The first Olympics of the Modern Era were held in Athens. The Olympic movement was reborn thanks to the efforts of Pierre de Coubertin. Only 13 nations took part in these games, with a total of 280 athletes.

The first games of the twentieth century were held in Paris. This time 19 nations were represented, with a total of 1066 participants. Six women took part in the tennis and golf trials.

For the first time, the games crossed the Atlantic, and were held in St Louis in the USA. There were fewer athletes this time, and France was not represented because of the greater expense of travelling to the games.

London held the next games, and 22 nations took part, with a total of 36 women out of the 1999 athletes.

The games were growing bigger. Stockholm held these games, and 28 nations, and 2490 participants attended. In the same year, Pierre de Coubertin wrote that he thought the games should be kept for men only, to strive for male sporting ability, and rewarded by the applause of women.

There were no games held in 1916, because it was the middle of World War I, and most of the countries in Europe were at war. In 1920, Antwerp in Belgium held the next games, marked by the appearance of the Olympic flag. Germany, Austria and the USSR were not invited to these games because of their part in the war.

Again, Paris hosted the games, according to de Coubertin's wishes. 44 nations took part, with over 3000 participants (of whom 136 were women). Germany was again not invited. These were the games where Johnny Weissmuller won medals in swimming - he went on to become a famous movie actor, playing Tarzan. In the same year, the first Winter Olympics were held.

Amsterdam hosted these games, and for the first time women were included in track events. Germany was back in the games, and a total of 46 nations took part.

The games now returned to the USA, and were held in Los Angeles. As had been the case in 1904, fewer European countries took part because of the difficulty of getting there. Only 37 countries were represented.

In this year, the Olympics were held in Berlin, where Hitler ruled over the Third Reich. Many countries who did not trust the Nazi government in Germany asked that the games be transferred to another place, but the choice had been made in 1931, before Hitler came into power.

The next two games, in 1940 and 1944, were not held because in 1939 the German government declared war, and the Second World War broke out in Europe, extending to the Pacific. The war was not over until 1945. The 1948 games were held in London, but Germany and Japan were not invited, because of the part they played in World War II.

The next games were held in Helsinki, and involved 69 nations and 4879 participants (of whom 518 were women). Germany and Japan were back in the games.

For the first time the games moved to Australia, where they were held in Melbourne. 67 nations took part, but some countries boycotted the games because of political problems with other countries participating.

Rome hosted the next games, where for the first time there was live television coverage of the events. 83 nations took part this time.

The next games were held in Asia for the first time, in Tokyo. There were over 5000 participants from 93 countries.

These games were held in Mexico. This city is a long way above sea level, and many athletes found it hard to perform as well as they usually did because of the reduced oxygen at this altitude. The ones who did best spent a long time training in high altitude conditions to acclimatise their bodies.

These games, held in Munich, were marked by tragedy. Palestinians demanding the release of political prisoners held in Israeli jails, took some Israeli athletes hostage at the games village, and when the German police tried to rescue them, eleven people were killed.

Fewer countries took part in the Montreal games (only 88), because 27 African countries boycotted the games (refused to come) because New Zealand was there. They objected to the fact that New Zealand still played sport with South Africa, and South Africa had apartheid (which means that there were different rules for white people and black people. For example, only whites were allowed to play for their country). These African countries wanted New Zealand to be excluded from the games.

Moscow hosted the next games, and even fewer countries took part (81). The United States, who always sent huge teams, boycotted the games in protest against the USSR fighting in Afghanistan. They asked other countries to join the boycott, and 58 other countries also refused to go.

The next games, in Los Angeles again, were in turn boycotted by the USSR and 17 other countries. 140 countries were there (6797 athletes, of whom 1310 were women).

The games moved to Asia again, to Seoul in South Korea.

Barcelona hosted these games, and for the first time, the number of women participating reached a third of the total number. South Africa was invited back to these games again, because they had abandoned apartheid, and black people were allowed more rights.

Although Athens very much wanted to be the hosts of the centennial games (the games held exactly 100 years after they started), Atlanta in the USA won the right to hold the 1996 games.

This year the games will be held in Sydney.

Sydney has spent millions of dollars building sporting venues and arranging accomodation for all the thousands of athletes who will be attending these games.

The next Summer Olympics will be held in Athens once more.