The map above asks you to guess which country has won the most winter Olympic medals (and here’s a hint it’s not who you think).
I reveal below which country has won the most medals at the Winter Olympics by looking at all the countries that have won at least 100 medals at the Winter Olympics.
Watch the video or keep reading below:
15. Iceland: 0
Amazingly, despite having Ice in its name and competing at 19 Winter Games, Iceland has never won a single Winter Olympic Medal. Although it has won 4 Summer Olympic medals (2 silver and 2 bronze).
14. East Germany: 110
East Germany competed at 6 Winter Olympic games between 1968 and 1988.
In total they won 110 Winter Olympic medals and were particularly strong in:
- Luge (29 medals)
- Speed Skating (29 Medals)
- Bobsleigh (13 medals)
- Biathlon (11 medals)
- Figure skating (10 medals)
Also see: Countries That Have Won Fewer Olympic Medals Than East Germany
13. Russia: 118
Like East Germany Russia has only made 6 Winter Games appearances as an independent country.
Its first appearance was in 1994 and it’s most recent one was 2014 which it hosted in Sochi. Since that time Russian athletes have not been able to compete under the Russian flag due to doping scandals and then the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Also see: How Russia Has Competed At The Olympics Since 1896
They have won a total of 118 medals and were strong in:
- Cross country skiing (33 medals)
- Figure skating (26 medals)
- Biathlon (20 medals)
- Speed skating (13 medals)
12. France: 138
France has competed in all 24 Winter Olympic Games to date and even hosted the very first Winter Olympics in Chamonix in 1924. It has also hosted the 1968 Games in Grenoble and 1992 games in Albertville.
Yet despite it’s long history with the Winter Olympics it only ranks 12th in the medal count with 138 medals.
The French do well in:
- Alpine skiing (51 medals)
- Biathlon (32 medals)
- Freestyle skiing (15 medals)
- Figure skating (14 medals)
- Snowboarding (13 medals)
11. Italy: 141
Italy has also competed in all 24 Winter Olympic Games and unlike Germany avoided the 1948 ban after World War 2. And also like France it has hosted the Winter Olympics 3 times: 1956, 2006 and current games in 2026.
Overall, it’s done slightly better than France, with strengths in:
- Alpine skiing (36 medals)
- Cross-country skiing (36 medals)
- Luge (18 medals)
- Short track speed skating (15 medals)
- Bobsleigh (12 medals)
10. Netherlands: 147
The Netherlands has competed at every Winter Olympics except the first games in 1924 and also the 1932 Games. But despite their relatively strong performance they have never hosted a Winter Games.
The Dutch do well in:
- Speed skating (133 medals)
- Short track speed skating (9 medals)
9. Switzerland: 168
Switzerland has been a part of every single Winter Olympics and was the host for the second Games in 1928 in St. Moritz, which hosted the Games a second time in 1948 just after the war.
The Swiss do well in:
- Alpine skiing (75 medals)
- Bobsleigh (31 medals)
- Snowboarding (14 medals)
- Freestyle skiing (13 medals)
8. Finland: 175
Like many of the other countries above Finland has competed at every single Winter Olympics since their inception. But interestingly have only ever hosted a Summer games (In 1952) and not a winter one.
The Fins do well in:
- Cross-country skiing (86 medals)
- Speed skating (24 medals)
- Ski jumping (22 medals)
- Nordic combined (15 medals)
- Ice hockey (11 medals)
7. Sweden: 177
Sweden has also been a competitor at all 24 Winter Olympic Games. And again like Finland they have only ever hosted a summer Games (all the way back in 1912) and never a winter one.
The Swedes do well in:
- Cross country skiing (84 medals)
- Alpine skiing (19 medals)
- Biathlon (19 medals)
- Speed skating (18 medals)
- Curling (11 medals)
- Ice hockey (11 medals)
- Figure skating (10 medals)
6. Soviet Union: 194
The Soviet Union only ever competed at 9 Winter Olympics between 1956 and 1988, and never hosted. Yet, they almost make the top 5. If you include all of Russia’s totals to those of the Soviet Union it would be enough to put them into 2nd place, but still not enough for first.
The Soviets did well in:
- Cross country skiing (68 medals)
- Speed skating (60 medals)
- Figure skating (24 medals)
- Biathlon (19 medals)
5. Canada: 225
Now we get to Canada and other countries which have won 200+ Winter Olympic medals. Like many of the other countries above Canada has been to all 24 Winter Olympic Games.
Canada has hosted the Winter Olympics twice: Calgary in 1988 and Vancouver in 2010.
The Canadians have done well in:
- Speed skating (42 medals)
- Short track speed skating (37 medals)
- Freestyle skiing (30 medals)
- Figure skating (29 Medals)
- Ice hockey (23 medals)
- Snowboarding (17 medals)
- Curling (12 medals)
- Alpine skiing (12 medals)
- Bobsleigh (11 medals)
4. Austria: 251
Austria really punches above its weight when it comes to the Winter Olympics. It has competed in all 24 Winter Olympic games, avoiding Germany’s ban in 1948.
It has hosted the Winter Olympics twice in 1964 and 1976 both in Innsbruck.
The Austrians do well in:
- Alpine skiing (128 medals)
- Ski jumping (27 medals)
- Luge (25 medals)
- Figure skating (20 medals)
- Nordic combined (16 medals)
- Snowboarding (11 medals)
3. Germany: 267
Germany’s position in the top 3 is even more impressive when you consider that this total only accounts for 13 Winter Olympics.
Germany was excluded from the Games in 1924 and 1948 for their role in the First and Second World War respectively. However they did host the 1936 Winter Games, the same year as the more famous 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics.
Following World War 2 Germany competed in the 1952 Games (without East Germany).
Then sperate teams for the United Team of Germany (1956, 1960, 1964), East Germany (1968–1988; see above), West Germany (1968–1988).
Finally, from 1992 onwards they have once again competed as a single country. However, if you add the various German teams together, it would be enough to launch them into first place. But as it stands they have to settle for 3rd.
The Germans do well in:
- Biathlon (54 medals)
- Luge (43 medals)
- Speed skating (38 medals)
- Bobsleigh (32 medals)
- Alpine skiing (27 medals)
- Cross country skiing (17 medals)
- Ski jumping (16 medals)
- Nordic combined (16 medals)
2. United States: 330
In second place you have the United States, who have also competed at all the Winter Games and one of only two countries to win over 300 medals at the Winter Olympics.
They have hosted the Winter Olympics 4 times, most famously in 1980 in Lake Placid due to the Miracle On Ice but also in 1932 (also Lake Placid), 1960 (Squaw Valley), and 2002 (Salt Lake City).
The Americans do well in:
- Speed skating (71 medals)
- Figure skating (54 medals)
- Alpine skiing (48 medals)
- Snowboarding (35 medals)
- Freestyle skiing (33 medals)
- Bobsleigh (28 medals)
- Short track speed skating (20 medals)
- Ice hockey (18 medals)
1. Norway: 406
And finally in the number 1 spot you have tiny Norway. They have competed in all 24 Winter Olympics and hosted twice Oslo 1952 and Lillehammer in 1994.
The Norwegians are the only country to win over 400 medals on their own (although as mentioned above Germany’s combined total for all teams would eclipse them)
The Norwegians do well in:
- Cross country skiing (129 medals)
- Speed skating (87 medals)
- Biathlon (56 medals)
- Alpine skiing (40 medals)
- Ski jumping (36 medals)
- Nordic combined (35 medals)
- Freestyle skiing (10 medals)
Why do you think makes the Norwegians so much better than everyone else?
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