IQ is a tool for assessing a person’s intelligence, usually measured using standardized tests. In particular, according to the World Demographic Survey, the higher a person’s IQ, the more intelligent they are considered.
But which countries have the highest IQs?
IQ and education are two sides of the same coin
IQ scores generally reflect the quality of education and resources available to people in their local geographic area. Regions of the world with lower IQ scores tend to be poorer and less developed, especially in education, than countries with higher scores.
Global map of IQ. The countries with the highest rates are highlighted in bright red, the lowest in purple / worldpopulationreview.com
Many researchers also use IQ to determine the smartest countries in the world. In the IQ map below, each country is labeled according to how high the average IQ is. A darker purple hue indicates a lower IQ score. Conversely, countries with higher average IQs are shown in red-orange.
Countries with the highest average IQ
According to a 2019 study by scientists Richard Lynn and David Becker of the Ulster Institute, the Japanese have the highest average IQs, followed by citizens of Taiwan and Singapore.
The list of 10 leaders is presented below:
- Japan – 106.49
- Taiwan – 106.47
- Singapore – 105.89
- Hong Kong (China) – 105.37
- China – 104.10
- South Korea – 102.35
- Belarus – 101.60
- Finland – 101.20
- Liechtenstein – 101.07
- The Netherlands and Germany – 100.74 each
As the data show, there is a wide range of average IQs around the world. Some researchers divide the countries of the world into rating categories based on average IQs.
The 10 countries with the lowest average IQs in the world:
- Ghana 58.16
- Ivory Coast 58.16
- Guinea 53.48
- Nicaragua 52.69
- Gambia 52.68
- Cape Verde 52.5
- Guatemala 47.72
- Sierra Leone 45.07
- Liberia 45.07
- Nepal 42.99
These data were obtained by starting with the national average on a standardized IQ test (the usual starting point) and then refining them with additional indicators such as national scores in math, reading, and science, also taking into account the overall quality of the data.
IQ is not the only way to measure intelligence
However, it is important to understand that IQ is not the only way to measure intelligence. In fact, there are many different ways to find the smartest countries in the world, and many of them have nothing to do with average IQ. For example, one can compare the results of each country’s academic tests, the likelihood of “expanding the frontiers of knowledge” and the introduction of new data processing technologies (intellectual capital index), or even the number of Nobel Prizes received by each country. In fact, you can even combine all three indicators.
Top 10 Smartest Countries in Reading, Math and Science Testing – OECD PISA 2018:
- China – 555, 591, 590
- Singapore – 549, 569, 551
- Macau (China) – 525, 558, 544
- Hong Kong (China) – 524, 551, 517
- Estonia – 523, 523, 530
- Canada – 520, 512, 518
- Finland – 520, 507, 522
- Ireland – 518, 500, 496
- Korea – 514, 526, 519
- Poland – 512, 516, 511
Top 10 countries with the highest intellectual capital index – 2017:
- United States – 74.88 (A+)
- UK – 64.19(A)
- Germany – 64.18 (A)
- Australia – 63.96(A)
- Singapore – 63.60 (A)
- Sweden – 61.58 (A)
- Switzerland – 61.57 (A)
- Canada – 61.15(A)
- Finland – 60.45 (A)
- Denmark – 60.25 (A)
Where is Greece located – rating of its neighbors
Our country does not rank high enough in the index table IQ, with an average of 90.77, ranking 55th. Slightly higher, in 47th place, is Cyprus, with an average IQ of 93.39. Italy is in 42nd place with 94.23, Bulgaria is in 54th place with 90.99, and below – Albania is in 109th place with 81.75, Turkey is in 77th place with 86.8 and Northern Macedonia is in 108th place with 81.91. Ukraine ranks 57th, Russia 35th, Moldova 57th, Georgia 85th.
