Countries with the Most Athletes Per Capita at the 2024 Olympics

The Paris 2024 Olympics are in full swing, and while the biggest nations dominate the headlines, some smaller countries are making huge waves in the athlete-to-population game! From the sun-kissed shores of Nauru to the glamorous streets of Monaco, these tiny nations are proving that great things come in small, sporty packages. With their impressive athlete-to-million ratios, these countries are showing that size doesn’t always determine success. As the Games unfold, keep your eyes on these impressive underdogs who are shining brightly on the global stage.

10. British Virgin Islands

British Virgin Islands

Athletes per 1 million population: 126.83

Population: 31,538

Athletes: 4

The British Virgin Islands is renowned for its strong sailing and athletics programs. Its athletes frequently compete in regional and international events, with a particular emphasis on track and field.

9. San Marino

San Marino

Athletes per 1 million population: 148.62

Population: 33,642

Athletes: 5

San Marino, one of the world’s oldest republics, has a small but passionate sports community. The country takes part in various international sports competitions, especially in athletics and shooting.

8. Monaco

Monaco

Athletes per 1 million population: 165.30

Population: 36,297

Athletes: 6

Monaco, a glamorous city-state, excels in sports such as Formula 1 racing and yachting. Its athletes also participate in various international events, contributing to Monaco’s sports prestige.

7. Palau

Palau

Athletes per 1 million population: 166.13

Population: 18,058

Athletes: 3

Palau is known for its traditional sports and games, such as wrestling and canoe racing. The country participates in regional sports events and the Pacific Games, showcasing its unique athletic culture.

6. Tuvalu

Tuvalu

Athletes per 1 million population: 175.50

Population: 11,396

Athletes: 2

Despite its small size, Tuvalu actively participates in the Pacific Games and other regional events. The country’s sports focus includes activities that align with its limited population.

5. Seychelles

Seychelles

Athletes per 1 million population: 278.66

Population: 10,766

Athletes: 3

Seychelles has a growing sports culture, particularly in football and volleyball. The island nation continues to develop its athletic programs and competes in regional sports events.

4. U.S. Virgin Islands

US Virgin Islands

Athletes per 1 million population: 506.33

Population: 9,875

Athletes: 5

The U.S. Virgin Islands boasts a diverse sports scene, with a strong focus on athletics and basketball. Athletes from this region often compete on the international stage.

3. Dominica

Dominica

Athletes per 1 million population: 547.65

Population: 7,304

Athletes: 4

Dominica, known for its natural beauty, has a dedicated sports community with a focus on track and field. The country participates in various regional sports competitions.

2. Cayman Islands

Cayman

Athletes per 1 million population: 577.12

Population: 6,931

Athletes: 4

The Cayman Islands, famous for its beaches and financial services, has a notable presence in swimming and track and field. The country’s athletes are competitive on the regional and international levels.

1. Nauru

Nauru

Athletes per 1 million population: 782.47

Population: 1,278

Athletes: 1

Nauru, despite its small population, has the highest number of athletes per capita in 2024 Olympics in the world! The country is well-regarded for its weightlifting achievements, having won multiple medals in the Commonwealth Games.

Find all the countries that have most athletes per 1 million population at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the list provided below. Feel free to sort the list by the column your want o search for your country!

