During the Parade of Nations within the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, athletes and officials from each participating team marched in the Maracanã Stadium preceded by their flag and placard bearer.
Each flag bearer had been chosen either by the team's National Olympic Committee or by the athletes themselves.
Other teams entered in alphabetical order in the language of the host country (Portuguese), according with tradition and IOC guidelines.
The team from the United Kingdom entered under Great Britain, for historical reasons.
Additionally, Brunei, Ivory Coast, the United States, Hong Kong, Iran, Laos, Moldova, Russia, Syria, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, the United States Virgin Islands, and the British Virgin Islands all entered under their formal names, respectively "Brunei Darussalam" (Brunei Darussalam), "Côte d’Ivoire" (Costa do Marfim), "United States of America" (Estados Unidos da América), "Hong Kong, China" (Hong Kong, China), "Islamic Republic of Iran" (República Islâmica do Irã), "Lao People's Democratic Republic" (República Popular Democrática do Laos), "Republic of Moldova" (República da Moldova), "Russian Federation" (Federação da Rússia), "Syrian Arab Republic" (República Árabe da Síria), "United Republic of Tanzania" (República Unida da Tanzânia), "Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste" (República Democrática de Timor-Leste), "American Virgin Islands" (Ilhas Virgens Americanas), and "British Virgin Islands" (Ilhas Virgens Britânicas).