COLUMN
The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games - China, America,
And Russia Won The Most
Gold; But The Top Gold-Per-Capita Winners Are Jamaica, Bahrain, And Mongolia
By EDWARD E. AYOUB
Released: 27 August, 2008.
© Macroknow Inc. All Rights Reserved.
America
refuses to accept defeat in Olympic medal count,
wrote
Kevin Eason in the TIMES ONLINE. According to Eason:
"The race for
the Olympic title is measured in medals . . .
The IOC issues its league table based on the number of golds won,
which gives China the honours, but then admits that there is no
official system in place to decide who is top dog. So the American
public is reading tables counting the total number of medals, including
silver and bronze, won at the Games. On that measure, the US keep the whip
hand over the home nation."1 [My
emphasis.]
For big powers, the Olympic "top dog" is the political power with the highest count of medals − gold
or total. But for others, the big-power logic is too narrow, too
limiting − even groundless.
Why do I say groundless? Well,
suppose that both China and Switzerland (a rich small nation), or both the United States and Haiti (a poor small nation) win the same large
number of gold medals. Then, can you really conclude that China and Switzerland
or the United States and Haiti are equal Olympic
powers? The medal counts are equal, but the Olympic powers float in
groundlessness.
DECIDING WHO IS TOP DOG
There are many ways to
determine top-dog status.
We can rank countries or regions
- By medal count
- By medal count per capita
- By medal count per GDP dollar
(GDP=gross domestic product),
Regions can be sets of countries
grouped geographically or geopolitically.
RANKING METHOD |
TOP-3 RANKED GOLD MEDALISTS |
TOP-3 RANKED GOLD, SILVER, AND
BRONZE MEDALISTS |
By Country |
Medal Count |
China, United States, Russia |
United States, China, Russia |
Medals Per Capita |
Jamaica, Bahrain,
Mongolia |
The Bahamas, Jamaica,
Iceland |
Medals Per GDP Dollar |
North Korea, Zimbabwe, Jamaica |
North Korea, Zimbabwe, Mongolia |
Average Rank |
Jamaica, Georgia, Mongolia |
Jamaica, Cuba, Belarus |
By World Region |
Medal Count |
Europe, Asia, North America |
Europe, Asia, North America |
Medals Per Capita |
Europe, Asia, Latin America |
Europe, Latin America, Asia |
Medals Per GDP Dollar |
Asia, Africa, Latin America |
Asia, Africa, Europe |
Average Rank |
Europe, Asia, Latin America |
Asia, Europe, Latin America |
- When the number
of gold medals is used to rank countries, the top 3 winners of the 2008
Beijing Olympic Games are China, the United Sates, and Russia. And when
the total number of medals is used, the top 3 winners are the United States, China, and Russia.
- When
the gold medal count per capita is used, the top 3 winners are
Jamaica, Bahrain, and Mongolia. And when the total number of medals per
capita is used, the top 3 winners are The Bahamas, Jamaica, and Iceland.
- Most curious:
when the gold medal count per GDP dollar
is used, the undisputed top dog is North Korea.
- Finally,
when the ranks from all the methods − the medal count method, the per
capita method, and the per GDP dollar method − are averaged, the top 3
gold winners are Jamaica, Georgia, and Mongolia. China, the United States,
and Russia are ranked 27, 30, and 13, respectively.
Comprehensive country rankings and data
sources2-5 are
provided below.
MEDALS RANKINGS BY COUNTRY
Note that China, the United States, and
Russia − the top 3 ranked gold medalists −, are ranked
- On a per capita basis: 47, 32, and
25, respectively.
- On a per GDP dollar basis: 29. 47,
and 27, respectively.
