When did the Winter Olympics begin?
The idea of a separate Winter Olympics was first proposed in 1921. In 1924, a competition called International Winter Sports Week was held in France. It was a great success and later became known as the first Winter Olympics.
Since that time, the Winter Olympics have been staged every four years except in 1940 and 1944 because of World War II.
Until 1986 the Winter Games were held in the same year as the Summer Olympics. Since then they have been held in different years.
Who organises the Winter Olympic Games?
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) selects the host city for the Games and approves the sports in which the athletes compete. The IOC also sets the rules for competition and says who has the right to show the Games on television.
Who can compete?
Athletes from any country are able to compete in the Olympics but they must first be selected by the Olympic Committee in their own country.
Where will the Winter Olympic Games be held in 2018?
The XXIII Winter Olympics 2018 will be held in Pyeongchang in South Korea.
Pyeongchang is a place in South Korea about 180 kilometres from the country's capital city Seoul. It is a mountainous region that has long, cold and dry winters.
The area is popular with mountain hikers and the Alpensia ski resort is a tourist attraction. There are slopes for skiing and snowboarding and it is open all year round.
The South Korean Government is spending 13 billion dollars on the Games.
A new concert hall is being built for the 2018 Cultural Olympiad.
A new high-speed train will transport spectators from Seoul in under an hour.