Average IQ by Country 2025
Average IQ (IIT)
84
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90
92
94
96
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100
102
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106
108
Country | Average IQ (IIT) 2024↓ | Average IQ (Lynn/Becker) 2019 | Data Source (Lynn/Becker) 2019 | ICI Grade 2017 | ICI Score 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | China | 107 | 104 | T | B | 47.3 |
 | Taiwan | 107 | 106 | T | B | 45.7 |
 | Hong Kong | 107 | 105 | T | B+ | 51.2 |
 | Macau | 107 | 99.8 | E | ||
 | South Korea | 106 | 102 | T | A- | 56.4 |
 | Japan | 106 | 106 | T | A- | 58.9 |
 | Iran | 106 | 80 | T | C- | 25.5 |
 | Singapore | 105 | 106 | T | A | 63.6 |
 | Russia | 103 | 96.3 | T | B | 46.6 |
 | Mongolia | 103 | 91 | T | C- | 27.4 |
 | Armenia | 103 | 88.8 | E | C- | 29.6 |
 | Australia | 103 | 99.2 | T | A | 64.0 |
 | Spain | 102 | 93.9 | T | B | 49.8 |
 | New Zealand | 102 | 98.6 | T | A- | 57.3 |
 | Sri Lanka | 102 | 86.6 | T | D+ | 23.2 |
 | Slovenia | 102 | 98.6 | T | B+ | 51.5 |
 | Canada | 102 | 99.5 | T | A | 61.2 |
 | Thailand | 102 | 88.9 | T | C- | 29.2 |
 | Belarus | 101 | 102 | T | ||
 | France | 101 | 96.7 | T | A- | 56.7 |
 | Serbia | 101 | 89.6 | T | C+ | 35.2 |
 | Italy | 101 | 94.2 | T | B | 48.0 |
 | Switzerland | 101 | 99.2 | T | A | 61.6 |
 | Georgia | 101 | 84.5 | E | C | 31.5 |
 | Malaysia | 100 | 87.6 | T | C+ | 35.5 |
 | Finland | 100 | 101 | T | A | 60.5 |
 | Vietnam | 100 | 89.5 | T | C- | 25.1 |
 | Belgium | 100 | 97.5 | T | A- | 58.7 |
 | Greece | 100 | 90.8 | T | B- | 40.1 |
 | Luxembourg | 100 | 99.9 | E | B+ | 53.8 |
 | Iceland | 100 | 98.3 | T | B+ | 52.0 |
 | Slovakia | 99.8 | 96.3 | T | B- | 43.6 |
 | United States | 99.7 | 97.4 | T | A+ | 74.9 |
 | Czechia | 99.7 | 94.9 | T | B+ | 51.8 |
 | Netherlands | 99.7 | 101 | T | A- | 58.7 |
 | United Kingdom | 99.7 | 99.1 | T | A | 64.2 |
 | Austria | 99.7 | 98.4 | T | A- | 58.7 |
 | Germany | 99.6 | 101 | T | A | 64.2 |
 | Hungary | 99.5 | 99.2 | T | B | 50.0 |
 | Lebanon | 99.4 | 81.7 | T | D | 19.8 |
 | Estonia | 99.4 | 101 | T | B | 49.5 |
 | Peru | 99.4 | 81.4 | T | C- | 28.0 |
 | Poland | 99.3 | 96.3 | T | B | 45.6 |
 | Portugal | 99.3 | 92.8 | T | B- | 44.8 |
 | Malta | 99.2 | 91.3 | T | B- | 40.8 |
 | Croatia | 99.2 | 95.8 | T | C+ | 38.5 |
 | India | 99.1 | 76.2 | T | C- | 29.4 |
 | Turkey | 99.1 | 86.8 | T | C | 33.4 |
 | Israel | 99.1 | 92.4 | T | B+ | 50.1 |
 | Latvia | 98.8 | 94.8 | T | B | 45.8 |
 | Azerbaijan | 98.7 | 84.8 | E | C- | 28.6 |
 | Lithuania | 98.7 | 95.9 | T | B | 46.3 |
 | Montenegro | 98.7 | 85.8 | E | C | 34.6 |
 | Norway | 98.5 | 97.1 | T | B+ | 55.0 |
 | Cyprus | 98.5 | 93.4 | T | C+ | 38.5 |
 | Sweden | 98.5 | 97 | T | A | 61.6 |
 | Ireland | 98.3 | 95.1 | T | B+ | 53.6 |
 | Brunei | 98.1 | 87.6 | E | ||
 | Denmark | 97.9 | 97.8 | T | A | 60.3 |
 | Bulgaria | 97.8 | 91 | T | B- | 43.3 |
 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 97.6 | 88.5 | T | C- | 25.8 |
 | North Macedonia | 97.6 | 81.9 | E | C- | 28.3 |
 | Tunisia | 97.5 | 79.2 | E | D+ | 24.8 |
 | Myanmar | 97.4 | 91.2 | E | ||
 | Moldova | 97.3 | 90 | E | C | 31.5 |
 | Egypt | 97.2 | 76.3 | T | D+ | 21.6 |
 | Albania | 97.2 | 81.8 | E | D+ | 23.4 |
 | Kazakhstan | 97.2 | 88.9 | T | C+ | 35.1 |
 | Nepal | 97.1 | 43 | T | D | 18.3 |
 | Algeria | 97 | 76 | E | D | 19.1 |