Gold
Medals Rankings − 3 Perspectives |
|
GOLD Medals |
GOLD Medals per Capita |
GOLD Medals per GDP Dollar |
Rank |
Country |
Rank |
Country |
Rank |
Country |
1 |
China (PRC) |
1 |
Jamaica |
1 |
North Korea |
2 |
United States |
2 |
Bahrain |
2 |
Zimbabwe |
3 |
Russia |
3 |
Mongolia |
3 |
Jamaica |
4 |
United Kingdom |
4 |
Estonia |
4 |
Mongolia |
5 |
Germany |
5 |
New Zealand |
5 |
Georgia |
6 |
Australia |
6 |
Georgia |
6 |
Ethiopia |
7 |
South Korea |
7 |
Australia |
7 |
Kenya |
8 |
Japan |
8 |
Norway |
8 |
Belarus |
9 |
Italy |
9 |
Slovakia |
9 |
Bahrain |
10 |
France |
10 |
Slovenia |
10 |
Panama |
10 |
Ukraine |
11 |
Latvia |
11 |
Ukraine |
10 |
Netherlands |
12 |
Netherlands |
12 |
Cameroon |
13 |
Jamaica |
13 |
Belarus |
13 |
Estonia |
14 |
Spain |
14 |
Denmark |
14 |
Uzbekistan |
14 |
Kenya |
15 |
United Kingdom |
15 |
Cuba |
16 |
Belarus |
16 |
Panama |
16 |
Slovakia |
16 |
Romania |
17 |
Hungary |
17 |
Latvia |
16 |
Ethiopia |
18 |
Czech Republic |
18 |
Azerbaijan |
19 |
Canada |
19 |
South Korea |
19 |
Tunisia |
19 |
Brazil |
20 |
Switzerland |
20 |
Dominican Republic |
19 |
Poland |
21 |
Germany |
21 |
Bulgaria |
19 |
Hungary |
22 |
Finland |
22 |
Romania |
19 |
Norway |
23 |
Romania |
23 |
New Zealand |
19 |
New Zealand |
24 |
Cuba |
24 |
Slovenia |
19 |
Czech Republic |
25 |
Russia |
25 |
Hungary |
19 |
Slovakia |
26 |
Ukraine |
26 |
Kazakhstan |
19 |
Georgia |
27 |
Italy |
27 |
Russia |
28 |
Cuba |
28 |
Kenya |
28 |
Czech Republic |
28 |
Kazakhstan |
29 |
Bulgaria |
29 |
China (PRC) |
28 |
Denmark |
30 |
Kazakhstan |
30 |
Australia |
28 |
North Korea |
31 |
Azerbaijan |
31 |
South Korea |
28 |
Argentina |
32 |
United States |
32 |
Netherlands |
28 |
Switzerland |
33 |
France |
33 |
Thailand |
28 |
Mongolia |
34 |
Spain |
34 |
Argentina |
28 |
Thailand |
35 |
Dominican Republic |
35 |
Norway |
28 |
Mexico |
36 |
Tunisia |
36 |
Poland |
37 |
Turkey |
37 |
Belgium |
37 |
United Kingdom |
37 |
Azerbaijan |
38 |
Portugal |
38 |
Denmark |
37 |
Uzbekistan |
39 |
Canada |
39 |
Germany |
37 |
Slovenia |
40 |
North Korea |
40 |
Switzerland |
37 |
Bulgaria |
41 |
Poland |
41 |
Portugal |
37 |
Indonesia |
42 |
Zimbabwe |
42 |
Finland |
37 |
Zimbabwe |
43 |
Japan |
43 |
Italy |
37 |
Finland |
44 |
Cameroon |
44 |
Spain |
37 |
Latvia |
45 |
Ethiopia |
45 |
Iran |
37 |
India |
46 |
Argentina |
46 |
France |
37 |
Belgium |
47 |
China (PRC) |
47 |
United States |
37 |
Dominican Republic |
48 |
Uzbekistan |
48 |
Indonesia |
37 |
Estonia |
49 |
Thailand |
49 |
Brazil |
37 |
Portugal |
50 |
Mexico |
50 |
Mexico |
37 |
Iran |
51 |
Brazil |
51 |
Belgium |
37 |
Bahrain |
52 |
Iran |
52 |
Canada |
37 |
Cameroon |
