2008 Olympic Results by GDP

China 2008 olympic medal tally by gross domestic product (GDP)

This page contains Olympic results standardised by GDP. The thinking is that the more money you make the more likely you are able to train a freak of nature that can win a medal. Economics is supposed to be a very large factor in gaining an olympic medal. Note that this statistic is by no means an accurate reflection of a country's performance. If you want to see a reasonably good predictive statistical model check out the paper by Bernard & Busse. Note that there are some wide variations on calculations of GDP so the measure appears to be moderately random depending upon your source of GDP information. Also note that per GDP mean $US million million of GDP (1E12).

Any queries or if you spot a problem contact me neoporcupine@yahoo.com

Three tables contain the following:: Gold medals per GDP*; Total medals per GDP*; Weighted medal score per GDP*

Last updated 2008-08-24 19:27:56.137119 (@+10GMT). The GDP data is stolen from the CIA World Fact Book. The medal data is filtered out of Official website. The program to calculate the data was written by me using Python.

87 countries have won medals. 302 gold medals awarded.

Gold medals per GDP*
Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Gold/Billion GDP
1 Zimbabwe 1 3 0 452.2840
2 Jamaica 6 3 2 290.2758
3 Mongolia 2 2 0 237.5297
4 Georgia 3 0 3 146.3415
5 Kenya 5 5 4 84.9185
6 Ethiopia 4 1 2 64.3190
7 DPR Korea 2 1 3 50.0000
8 Bahrain 1 0 0 40.8163
9 Cuba 2 11 11 39.1313
10 Belarus 4 5 10 38.0228
11 Estonia 1 1 0 34.0716
12 Panama 1 0 0 28.9771
13 Slovakia 3 2 1 27.3723
14 New Zealand 3 1 5 26.8577
15 Cameroon 1 0 0 25.4001
16 Latvia 1 1 1 25.1699
17 Ukraine 7 5 15 21.8682
18 Australia 14 15 17 18.4017
19 Slovenia 1 2 2 18.2916
20 Romania 4 1 3 16.2272
21 Dominican Rep. 1 1 0 16.1838
22 Hungary 3 5 2 15.6822
23 Uzbekistan 1 2 3 15.5885
24 Azerbaijan 1 2 4 15.2882
25 Tunisia 1 0 0 12.9870
26 Norway 3 5 2 12.1261
27 Czech Republic 3 3 0 12.0434
28 Kazakhstan 2 4 7 11.9332
29 Bulgaria 1 1 3 11.5848
30 Russian Fed. 23 21 28 11.0153
31 Netherlands 7 5 4 10.9461
32 Korea 13 10 8 10.8243
33 Denmark 2 2 3 9.8184
34 Great Britain 19 13 15 8.8910
35 China 51 21 28 7.2951
36 Switzerland 2 0 4 6.6622
37 Germany 16 10 15 5.6980
38 Finland 1 1 2 5.3908
39 Poland 3 6 1 4.8317
40 Italy 8 10 10 4.4793
41 Portugal 1 1 0 4.3384
42 Thailand 2 2 0 3.8506
43 Argentina 2 0 4 3.8190
44 Spain 5 10 3 3.6982
45 France 7 16 17 3.4196
46 Belgium 1 1 0 2.6596
47 United States 36 38 36 2.6012
48 Canada 3 9 6 2.3697
49 Japan 9 6 10 2.0979
50 Brazil 3 4 8 1.6340
51 Mexico 2 0 1 1.4859
52 Iran 1 0 1 1.3280
53 Indonesia 1 1 3 1.1936
54 Turkey 1 4 3 1.1261
55 India 1 0 2 0.3346

