A record of 197 nations took part in the Games, comprising 10,318 athletes.
The 1996 Summer Games were the first to be staged in a different year from the Winter Games.
Atlanta became the fifth American city to host the Olympic Games and the third to hold a Summer Olympic Games.
Atlanta was selected on 18 September 1990 in Tokyo, Japan, over Athens, Belgrade, Manchester, Melbourne, and Toronto at the 96th IOC Session.
The Games' official theme was "Summon the Heroes". It was written by John Williams. That was the third Olympiad for which he had composed.