# International Biology Olympiad

> award

**Wikidata**: [Q1160329](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1160329)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Biology_Olympiad)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/international-biology-olympiad

## Summary
The International Biology Olympiad (IBO) is an international organization and Knowledge Olympiad established in 1990 that functions as an award in the field of biology. It operates as a member of the International Science Olympiad and is governed by a chairperson who leads the IBO Steering Committee.

## Key Facts
- Founded in 1990
- Classified as both a Knowledge Olympiad and an international organization
- Member of the International Science Olympiad
- Main subject focus: biology
- Governed by the chairperson of the IBO Steering Committee
- Official website: http://www.ibo-info.org/ (available in English)
- Freebase identifier: /m/033fkm
- Wikipedia presence across 36 language editions
- Wikimedia Commons category: International Biology Olympiad
- Also known by multiple aliases including IBO, Olympiades internationales de biologie, Biologieolympiade, and Biologie-Olympiade
- Chinese language aliases include: 国际生物奥林匹亚, 国际生物学奥林匹克竞赛, 國際生物奧林匹克竞赛, 國際生物學奧林匹克競賽, 國際生物奧林匹亞

## FAQs

**What is the International Biology Olympiad and when was it founded?**
The International Biology Olympiad is a Knowledge Olympiad and international organization that was established in 1990. It serves as an award focused on biology and operates under the governance of a Steering Committee chairperson.

**What organization is the IBO affiliated with?**
The IBO is a member of the International Science Olympiad, which connects it to a broader network of international scientific competitions.

**In how many languages is information about the IBO available?**
The IBO has Wikipedia articles in 36 languages, including Arabic, Bengali, Catalan, Czech, German, English, Esperanto, Persian, Finnish, French, Hebrew, Hindi, Armenian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Kazakh, Korean, Lithuanian, Latvian, Mongolian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Simple English, Swedish, Thai, Turkmen, Turkish, Ukrainian, Uzbek, Vietnamese, West Flemish, and Chinese.

**How is the International Biology Olympiad governed?**
The organization is led by a chairperson who heads the IBO Steering Committee, which provides strategic direction and oversight for the Olympiad's operations.

## Why It Matters
The International Biology Olympiad represents a significant international collaborative effort to recognize and promote excellence in biological sciences among students worldwide. Since its establishment in 1990, it has created a structured framework for competition and achievement in biology on a global scale. As a member of the International Science Olympiad family, the IBO contributes to a broader ecosystem of scientific academic competitions that encourage educational advancement and cross-cultural scientific exchange. The organization's extensive multilingual presence—with Wikipedia articles in 36 languages—demonstrates its global reach and relevance across diverse educational systems and cultures. Through its work, the IBO helps elevate the profile of biological sciences as a critical field of study and fosters international cooperation in science education.

## Notable For
- Operating as both an international organization and a Knowledge Olympiad, a dual classification that distinguishes it within academic competitions
- Sustained global impact since 1990, maintaining relevance across decades of scientific advancement
- Extensive multilingual presence with Wikipedia coverage in 36 languages, reflecting worldwide engagement
- Membership in the International Science Olympiad, placing it within an elite network of scientific competitions
- Exclusive focus on biology as its main subject, making it a premier international platform for biological sciences
- Governance through a Steering Committee structure led by a designated chairperson

## Body

### Organizational Identity and Classification
The International Biology Olympiad holds a dual classification as both a Knowledge Olympiad and an international organization. This classification positions the IBO uniquely within the landscape of academic competitions, functioning simultaneously as an award-granting body and a formal organizational structure. The organization is known by several aliases across different languages and regions: IBO (its common abbreviation), Olympiades internationales de biologie (French), Biologieolympiade and Biologie-Olympiade (German), and multiple Chinese language variants including 国际生物奥林匹亚, 国际生物学奥林匹克竞赛, 國際生物奧林匹克竞赛, 國際生物學奧林匹克競賽, and 國際生物奧林匹亞.

### Historical Foundation
The IBO was established in 1990, marking the beginning of what would become a prominent international biology competition. Since its inception over three decades ago, the organization has maintained continuous operation, building a network that spans multiple continents and educational systems. The Freebase identifier for the IBO is /m/033fkm, with records referencing data from October 28, 2013.

### Visual Identity and Documentation
The organization maintains official visual assets accessible through Wikimedia Commons. Its logo is available at the Wikimedia Commons file repository, and photographic documentation of past IBO events exists, including images of inauguration stages from previous competitions. These visual assets are organized under the commons category "International Biology Olympiad."

### Digital Presence and Accessibility
The IBO's official website operates at http://www.ibo-info.org/ and provides content in English. The organization maintains a significant digital footprint evidenced by its comprehensive Wikipedia presence. The Wikipedia article titled "International Biology Olympiad" is available in 36 languages: Arabic (ar), Bengali (bn), Catalan (ca), Commons (commons), Czech (cs), German (de), English (en), Esperanto (eo), Persian (fa), Finnish (fi), French (fr), Hebrew (he), Hindi (hi), Armenian (hy), Indonesian (id), Italian (it), Japanese (ja), Kazakh (kk), Korean (ko), Lithuanian (lt), Latvian (lv), Mongolian (mn), Dutch (nl), Polish (pl), Portuguese (pt), Russian (ru), Simple English (simple), Swedish (sv), Thai (th), Turkmen (tk), Turkish (tr), Ukrainian (uk), Uzbek (uz), Vietnamese (vi), West Flemish (vls), and Chinese (zh). Wikipedia references cite the English Wikipedia article as a source, with an oldid reference to revision 849405000.

### Governance and Leadership
The IBO operates under a structured governance model headed by the chairperson of the IBO Steering Committee. This leadership position carries the responsibility of guiding the organization's strategic direction and overseeing its international operations. The Steering Committee structure provides organizational stability and ensures continuity across competition cycles.

### International Affiliations and Network
The IBO holds membership in the International Science Olympiad, integrating it into a prestigious network of international academic competitions spanning multiple scientific disciplines. This membership connects the biology-focused Olympiad to a broader community of scientific organizations and educational initiatives. The related international organization classification connects to entities established by treaty between governments, with a reference sitelink count of 92 for this organizational category.

### Subject Focus
The organization's main subject is biology, dedicating its mission and activities exclusively to this scientific discipline. This focused approach allows the IBO to develop specialized competition formats, assessment criteria, and educational standards tailored to biological sciences.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013