The 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo are the second time the Summer Games are held in that city. The first time was in 1964. Before that, the XIIth Olympic Games had been planned for Tokyo in 1940 but were cancelled due to the Second World War.
After the start of the modern Olympic Games in 1896, most Games took place in Europe. Maybe that was logical, since the tradition of a peaceful sport competition has its origin in ancient Greece, where one of the objectives was to promote good relations between Greek city states.
Since the end of the Second World War, the Games have been spread more evenly between the continents, except Africa, where they have never taken place. It is interesting to note that after Rio, the next three Games will occur in Asia.
Since 1994, the Winter Olympics do not happen in the same year as the Summer Olympics. Both series are organized on a 4-year cycle, but the Winter Games are offset by 2 years with respect to the Summer Games.
Several cities have hosted the Olympic Games more than once. Athens and London have each hosted the Summer Games three times. Innsbruck (Austria), St-Moritz (Switzerland) and Lake Placid (USA) have had the Winter Games twice, while Los Angeles and Paris have each been host to the Summer Games twice.
If things go according to plan, Beijing will become the first city to have hosted the Summer Olympic Games (in 2008) as well as the Winter Games (in 2022).


Year | No. | City | Country | Continent |
---|---|---|---|---|
1896 | ![]() |
Athens | Greece | Europe |
1900 | ![]() |
Paris | France | Europe |
1904 | ![]() |
St. Louis | United States | North America |
1906 | ![]() |
Athens | Greece | Europe |
1908 | ![]() |
London | United Kingdom | Europe |
1912 | ![]() |
Stockholm | Sweden | Europe |
1916 | ![]() |
Cancelled (First World War) | ||
1920 | ![]() |
Antwerp | Belgium | Europe |
1924 | ![]() |
Chamonix | France | Europe |
1924 | ![]() |
Paris | France | Europe |
1928 | ![]() |
St-Moritz | Switzerland | Europe |
1928 | ![]() |
Amsterdam | Netherlands | Europe |
1932 | ![]() |
Lake Placid | United States | North America |
1932 | ![]() |
Los Angeles | United States | North America |
1936 | ![]() |
Garmisch-Partenkirchen | Germany | Europe |
1936 | ![]() |
Berlin | Germany | Europe |
1940 | ![]() |
Cancelled (Second World War) | ||
1940 | ![]() |
Cancelled (Second World War) | ||
1944 | ![]() |
Cancelled (Second World War) | ||
1944 | ![]() |
Cancelled (Second World War) | ||
1948 | ![]() |
St-Moritz | Switzerland | Europe |
1948 | ![]() |
London | United Kingdom | Europe |
1952 | ![]() |
Oslo | Norway | Europe |
1952 | ![]() |
Helsinki | Finland | Europe |
1956 | ![]() |
Cortina d’Ampezzo | Italy | Europe |
1956 | ![]() |
Melbourne | Australia | Oceania |
1960 | ![]() |
Squaw Valley | United States | North America |
1960 | ![]() |
Rome | Italy | Europe |
1964 | ![]() |
Innsbruck | Austria | Europe |
1964 | ![]() |
Tokyo | Japan | Asia |
1968 | ![]() |
Grenoble | France | Europe |
1968 | ![]() |
Mexico | Mexico | North America |
1972 | ![]() |
Sapporo | Japan | Asia |
1972 | ![]() |
Munich | West Germany | Europe |
1976 | ![]() |
Innsbruck | Austria | Europe |
1976 | ![]() |
Montreal | Canada | North America |
1980 | ![]() |
Lake Placid | United States | North America |
1980 | ![]() |
Moscow | Soviet Union | Europe |
1984 | ![]() |
Sarajevo | Yugoslavia | Europe |
1984 | ![]() |
Los Angeles | United States | North America |
1988 | ![]() |
Calgary | Canada | North America |
1988 | ![]() |
Seoul | South Korea | Asia |
1992 | ![]() |
Albertville | France | Europe |
1992 | ![]() |
Barcelona | Spain | Europe |
1994 | ![]() |
Lillehammer | Norway | Europe |
1996 | ![]() |
Atlanta | United States | North America |
1998 | ![]() |
Nagano | Japan | Asia |
2000 | ![]() |
Sydney | Australia | Oceania |
2002 | ![]() |
Salt Lake City | United States | North America |
2004 | ![]() |
Athens | Greece | Europe |
2006 | ![]() |
Turin | Italy | Europe |
2008 | ![]() |
Beijing | China | Asia |
2010 | ![]() |
Vancouver | Canada | North America |
2012 | ![]() |
London | United Kingdom | Europe |
2014 | ![]() |
Sochi | Russia | Europe |
2016 | ![]() |
Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | South America |
2018 | ![]() |
Pyeongchang | South Korea | Asia |
2020 | ![]() |
Tokyo | Japan | Asia |
2022 | ![]() |
Beijing | China | Asia |