London 2012 – Facts & Figures
- 1908
- 22 Nations
- 2,008 athletes (37 women, 1,971 men)
- 110 events
- 1948
- 59 Nations
- 4,104 athletes (390 women, 3,714 men)
- 136 events
- 2012
- 205 Nations
- 10,500 athletes
- 300 events
- In the summer of 2012, the UK will come alive with the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
- The four-year Cultural Olympiad will reach a crescendo with the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on 27 July.
- It starts a 60-day festival of sport and culture across the UK – the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Scale of the 2012 Games
- 26 Olympic sports in 34 venues
- 20 Paralympic sports in 21 venues
- 10,500 Olympic athletes and 4,200 Paralympic athletes
- 20,000 press and media
- Over 9 million tickets
The Olympic Games and London
In 2012 London will host a Games like never before, drawing on the city’s proud Olympic heritage.
London hosted the Olympic Games in 1908 and 1948.
1908
In 1908, London stood in as host city for Rome after an eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
New in 1908:
- The Olympic Stadium (White City) was built especially for the Olympic Games.
- Athletes paraded under their national flags at a ceremony at the start of the Games.
- The Marathon was fixed at 42.195km (26.2 miles) – the distance from Windsor Castle to the Royal Box in the Olympic Stadium. This became the official distance from the 1924 Games onwards.
1948
In 1948, London again stepped in at the last minute to host the first Games after World War II.
New in 1948:
- Games shown on home television.
- Starting blocks for sprint races.
- Volunteer Programme created to help run the Games.