The term orienteering was first used in the late 19th century in Scandinavia. It was initially used to describe an exercise of military officers navigating unfamiliar terrain with only a map and compass. The activity was further developed in Sweden with the first true orienteering competition taking place in Norway in 1897.
Since then orienteering has evolved into a world wide sport with competitions taking place across the globe. It is now divided into three main categories which are:
- Foot Orienteering
- Mountain Bike Orienteering
- Ski Orienteering
The sport continues to grow with international competitions taking place every year including the World Orienteering Championships and the World Cup series.