THREE-LETTER OLYMPIC COUNTRY ABBREVIATIONS
Each country has its own three-letter abbreviation that is used during the Olympic Games to represent that country. The following is a list of the 202 "countries" that are recognized by the IOC (International Olympic Committee).
Although "over 200" countries are attending and participating in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, there are only 192 true countries on earth. So how are there 200 or more Olympic participants? The International Olympic Committee (IOC) says it best...
"Although most National Olympic Committees (NOCs) are from nations, the IOC also recognizes independent territories, commonwealths, protectorates and geographical areas."
Of the 192 countries on earth, three (Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and the Vatican City) have no NOCs, which ensure that athletes from their respective nations attend the Olympic Games, so they won't be participating in Sydney. That results in 189 true countries with NOCs.
Add to that the thirteen territories, commonwealths, and protectorates that have NOCs and can thus participate in the Olympics: American Samoa (U.S.), Aruba (Netherlands), Bermuda (U.K.), British Virgin Islands (U.K.), Cayman Islands (U.K.), Cook Islands (New Zealand), Guam (U.S.), Hong Kong (China), Netherlands Antilles (Netherlands), Palestine (occupied by Israel), Puerto Rico (U.S.), Taiwan (China) and the Virgin Islands (U.S.).
2004 UPDATE: Athens 2004 will include 202 NOCs; three more than in Sydney 2000. Afghanistan, suspended in Oct 1999, will rejoin the Olympic family and Timor-Leste (TLS) will participate in 2004 for the very first time since independence. Kiribati's NOC was recognized in 2003.
THE 202 NOCs IN THE OLYMPIC FAMILY
53 from Africa (ANOCA)
42 from Americas (PASO)
44 from Asia (OCA)
48 from Europe (EOC)
15 from Oceania (ONOC)
* indicates a
territory and not an independent country
indicates NOCs
participating in 2004 that did not participate in 2000
Country |
Code |
International Olympic Athlete (East Timor in 2000) |
IOA |
1| Afghanistan (suspended in 2000) |
AFG |
Albania |
ALB |
Algeria |
ALG |
American Samoa* |
ASA |
Andorra |
AND |
Angola |
ANG |
Antigua and Barbuda |
ANT |
Argentina |
ARG |
Armenia |
ARM |
Aruba* |
ARU |
Australia |
AUS |
Austria |
AUT |
Azerbaijan |
AZE |
The Bahamas |
BAH |
Bahrain |
BRN |
Bangladesh |
NAG |
Barbados |
BAR |
Belarus |
BLR |
Belgium |
BEL |
Belize |
BIZ |
Bermuda* |
BER |
Benin |
BEN |
Bhutan |
BHU |
Bolivia |
BOL |
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
BIH |
Botswana |
BOT |
Brazil |
BRA |
British Virgin Islands* |
IVB |
Brunei |
BRU |
Bulgaria |
BUL |
Burkina Faso |
BUR |
Burundi |
BDI |
Cambodia |
CAM |
Cameroon |
CMR |
Canada |
CAN |
Cape Verde |
CPV |
Cayman Islands* |
CAY |
Central African Republic |
CAF |
Chad |
CHA |
Chile |
CHI |
China |
CHN |
Colombia |
COL |
Comoros |
COM |
Congo, Republic of the |
CGO |
Congo, Democratic Republic of the |
COD |