53 |
Turkey |
53 |
Japan |
37 |
Panama |
54 |
Indonesia |
54 |
Turkey |
37 |
Tunisia |
55 |
India |
55 |
India |
56 |
Armenia |
56 |
Armenia |
56 |
Armenia |
56 |
Sweden |
56 |
Sweden |
56 |
Sweden |
56 |
Croatia |
56 |
Croatia |
56 |
Croatia |
56 |
Lithuania |
56 |
Lithuania |
56 |
Lithuania |
56 |
Greece |
56 |
Greece |
56 |
Greece |
56 |
Nigeria |
56 |
Nigeria |
56 |
Nigeria |
56 |
Republic of China (Taiwan) |
56 |
Republic of China (Taiwan) |
56 |
Republic of China (Taiwan) |
56 |
Austria |
56 |
Austria |
56 |
Austria |
56 |
Ireland |
56 |
Ireland |
56 |
Ireland |
56 |
Serbia |
56 |
Serbia |
56 |
Serbia |
56 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
56 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
56 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
56 |
Algeria |
56 |
Algeria |
56 |
Algeria |
56 |
The Bahamas |
56 |
The Bahamas |
56 |
The Bahamas |
56 |
Colombia |
56 |
Colombia |
56 |
Colombia |
56 |
Kyrgyzstan |
56 |
Kyrgyzstan |
56 |
Kyrgyzstan |
56 |
Morocco |
56 |
Morocco |
56 |
Morocco |
56 |
Tajikistan |
56 |
Tajikistan |
56 |
Tajikistan |
56 |
Chile |
56 |
Chile |
56 |
Chile |
56 |
Ecuador |
56 |
Ecuador |
56 |
Ecuador |
56 |
Iceland |
56 |
Iceland |
56 |
Iceland |
56 |
Malaysia |
56 |
Malaysia |
56 |
Malaysia |
56 |
Singapore |
56 |
Singapore |
56 |
Singapore |
56 |
South Africa |
56 |
South Africa |
56 |
South Africa |
56 |
Sudan |
56 |
Sudan |
56 |
Sudan |
56 |
Vietnam |
56 |
Vietnam |
56 |
Vietnam |
56 |
Afghanistan |
56 |
Afghanistan |
56 |
Afghanistan |
56 |
Egypt |
56 |
Egypt |
56 |
Egypt |
56 |
Israel |
56 |
Israel |
56 |
Israel |
56 |
Mauritius |
56 |
Mauritius |
56 |
Mauritius |
56 |
Moldova |
56 |
Moldova |
56 |
Moldova |
56 |
Togo |
56 |
Togo |
56 |
Togo |
56 |
Venezuela |
56 |
Venezuela |
56 |
Venezuela |
|
|
Total
Medals Rankings − 3 Perspectives
|
|
TOTAL Medals |
TOTAL Medals per Capita |
TOTAL Medals per GDP Dollar |
Rank |
Country |
Rank |
Country |
Rank |
Country |
1 |
United States |
1 |
The Bahamas |
1 |
North Korea |
2 |
China (PRC) |
2 |
Jamaica |
2 |
Zimbabwe |
3 |
Russia |
3 |
Iceland |
3 |
Mongolia |
4 |
United Kingdom |
4 |
Slovenia |
4 |
Jamaica |
5 |
Australia |
5 |
Australia |
5 |
Armenia |
6 |
Germany |
6 |
Cuba |
6 |
Georgia |
7 |
France |
7 |
New Zealand |
7 |
Tajikistan |
8 |
South Korea |
8 |
Norway |
8 |
Kyrgyzstan |
9 |
Italy |
9 |
Armenia |
9 |
Cuba |
10 |
Ukraine |
10 |
Belarus |
10 |
Kenya |
11 |
Japan |
11 |
Mongolia |
11 |
Belarus |
12 |
Cuba |
12 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
12 |
Togo |
13 |
Belarus |
13 |
Estonia |
13 |
Ethiopia |
14 |
Spain |
14 |
Lithuania |
14 |
The Bahamas |
14 |
Canada |
15 |
