The 2024 Paris Olympics have come and gone, and provided plenty of memorable moments. However, looking at the medal tally alone doesn’t always tell the full story. Bigger countries often seem to dominate the rankings simply because they have more athletes and resources. But what happens when we adjust the results to consider factors like population size and economic power?
So, I decided to analyze the medal counts from four different points of view:
- Population-Adjusted Medals: Medals relative to the population of each country.
- GDP-Adjusted Medals: Medals relative to each nation’s economic output.
- Combined Population and GDP Adjusted Medals: Balancing both population and GDP for total medals.
- Combined Gold Medals with Population and GDP: Focusing on gold medals only.
It was interesting to find how the rankings changed when I took these factors into account.
1. Medals per Million People (Population-Adjusted)
Formula:Medals per Million People={Total Medals/Population (in millions)}×1,000,000
When adjusted for population size, smaller countries like Australia and the Netherlands come out on top, showing that they achieved more with fewer people.
| Rank | Country | Medals per Million People |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 2.04 |
| 2 | Netherlands | 2.00 |
| 3 | Great Britain | 0.97 |
| 4 | France | 0.96 |
| 5 | Italy | 0.67 |
| 6 | South Korea | 0.62 |
| 7 | Germany | 0.40 |
| 8 | United States | 0.38 |
| 9 | Japan | 0.36 |
| 10 | China | 0.065 |
2. Medals per Trillion USD of GDP (GDP-Adjusted)
Formula:Medals per Trillion USD of GDP=Total Medals/GDP in Trillions of USD
When adjusted for GDP, countries like the Netherlands and Australia continue to perform exceptionally well, making the most of their economic resources to attain excellence in sport.
| Rank | Country | Medals per Trillion USD of GDP |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands | 34.0 |
| 2 | Australia | 33.1 |
| 3 | France | 21.3 |
| 4 | Great Britain | 20.3 |
| 5 | Italy | 19.0 |
| 6 | South Korea | 17.8 |
| 7 | Germany | 7.7 |
| 8 | United States | 4.9 |
| 9 | Japan | 9.2 |
| 10 | China | 5.0 |
3. Combined Population and GDP Score (Total Medals)
Formula:Combined Score=Medals per Million People/GDP in Trillions of USD
By considering both population size and GDP, we get a balanced view of which countries are truly excelling at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The Netherlands and Australia once again rise to the top, followed by South Korea.
| Rank | Country | Combined Score (Medals per Capita and GDP) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands | 2,000,000 |
| 2 | Australia | 1,274,038 |
| 3 | South Korea | 341,880 |
| 4 | France | 318,408 |
| 5 | Italy | 317,460 |
| 6 | Great Britain | 307,910 |
| 7 | Germany | 51,807 |
| 8 | United States | 77,778 |
| 9 | Japan | 97,619 |
| 10 | China | 69,000 |
4. Combined Gold Medals Score (Population and GDP-Adjusted)
Formula:Combined Score (Gold Medals)=Gold Medals per Million People/GDP in Trillions of USD\
Finally, when we focus only on gold medals and adjust for population and GDP, the Netherlands and Australia continue to shine.
| Rank | Country | Combined Score (Gold Medals per Capita and GDP) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands | 882,353 |
| 2 | Australia | 432,692 |
| 3 | South Korea | 138,889 |
| 4 | Italy | 95,238 |
| 5 | France | 79,602 |
| 6 | Great Britain | 70,000 |
| 7 | Germany | 57,143 |
| 8 | United States | 121,212 |
| 9 | Japan | 158,730 |
| 10 | China | 10,000 |
Conclusion
This “just for fun” analysis gives a different perspective on Olympic success, showing that smaller countries with fewer resources can still perform exceptionally well when adjusting for population and GDP. The Netherlands and Australia are at the top in the rankings I have posted here to hint at that it’s not just about the number of medals, but how those medals are won relative to the country’s size and economic power.
I hope these tables offer an alternative view the 2024 Olympics, highlighting the achievements of countries that might otherwise be “missed” in a traditional medal count.
Ramblings and Ruminations 