Almost every other country featured previous unknowns. The reason became obvious. Most of the players are young, probably in their 20s and many are teenagers. No doubt, some were no longer strong enough to make their national teams. Others had perhaps given up chess for money-making activities.
Most European countries seem to have at least one.
Some of the former Soviets have changed countries two or even three times. Two teams from the Philippines came to compete. The next Philippines Chess Federation was started by a Campomanes group, whereas the old established Philippines Chess Federation is led by Art Borjal. Since it was known that the FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov favored the Campomanes Group, the Borjal group filed suit to stop the Campomanes group from representing the Philippines at the World Chess Olympiad. The Borjal Group failed to win an injunction, but they are here in Istanbul at their own expense.