Snapshot
- IQ scores, indicative of educational quality and resources in regions, are based on standard tests adjusted by national academic assessments and data quality considerations.
- While IQ is a common measure of intelligence, other metrics include academic test scores, the Intelligence Capital Index, and the number of Nobel Prizes won.
- Only Singapore and Finland appear consistently across all three ranking lists presented in the article, validating these countriesâ rankings but also indicating the diversity of factors considered in measuring average IQ globally.
Intelligence quotient (IQ) is a measure of human intelligence. People who want to have their IQ measured take standardized tests and receive a score that ranks their intelligence level. The higher one's IQ score, the more intelligent that person is considered to be.
IQ and Education: Two Sides of the Same Coin
IQ scores typically reflect the quality of education and resources available to people in their local geographic regions. Areas of the world with lower IQ scores are typically poorer and less developed, particularly in the area of education, compared to countries with higher IQ scores. Many researchers also use IQ to determine the smartest countries in the world. The IQ map above shades each country depending on how high the average IQ score in it is.
Which Country Has the Highest Average IQ?
According to a 2019 study by researchers Richard Lynn and David Becker at the Ulster Institute, the highest average IQ scores in the world belong to the Japanese, with the citizens of Taiwan and Singapore close behind. The top 10 list appears below, and the full rankings appear in the table further down this page.
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/average-iq-by-country
Top 10 Countries with the Highest Average IQ - Ulster Institute 2019:*
106.48
106.47
105.89
105.37
104.1
102.35
101.6
101.2
101.07
100.74
*It bears mentioning that Lynn's studies, while comprehensive, tend to spark considerable debate.
As the data demonstrates, average IQ scores vary widely across the globe. Some researchers divide the world's countries into ranked categories based on their average IQ scores. These averages were obtained by starting with the country's average score in standard IQ tests (a common starting point), then fine-tuning those scores with additional measurements, such as national math, reading, and science assessments, while also factoring in the overall quality of the data.
Other Methods of Measuring Intelligence
However, it's important to remember that IQ isn't the only way to measure intelligence. There are many different ways to seek out the smartest countries in the world, and many of them have nothing to do with average IQ. For instance, it is possible to evaluate a countryâs academic test scores, likelihood of "expanding the frontier of knowledge" and introducing new data technologies, or even the number of Nobel Prizes won.
Top 10 Smartest Countries Based on Students' Test Scores in Reading, Math and Science - OECD PISA 2022:
1679
575
561
543
1605
552
543
510
1599
536
547
516
1599
547
537
515
1570
527
528
515
1560
540
520
500
1547
510
526
511
1519
497
515
507
1512
492
504
516
1494
508
503
483
Top 10 Countries with the Highest Intelligence Capital Index - 2017:
74.9
A+
64.2
A
64.2
A
64
A
63.6
A
61.6
A
61.6
A
61.2
A
60.5
A
60.3
A
Source
The average IQ in a country is calculated by starting with the country's average score in standard IQ tests, fine-tuning with national math, reading, and science assessments, and considering the overall data quality. The sources of data considered in this article vary by the number of variables considered, depth of analysis, and recency of data.
- Substantial research on the subject of national IQs was conducted by psychologist Richard Lynn (1930-2023), working alongside the late Tatu Vanhanen (1929-2015) or, for 2019's The Intelligence of Nations, with David Becker.
- Becker's estimates are categorized by source. T = value is based upon actual test results from said country. E = value is a best-guess estimate based upon measured values of nearby countries.
- Becker's contributions were highly controversial. He promoted the theory that specific races and genders are genetically predisposed to be more intelligent than others, and both his methology and his objectivity were often called into question. However, his work brought attention to the field and he is frequently (if often grudgingly) considered a pioneer in the field of national intelligence.
- The OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a triennial survey of 15-year-old students around the world that measures students' ability to recall learned knowledge and apply it in new settings both in and out of school. PISA results were most recently released in 2022.