 | Mauritius | 96.9 | 86.6 | T | C | 31.7 |
 | United Arab Emirates | 96.8 | 82 | T | C+ | 35.9 |
 | Uzbekistan | 96.8 | 89 | T | ||
 | Morocco | 96.8 | 67 | T | D+ | 22.6 |
 | Jordan | 96.7 | 80.7 | T | C- | 26.0 |
 | Philippines | 96.7 | 81.6 | T | C- | 26.6 |
 | Bangladesh | 96.5 | 74.3 | T | D | 16.9 |
 | Romania | 96.3 | 86.9 | T | C+ | 39.4 |
 | Cuba | 96 | 83.9 | T | ||
 | Mexico | 95.5 | 87.7 | T | C | 30.7 |
 | Ukraine | 95.4 | 90.1 | T | C+ | 38.3 |
 | Chile | 95.4 | 87.9 | T | C+ | 37.8 |
 | Ethiopia | 95.1 | 68.4 | T | D- | 10.3 |
 | Kuwait | 95 | 78.6 | T | C- | 29.8 |
 | Uruguay | 95 | 87.6 | E | C+ | 37.9 |
 | Ecuador | 95 | 78.3 | T | C- | 25.3 |
 | Kyrgyzstan | 94.8 | 79.1 | T | C- | 27.2 |
 | Madagascar | 94.8 | 76.8 | E | D- | 9.0 |
 | Qatar | 94.8 | 80.8 | T | C | 31.3 |
 | Argentina | 94.4 | 86.6 | T | B- | 40.5 |
 | Costa Rica | 94.2 | 88.3 | T | C | 32.4 |
 | South Africa | 94.1 | 68.9 | T | C | 33.0 |
 | Oman | 94.1 | 78.7 | T | C- | 27.1 |
 | Bahrain | 94 | 83.6 | T | C- | 29.6 |
 | Iraq | 94 | 89.3 | T | ||
 | Cambodia | 94 | 99.8 | T | D | 16.1 |
 | Saudi Arabia | 94 | 76.4 | T | C | 30.2 |
 | Tajikistan | 93.5 | 87.7 | T | D+ | 23.1 |
 | Pakistan | 93.3 | 80 | T | D | 19.6 |
 | Indonesia | 93.2 | 78.5 | T | D+ | 23.7 |
 | Colombia | 93.2 | 83.1 | T | C- | 27.9 |
 | Yemen | 93 | 62.9 | T | ||
 | Brazil | 92.9 | 83.4 | T | C+ | 36.2 |
 | Bolivia | 92.8 | 76.5 | T | D+ | 22.3 |
 | Laos | 92 | 81 | T | D | 18.8 |
 | Nigeria | 91.3 | 67.8 | T | D- | 13.9 |
 | Guatemala | 91.3 | 47.7 | T | D+ | 22.8 |
 | Kenya | 91.2 | 75.2 | T | D | 19.3 |
 | El Salvador | 91.1 | 69.6 | E | D+ | 21.7 |
 | Venezuela | 91 | 83 | T | C- | 26.8 |
 | Puerto Rico | 90.9 | 82 | T | ||
 | Paraguay | 90.8 | 84 | E | D+ | 24.5 |
 | Honduras | 90.5 | 62.2 | E | D+ | 20.2 |
 | Palestine | 90.5 | 77.7 | T | ||
 | Ghana | 90.3 | 58.2 | T | D | 17.4 |
 | Zimbabwe | 90.2 | 74 | T | D- | 11.7 |
 | Dominican Republic | 90.1 | 82 | T | D+ | 23.9 |
 | Cameroon | 89.9 | 67.8 | E | D | 17.8 |
 | Togo | 89.9 | 59.8 | E | ||
 | Uganda | 89.9 | 76.4 | T | D- | 12.4 |
 | Tanzania | 89.4 | 75 | T | D- | 14.4 |
 | Nicaragua | 88.7 | 52.7 | T | D+ | 22.5 |
 | Ivory Coast | 88.4 | 58.2 | E | ||
 | Senegal | 88.3 | 77.4 | E | D- | 13.2 |
 | DR Congo | 88 | 64.9 | T | ||
 | Mozambique | 87.8 | 72.5 | E | D- | 10.9 |
 | Benin | 86.9 | 69.7 | E | D- | 12.8 |
 | Angola | 85.3 | 75.1 | T | ||
 | Gabon | 85.1 | 63 | E | ||
 | Sudan | 78.9 | T | |||
 | Afghanistan | 82.1 | E | |||
 | Niger | 70.8 | E | |||
 | North Korea | 98.8 | E | |||
 | Syria | 74.4 | T | |||
 | Mali | 59.8 | T | D- | 9.9 | |
 | Burkina Faso | 73.8 | T | |||
 | Malawi | 69.7 | T | D- | 10.7 | |
 | Zambia | 68.4 | E | D | 18.9 | |
 | Chad | 78.9 | E | D- | 10.3 | |
 | Somalia | 67.7 | T | |||
 | Guinea | 53.5 | E | D- | 6.8 | |
 | Rwanda | 70 | E | D- | 9.9 | |
 | Burundi | 72.1 | E | D- | 8.8 | |
 | South Sudan | 58.6 | T | |||
 | Haiti | 82.1 | T | |||
 | Papua New Guinea | 78.5 | E | |||
 | Sierra Leone | 45.1 | T | |||
 | Turkmenistan | 85.9 | E | |||
 | Libya | 80.9 | T | |||
 | Republic of the Congo | 63 | T | |||
 | Liberia | 45.1 | E | |||
 | Central African Republic | 62.5 | E | |||
 | Mauritania | 59.8 | E | D- | 11.6 | |
 | Panama | 79 | E | C- | 28.8 | |
 | Eritrea | 68.8 | T | |||
 | Namibia | 66.2 | T | D | 18.9 | |
 | Jamaica | 75.1 | T | C- | 26.7 | |
 | Gambia | 52.7 | T | |||
