The INTERNATIONAL GEOGRAPHY OLYMPIAD (iGeo)

What is the International Geography Olympiad?

The International Geography Olympiad (iGeo) is an annual competition for the best 16 to 19 year old geography students from all over the world. Students chosen to represent their countries are the very best, chosen from thousands of students who participate enthusiastically in their own National Geography Olympiads. The iGeo consists of three parts: a written test, a multimedia test and substantial fieldwork requiring observation, leading to cartographic representation and geographical analysis. The programme also includes poster presentations by teams, cultural exchanges, and time for students to get to know their fellow students and explore the host city.

The aims of the Olympiad are to:

• stimulate active interest in geographical and environmental studies among young people;
• contribute positively to debate about the importance of geography as a senior secondary school subject by drawing attention to the quality of geographical knowledge, skills and interests among young people;
• facilitate social contacts between young people from different countries and in doing so, contribute to the understanding between nations.

The International Geography Olympiads are held under the auspices of the International Geographical Union (IGU), through the IGU Olympiad Task Force. The current members of the Task Force are:

• co-chair Mrs Susan Lomas OBE, DL (United Kingdom)
• co-chair Dr Su-Min Shen (Taiwan)
• steering committee member Dr Alexey Naumov
• steering committee member Mr Tomasz Sawicki (Poland)
• steering committee member Mr Tim Schuring (The Netherland)
• steering committee member Dr Dubravka Spevec (Croatia)
• steering committee member Ms Li Ling Tan (Singapore)
• current local organiser Dr Susan Pike (Ireland, 2024)
• past local organiser Dr Samsul Bachri, Ir. (Indonesia, 2023)
• future local organiser Dr Pannee Cheewinsiriwat (Thailand, 2025)
• future local organiser xxx (Turkey, 2026)

During the 1994 IGU Congress in Prague, geographers from Poland and the Netherlands launched the idea of an International Geography Competition (iGeo) or Olympiad for students between 15 and 19 years of age. The first iGeo was held in 1996 in The Hague, The Netherlands, with five participating countries, the second in 1998 in Lisbon, Portugal, and the third in 2000 in Seoul, South Korea, with 13 teams participating. The 2002 IGU congress in South Africa hosted the fourth iGeo in Durban, with 12 teams participating. Sixteen countries took part in the fifth iGeo in 2004 in Gdansk, Poland. The sixth was in Brisbane, Australia, in 2006 with 23 teams participating. In 2008 in Carthage, Tunisia, 24 teams participated in the seventh iGeo. The 2010 iGeo was in Taipei with 27 teams. At the ninth Olympiad in 2012 in Cologne, Germany, there were 32 teams.

Up until 2012, the Olympiads were held every two years. In the intervening years some regional Olympiads were held. These included the Central European Regional Geography Olympiads, and the Asia Pacific Regional Geography Olympiad held in 2007, 2009 and 2011. The IGU decided to have Regional Conferences every year between the 2012 Congress in Cologne and the 2016 Congress in Beijing. Since then, iGeo has become an annual event with an exception in 2020 due to the disruption of Covid-19 pandemics. It was held at Kyoto (2013), Kraków (2014), Tver (2015), Beijing (2016), Belgrade (2017), Quebec (2018) and Hongkong (2019) and was held online in 2021 (Istanbul) and 2022 (Paris). In August 2023, a face-to-face iGeo was again held in Bandung, Indonesia. Participating countries are from all five continents. ‘List of Participating Teams’ on page of Previous iGeos provides the details. In August 2023, a face to face iGeo was held in Bandung, Indonesia.

Some iGeo Task Force members gathered at 2023 iGeo Bandung (from left to right): Alexis Alamel (France, 2022), Susan Lomas (co-chair, UK), Samsul Bachri (Indonesia, 2023), Susan Pike (Ireland, 2024), Dubravka Spevec (Croatia), Tomasz Sawicki (Poland), Su-Min Shen (co-chair, Taiwan), Tim Schuring (The Netherland) and Pannee Cheewinsiriwat (Thailand, 2025).

Past Task Force Members

2012/8 - 2016/8

• co-chair Ms Kath Berg (Australia)
• co-chair Prof Lex Chalmers (New Zealand)
• steering committee member Mr Henk Ankoné (The Netherlands)
• steering committee member Prof Fernando Garcia-Garcia (Mexico)
• steering committee member Ms Sue Lomas (UK)
• current local organiser of the year
• past local organiser of the year
• future local organiser of the year

2008/8 - 2012/8

• co-chair Mr Henk Ankoné (The Netherlands)
• co-chair Prof Joop van der Schee (The Netherlands)
• secretary Ms Kath Berg (Australia)
• steering committee member Prof Fernando Garcia-Garcia (Mexico)
• steering committee member Ms Sue Lomas (UK)
• current local organiser of the year
• past local organiser of the year
• future local organiser of the year

2004/8 - 2008/8

• co-chair Mr Henk Ankoné (The Netherlands)
• co-chair Prof Joop van der Schee (The Netherlands)
• current local organiser of the year
• past local organiser of the year
• future local organiser of the year

Past Local Organisers

• 2023 Bandung, Indonesia: Dr Samsul Bachri, Ir.
• 2022 Paris, France (on-line): Dr Alexis Alamel
• 2021 Istanbul, Turkey (on-line): Prof Barbaros Gönençgil
• 2019 Hong Kong, China: Dr Alice S.Y. Chow
• 2018 Quebec City, Canada: Prof Lynn Moorman
• 2017 Belgrade, Serbia: Mr Nikola Srzentic
• 2016 Beijing, China: Prof Wang Min
• 2015 Tver, Russia: Dr Alexey Naumov
• 2014 Krakow, Poland: Mr Tomasz Sawicki
• 2013 Kyoto, Japan: Prof Yoshiyasu Ida
• 2012 Cologne, Germany: Dr. Dorothea Wiktorin
• 2010 Taipei, Taiwan: Dr Su-Min Shen
• 2008 Carthage, Tunisia: Dr Zouhaier Hlaoui
• 2006 Brisbane, Australia: Ms Kath Berg
• 2004 Gdansk, Poland: Mr WiesÍaw Kosokowski
• 2002 Durban, South Africa: Dr Kevin Winter
• 2000 Seoul, Korea: Prof Doo-il Kim
• 1998 Lisbon, Portugal: Prof George Camacho
• 1996 The Hague, The Netherlands: Mr Henk Ankoné