Brazil became the first country in South America to host the Summer Olympic Games.
Rio de Janeiro hosted the 2016 Summer Olympics from 5 to 21 August 2016. The event marked the first Olympic Games held in South America and the first in a Portuguese-speaking country. Competitions took place across venues in areas including Barra da Tijuca, Copacabana, Deodoro, and Maracanã.
The Games introduced rugby sevens and golf to the Olympic programme after both sports had been absent for many decades. More than 11,000 athletes competed, representing over 200 national Olympic committees.
Brazil’s hosting achievement is distinct from the Pan American Games, which had previously been held in South American cities. Buenos Aires hosted the 1951 Pan American Games, while Rio hosted the event in 2007, but neither was an Olympic Games.