It has been shown that the best way how to rank the Olympic achievements of the countries is to take the average of two ranks: one based on the medal number and the other on the medal number per capita, providing "supra rank". The medal number is well summed by medal points: S1 [= G + S/2 + B/3, where G, S, and B are the number of gold, silver, and bronze medals,
respectively]. The medal points per capita are suitably characterized by medal points per ten million: S2 [= 10*S1/P, where P is the population in million]. For a median country which has ten million people, like Hungary, S1 = S2. When listing the countries according to decreasing S1, the country's position in the list yields the total medal rank R1, and when listing the countries according to decreasing S2, the country's per capita rank R2 is obained. Both ranks reflect rather different aspects, and when taking the average value of the two ranks, (R1+R2)/2, and listing the countries according to the increasing value of this average value, a new rank for each country among all the countries - supra rank R - is obtained. Arranging the countries according to R smoothens "rank noises" resulting from too large and too small population values. The values G, M, S1, P, and S2 for the countries participating in 2012 London Olympics were tabled, as well as the values R, S1, S2, R1, R2, and (R1+R2)/2, where M is the sum of all medals.
respectively]. The medal points per capita are suitably characterized by medal points per ten million: S2 [= 10*S1/P, where P is the population in million]. For a median country which has ten million people, like Hungary, S1 = S2. When listing the countries according to decreasing S1, the country's position in the list yields the total medal rank R1, and when listing the countries according to decreasing S2, the country's per capita rank R2 is obained. Both ranks reflect rather different aspects, and when taking the average value of the two ranks, (R1+R2)/2, and listing the countries according to the increasing value of this average value, a new rank for each country among all the countries - supra rank R - is obtained. Arranging the countries according to R smoothens "rank noises" resulting from too large and too small population values. The values G, M, S1, P, and S2 for the countries participating in 2012 London Olympics were tabled, as well as the values R, S1, S2, R1, R2, and (R1+R2)/2, where M is the sum of all medals.
In the long table below, all modern Olympic Games from 1896 till 2012 have been included, and all countries participating in them, while calculating S1 and S2 for each country and for all the games in which the country participated. The medal points S1 and S2 for each country have been divided by the number N of the Olympic Games in which the country participated. Together, twenty seven modern Olympics have been organized, three were canceled during two world wars. Many countries have disappeared and many new have been formed during the last 120 years, some countries boycotted some games, and only a few countries participated in all twenty seven games. The countries which obtained at least one medal in their history have been listed according to their decreasing value of medal points per one Olympic participation, S1/N, and rank R3 in the list for each country has thus been obtained. Similarly, medal points per one Olympic game per capita have been calculated as S2/N, the countries arranged according to decreasing value of the parameter, and so rank R4 has been obtained for each country. Thus each country has been ranked among 135 countries according to the medals per one Olympic Game (R3 between 1 and 135), and per one Olympic Game per capita (R4 between 1 and 135). The average of the two ranks, (R3+R4)/2, has been calculated and the countries have been re-arranged according to the increasing value of this average; when more countries had the same average value, the number of total gold medals per one Olympic Game per capita decided about the final position in the list. The position in the new list provides supra rank R of the country in all the games, which seems to truly reflect the total Olympic achievements in the modern Olympic Games for each country. See the table below. Some geographical areas are included more times; for example, the item "Germany" shows the results for united Germany till 1952 and after 1992, without including the results for East Germany and West Germany which are included separately. The medal counts have been taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-time_Olympic_Games_medal_table and the population sizes from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population.
Strangely, the best absolute achievements in all modern Olympics, when measured by supra rank R, goes to a country which does not exist any more - to East Germany. Among countries doing well in Olympics are Western countries with old Olympic traditions, as well as Communist countries, which wish to show their superiority but cannot compete in economy or any other field. East Germany combined these two factors. Mercilessly they screened the whole population from early childhood, supporting natural skills of people by all available physical and chemical means, and so they surpassed much geater West Germany. Relative high supra rank of West Germany, and also of united Germany in the table shows that natural talents of German people also contributed a lot. The second table, seen below the long one below, compares the countries positions when five different criteria are used.
