1996 Atlanta Olympics Medal Tally

See also:
2012 London Olympics Medal Tally by Population
2012 London Olympics Medal Tally by GDP
2012 London Olympics Medal Tally by GDP per capita
2008 China Olympics Medal Tally by Population
2008 China Olympics Medal Tally by GDP
2004 Athens Olympics Medal Tally by Population
2004 Athens Olympics Medal Tally by GDP
2000 Sydney Olympics Medal Tally by Population
1996 Atlanta Olympics Medal Tally by Population

This page contains Olympic medal results standardised by population. The thinking is that the bigger your population is, the better chance your country might have a freak of nature that can win a medal. Reasonably simple to do and although this statistic is by no means an accurate reflection of a country's performance, medals/population is, in my opinion, a far better indicator of success than simple sum-medals, and is easy for the lay person to comprehend. If you want to see a reasonably good predictive statistical model check out the paper by Bernard & Busse.

For a while IBM didn't seem to know that the super heavy weight boxing silver medal winner, Paea Wolfgram, represented Tonga! This denied Tonga their number one status in Total Medals/Million and Weighted score per million, the man is a hero!

Population data from the United Nations Population Information Network. Olympic medal information from IBM@Atlanta

Note that these results are accurate as at the ending of the Olympic Games event, however as time passes, certain competitors may be stripped of their medals which will definitely affect the country's ranking.

Three tables contain the following:
Gold medals per million population
Total medals per million
Weighted medal score per million

If you have any comments or think there is an error then please email Simon at simon@neoporcupine.net.

Gold medals per Million population
RANK COUNTRY                               GOLD/Mill  G  S  B
   1 NEW ZEALAND                               0.850  3  2  1
   2 IRELAND                                   0.848  3  0  1
   3 CUBA                                      0.821  9  8  8
   4 DENMARK                                   0.773  4  1  1
   5 HUNGARY                                   0.689  7  4 10
   6 SWITZERLAND                               0.561  4  3  0
   7 AUSTRALIA                                 0.504  9  9 23
   8 NORWAY                                    0.463  2  2  3
   9 JAMAICA                                   0.412  1  3  2
  10 CZECH REPUBLIC                            0.389  4  3  4
  11 GREECE                                    0.384  4  4  0
  12 BULGARIA                                  0.340  3  7  5
  13 COSTA RICA                                0.299  1  0  0
  14 ARMENIA                                   0.282  1  1  0
  15 NETHERLANDS                               0.260  4  5 10
  16 FRANCE                                    0.260 15  7 15
  17 GERMANY                                   0.246 20 18 27
  18 SWEDEN                                    0.229  2  4  2
  19 ITALY                                     0.227 13 10 12
  20 CROATIA                                   0.222  1  1  0
  21 BELGIUM                                   0.198  2  2  2
  22 FINLAND                                   0.197  1  2  1
  23 SLOVAKIA                                  0.188  1  1  1
  24 POLAND                                    0.183  7  5  5
  25 RUSSIAN FEDERATION                        0.176 26 21 16
  26 KAZAKHSTAN                                0.176  3  4  4
  27 UKRAINE                                   0.175  9  2 12
  28 ROMANIA                                   0.175  4  7  9
  29 HONG KONG                                 0.171  1  0  0
  30 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA                  0.169 44 32 25
  31 BURUNDI                                   0.161  1  0  0
  32 KOREA                                     0.157  7 15  5
  33 SPAIN                                     0.126  5  6  6
  34 CANADA                                    0.103  3 11  8
  35 PORTUGAL                                  0.102  1  0  1
  36 BELARUS                                   0.098  1  6  8
  37 YUGOSLAVIA                                0.093  1  1  2
  38 ECUADOR                                   0.089  1  0  0
  39 DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA     0.085  2  1  2
  40 SOUTH AFRICA                              0.074  3  1  1
  41 ALGERIA                                   0.073  2  0  1
  42 SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC                      0.071  1  0  0
  43 TURKEY                                    0.066  4  1  1
  44 ETHIOPIA                                  0.037  2  0  1
  45 KENYA                                     0.037  1  4  3
  46 JAPAN                                     0.024  3  6  5
  47 BRAZIL                                    0.019  3  3  9
  48 NIGERIA                                   0.018  2  1  3
  49 GREAT BRITAIN                             0.017  1  8  6
  50 THAILAND                                  0.017  1  0  1
  51 ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN                  0.015  1  1  1
  52 PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA                0.013 16 22 12
  53 INDONESIA                                 0.005  1  1  2


