XXI World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships were held in Berlin, the capital of Germany, October 23–26, 1997.

The following countries sent competitor(s) Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, The United Kingdom, USA, Uzbekistan and Yugoslavia Lorena Garroco, Roxana Marion, Sandra Re, Anahi Sosa Nina Aloian, Narine Davoyan, Lusine Galstyan, Karine Kachatrian Shaneez Johnston, Danielle Le Ray, Leigh Marning, Kristy Darrah Alexandra Baer, Valerie Hackl, Birgit Schilien Alfia Kukshinova, Alieva Nourdjachan, Irina Pavlichenco, Sabina Tagiev Tatiana Ogrizko, Evgenia Pavlina, Yulia Raskina, Valeria Vatkina Astrid de Mul, Frederique Donnay, Cecile Maissin Kizzy Antualpa, Dayane Camilo da Silva, Camila Ferezin, Elise Penedo Teodora Alexandrova, Borinna Guineva, Viktoria Danova Julia Lombara, Jodie Miller, Erika Leigh Stirton Yunfei Pu, Xi Zhang, Bei Wu, Xiaojing Zhou Kristina Bajaz, Petra Jurinec, Zrinka Uzbinec, Tanja Balazic Yamile Sotolongo, Yordania Corrales, Yasleidy Rodriguez Lucie Barkova, Renata Hostinska, Kamila Krynicka, Andrea Sebestova Angela Georgiou, Maria Kyprianidou, Chrtalla Panayiotou, Elena Theodorou Natalja Kornysheva, Ege Soidla, Irina Stadnik, Julia Tsvetajeva Heini Lautala, Heidi Niemi, Minna Markkanen, Laura Pietilainen Eva Serrano, Stephanie Delayat, Caroline Stepanoff, Amelie Villeneuve Magdalena Brzeska, Edita Schaufler, Monique Strobl, Helene Asmus Sophia Bakola, Maria Pagalou, Irene Polydorou, Georgia Straka Viktoria Frater, Orsolya Balogh, Dora Toth, Katalin Kiss Lital Baumwell, Svetlana Tokayev, Ania Shabsis, Dana Sulema Susanna Marchesi, Martina Nadalini, Arianna Rusca, Laura Zacchilli Mikako Iwamoto, Rieko Matsunaga, Kayako Miyazaki, Yukari Murata Elena Rogojina, Yulia Yourtchenko, Valeria Khairoulina Saule Tlebaldinova Lioubov Hohloya, Darya Medyouho, Ina Proyouma, Ana Zelenska Anzelika Filipovic, Kristina Kliukevichute, Natalija Filistovic, Živilė Rezgytė Carolyn Au Yong, Farah Zellinah Kemal, Sarina Sundarajah, Chee Kiat Thye Silvia Palacios, Marcela Salinas, Laura Escalante, Karenia Gutierrez Sabina Hoogendijk, Lucinda Schuurman, Ramona Stook Felicity Gould-Thorpe, Gemma Railton, Simone Clark Marianne Haugli, Siri Kjeksrud Krystyna Leskiewicz, Joanna Bobrucka, Agnieszka Brandebura, Anna Kwitniewska Ines Honorio, Susana Nascimento, Vanessa Pereira, Joana Raposo Evelina Benchea, Dilana Ferencz, Dana Carteleanu, Alina Stoica Yana Batyrshina, Natalia Lipkovskaya, Amina Zaripova Zuzana Dobiasova, Eva Filcova, Eleonora Korcekova, Ivana Morolikova Anja Cucek, Dusica Jeremic, Ana Rebov, Nina Vengust Andrea Schermoly, Michelle Cameron, Brigitte Heeb, Cheryl Phillips Hwang Sook-Hyun, Kim Eun-Hae, Kim Min-Jung, Kwon Bo-Young Almudena Cid, Alba Caride-Costas, Esther Dominguez, Carolina Malchair Aunchaya Yeansukon Misra Gigeroglu Tamara Erofeeva, Elena Vitrichenko, Tatiana Popova Debbie McLarnon, Annabel Brown, Laura Mackie, Melanie Willmott Alicia Albe, Tara McCargo, Meaghan Muller Lilya Nasirova, Tanya Budarina, Elena Mesheryakova, Irina Zamyatina Iva Zimonjic