International Mathematical Olympiad

Historical eventJuly 211959

International Mathematical Olympiad

The inaugural International Mathematical Olympiad, the leading mathematical competition for pre-university students, began in Romania.

Everything on July 21Original source

In context

When
Tuesday, July 21 195967 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
20th century · 1950s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 1959.

Type: Knowledge Olympiad, annual event, and recurring event.

What happened

The International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) is an annual mathematical competition for pre-university students, and is the oldest of the International Science Olympiads. It is widely regarded as the most prestigious mathematical competition in the world. The first IMO was held in Romania in 1959. It has since been held annually, except in 1980. More than 100 countries participate. Each country sends a team of up to six students, plus one team leader, one deputy leader, and observers.

July 21 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1959International Mathematical Olympiad
  2. 2008Ram Baran Yadav
  3. 2010Barack Obama
  4. 2011NASA
  5. 2012Erden Eruç
  6. 20132013 Iranian diplomat kidnapping
  7. 20192019 Yuen Long attack
  8. 20192019–2020 Hong Kong protests
  9. 2023Barbenheimer
  10. 2024Joe Biden
  11. 2025Bangladesh Air Force

Also in 1959

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Everything we record for 1959 →

Sources

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“International Mathematical Olympiad”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/international-mathematical-olympiad-1959-july-21, accessed October 24, 2026.

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Questions about this entry

When did International Mathematical Olympiad happen?

July 21 1959 — 67 years ago, on a Tuesday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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