It may seem unfair when comparing the success of large and small countries, as the bigger countries have a larger population pool from which to develop athletes. However, there are many small countries punching above their weight.
The smallest nation to compete at the Olympics is the Pacific island of Nauru (population 12,580), who have attended the Games since 1996. Their best result is an 8th place finish by weight lifter Yukio Peter at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
The smallest country to win a medal is San Marino (population 33,860). In 2021, the country sent a team of five athletes to Tokyo, and returned with three medals.
The smallest country to win a gold medal is Bermuda. Bermuda won its first gold medal in 2021, when triathlete Flora Duffy won the women’s event, coming from a population of just over 62,506.
Another standout in the small nations is the Caribbean country The Bahamas, with their 8 gold medals from sailing and athletics, and with a current population of fewer than 400,000 people.