At the 1956 Winter Olympics six cross-country skiing events – four for men and two for women – were contested after men's 30 km and women's 3 × 5 km relay were added. The competitions were held from Friday, 27 January, to Sunday, 4 February 1956.
Sweden competed at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland competed as Great Britain at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
France competed at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, from January 26 to February 5
Norway competed at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
Austria competed at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
Italy was the host nation for the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo. It was the first time that Italy had hosted the Olympic Games.
Switzerland competed at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
Finland competed at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
Germany was represented at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy by a United Team of Germany of athletes from the Federal Republic of Germany and, for the first time, also from the German Democratic Republic which had not joined in 1952.
Czechoslovakia competed at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
Poland competed at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Franciszek Gąsienica Groń won Poland's first ever medal at the Winter Olympic Games.
Poland competed at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, United States.
Romania competed at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
Latvia competed at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. It was the first time since 1936 that the nation had competed as an independent nation at the Winter Olympic Games. Latvian athletes competed for the Soviet Union from 1956 to 1988.
Latvia competed at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway.
Latvia competed at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
The People's Republic of China competed at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia.
Bulgaria competed at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Bulgaria won its first ever gold medal when Ekaterina Dafovska won the Women's 15 km Biathlon.
Bulgaria competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Croatia (1992–)
Slovenia (1992–)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (1994–)
North Macedonia (1998–)
Serbia and Montenegro (1998–2006)
Montenegro (2010–)
Serbia (2010–)
Kosovo (2018–)
