(1) China won the most gold medals at the Beijing Games with 51. They become the first country to crack the 50-gold mark since the Soviet Union in 1988. The most gold medals ever won in a single Olympics is 83 (United States, 1984).

(2) It's the first time since 1936 that a country other than the United States or the Soviet Union has led the medal count.

(9) African countries won a total of 40 medals, the highest total in history for the continent.

(10) Six countries won their first ever Olympic medals: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Mauritius, Sudan, Tajikistan and Togo.

(11) Great Britain won 47 medals, the most in their history and a 17-medal increase from Athens. Expect an even higher total in 2012, when the Games will be held in London for the first time in 68 years. The last time Great Britain competed in a Summer Olympics on its home turf, they earned a disappointing three gold.

(16) Iceland was the least populous country to win an Olympic medal.

(17) Pakistan was the most populous country not to win an Olympic medal (164 million residents, sixth-largest nation in the world).

(31) Panama and Mongolia won the first gold medals in their respective histories.

(36) In all, 958 medals were handed out to athletes from 87 countries, the most medals and medal recipients in Olympic history.