Which nation is the only one to have won a gold medal at every Summer Olympics?

Which nation is the only one to have won a gold medal at every Summer Olympics? Great Britain is the only nation credited with doing so.

The record covers every edition of the modern Summer Olympics in which medals were awarded, including the unusual early Games. Britain’s consistency stretches from Paris 1900 and St. Louis 1904 through the 20th century and into the modern era. It has won gold in sports ranging from athletics and rowing to sailing, cycling and equestrian events.

The claim is sometimes misunderstood as meaning Britain has dominated every Olympics. It has not: its medal totals have varied greatly, and the United States has generally won far more golds overall. Britain’s distinction is continuity—at least one gold medal at each edition—not the highest total at every Games.

There is a historical footnote surrounding 1904. Irish athlete Thomas Kiely’s nationality and the way his result should be assigned have been debated, but conventional Olympic medal tables credit that gold to Great Britain. That convention makes Great Britain the standard quiz answer.