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What Is the Smallest Nation to Send Athletes to the Olympics?
Margaret Lipman
Margaret Lipman
If the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Village was a country, it would boast more inhabitants than two of the countries participating in this summer's Games. Located in Oceania, the island nations of Nauru and Tuvalu each have roughly 10,000 inhabitants, and each have sent two athletes to this year's competition. By comparison, the population of the Olympic Village swells to around 11,000 – and that's significantly less than the 17,000 athletes at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Nauru has been sending athletes to the Games since 1996, while Tuvalu joined the Olympic fun later, making its first appearance in 2008. At the postponed Tokyo 2020 Games, Nauru boasts sprinter Jonah Harris and weightlifter Nancy Genzel Abouke, while Tuvalu is pinning its hopes on sprinters Karalo Maibuca and Matie Stanley. Although these athletes aren't expected to be contenders for any medals, they'll certainly earn the respect of their compatriots for helping to put these tiny nations on the sporting map.
Olympic facts and figures:
- Although Bangladesh is home to around 166 million people, the South Asian nation has never won an Olympic medal, and is the most populous country to continually leave the Games empty-handed.
- The Tokyo Olympics will feature 339 events, spread across 41 different sports.
- Paris is scheduled to host the 2024 Games, while all eyes will be on Los Angeles in 2028.
Margaret Lipman
Margaret Lipman is a teacher and blogger who frequently writes for WiseGEEK about topics related to personal finance, parenting, health, nutrition, and education.
Learn more...
Margaret Lipman
Margaret Lipman is a teacher and blogger who frequently writes for WiseGEEK about topics related to personal finance, parenting, health, nutrition, and education. Learn more...
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![Nauru and Tuvalu each have around 10,000 people – comparable to the population of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Village.]()
Nauru and Tuvalu each have around 10,000 people – comparable to the population of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Village.
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