N | R3 | R4 | (R3+R4)/2 | 10*G/N/P | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | East Ger | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 19.13 |
2 | Hungar | 25 | 12 | 5 | 8.5 | 6.71 |
3 | Sweden | 26 | 15 | 6 | 10.5 | 5.78 |
4 | Finland | 24 | 19 | 3 | 11 | 7.77 |
5 | Belarus | 5 | 18 | 11 | 14.5 | 2.54 |
6 | Bulgaria | 19 | 22 | 9 | 15.5 | 3.64 |
7 | Soviet Un | 9 | 1 | 32 | 16.5 | 2.19 |
8 | West Ger | 5 | 6 | 29 | 17.5 | 1.78 |
9 | Cuba | 19 | 21 | 16 | 18.5 | 3.37 |
10 | Australia | 25 | 14 | 23 | 18.5 | 2.43 |
11 | Russia | 5 | 4 | 33 | 18.5 | 1.86 |
12 | Norway | 24 | 28 | 12 | 20 | 4.64 |
13 | Romania | 20 | 17 | 25 | 21 | 2.31 |
14 | Denmark | 26 | 31 | 13 | 22 | 2.96 |
15 | Czechia | 5 | 27 | 20 | 23.5 | 2.66 |
16 | Germany | 15 | 7 | 41 | 24 | 1.42 |
17 | Great Br | 27 | 8 | 40 | 24 | 1.40 |
18 | New Zea | 22 | 36 | 14 | 25 | 4.30 |
19 | Ukraine | 5 | 11 | 39 | 25 | 1.49 |
20 | USA | 26 | 2 | 48 | 25 | 1.19 |
21 | Jamaica | 16 | 44 | 8 | 26 | 3.92 |
22 | Czechosl | 16 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 2.36 |
23 | Switzer | 27 | 30 | 22 | 26 | 2.19 |
24 | France | 27 | 9 | 43 | 26 | 1.14 |
25 | Netherla | 25 | 23 | 30 | 26.5 | 1.84 |
26 | Italy | 26 | 10 | 44 | 27 | 1.29 |
27 | Estonia | 11 | 51 | 4 | 27.5 | 6.32 |
28 | Slovakia | 5 | 37 | 18 | 27.5 | 2.57 |
29 | Kazakhst | 5 | 24 | 31 | 27.5 | 1.91 |
30 | Georgia | 5 | 41 | 17 | 29 | 2.67 |
31 | Slovenia | 6 | 52 | 10 | 31 | 3.24 |
32 | Croatia | 6 | 47 | 19 | 33 | 2.33 |
33 | South Kor | 16 | 16 | 50 | 33 | 1.01 |
34 | Poland | 20 | 20 | 49 | 34.5 | 0.83 |
35 | Belgium | 25 | 33 | 37 | 35 | 1.37 |
36 | Bahamas | 15 | 70 | 2 | 36 | 9.43 |
37 | Japan | 21 | 13 | 62 | 37.5 | 0.49 |
38 | Azerbaija | 5 | 39 | 38 | 38.5 | 1.30 |
39 | Canada | 25 | 25 | 52 | 38.5 | 0.68 |
40 | Lithuania | 8 | 54 | 24 | 39 | 2.36 |
41 | Latvia | 10 | 57 | 21 | 39 | 1.45 |
42 | Yugosla | 16 | 34 | 55 | 44.5 | 0.81 |
43 | Kenya | 13 | 29 | 60 | 44.5 | 0.50 |
44 | Greece | 27 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 1.03 |
45 | North Kor | 9 | 35 | 58 | 46.5 | 0.63 |
46 | Armenia | 5 | 58 | 35 | 46.5 | 0.61 |
47 | Austria | 26 | 49 | 46 | 47.5 | 0.82 |
48 | Mongolia | 12 | 61 | 34 | 47.5 | 0.61 |
49 | China | 9 | 5 | 91 | 48 | 0.17 |
50 | Spain | 22 | 32 | 65 | 48.5 | 0.36 |
51 | Trini Toba | 16 | 71 | 28 | 49.5 | 0.95 |
52 | Grenada | 8 | 97 | 7 | 52 | 11.28 |
53 | Serbia | 3 | 55 | 54 | 54.5 | 0.47 |
54 | Uzbekis | 5 | 46 | 64 | 55 | 0.34 |
55 | Montene | 2 | 84 | 27 | 55.5 | 0.00 |
56 | South Afr | 18 | 43 | 69 | 56 | 0.25 |
57 | Ireland | 20 | 62 | 51 | 56.5 | 0.98 |
58 | Turkey | 21 | 38 | 76 | 57 | 0.25 |
