National Olympic Committees (or NOCs) are the national constituents of the worldwide Olympic movement. Subject to the controls of the International Olympic Committee, they are responsible for organizing their country's participation in the Olympic Games. They may nominate cities within their respective countries as candidates for future Olympic Games. NOCs also promote the development of athletes and training of coaches and officials at a national level within their countries.
As of 2008, there are 205 NOCs, representing both sovereign nations and other geographical areas. All 192 United Nations member states have National Olympic Committees, as do 13 other territories:
The NOCs are all members of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), which is also split among five continental associations:
| Continent | Association | NOCs | Oldest NOC | Newest NOC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa | 53 | Egypt (1910) | Eritrea (1999) | ||
| Pan American Sports Organisation | 42 | United States (1894) | Dominica (1993) Saint Kitts and Nevis (1993) Saint Lucia (1993) | ||
| Olympic Council of Asia | 44 | Japan (1912) | Timor-Leste (2003) | ||
| European Olympic Committees | 49 | France (1894) | Montenegro (2007) | ||
| Oceania National Olympic Committees | 17 | Australia (1895) | Tuvalu (2007) | ||