Total medals per GDP*
Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
Medals Total Medals
/Billion GDP
1 Zimbabwe 1 3 0 4 1809.1361
2 Jamaica 6 3 2 11 532.1722
3 Mongolia 2 2 0 4 475.0594
4 Cuba 2 11 11 24 469.5754
5 Armenia 0 0 6 6 349.8542
6 Georgia 3 0 3 6 292.6829
7 Bahamas 0 1 1 2 240.0384
8 Kenya 5 5 4 14 237.7717
9 Kyrgyzstan 0 1 1 2 192.6782
10 Togo 0 0 1 1 192.0123
11 Belarus 4 5 10 19 180.6084
12 Tajikistan 0 1 1 2 169.2047
13 DPR Korea 2 1 3 6 150.0000
14 Ethiopia 4 1 2 7 112.5583
15 Azerbaijan 1 2 4 7 107.0173
16 Rep. of Moldova 0 0 1 1 101.8226
17 Uzbekistan 1 2 3 6 93.5308
18 Slovenia 1 2 2 5 91.4578
19 Ukraine 7 5 15 27 84.3486
20 Trinidad/Tobago 0 2 0 2 84.0689
21 Lithuania 0 2 3 5 83.8364
22 Iceland 0 1 0 1 82.3723
23 New Zealand 3 1 5 9 80.5730
24 Kazakhstan 2 4 7 13 77.5656
25 Latvia 1 1 1 3 75.5097
26 Croatia 0 2 3 5 72.4848
27 Mauritius 0 0 1 1 71.1238
28 Estonia 1 1 0 2 68.1431
29 Australia 14 15 17 46 60.4627
30 Bulgaria 1 1 3 5 57.9240
31 Slovakia 3 2 1 6 54.7445
32 Hungary 3 5 2 10 52.2739
33 Bahrain 1 0 0 1 40.8163
34 Norway 3 5 2 10 40.4204
35 Serbia 0 1 2 3 38.8199
36 Russian Fed. 23 21 28 72 34.4828
37 Denmark 2 2 3 7 34.3643
38 Romania 4 1 3 8 32.4544
39 Dominican Rep. 1 1 0 2 32.3677
40 Panama 1 0 0 1 28.9771
41 Afghanistan 0 0 1 1 28.5714
42 Korea 13 10 8 31 25.8118
43 Cameroon 1 0 0 1 25.4001
44 Netherlands 7 5 4 16 25.0195
45 Czech Republic 3 3 0 6 24.0867
46 Great Britain 19 13 15 47 21.9934
47 Finland 1 1 2 4 21.5633
48 Switzerland 2 0 4 6 19.9867
49 France 7 16 17 40 19.5408
50 Ireland 0 1 2 3 16.1117
51 Poland 3 6 1 10 16.1057
52 Morocco 0 1 1 2 15.9617
53 Italy 8 10 10 28 15.6775
54 Sweden 0 4 1 5 14.9432
55 Germany 16 10 15 41 14.6011
56 China 51 21 28 100 14.3041
57 Canada 3 9 6 18 14.2180
58 Nigeria 0 1 3 4 13.6659
59 Spain 5 10 3 18 13.3136
60 Tunisia 1 0 0 1 12.9870
61 Sudan 0 1 0 1 12.3900
62 Greece 0 2 2 4 12.3229
63 Argentina 2 0 4 6 11.4569
64 Ecuador 0 1 0 1 10.1225
65 Austria 0 1 2 3 9.4399
66 Turkey 1 4 3 8 9.0090
67 Algeria 0 1 1 2 8.9008
68 Portugal 1 1 0 2 8.6768
69 Brazil 3 4 8 15 8.1699
70 United States 36 38 36 110 7.9480
71 Thailand 2 2 0 4 7.7012
72 Colombia 0 1 1 2 6.2598
73 Indonesia 1 1 3 5 5.9680
74 Japan 9 6 10 25 5.8275
75 Chinese Taipei 0 0 4 4 5.7521
76 Israel 0 0 1 1 5.3792
77 Belgium 1 1 0 2 5.3191
78 Vietnam 0 1 0 1 4.5167
79 Singapore 0 1 0 1 4.3840
80 Chile 0 1 0 1 4.3271
81 Venezuela 0 0 1 1 2.9886
82 Malaysia 0 1 0 1 2.7980
83 Iran 1 0 1 2 2.6560
84 Mexico 2 0 1 3 2.2288
85 Egypt 0 0 1 1 2.2026
86 South Africa 0 1 0 1 2.1409
87 India 1 0 2 3 1.0037

