Where would Scotland have finished in Olympic medal table?

What was the most successful Olympic nation per capita at this year's Rio Games and how would an independent Scotland have compared?
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Aug 2016, 18:02 BST
Updated 25th Aug 2016, 20:48 BST

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Gold medalist Andy Murray of Great Britain poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the men's singles. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)Gold medalist Andy Murray of Great Britain poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the men's singles. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Gold medalist Andy Murray of Great Britain poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the men's singles. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Team GB touched back down in the UK today, carrying with them 67 medals (27 Golds, 23 Silvers and 17 Bronze) after finishing second overall at the Rio de Janeiro Games.

Not since the London Olympic Games of 1908 - when only 22 nations competed - has the UK scooped so many medals.

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The 48 strong Scottish contingent within the British team also has much to be proud of.

The Rio Olympic medal table revised to include population. Picture:The Rio Olympic medal table revised to include population. Picture:
The Rio Olympic medal table revised to include population. Picture:

Scotland’s athletes equalled the country’s best ever medal tally from any Games in the modern era, matching the 13 from London four years ago, four of which were gold.

If we look at the medal table per capita how well would an independent Scotland have done?

The Rio medal table redrawn

The United States won the most medals at Rio by a comfortable margin but the story is much different when medal hauls are adjusted to take GDP and population into account.

The Rio Olympic medal table revised to include population. Picture:The Rio Olympic medal table revised to include population. Picture:
The Rio Olympic medal table revised to include population. Picture:

Online statistics portal, Statista, analysed the number of gold medals one by each country per head of population.

The Bahamas came out on top, with one winner from its population of just under 400,000.

Jamaica won six gold medals - home to the world’s fastest man Usain Bolt - in Rio from its population of 2.73 million people, equating to a population per gold medal of 454,323.

Croatia rounds off Rio’s top three “per capita champions”, with a population of 844,880 per gold.

Scotland’s position

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Before trying to figure out how well an independent Scotland would do at the Olympics, major caveats are required.

Many of the Scottish winners competed as part of a team. Katie Archibald, Heather Stanning and Callum Skinner all won gold in team events, so their medals do not represent an exclusive win for Scotland.

But if we factor in Scottish gold medals that were that were part of a team, Scotland would sit seventh in medal table per capita.

The latest population figures for Scotland place the population at 5.37 million, this would give the country 1 gold medal per 1,343,250 of the population - between Hungary and Bahrain.

Sportscotland performance director Mike Whittingham is looking forward to more success.

After Glasgow born cyclist Callum Skinner won a gold in the team sprint Mr Whittingham said: “We have the world-class Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow and it’s exciting to think what new talent can be nurtured there to continue Scotland’s cycling legacy.”

Read more at: http://www.scotsman.com/sport/olympics-rio-2016/scots-celebrating-record-haul-of-12-olympic-away-games-medals-1-4202981

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Related topics:ScotlandGDP