The 2011 Eurovision Song Contest

Here are some facts about the event:

PAST CONTESTS:

* The first contest took place in 1956. It was originally conceived in Monaco by Marcel Bezencon and based on the Italian Sanremo Festival held since 1951. Switzerland won the first contest.

* The Eurovision Song Contest boasts a television audience estimated at around 100 million people each year.

EUROVISION RECORDS:

* Singer Johnny Logan has won the contest three times. In 1980 and 1987 he represented Ireland and won both times. In 1992 he wrote Linda Martin's winning entry.

* ABBA is the most successful Eurovision Song Contest winner. The Swedish band won the contest in 1974 with the song "Waterloo."

* The most covered song in the contest is Domenico Mudugno's "Nel Blu Di Pinto Di Blu," also known as "Volare."

* Norway came last most often -- in 1963, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1981, 1990, 1997, 2001 and 2004. However, they have also won three times -- in 1985, 1995 and 2009. Ireland has won seven times, Luxembourg, France and the United Kingdom five times. Sweden and the Netherlands have won four times.

* Most winning songs are performed in English - songs (mostly) in English won 22 times. French is also popular, with 14 victories. Dutch and Hebrew songs have won 3 times each.

* Dima Bilan, 26, gave Russia its first victory in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2008 with a rock ballad "Believe."

* More than 1,000 songs already have taken part in the Eurovision Song Contest. In 2006, the song of Ireland's Brian Kennedy was number 1,000.

* Around 43 nations are taking part in the 2011 contest.

WHO WON IN 2010:

* Nineteen-year-old German Lena Meyer-Landrut won the 55th Eurovision song contest with the British-styled pop number "Satellite" on May 29, beating 24 other contestants.

* Lena was the second German winner of Eurovision, the only other, being in 1982 with Nicole's anti-war ballad "Ein bisschen Frieden" (A Little Peace).

* Lena's song for 2011 is called "Taken By A Stranger"