Weighted medal score per GDP*
(Gold=4 Silver=2 Bronze=1)
Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Weighted
Medals Weighted Medals
/Billion GDP
1 Zimbabwe 1 3 0 10 4522.8403
2 Jamaica 6 3 2 32 1548.1374
3 Mongolia 2 2 0 12 1425.1781
4 Cuba 2 11 11 41 802.1914
5 Georgia 3 0 3 15 731.7073
6 Kenya 5 5 4 34 577.4457
7 Bahamas 0 1 1 3 360.0576
8 Armenia 0 0 6 6 349.8542
9 Belarus 4 5 10 36 342.2053
10 DPR Korea 2 1 3 13 325.0000
11 Ethiopia 4 1 2 20 321.5951
12 Kyrgyzstan 0 1 1 3 289.0173
13 Tajikistan 0 1 1 3 253.8071
14 Estonia 1 1 0 6 204.4293
15 Togo 0 0 1 1 192.0123
16 Azerbaijan 1 2 4 12 183.4582
17 Slovenia 1 2 2 10 182.9157
18 Latvia 1 1 1 7 176.1893
19 Uzbekistan 1 2 3 11 171.4731
20 New Zealand 3 1 5 19 170.0985
21 Trinidad/Tobago 0 2 0 4 168.1379
22 Ukraine 7 5 15 53 165.5733
23 Iceland 0 1 0 2 164.7446
24 Bahrain 1 0 0 4 163.2653
25 Slovakia 3 2 1 17 155.1095
26 Kazakhstan 2 4 7 23 137.2315
27 Australia 14 15 17 103 135.3838
28 Hungary 3 5 2 24 125.4574
29 Lithuania 0 2 3 7 117.3709
30 Panama 1 0 0 4 115.9084
31 Bulgaria 1 1 3 9 104.2632
32 Rep. of Moldova 0 0 1 1 101.8226
33 Cameroon 1 0 0 4 101.6002
34 Croatia 0 2 3 7 101.4787
35 Dominican Rep. 1 1 0 6 97.1031
36 Norway 3 5 2 24 97.0089
37 Romania 4 1 3 21 85.1927
38 Russian Fed. 23 21 28 162 77.5862
39 Denmark 2 2 3 15 73.6377
40 Czech Republic 3 3 0 18 72.2601
41 Mauritius 0 0 1 1 71.1238
42 Korea 13 10 8 80 66.6112
43 Netherlands 7 5 4 42 65.6763
44 Great Britain 19 13 15 117 54.7496
45 Tunisia 1 0 0 4 51.9481
46 Serbia 0 1 2 4 51.7598
47 Finland 1 1 2 8 43.1267
48 Poland 3 6 1 25 40.2641
49 Switzerland 2 0 4 12 39.9734
50 China 51 21 28 274 39.1932
51 France 7 16 17 77 37.6160
52 Germany 16 10 15 99 35.2564
53 Italy 8 10 10 62 34.7144
54 Spain 5 10 3 43 31.8047
55 Afghanistan 0 0 1 1 28.5714
56 Canada 3 9 6 36 28.4360
57 Sweden 0 4 1 9 26.8978
58 Portugal 1 1 0 6 26.0304
59 Sudan 0 1 0 2 24.7801
60 Morocco 0 1 1 3 23.9425
61 Thailand 2 2 0 12 23.1036
62 Argentina 2 0 4 12 22.9139
63 Ireland 0 1 2 4 21.4823
64 Ecuador 0 1 0 2 20.2450
65 United States 36 38 36 256 18.4971
66 Greece 0 2 2 6 18.4843
67 Nigeria 0 1 3 5 17.0823
68 Turkey 1 4 3 15 16.8919
69 Belgium 1 1 0 6 15.9574
70 Brazil 3 4 8 28 15.2505
71 Japan 9 6 10 58 13.5198
72 Algeria 0 1 1 3 13.3511
73 Austria 0 1 2 4 12.5865
74 Indonesia 1 1 3 9 10.7424
75 Colombia 0 1 1 3 9.3897
76 Vietnam 0 1 0 2 9.0334
77 Singapore 0 1 0 2 8.7681
78 Chile 0 1 0 2 8.6543
79 Mexico 2 0 1 9 6.6865
80 Iran 1 0 1 5 6.6401
81 Chinese Taipei 0 0 4 4 5.7521
82 Malaysia 0 1 0 2 5.5960
83 Israel 0 0 1 1 5.3792
84 South Africa 0 1 0 2 4.2817
85 Venezuela 0 0 1 1 2.9886
86 Egypt 0 0 1 1 2.2026
87 India 1 0 2 6 2.0074

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Rank	Country	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Gold/Billion GDP
1	Zimbabwe	1	3	0	452.2840
2	Jamaica	6	3	2	290.2758
3	Mongolia	2	2	0	237.5297
4	Georgia	3	0	3	146.3415
5	Kenya	5	5	4	84.9185
6	Ethiopia	4	1	2	64.3190
7	DPR Korea	2	1	3	50.0000
8	Bahrain	1	0	0	40.8163
9	Cuba	2	11	11	39.1313
10	Belarus	4	5	10	38.0228
11	Estonia	1	1	0	34.0716
12	Panama	1	0	0	28.9771
13	Slovakia	3	2	1	27.3723
14	New Zealand	3	1	5	26.8577
15	Cameroon	1	0	0	25.4001
16	Latvia	1	1	1	25.1699
17	Ukraine	7	5	15	21.8682
18	Australia	14	15	17	18.4017
19	Slovenia	1	2	2	18.2916
20	Romania	4	1	3	16.2272
21	Dominican Rep.	1	1	0	16.1838
22	Hungary	3	5	2	15.6822
23	Uzbekistan	1	2	3	15.5885
24	Azerbaijan	1	2	4	15.2882
25	Tunisia	1	0	0	12.9870
26	Norway	3	5	2	12.1261
27	Czech Republic	3	3	0	12.0434
28	Kazakhstan	2	4	7	11.9332
29	Bulgaria	1	1	3	11.5848
30	Russian Fed.	23	21	28	11.0153
31	Netherlands	7	5	4	10.9461
32	Korea	13	10	8	10.8243
33	Denmark	2	2	3	9.8184
34	Great Britain	19	13	15	8.8910
35	China	51	21	28	7.2951
36	Switzerland	2	0	4	6.6622
37	Germany	16	10	15	5.6980
38	Finland	1	1	2	5.3908
39	Poland	3	6	1	4.8317
40	Italy	8	10	10	4.4793
41	Portugal	1	1	0	4.3384
42	Thailand	2	2	0	3.8506
43	Argentina	2	0	4	3.8190
44	Spain	5	10	3	3.6982
45	France	7	16	17	3.4196
46	Belgium	1	1	0	2.6596
47	United States	36	38	36	2.6012
48	Canada	3	9	6	2.3697
49	Japan	9	6	10	2.0979
50	Brazil	3	4	8	1.6340
51	Mexico	2	0	1	1.4859
52	Iran	1	0	1	1.3280
53	Indonesia	1	1	3	1.1936
54	Turkey	1	4	3	1.1261
55	India	1	0	2	0.3346