Georgia |
15 |
Uzbekistan |
16 |
Netherlands |
16 |
Latvia |
16 |
Moldova |
17 |
Brazil |
17 |
Bahrain |
17 |
Azerbaijan |
18 |
Kenya |
18 |
Denmark |
18 |
Ukraine |
19 |
Kazakhstan |
19 |
Slovakia |
19 |
Mauritius |
20 |
Jamaica |
20 |
Croatia |
20 |
Lithuania |
21 |
Poland |
21 |
Hungary |
21 |
Bulgaria |
21 |
Hungary |
22 |
Netherlands |
22 |
Kazakhstan |
21 |
Norway |
23 |
Kazakhstan |
23 |
Afghanistan |
24 |
New Zealand |
24 |
Azerbaijan |
24 |
Latvia |
25 |
Romania |
25 |
Mauritius |
25 |
Slovenia |
25 |
Turkey |
26 |
Switzerland |
26 |
Croatia |
27 |
Ethiopia |
27 |
United Kingdom |
27 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
27 |
Denmark |
28 |
Finland |
28 |
Estonia |
27 |
Azerbaijan |
29 |
Ireland |
29 |
Slovakia |
30 |
Czech Republic |
30 |
Bulgaria |
30 |
Hungary |
30 |
Slovakia |
31 |
South Korea |
31 |
Serbia |
30 |
Georgia |
32 |
France |
32 |
New Zealand |
30 |
North Korea |
33 |
Ukraine |
33 |
Russia |
30 |
Argentina |
34 |
Czech Republic |
34 |
Dominican Republic |
30 |
Switzerland |
35 |
Sweden |
35 |
Bahrain |
30 |
Uzbekistan |
36 |
Canada |
36 |
Panama |
30 |
Armenia |
37 |
Russia |
37 |
Australia |
38 |
Slovenia |
38 |
Germany |
38 |
Iceland |
38 |
Bulgaria |
39 |
Italy |
39 |
Cameroon |
38 |
Indonesia |
40 |
Spain |
40 |
Romania |
38 |
Sweden |
41 |
Kyrgyzstan |
41 |
Czech Republic |
38 |
Croatia |
42 |
Romania |
42 |
South Korea |
38 |
Lithuania |
43 |
Kenya |
43 |
China (PRC) |
44 |
Mongolia |
44 |
United States |
44 |
Tunisia |
44 |
Thailand |
45 |
Austria |
45 |
Morocco |
44 |
Zimbabwe |
46 |
Greece |
46 |
Norway |
44 |
Finland |
47 |
Serbia |
47 |
Nigeria |
44 |
Greece |
48 |
Zimbabwe |
48 |
Poland |
44 |
Nigeria |
49 |
Panama |
49 |
Argentina |
44 |
Republic of China (Taiwan) |
50 |
Tajikistan |
50 |
Ecuador |
51 |
Mexico |
51 |
Moldova |
51 |
Denmark |
51 |
Latvia |
52 |
Poland |
52 |
Netherlands |
51 |
India |
53 |
North Korea |
53 |
Sudan |
51 |
Austria |
54 |
Uzbekistan |
54 |
United Kingdom |
51 |
Ireland |
55 |
Singapore |
55 |
Finland |
51 |
Serbia |
56 |
Dominican Republic |
56 |
Thailand |
57 |
Belgium |
57 |
Japan |
57 |
France |
57 |
Dominican Republic |
58 |
Belgium |
58 |
Algeria |
57 |
Estonia |
59 |
Portugal |
59 |
Vietnam |
57 |
Portugal |
60 |
Republic of China (Taiwan) |
60 |
Switzerland |
57 |
Iran |
61 |
Togo |
61 |
Italy |
57 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
62 |
Argentina |
62 |
Greece |
57 |
Algeria |
63 |
Israel |
63 |
Canada |
57 |
The Bahamas |
64 |
Turkey |
64 |
Spain |
57 |
Colombia |
65 |
Tunisia |
65 |
Germany |
57 |
Kyrgyzstan |
66 |
Ethiopia |
66 |
Turkey |
57 |
Morocco |
67 |
Brazil |
67 |
Colombia |
57 |