 | Botswana | 69.5 | T | D+ | 23.9 | |
 | Lesotho | 68.9 | E | D | 16.1 | |
 | Eswatini | 68.9 | E | |||
 | Djibouti | 68.4 | E | |||
 | Fiji | 84 | E | |||
 | Comoros | 77.1 | E | |||
 | Solomon Islands | 84 | E | |||
 | Guyana | 83.2 | E | |||
 | Bhutan | 87.9 | E | |||
 | Suriname | 90.3 | E | |||
 | Maldives | 80.5 | E | |||
 | Cape Verde | 52.5 | E | |||
 | Belize | 62.5 | E | |||
 | Bahamas | 87 | T | |||
 | Vanuatu | 93.9 | E | |||
 | New Caledonia | 93.9 | E | |||
 | Barbados | 91.6 | T | |||
 | Sao Tome and Principe | 65.2 | E | |||
 | Samoa | 84 | E | |||
 | Saint Lucia | 73.7 | E | |||
 | Kiribati | 84 | E | |||
 | Seychelles | 78.8 | T | |||
 | Grenada | 79.3 | E | |||
 | Micronesia | 84 | E | |||
 | Tonga | 84 | E | |||
 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 63.4 | T | |||
 | Antigua and Barbuda | 70.5 | E | |||
 | Andorra | 95.2 | E | |||
 | Cayman Islands | 82.2 | E | |||
 | Dominica | 66 | T | |||
 | Bermuda | 93.5 | T | |||
 | Greenland | 98.9 | T | |||
 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 70.5 | E | |||
 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 84.3 | E | |||
 | Northern Mariana Islands | 81.4 | E | |||
 | Liechtenstein | 101 | E | |||
 | British Virgin Islands | 76.7 | E | |||
 | Marshall Islands | 84 | T | |||
 | Cook Islands | 84 | E |
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Significant debate and controversy exist as to whether an accurate method of comparing national IQs exists at all. Mith many reputable experts argue that even the most objective IQ test is biased toward concepts common in developed Western nations’ educational systems. Such tests, therefore, are ineffective at measuring intelligence in other regions, such as much of Africa and Asia.
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Data from International IQ Test (IIT) are based on data from 1,352,763 participants worldwide who took the same IQ test on the website in 2024.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The Intelligence Capital Index (ICI) was created by economist Kai L. Chan and most recently updated in 2017.
Snapshot
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IQ scores, indicative of educational quality and resources in regions, are based on standard tests adjusted by national academic assessments and data quality considerations.
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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.
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Only Singapore and Finland appear consistently across all three ranking lists presented in the article, validating these countries’ 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.
Top 10 Countries with the Highest Average IQ - Ulster Institute 2019
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 country’s academic test scores, likelihood of “expanding the frontier of knowledge” and introducing new data technologies, or even the number of Nobel Prizes won.
Sources
- Average IQ by country (2025 update) - The International IQ Test
- Intelligence Capital Index - Kailchan
- Pisa 2022 - OCED
- Intelligence related to income and climate - World Data
- The Intelligence of Nations - Ulster Institute 2019
- Nations and IQ - Wiki
- Average IQ by Country - Data Pandas
- Intelligence: A Unifying Construct for the Social Sciences - Ulster Institute for Social Research