RankingCountryPopulationAthletesAthletes per 1 mln population
1Nauru12781782,47
2Cayman Islands69314577,12
3Dominica73044547,65
4U.S. Virgin Islands98755506,33
5Seychelles107663278,66
6Tuvalu113962175,50
7Palau180583166,13
8Monaco362976165,30
9San Marino336425148,62
10British Virgin Islands315384126,83
11Bermuda640698124,87
12Cook Islands170442117,34
13Samoa22568124106,34
14Marshall Islands41996495,25
15Saint Kitts & Nevis47755362,82
16Aruba106277656,46
17Antigua and Barbuda94298553,02
18Grenada126183647,55
19Guam172952846,26
20American Samoa43914245,54
21Bahamas4126231843,62
22Slovenia21196759042,46
23St. Vincent & Grenadines103698438,57
24New Zealand522810019537,30
25Tonga107773437,12
26Fiji9363753335,24
27Montenegro6264851930,33
28Ireland505693513426,50
29Liechtenstein39584125,26
30Andorra80088224,97
31Kiribati133515322,47
32Saint Lucia180251422,19
33Luxembourg6547681421,38
34Denmark591091312420,98
35Jamaica28255445820,53
36Norway547436010719,55
37Lithuania27183525118,76
38Croatia40086177318,21
39Estonia13227652418,14
40Vanuatu334506617,94
41Australia2643911146017,40
42Hungary1015623917016,74
43Latvia18302112915,85
44Serbia714907711315,81
45Puerto Rico32603145115,64
46Netherlands1761829925814,64
47Switzerland879666912714,44
48Barbados281995414,18
49Belgium1168614016514,12
50Iceland375318513,32
51Sao Tome & Principe231856312,94
52Cyprus12601381612,70
53Trinidad and Tobago15349371811,73
54Cabo Verde598682711,69
55Sweden1061208611711,03
56Czech Republic (Czechia)1049529511110,58
57Finland55454755610,10
58Mauritius13005571310,00
59Greece103412771009,67
60Maldives52102159,60
61Israel9174520889,59
62Malta53506459,34
63Mongolia3447157329,28
64France647565845738,85
65Bahrain1485509138,75
66Austria8958960788,71
67Canada387812913158,12
68Spain475196283838,06
69Suriname62323658,02
70Moldova3435931267,57
71Georgia3728282287,51
72Uruguay3423108257,30
73Portugal10247605737,12
74Bulgaria6687717477,03
75Brunei45252436,63
76Italy588707623716,30
77Djibouti113645576,16
78Guyana81383456,14
79Micronesia54432135,51
80Cuba11194449615,45
81Armenia2777970155,40
82Romania198928121065,33
83Qatar2716391145,15
84Germany832946334285,14
85Poland410260672105,12
86Dominican Republic11332972585,12
87Kosovo177168495,08
88Slovakia5795199284,83
89United Kingdom677368023274,83
90Hong Kong7491609364,81
91Comoros85207544,69
92Azerbaijan10412651484,61
93Botswana2675352114,11
94Paraguay6861524284,08
95Kazakhstan19606633794,03
96Singapore6014723233,82
97Ukraine367446341403,81
98Bhutan78742433,81
99North Macedonia208567973,36
100Japan1232945134033,27
101Eritrea3748901123,20
102Argentina457738841362,97
103Timor-Leste136059642,94
104Albania283243982,82
105Guinea-Bissau215084262,79
106South Korea517840591412,72
107Solomon Islands74042422,70
108Gambia277316872,52
109Taiwan23923276602,51
110Eswatini121082232,48
111South Africa604144951492,47
112Uzbekistan35163944862,45
113Chile19629590482,45
114Belize41082512,43
115Kyrgyzstan6735347162,38
116Ecuador18190484402,20
117Tunisia12458223272,17
118Kuwait431010892,09
119Gabon243656652,05
120Lebanon5353930101,87
121Panama446808781,79
122Equatorial Guinea171467131,75
123United States3399965635921,74
124Guinea14190612241,69
125Colombia52085168871,67
126Morocco37840044601,59
127Bosnia and Herzegovina321084751,56
128Namibia260417241,54
129State of Palestine537123081,49
130Liberia541837781,48
131Tajikistan10143543141,38
132United Arab Emirates9516871131,37
133Egypt1127165981481,31
134Zambia20569737271,31
135Kenya55100586721,31
136Lesotho233031831,29
137Brazil2164224462771,28
138South Sudan11088796141,26
139El Salvador636494381,26
140Turkey858161991021,19
141Costa Rica521217361,15
142Venezuela28838499331,14
143Jordan11337052121,06
144Nicaragua704631070,99
145Mali23293698230,99
146Algeria45606480450,99
147Turkmenistan651610060,92
148Guatemala18092026160,88
149Libya688838860,87
150Oman464438440,86
151Mexico1284555671070,83
152Malaysia34308525260,76
153Peru34352719260,76
154Thailand71801279510,71
155Central African Republic574231540,70
156Papua New Guinea1032993170,68
157Republic of the Congo610686940,66
158Angola36684202240,65
159Senegal17763163110,62
160North Korea26160821160,61
161Haiti1172476370,60
162Rwanda1409468380,57
163Togo905379950,55
164Burundi1323855970,53
165Laos763377940,52
166Uganda48582334240,49
167Iraq45504560220,48
168Sierra Leone879109240,46
169Iran89172767400,45
170Zimbabwe1666540970,42
171Mauritania486298920,41
172Nigeria223804632880,39
173Côte d’Ivoire28873034110,38
174Honduras1059379840,38
175Benin1371282850,36
176Burkina Faso2325148580,34
177Bolivia1238857140,32
178Sri Lanka2189357960,27
179China14256713523880,27
180Ethiopia126527060340,27
181Syria2322701460,26
182Niger2720284370,26
183Saudi Arabia3694702590,24
184Ghana3412198580,23
185Madagascar3032573270,23
186Nepal3089659070,23
187Cameroon2864729360,21
188Mozambique3389735470,21
189Philippines117337368220,19
190Cambodia1694482630,18
191Chad1827856830,16
192Vietnam98858950160,16
193Malawi2093175130,14
194Afghanistan4223985460,14
195Yemen3444982540,12
196Indonesia277534122290,10
197Tanzania6743810670,10
198Sudan4810900640,08
199India14286276631170,08
200DR Congo10226280860,06
201Somalia1814337810,06
202Myanmar5457799720,04
203Pakistan24048565870,03
204Bangladesh17295431950,03

Source for the number of athletes in the 2024 Paris Olympics: Olympics.com

Source of the countries’ populations: worldometers.info

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