Cook Islands* |
COK |
Costa Rica |
CRC |
Cote d'Ivoire |
CIV |
Croatia |
CRO |
50| Cuba |
CUB |
Cyprus |
CYP |
Czech Republic |
CZE |
Denmark |
DEN |
Djibouti |
DJI |
Dominica |
DMA |
Dominican Republic |
DOM |
Ecuador |
ECU |
Egypt |
EGY |
El Salvador |
ESA |
Equatorial Guinea |
GEQ |
Eritrea |
ERI |
Estonia |
EST |
Ethiopia |
ETH |
Fiji |
FIJ |
Finland |
FIN |
France |
FRA |
Gabon |
GAB |
The Gambia |
GAM |
Georgia |
GEO |
Germany |
GER |
Ghana |
GHA |
Greece |
GRE |
Grenada |
GRN |
Guam* |
GUM |
Guatemala |
GUA |
Guinea |
GUI |
Guinea-Bissau |
GBS |
Guyana |
GUY |
Haiti |
HAI |
Honduras |
HON |
Hong Kong* |
HKG |
Hungary |
HUN |
Iceland |
ISL |
India |
IND |
Indonesia |
INA |
Iran |
IRI |
Iraq |
IRQ |
Ireland |
IRL |
Israel |
ISR |
Italy |
ITA |
Jamaica |
JAM |
Japan |
JPN |
Jordan |
JOR |
Kazakhstan |
KAZ |
Kenya |
KEN |
Kiribati (NOC recognized in 2003) |
KIR |
Korea, North (DPR of Korea) |
PRK |
Korea, South |
KOR |
Kuwait |
KUW |
100| Kyrgyzstan |
KGZ |
Laos |
LAO |
Latvia |
LAT |
Lebanon |
LIB |
Lesotho |
LES |
Liberia |
LBR |
Libya |
LBA |
Liechtenstein |
LIE |
Lithuania |
LTU |
Luxembourg |
LUX |
Macedonia, Former Yugoslav Republic of |
MKD |
Madagascar |
MAD |
Malawi |
MAW |
Malaysia |
MAS |
Maldives |
MDV |
Mali |
MLI |
Malta |
MLT |
Mauritania |
MTN |
Mauritius |
MRI |
Mexico |
MEX |
Micronesia, Federated States of |
FSM |
Moldova |
MDA |
Monaco |
MON |
Mongolia |
MGL |
Morocco |
MAR |
Mozambique |
MOZ |
Myanmar (Burma) |
MYA |
Namibia |
NAM |
Nauru |
NRU |
Nepal |
NEP |
Netherlands |
NED |
Netherlands Antilles* |
AHO |
New Zealand |
NZL |
Nicaragua |
NCA |
Niger |
NIG |
Nigeria |
NGR |
Norway |
NOR |
Oman |
OMA |
Pakistan |
PAK |
Palau |
PLW |
Palestine* |
PLE |
Panama |
PAN |
Papua New Guinea |
PNG |
Paraguay |
PAR |
Peru |
PER |
Philippines |
PHI |
Poland |
POL |
Portugal |
POR |
Puerto Rico* |
PUR |
Qatar |
QAT |
150| Romania |
ROM |
Russia |
RUS |
Rwanda |
RWA |
Saint Kitts and Nevis |
SKN |
Saint Lucia |
LCA |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
VIN |
Samoa |
SAM |
San Marino |
SMR |
Sao Tome and Principe |
STP |
Saudi Arabia |
KSA |
Senegal |
SEN |
Serbia and Montenegro (Yugoslavia) |
SCG |
Seychelles |
SEY |
Sierra Leone |
SLE |
Singapore |
SIN |
Slovakia |
SVK |
Slovenia |
SLO |
Solomon Islands |
SOL |
Somalia |
SOM |
South Africa |
RSA |
Spain |
ESP |
Sri Lanka |
SRI |
Sudan |
SUD |
Suriname |
SUR |
Swaziland |
SWZ |
Sweden |
SWE |
Switzerland |
SUI |
Syria |
SYR |
Taiwan (Chinese Taipei)* |
TPE |
Tajikistan |
TJK |
Tanzania |
TAN |
Thailand |
THA |
Timor-Leste (participated under IOA in 2000) |
TLS |
Togo |
TOG |
Tonga |
TGA |
Trinidad and Tobago |
TRI |
Tunisia |
TUN |
Turkey |
TUR |
Turkmenistan |
TKM |
Uganda |
UGA |
Ukraine |
UKR |
United Arab Emirates |
UAE |
United Kingdom (Great Britain) |
GBR |
United States |
USA |
Uruguay |
URU |
Uzbekistan |
UZB |
Vanuatu |
VAN |
Venezuela |
VEN |
Vietnam |
VIE |
Virgin Islands* |
ISV |
200| Yemen |
YEM |
Zambia |
ZAM |
Zimbabwe |
ZIM |