The 2012 World Junior Championships in Athletics was an international athletics competition for athletes qualifying as juniors (born 1993 or later) which was held at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, on 10–15 July 2012.

[1] A total of 44 athletics events were contested at the championships, 22 by male and 22 by female athletes.

Several medalists from the 2010 championships were eligible to defend their titles, including Jacko Gill, Jodie Williams, Shaunae Miller, and Angelica Bengtsson.

*   Host nation (Spain)According to an unofficial count through an unofficial result list,[2] 1566 athletes from 171 countries participated in the event.

This is in agreement with the official numbers as published.