Total medals per Million population
RANK COUNTRY                               MEDALS/M   G  S  B
   1 TONGA                                    10.204  0  1  0
   2 BAHAMAS                                   3.676  0  1  0
   3 JAMAICA                                   2.470  1  3  2
   4 AUSTRALIA                                 2.297  9  9 23
   5 CUBA                                      2.281  9  8  8
   6 HUNGARY                                   2.067  7  4 10
   7 BULGARIA                                  1.701  3  7  5
   8 NEW ZEALAND                               1.699  3  2  1
   9 NORWAY                                    1.621  2  2  3
  10 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO                       1.548  0  0  2
  11 BELARUS                                   1.476  1  6  8
  12 NAMIBIA                                   1.333  0  2  0
  13 NETHERLANDS                               1.234  4  5 10
  14 DENMARK                                   1.160  4  1  1
  15 IRELAND                                   1.130  3  0  1
  16 CZECH REPUBLIC                            1.068  4  3  4
  17 SLOVENIA                                  1.030  0  2  0
  18 SWITZERLAND                               0.982  4  3  0
  19 SWEDEN                                    0.916  2  4  2
  20 ROMANIA                                   0.873  4  7  9
  21 GERMANY                                   0.800 20 18 27
  22 FINLAND                                   0.787  1  2  1
  23 GREECE                                    0.768  4  4  0
  24 CANADA                                    0.755  3 11  8
  25 KAZAKHSTAN                                0.646  3  4  4
  26 FRANCE                                    0.641 15  7 15
  27 ITALY                                     0.612 13 10 12
  28 KOREA                                     0.606  7 15  5
  29 BELGIUM                                   0.595  2  2  2
  30 ARMENIA                                   0.564  1  1  0
  31 SLOVAKIA                                  0.563  1  1  1
  32 REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA                       0.452  0  1  1
  33 UKRAINE                                   0.447  9  2 12
  34 CROATIA                                   0.444  1  1  0
  35 POLAND                                    0.443  7  5  5
  36 SPAIN                                     0.430  5  6  6
  37 RUSSIAN FEDERATION                        0.427 26 21 16
  38 MONGOLIA                                  0.423  0  0  1
  39 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA                  0.388 44 32 25
  40 LATVIA                                    0.387  0  1  0
  41 AUSTRIA                                   0.379  0  1  2
  42 YUGOSLAVIA                                0.372  1  1  2
  43 GEORGIA                                   0.367  0  0  2
  44 COSTA RICA                                0.299  1  0  0
  45 KENYA                                     0.293  1  4  3
  46 PUERTO RICO                               0.274  0  0  1
  47 LITHUANIA                                 0.270  0  0  1
  48 GREAT BRITAIN                             0.258  1  8  6
  49 DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA     0.213  2  1  2
  50 PORTUGAL                                  0.203  1  0  1
  51 ISRAEL                                    0.183  0  0  1
  52 HONG KONG                                 0.171  1  0  0
  53 BURUNDI                                   0.161  1  0  0
  54 AZERBAIJAN                                0.134  0  1  0
  55 SOUTH AFRICA                              0.123  3  1  1
  56 TUNISIA                                   0.115  0  0  1
  57 JAPAN                                     0.112  3  6  5
  58 ALGERIA                                   0.110  2  0  1
  59 ZAMBIA                                    0.109  0  1  0
  60 MALAYSIA                                  0.102  0  1  1
  61 TURKEY                                    0.099  4  1  1
  62 BRAZIL                                    0.094  3  3  9
  63 UZBEKISTAN                                0.089  0  1  1
  64 ECUADOR                                   0.089  1  0  0
  65 ARGENTINA                                 0.088  0  2  1
  66 MOROCCO                                   0.076  0  0  2
  67 SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC                      0.071  1  0  0
  68 MOZAMBIQUE                                0.064  0  0  1
  69 ETHIOPIA                                  0.056  2  0  1
  70 NIGERIA                                   0.055  2  1  3
  71 UGANDA                                    0.048  0  0  1
  72 ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN                  0.046  1  1  1
  73 PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA                0.041 16 22 12
  74 THAILAND                                  0.034  1  0  1
  75 INDONESIA                                 0.021  1  1  2
  76 PHILLIPPINES                              0.015  0  1  0
  77 MEXICO                                    0.011  0  0  1
  78 INDIA                                     0.001  0  0  1