Place | Country | IQ level | Population 2022 |
one | Japan | 106.48 | 123 951 692 |
2 | Taiwan | 106.47 | 238 933 940 |
3 | Singapore | 105.89 | 5 975 689 |
four | Hong Kong | 105.37 | 74 888 650 |
5 | China | 104.1 | 1 425 887 337 |
6 | South Korea | 102.35 | 51 815 810 |
7 | Belarus | 101.6 | 9 534 954 |
eight | Finland | 101.2 | 5 540 745 |
9 | Liechtenstein | 101.07 | 39 327 |
ten | Germany | 100.74 | 83 369 843 |
eleven | Netherlands | 100.74 | 17 564 014 |
12 | Estonia | 100.72 | 1326062 |
13 | Luxembourg | 99.87 | 647 599 |
fourteen | Macau | 99.82 | 695168 |
fifteen | Cambodia | 99.75 | 16 767 842 |
16 | Canada | 99.52 | 38 454 327 |
17 | Australia | 99.24 | 26 177 413 |
eighteen | Hungary | 99.24 | 9 967 308 |
19 | Switzerland | 99.24 | 87 404 720 |
twenty | United Kingdom | 99.12 | 67 508 936 |
21 | Greenland | 98.89 | 56 466 |
22 | North Korea | 98.82 | 26 069 416 |
23 | Slovenia | 98.6 | 2 119 844 |
24 | New Zealand | 98.57 | 5 185 288 |
25 | Austria | 98.38 | 8 939 617 |
26 | Iceland | 98.26 | 372 899 |
27 | Denmark | 97.83 | 5 882 261 |
28 | Belgium | 97.49 | 11 655 930 |
29 | United States | 97.43 | 338 289 857 |
thirty | Norway | 97.13 | 5 434 319 |
31 | Sweden | 97 | 10 549 347 |
32 | France | 96.69 | 64 626 628 |
33 | Poland | 96.35 | 39 857 145 |
34 | Slovakia | 96.32 | 5 643 453 |
35 | Russia | 96.29 | 144 713 314 |
36 | Lithuania | 95.89 | 2 750 055 |
37 | Croatia | 95.75 | 4 030 358 |
38 | Andorra | 95.2 | 79 824 |
39 | Ireland | 95.13 | 5 023 109 |
40 | Czech Republic | 94.92 | 10 493 986 |
41 | Latvia | 94.79 | 1 850 651 |
42 | Italy | 94.23 | 59 037 474 |
43 | Vanuatu | 93.92 | 326 740 |
44 | New Caledonia | 93.92 | 289 950 |
45 | Spain | 93.9 | 475 586 300 |
46 | Bermuda | 93.48 | 64 184 |
47 | Cyprus | 93.39 | 1 251 488 |
48 | Portugal | 92.77 | 10 270 865 |
49 | Israel | 92.43 | 9 038 309 |
fifty | Barbados | 91.6 | 281 635 |
51 | Malta | 91.27 | 533 286 |
52 | Myanmar | 91.18 | 54 179 306 |
53 | Mongolia | 91.03 | 3 398 366 |
54 | Bulgaria | 90.99 | 6 781 953 |
55 | Greece | 90.77 | 10 384 971 |
56 | Suriname | 90.29 | 618 040 |
57 | Ukraine | 90.07 | 39 701 739 |
58 | Moldova | 89.98 | 3 272 996 |
59 | Serbia | 89.6 | 7 221 365 |
60 | Vietnam | 89.53 | 98 186 856 |
61 | Iraq | 89.28 | 44 496 122 |
62 | Uzbekistan | 89.01 | 34 627 652 |
63 | Kazakhstan | 88.89 | 19 397 998 |
64 | Thailand | 88.87 | 71 697 030 |
65 | Armenia | 88.82 | 2 780 469 |
66 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 88.54 | 3 233 526 |
67 | Costa Rica | 88.34 | 5 180 829 |
68 | Butane | 87.94 | 782 455 |
