The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad, will take place in London, England from 27 July to 12 August 2012. The 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will use a mixture of new venues, existing and historic facilities, and temporary facilities, some of them in well-known locations such as Hyde Park and Horse Guards Parade. Some of the new facilities will be reused in their Olympic form, while others will be resized or relocated.

From the wonder of the Opening Ceremony to the thrills of the sporting action, find out what will be happening where during the London 2012 Olympic games. Get the latest news, views, facts, figures and information on the world’s biggest ever festival of sport. Live updates, direct from the UK, taking you to the very heart of the Olympic action.

From 241 participants representing 14 nations in 1896, the Games have grown to about 10,500 competitors from 204 countries at the 2008 Summer Olympics. The scope and scale of the Winter Olympics is smaller. For example, Turin hosted 2,508 athletes from 80 countries competing in 84 events, during the 2006 Winter Olympics. During the Games most athletes and officials are housed in the Olympic village. This village is intended to be a self-contained home for all the Olympic participants. It is furnished with cafeterias, health clinics, and locations for religious expression.