59 | Argentina | 23 | 50 | 73 | 61.5 | 0.20 |
60 | Moldova | 5 | 69 | 56 | 62.5 | 0.00 |
61 | Ethiopia | 12 | 42 | 85 | 63.5 | 0.21 |
62 | Tonga | 8 | 115 | 15 | 65 | 0.00 |
63 | Namibia | 6 | 79 | 53 | 66 | 0.00 |
64 | Iran | 16 | 48 | 87 | 67.5 | 0.12 |
65 | Bohemia | 3 | 73 | 63 | 68 | 0.00 |
66 | Zimbabw | 9 | 68 | 72 | 70 | 0.26 |
67 | Portugal | 23 | 72 | 70 | 71 | 0.16 |
68 | Brazil | 21 | 40 | 103 | 71.5 | 0.06 |
69 | Morocco | 13 | 59 | 86 | 72.5 | 0.14 |
70 | Uruguay | 20 | 83 | 66 | 74.5 | 0.30 |
71 | Iceland | 19 | 107 | 42 | 74.5 | 0.00 |
72 | Tunisia | 13 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 0.22 |
73 | Suriname | 12 | 104 | 47 | 75.5 | 1.56 |
74 | Qatar | 8 | 92 | 61 | 76.5 | 0.00 |
75 | Dominic | 13 | 78 | 79 | 78.5 | 0.24 |
76 | Mexico | 22 | 53 | 105 | 79 | 0.05 |
77 | Taiwan | 16 | 67 | 92 | 79.5 | 0.05 |
78 | Kyrgyzst | 5 | 85 | 74 | 79.5 | 0.00 |
79 | Algeria | 12 | 64 | 96 | 80 | 0.11 |
80 | Puerto Ri | 17 | 90 | 71 | 80.5 | 0.00 |
81 | Thailand | 15 | 60 | 104 | 82 | 0.07 |
82 | Luxembo | 22 | 112 | 57 | 84.5 | 0.89 |
83 | CostaRic | 14 | 93 | 77 | 85 | 0.17 |
84 | Tajikistan | 5 | 86 | 84 | 85 | 0.00 |
85 | Bermuda | 17 | 135 | 36 | 85.5 | 0.00 |
86 | Egypt | 21 | 65 | 109 | 87 | 0.04 |
87 | Israel | 15 | 87 | 89 | 88 | 0.08 |
88 | Indonesi | 14 | 56 | 120 | 88 | 0.02 |
89 | Chile | 22 | 80 | 97 | 88.5 | 0.05 |
90 | Colombia | 18 | 74 | 107 | 90.5 | 0.02 |
91 | Burundi | 5 | 88 | 94 | 91 | 0.23 |
92 | Cameroo | 13 | 82 | 100 | 91 | 0.12 |
93 | Venezuel | 17 | 77 | 106 | 91.5 | 0.04 |
94 | Nigeria | 15 | 63 | 121 | 92 | 0.01 |
95 | Cyprus | 9 | 118 | 67 | 92.5 | 0.00 |
96 | Panama | 16 | 105 | 83 | 94 | 0.18 |
97 | Uganda | 14 | 81 | 108 | 94.5 | 0.04 |
98 | Barbados | 11 | 131 | 59 | 95 | 0.00 |
99 | Djibouti | 8 | 125 | 68 | 96.5 | 0.00 |
100 | Macedon | 5 | 113 | 82 | 97.5 | 0.00 |
101 | Hong Kon | 15 | 99 | 98 | 98.5 | 0.09 |
102 | Gabon | 9 | 119 | 78 | 98.5 | 0.00 |
103 | Singapo | 15 | 103 | 95 | 99 | 0.00 |
104 | UAE | 8 | 98 | 101 | 99.5 | 0.15 |
105 | Lebanon | 16 | 106 | 93 | 99.5 | 0.00 |
106 | India | 23 | 66 | 135 | 100.5 | 0.00 |
107 | Pakistan | 16 | 76 | 126 | 101 | 0.01 |
108 | Malaysia | 14 | 89 | 114 | 101.5 | 0.00 |
109 | Syria | 12 | 94 | 112 | 103 | 0.04 |
110 | Bahrain | 8 | 126 | 80 | 103 | 0.00 |
111 | Mozambi | 9 | 95 | 113 | 104 | 0.05 |
112 | Botswana | 9 | 120 | 88 | 104 | 0.00 |
113 | Mauritius | 8 | 127 | 81 | 104 | 0.00 |
114 | Ecuador | 13 | 101 | 110 | 105.5 | 0.05 |
115 | Eritrea | 4 | 109 | 102 | 105.5 | 0.00 |
116 | Peru | 17 | 96 | 118 | 107 | 0.02 |
117 | Kuwait | 12 | 117 | 99 | 108 | 0.00 |
118 | Ghana | 13 | 102 | 119 | 110.5 | 0.00 |
