter season, barring an interruption in both 1940 and 1944 due to WWII. Originally, both the Winter Olympics and the Summer Olympics took place during the same year. This changed in 1992 when the International Olympic Committee elected to keep the Summer and Winter Games on separate four-year cycles.
Which countries have hosted the Winter Olympic Games?
Since their inception, the Winter Games have been hosted by thirteen different countries. The games have been four times by the U.S.; three times in France; twice in Austria, Canada, Japan, Italy, Norway, and Switzerland; and once in Germany, Yugoslavia, Russia, South Korea, and China. For the 2022 Winter Games, Beijing became the first city to have hosted both the Summer and Winter games.
What sports are in the Winter Olympic Games?
There are currently 15 sports included in the Winter Olympic Games:
Alpine Skiing
Cross-country Skiing
Freestyle Skiing
Ski Jumping
Nordic Combined (Cross-country Skiing and Ski Jumping)
Biathlon (Cross-Country Skiing and Rifle Marksmanship)
Figure Skating
Speed Skating
Short Track Speed Skating
Snowboarding
Bobsleigh
Luge
Skeleton
Curling
Ice Hockey
Which countries have won the most medals in the Winter Olympic Games?
Following the 2018 Winter Olympics (hosted in Pyeongchang, South Korea), the 10 countries with the most Winter Games medals were:
Norway — 368 medals
United States — 305 medals
Germany — 240 medals
Austria — 232 medals
Canada — 199 medals
Soviet Union (Defunct) — 194 medals
Finland — 167 medals
Sweden — 158 medals
Switzerland — 153 medals
Netherlands — 130 medals
Which athletes have the most Winter Olympic Games medals?
Following the 2018 Winter Olympics (hosted in Pyeongchang, South Korea), the 10 athletes with the most Winter Games medals were:
Sven Kramer (Netherlands), Speed Skating — 9 medals
When and where will the next Winter Olympic Games be held?
The 2026 Winter Olympics will take place in Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. The host city for the 2030 Winter Olympic Games has not yet been announced — that will most likely occur at the 140th IOC Session, which will be held in Mumbai, India in 2023.