69 | Chile | 87.89 | 19 603 733 |
70 | Mexico | 87.73 | 127 504 125 |
71 | Tajikistan | 87.71 | 9 952 787 |
72 | Uruguay | 87.59 | 3 422 794 |
73 | Malaysia | 87.58 | 33 938 221 |
74 | Brunei | 87.58 | 449 002 |
75 | Bahamas | 86.99 | 409 984 |
76 | Romania | 86.88 | 19 659 267 |
77 | Turkey | 86.8 | 85 341 241 |
78 | Argentina | 86.63 | 45 510318 |
79 | Sri Lanka | 86.62 | 21 832 143 |
80 | Mauritius | 86.56 | 1 299 469 |
81 | Turkmenistan | 85.86 | 6 430 770 |
82 | Montenegro | 85.78 | 627 082 |
83 | Trinidad and Tobago | 85.63 | 1 531 044 |
84 | Azerbaijan | 84.81 | 10 358 074 |
85 | Georgia | 84.5 | 3 744 385 |
86 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 84.29 | 45 703 |
87 | Paraguay | 84.04 | 6 780 744 |
88 | Fiji | 83.96 | 929 766 |
89 | Solomon islands | 83.96 | 724 273 |
90 | Samoa | 83.96 | 222 382 |
91 | Kiribati | 83.96 | 131 232 |
92 | micronesia | 83.96 | 114 164 |
93 | Tonga | 83.96 | 106 858 |
94 | Marshall Islands | 83.96 | 41 569 |
95 | Cook Islands | 83.96 | 17 011 |
96 | Cuba | 83.9 | 11 212 191 |
97 | Bahrain | 83.6 | 1 472 233 |
98 | Brazil | 83.38 | 215 313 498 |
99 | Guyana | 83.23 | 808 726 |
100 | Colombia | 83.13 | 51 874 024 |
101 | Venezuela | 82.99 | 28 301 696 |
102 | Cayman islands | 82.24 | 68 706 |
103 | Afghanistan | 82.12 | 41 128 771 |
104 | Haiti | 82.1 | 11 584 996 |
105 | Dominican Republic | 82.05 | 11 228 821 |
106 | United Arab Emirates | 82.05 | 9 441 129 |
107 | Puerto Rico | 81.99 | 3 252 407 |
108 | North Macedonia | 81.91 | 2 093 599 |
109 | Albania | 81.75 | 2 842 321 |
110 | Lebanon | 81.7 | 5 489 739 |
111 | Philippines | 81.64 | 115 559 009 |
112 | Peru | 81.44 | 34 049 588 |
113 | Northern Mariana Islands | 81.36 | 49 551 |
114 | Laos | 80.99 | 7 529 475 |
115 | Libya | 80.92 | 6 812 341 |
116 | Qatar | 80.78 | 2 695 122 |
117 | Jordan | 80.7 | 11 285 869 |
118 | Maldives | 80.54 | 523 787 |
119 | Iran | 80.01 | 88 550 570 |
120 | Pakistan | 80 | 235 824 862 |
121 | Grenada | 79.34 | 125 438 |
122 | Tunisia | 79.22 | 12 356 117 |
123 | Kyrgyzstan | 79.09 | 6 630 623 |
124 | Panama | 79 | 4 408 581 |
125 | Sudan | 78.87 | 46 874 204 |
126 | Chad | 78.87 | 17 723 315 |
127 | Seychelles | 78.76 | 107 118 |
128 | Oman | 78.7 | 4 576 298 |
129 | Kuwait | 78.64 | 4 268 873 |
130 | Indonesia | 78.49 | 275 501 339 |
131 | Papua New Guinea | 78.49 | 10 142 619 |
132 | Timor Leste | 78.49 | 1 341 296 |
133 | Ecuador | 78.26 | 18001 |
134 | Palestine | 77.69 | 5 250 072 |
135 | Senegal | 77.37 | 17 316 449 |
136 | Comoros | 77.07 | 836 774 |
137 | Madagascar | 76.79 | 29 611 714 |