119 | Philippine | 20 | 91 | 131 | 111 | 0.00 |
120 | Saudi | 10 | 100 | 122 | 111 | 0.00 |
121 | Guyana | 16 | 134 | 90 | 112 | 0.00 |
122 | Zamb | 11 | 110 | 116 | 113 | 0.00 |
123 | Haiti | 15 | 116 | 117 | 116.5 | 0.00 |
124 | Paraguay | 11 | 122 | 111 | 116.5 | 0.00 |
125 | Srilanka | 16 | 114 | 123 | 118.5 | 0.00 |
126 | Tanzania | 12 | 108 | 129 | 118.5 | 0.00 |
127 | Vietnam | 14 | 111 | 133 | 122 | 0.00 |
128 | Togo | 9 | 130 | 115 | 122.5 | 0.00 |
129 | Afgani | 13 | 121 | 127 | 124 | 0.00 |
130 | Côte d'Ivo | 12 | 124 | 128 | 126 | 0.00 |
131 | Senegal | 13 | 128 | 124 | 126 | 0.00 |
132 | Guatema | 13 | 129 | 125 | 127 | 0.00 |
133 | Sudan | 11 | 123 | 132 | 127.5 | 0.00 |
134 | Niger | 11 | 132 | 130 | 131 | 0.00 |
135 | Iraq | 13 | 133 | 134 | 133.5 | 0.00 |
The 135 countries from the above table have been arranged in five different ways, thus obtaining five different lists, and the first twenty most successful countries from each list are shown below. The first column, denoted R1, relates to medal points in all Olympics; the second column, denoted R2, relates to medal points from all Olympics per capita; the third column, denoted R3, relates to medal points from all Olympics divided by the number N of games in which the country participated (medals points per one Olympic game); the fourth column relates to the number of points per one Olympic per capita; and the fifth column relates to the supra rank R of the country as shown in the long table above. It can be seen that each way of arranging the countries emphasizes certain features, but the supra rank seems to be the most balanced measure.
R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R |
---|---|---|---|---|
USA | Finland | Soviet Un | East Ger | East Ger |
Soviet Un | Sweden | USA | Bahamas | Hungar |
Great Br | Hungar | East Ger | Finland | Sweden |
France | Bahamas | Russia | Estonia | Finland |
Italy | Norway | China | Hungar | Belarus |
Germany | Denmark | West Ger | Sweden | Bulgaria |
China | East Ger | Germany | Grenada | Soviet Un |
Hungar | Bulgaria | Great Br | Jamaica | West Ger |
Sweden | New Zea | France | Bulgaria | Cuba |
Australia | Estonia | Italy | Slovenia | Australia |
East Ger | Jamaica | Ukraine | Belarus | Russia |
Russia | Switzer | Hungar | Norway | Norway |
Japan | Australia | Japan | Denmark | Romania |
Finland | Cuba | Australia | New Zea | Denmark |
Romania | Netherla | Sweden | Tonga | Czechia |
Netherla | Romania | South Kor | Cuba | Germany |
South Kor | Grenada | Romania | Georgia | Great Br |
Canada | Belgium | Belarus | Slovakia | New Zea |
Poland | Great Br | Finland | Croatia | Ukraine |
Cuba | Czechos | Poland | Czechia | USA |