Weighted medal score per Million population
Gold = 4, Silver = 2, Bronze = 1
RANK COUNTRY                                POINTS/M  G  S  B
   1 TONGA                                    20.408  0  1  0
   2 BAHAMAS                                   7.353  0  1  0
   3 CUBA                                      5.474  9  8  8
   4 JAMAICA                                   4.940  1  3  2
   5 NEW ZEALAND                               4.815  3  2  1
   6 HUNGARY                                   4.527  7  4 10
   7 AUSTRALIA                                 4.313  9  9 23
   8 IRELAND                                   3.673  3  0  1
   9 DENMARK                                   3.673  4  1  1
  10 BULGARIA                                  3.516  3  7  5
  11 NORWAY                                    3.474  2  2  3
  12 SWITZERLAND                               3.085  4  3  0
  13 NAMIBIA                                   2.667  0  2  0
  14 CZECH REPUBLIC                            2.525  4  3  4
  15 BELARUS                                   2.362  1  6  8
  16 NETHERLANDS                               2.338  4  5 10
  17 GREECE                                    2.304  4  4  0
  18 SWEDEN                                    2.060  2  4  2
  19 SLOVENIA                                  2.060  0  2  0
  20 FINLAND                                   1.771  1  2  1
  21 GERMANY                                   1.759 20 18 27
  22 ROMANIA                                   1.701  4  7  9
  23 ARMENIA                                   1.691  1  1  0
  24 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO                       1.548  0  0  2
  25 FRANCE                                    1.541 15  7 15
  26 ITALY                                     1.470 13 10 12
  27 CANADA                                    1.441  3 11  8
  28 KOREA                                     1.414  7 15  5
  29 KAZAKHSTAN                                1.410  3  4  4
  30 BELGIUM                                   1.389  2  2  2
  31 CROATIA                                   1.332  1  1  0
  32 SLOVAKIA                                  1.313  1  1  1
  33 COSTA RICA                                1.195  1  0  0
  34 POLAND                                    1.122  7  5  5
  35 RUSSIAN FEDERATION                        1.099 26 21 16
  36 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA                  1.017 44 32 25
  37 UKRAINE                                   1.010  9  2 12
  38 SPAIN                                     0.960  5  6  6
  39 LATVIA                                    0.774  0  1  0
  40 YUGOSLAVIA                                0.743  1  1  2
  41 HONG KONG                                 0.685  1  0  0
  42 REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA                       0.679  0  1  1
  43 BURUNDI                                   0.644  1  0  0
  44 KENYA                                     0.549  1  4  3
  45 DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA     0.511  2  1  2
  46 PORTUGAL                                  0.509  1  0  1
  47 AUSTRIA                                   0.505  0  1  2
  48 GREAT BRITAIN                             0.448  1  8  6
  49 MONGOLIA                                  0.423  0  0  1
  50 SOUTH AFRICA                              0.370  3  1  1
  51 GEORGIA                                   0.367  0  0  2
  52 ECUADOR                                   0.357  1  0  0
  53 ALGERIA                                   0.329  2  0  1
  54 TURKEY                                    0.313  4  1  1
  55 SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC                      0.282  1  0  0
  56 PUERTO RICO                               0.274  0  0  1
  57 LITHUANIA                                 0.270  0  0  1
  58 AZERBAIJAN                                0.268  0  1  0
  59 JAPAN                                     0.232  3  6  5
  60 ZAMBIA                                    0.217  0  1  0
  61 ISRAEL                                    0.183  0  0  1
  62 BRAZIL                                    0.170  3  3  9
  63 ETHIOPIA                                  0.168  2  0  1
  64 MALAYSIA                                  0.152  0  1  1
  65 ARGENTINA                                 0.146  0  2  1
  66 UZBEKISTAN                                0.134  0  1  1
  67 NIGERIA                                   0.120  2  1  3
  68 TUNISIA                                   0.115  0  0  1
  69 ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN                  0.106  1  1  1
  70 PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA                0.099 16 22 12
  71 THAILAND                                  0.086  1  0  1
  72 MOROCCO                                   0.076  0  0  2
  73 MOZAMBIQUE                                0.064  0  0  1
  74 UGANDA                                    0.048  0  0  1
  75 INDONESIA                                 0.041  1  1  2
  76 PHILLIPPINES                              0.030  0  1  0
  77 MEXICO                                    0.011  0  0  1
  78 INDIA                                     0.001  0  0  1