138 | British Virgin Islands | 76.69 | 31 305 |
139 | Bolivia | 76.53 | 12 224 110 |
140 | Uganda | 76.42 | 47 249 585 |
141 | Saudi Arabia | 76.36 | 36 408 820 |
142 | Egypt | 76.32 | 110 990 103 |
143 | India | 76.24 | 1 417 173 173 |
144 | Algeria | 76 | 44 903 225 |
145 | Kenya | 75.2 | 54 027 487 |
146 | Angola | 75.1 | 35 588 987 |
147 | Jamaica | 75.08 | 2 827 377 |
148 | Tanzania | 74.95 | 65 497 748 |
149 | Syria | 74.41 | 22 125 249 |
150 | Bangladesh | 74.33 | 171 186 372 |
151 | Zimbabwe | 74.01 | 16 320 537 |
152 | Burkina Faso | 73.8 | 22 673 762 |
153 | Saint Lucia | 73.68 | 179 857 |
154 | Mozambique | 72.5 | 32 969 518 |
155 | Burundi | 72.09 | 12 889 576 |
156 | Niger | 70.82 | 26 207 977 |
157 | Antigua and Barbuda | 70.48 | 93 763 |
158 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 70.48 | 47 657 |
159 | Rwanda | 69.95 | 13 776 698 |
160 | Benin | 69.71 | 13 352 864 |
161 | Malawi | 69.7 | 20 405 317 |
162 | El Salvador | 69.63 | 6 336 392 |
163 | Botswana | 69.45 | 2 630 296 |
164 | South Africa | 68.87 | 59 893 885 |
165 | Lesotho | 68.87 | 2 305 825 |
166 | Eswatini | 68.87 | 1 201 670 |
167 | Eritrea | 68.77 | 3 684 032 |
168 | Zambia | 68.43 | 20 017 675 |
169 | Ethiopia | 68.42 | 123 379 924 |
170 | Djibouti | 68.41 | 1 120 849 |
171 | Nigeria | 677600 | 218 541 212 |
172 | Cameroon | 67.76 | 27 914 536 |
173 | Somalia | 67.67 | 17 597 511 |
174 | Morocco | 67.03 | 37 457 971 |
175 | Namibia | 66.19 | 2 567 012 |
176 | Dominica | 66.03 | 72 737 |
177 | Sao Tome and Principe | 65.22 | 227 380 |
178 | DR Congo | 64.92 | 99 010 212 |
179 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 63.42 | 103 948 |
180 | Republic of the Congo | 62.97 | 5 970 424 |
181 | Gabon | 62.97 | 2 388 992 |
182 | Yemen | 62.86 | 33 696 614 |
183 | Central African Republic | 62.55 | 5 579 144 |
184 | Belize | 62.55 | 405 272 |
185 | Honduras | 62.16 | 10 432 860 |
186 | Go | 59.83 | 8 848 699 |
187 | Mali | 59.76 | 22 593 590 |
188 | Mauritania | 59.76 | 4 736 139 |
189 | south Sudan | 58.61 | 10 913 164 |
190 | Ghana | 58.16 | 33 475 870 |
191 | Ivory Coast | 58.16 | 28 160 542 |
192 | Guinea | 53.48 | 13 859 341 |
193 | Nicaragua | 52.69 | 6 948 392 |
194 | Gambia | 52.68 | 2 705 992 |
195 | Cape Verde | 52.5 | 593 149 |
196 | Guatemala | 47.72 | 17 843 908 |
197 | Sierra Leone | 45.07 | 8 605 718 |
198 | Liberia | 45.07 | 5 302 681 |
199 | Nepal | 42.99 | 30 547 580 |
More Stories
Easter: strange Easter eggs and souvlaki lamps
The Thirty Years of Olive War is over
Raisins: benefits of eating before bed