- The Intelligence Capital Index (ICI) was created by economist Kai L. Chan and most recently updated in 2017.
197 countries
42.99
T
D
18.3
45.07
T
45.07
E
47.72
T
D+
22.8
1091
344
373
374
52.5
E
52.68
T
52.69
T
D+
22.5
53.48
E
D-
6.8
58.16
T
D
17.4
58.16
E
58.61
T
59.76
T
D-
9.9
59.76
E
D-
11.6
59.83
E
62.16
E
D+
20.2
62.55
E
62.55
E
62.86
T
62.97
T
62.97
E
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
63.42
T
64.92
T
65.22
E
66.03
T
66.19
T
D
18.9
67.03
T
D+
22.6
1069
365
365
339
67.67
T
67.76
T
D-
13.9
67.76
E
D
17.8
68.41
E
68.42
T
D-
10.3
68.43
E
D
18.9
68.77
T
68.87
T
C
33
68.87
E
D
16.1
68.87
E
69.45
T
D+
23.9
69.63
E
D+
21.7
1081
343
373
365
69.7
T
D-
10.7
69.71
E
D-
12.8
69.95
E
D-
9.9
70.48
E
70.48
E
70.82
E
72.09
E
D-
8.8
72.5
E
D-
10.9
73.68
E
73.8
T
74.01
T
D-
11.7
74.33
T
D
16.9
74.41
T
74.95
T
D-
14.4
75.08
T
C-
26.7
1190
377
403
410
75.1
T
75.2
T
D
19.3
76
E
D
19.1
76.24
T
C-
29.4
76.32
T
D+
21.6
76.36
T
C
30.2
1162
389
390
383
76.42
T
D-
12.4
76.53
T
D+
22.3
76.69
E
76.79
E
D-
9
77.07
E
77.37
E
D-
13.2
77.69
T
1084
366
369
349
78.26
T
C-
25.3
78.49
T
D+
23.7
1108
366
383
359
78.49
E
78.64
T
C-
29.8
78.7
T
C-
27.1
78.76
T
78.87
T
78.87
E
D-
10.3
79
E
C-
28.8
1137
357
388
392
79.09
T
C-
27.2
79.22
E
D+
24.8
79.34
E
80
T
D
19.6
80.01
T
C-
25.5
80.54
E
80.7
T
C-
26
1078
361
375
342
80.78
T
C
31.3
1265
414
432
419
80.92
T
80.99
T
D
18.8
81.36
E
81.44
T
C-
28
1207
391
408
408
81.64
T
C-
26.6
1058
355
356
347
81.7
T
D
19.8
81.75
E
D+
23.4
1102
368
376
358
81.91
E
C-
28.3
1128
389
380
359
81.99
T
82.05
T
D+
23.9
1050
339
360
351
82.05
T
C+
35.9
1280
431
432
417
82.1
T
82.12
E
82.24
E
82.99
T
C-
26.8
83.13
T
C-
27.9
1203
383
411
409
83.23
E
83.38
T
C+
36.2
1192
379
403
410
83.6
T
C-
29.6
83.9
T
83.96
E
83.96
E
83.96
E
83.96
E
83.96
E
83.96
E
83.96
T
83.96
E
84.04
E
D+
24.5
1079
338
368
373
84.29
E
84.5
E
C
31.5
1148
390
384
374
84.81
E
C-
28.6
1142
397
380
365
85.78
E
C
34.6
1214
406
403
405
85.86
E
86.56
T
C
31.7
86.62
T
D+
23.2
86.63
T
B-
40.5
1185
378
406
401
86.8
T
C
33.4
1385
453
476
456
86.88
T
C+
39.4
1284
428
428
428
86.99
T
87.58
T
C+
35.5
1213
409
416
388
87.58
E
1317
442
446
429
87.59
E
C+
37.9
1274
409
435
430
87.71
T
D+
23.1
87.73
T
C
30.7
1220
395
410
415
87.89
T
C+
37.8
1304
412
444
448
87.94
E
88.34
T
C
32.4
1211
385
411
415
88.54
T
C-
25.8
88.82
E
C-
29.6
88.87
T
C-
29.2
1182
394
409
379
88.89
T
C+
35.1
1234
425
423
386
89.01
T
1055
364
355
336
89.28
T
89.53
T
C-
25.1
1403
469
472
462
89.6
T
C+
35.2
1327
440
447
440
89.98
E
C
31.5
1242
414
417
411
90.07
T
C+
38.3
1319
441
450
428
90.29
E
90.77
T
B-
40.1
1309
430
441
438
90.99
T
B-
43.3
1242
417
421
404
91.03
T
C-
27.4
1215
425
412
378
91.18
E
91.27
T
B-
40.8
1377
466
466
445
91.6
T
92.43
T
B+
50.1
1397
458
465
474
92.77
T
B-
44.8
1433
472
484
477
93.39
T
C+
38.5
1210
418
411
381
93.48
T
93.9
T
B
49.8
1432
473
485
474
93.92
E
93.92
E
94.23
T
B
48
1430
471
477
482
94.79
T
B
45.8
1452
483
494
475
94.92
T
B+
51.8
1474
487
498
489
95.13
T
B+
53.6
1512
492
504
516
95.2
E
95.75
T
C+
38.5
1421
463
483
475
95.89
T
B
46.3
1431
475
484
472
96.29
T
B
46.6
96.32
T
B-
43.6
1373
464
462
447
96.35
T
B
45.6
1477
489
499
489
96.69
T
A-
56.7
1435
474
487
474
97
T
A
61.6
1463
482
494
487
97.13
T
B+
55
1423
468
478
477
97.43
T
A+
74.9
1468
465
499
504
97.49
T
A-
58.7
1459
489
491
479
97.83
T
A
60.3
1472
489
494
489
98.26
T
B+
52
1342
459
447
436
98.38
T
A-
58.7
1458
487
491
480
98.57
T
A-
57.3
1484
479
504
501
98.6
T
B+
51.5
1454
485
500
469
98.82
E
98.89
T
99.12
T
A
64.2
1483
489
500
494
99.24
T
A
64
1492
487
507
498
99.24
T
B
50
1432
473
486
473
99.24
T
A
61.6
1494
508
503
483
99.52
T
A
61.2
1519
497
515
507
99.75
T
D
16.1
1012
336
347
329
99.82
E
99.87
E
B+
53.8
100.72
T
B
49.5
1547
510
526
511
100.74
T
A
64.2
1447
475
492
480
100.74
T
A-
58.7
1440
493
488
459
101.07
E
101.2
T
A
60.5
1485
484
511
490
101.6
T
102.35
T
A-
56.4
1570
527
528
515
104.1
T
B
47.3
1605
552
543
510
105.37
T
B+
51.2
1560
540
520
500
105.89
T
A
63.6
1679
575
561
543
106.47
T
B
45.7
1599
547
537
515
106.48
T
A-
58.9
1599
536
547
516
Total
438.69
447.99
436.19
Progress Bar
00:00 00:00
Which country has the highest average IQ?
Japan has the highest average IQ in the world, with an average IQ of 106.48.
What are the top 10 countries by IQ?
The top ten countries by IQ are Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, South Korea, Belarus, Finland, Liechtenstein and Germany.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Intelligence Capital Index - Kailchan
- Pisa 2022 - OCED
- Intelligence related to income and climate - 2006
- The Intelligence of Nations - Ulster Institute 2019
- World Ranking of Countries By Their Average IQ - 2010
- Intelligence: A Unifying Construct for the Social Sciences - 2012
Sources
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