The IOF head office is located in Karlstad, Sweden.

[3] The IOF was founded on 21 May 1961 at a Congress held in Copenhagen, Denmark by the orienteering national federations of Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, the German Democratic Republic, Finland, Hungary, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

[4] By 1969, the IOF represented 16 countries, including its first two non-European member federations representing Japan and Canada,[5] and in 1977 the IOF was recognised by the International Olympic Committee.

[1] Several standing commissions of the IOF are responsible for the development of the sport worldwide.

Sources:[10][11] Since 1977, the IOF has been recognised by the International Olympic Committee.