International & Universal Expos

Right from the start the BIE identified two different categories of expositions: Universal Expos and International Expos which differ as follows:

Expo 2015 - Masterplan

Universal Expo

  • Frequency: every 5 years
  • Duration: at least 6 months
  • Expo site: there are no limitations
  • Theme: general interest (the entire range of human experiences) .

International Expo

  • Frequency: in the intervals between two Universal Expos
  • Duration: at least 3 months
  • Expo site at least 25 hectares
  • Theme: specialized