If Michael Phelps were a country, how would his medal haul compare?

United States' Michael Phelps celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's 4x100-meter final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Photo / AP.

Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time - after he won his 23rd Olympic medal, and his first gold of the Rio Games today.

He would be ahead of Georgia, Uzbekistan, Croatia, Chile, Israel, the old Russian Empire and Tunisia. He's also ahead of India, Taiwan, Portugal, Nigeria and Thailand. In terms of golds, he's ahead of North Korea.

He has more than the previous top scorer, gymnast Larisa Latynina, who competed for the USSR and won 18 medals including nine golds.

He now has 19 gold medals, two silvers and two bronze. If Phelps were a country, he would be 58 in the world league table of Olympic medal winners on total medals alone (the so-called US ranking).

And, if you rank him based on the weighting the International Olympic Committee give medals (where gold has the most weight), he would actually be 47, behind Azerbaijan and way ahead of India.

Thankfully, New Zealand dominates Phelps, with a total of 104 medals including 42 golds.