Tajikistan |
68 |
China (PRC) |
68 |
Ireland |
69 |
Bahrain |
69 |
Ecuador |
69 |
Indonesia |
69 |
Cameroon |
70 |
Morocco |
70 |
Brazil |
69 |
Panama |
71 |
Thailand |
71 |
Sweden |
69 |
Tunisia |
72 |
Chile |
72 |
Republic of China (Taiwan) |
69 |
Chile |
73 |
Algeria |
73 |
Portugal |
69 |
Ecuador |
74 |
Cameroon |
74 |
Austria |
69 |
Iceland |
75 |
Colombia |
75 |
United States |
69 |
Malaysia |
76 |
Afghanistan |
76 |
Egypt |
69 |
Singapore |
77 |
Malaysia |
77 |
Iran |
69 |
South Africa |
78 |
Venezuela |
78 |
Singapore |
69 |
Sudan |
79 |
Iran |
79 |
Israel |
69 |
Vietnam |
80 |
Mexico |
80 |
Chile |
69 |
Afghanistan |
81 |
Nigeria |
81 |
Japan |
69 |
Egypt |
82 |
Sudan |
82 |
Malaysia |
69 |
Israel |
83 |
Indonesia |
83 |
Belgium |
69 |
Mauritius |
84 |
South Africa |
84 |
Venezuela |
69 |
Moldova |
85 |
Egypt |
85 |
South Africa |
69 |
Togo |
86 |
Vietnam |
86 |
Mexico |
69 |
Venezuela |
87 |
India |
87 |
India |
|
|
MEDALS RANKINGS BY WORLD REGION
Gold
Medals Rankings − 3 Perspectives |
|
GOLD Medals |
GOLD Medals per Capita |
GOLD Medals per GDP Dollar |
Rank |
Country |
Rank |
Country |
Rank |
Country |
1 |
Europe |
1 |
Europe |
1 |
Asia |
2 |
Asia |
2 |
Asia |
2 |
Africa |
3 |
Northern America |
3 |
Latin America |
3 |
Latin America |
4 |
Latin America |
4 |
Oceania |
4 |
Europe |
4 |
Oceania |
5 |
Africa |
5 |
Oceania |
6 |
Africa |
6 |
Northern America |
6 |
Northern America |
|
|
Total
Medals Rankings − 3 Perspectives
|
|
TOTAL Medals |
TOTAL Medals per Capita |
TOTAL Medals per GDP Dollar |
Rank |
Region |
Rank |
Region |
Rank |
Region |
1 |
Europe |
1 |
Europe |
1 |
Asia |
2 |
Asia |
2 |
Latin America |
2 |
Africa |
3 |
Northern America |
3 |
Asia |
3 |
Europe |
4 |
Latin America |
4 |
Oceania |
4 |
Latin America |
5 |
Oceania |
5 |
Africa |
5 |
Oceania |
6 |
Africa |
6 |
Northern America |
6 |
Northern America |
|
|
References
1
Kevin Eason.
America refuses to accept defeat in Olympic medal count.
TIMES ONLINE,
25-Aug-08,
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4599875.ece.
2 Overall Medal Standings.
The Official Website of the Beijing 2008
Olympic Games, August 8-24, 2008,
http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/INF/GL/95A/GL0000000.shtml.
3 List of countries by population.
Wikipedia, last modified 26-Aug-08,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population.
(Original data source provided.)
4
World Macro Regions and Components. United
Nations, 2000,
http://www.un.org/depts/dhl/maplib/worldregions.htm.
5 List of countries by GDP
(nominal) -- 2007 List by the CIA World Factbook. Wikipedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal).
|