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IQ (Lynn/Becker)

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Countries by IQ - Average IQ by Country 2024

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 countries’ rankings but also indicating the diversity of factors considered in measuring average IQ globally.

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

Country
IQ (Lynn/Becker)
Source (True/Est.)
ICI 2017 Grade
ICI 2017 Score
PISA 2022 Overall Score
PISA Math 2022
PISA Science 2022
PISA Reading 2022
Japan106.48TA-58.91599536547516
Taiwan106.47TB45.71599547537515
Singapore105.89TA63.61679575561543
Hong Kong105.37TB+51.21560540520500
China104.1TB47.31605552543510
South Korea102.35TA-56.41570527528515
Belarus101.6T
Finland101.2TA60.51485484511490
Liechtenstein101.07E
Germany100.74TA64.21447475492480
Netherlands100.74TA-58.71440493488459
Estonia100.72TB49.51547510526511
Luxembourg99.87EB+53.8
Macau99.82E
Cambodia99.75TD16.11012336347329
Canada99.52TA61.21519497515507
Australia99.24TA641492487507498
Hungary99.24TB501432473486473
Switzerland99.24TA61.61494508503483
United Kingdom99.12TA64.21483489500494
Greenland98.89T
North Korea98.82E
Slovenia98.6TB+51.51454485500469
New Zealand98.57TA-57.31484479504501
Austria98.38TA-58.71458487491480
Iceland98.26TB+521342459447436
Denmark97.83TA60.31472489494489
Belgium97.49TA-58.71459489491479
United States97.43TA+74.91468465499504
Norway97.13TB+551423468478477
Sweden97TA61.61463482494487
France96.69TA-56.71435474487474
Poland96.35TB45.61477489499489
Slovakia96.32TB-43.61373464462447
Russia96.29TB46.6
Lithuania95.89TB46.31431475484472
Croatia95.75TC+38.51421463483475
Andorra95.2E
Ireland95.13TB+53.61512492504516
Czech Republic94.92TB+51.81474487498489
Latvia94.79TB45.81452483494475
Italy94.23TB481430471477482
Vanuatu93.92E
New Caledonia93.92E
Spain93.9TB49.81432473485474
Bermuda93.48T
Cyprus93.39TC+38.51210418411381
Portugal92.77TB-44.81433472484477
Israel92.43TB+50.11397458465474
Barbados91.6T
Malta91.27TB-40.81377466466445
Myanmar91.18E
Mongolia91.03TC-27.41215425412378
Bulgaria90.99TB-43.31242417421404
Greece90.77TB-40.11309430441438
Suriname90.29E
Ukraine90.07TC+38.31319441450428
Moldova89.98EC31.51242414417411
Serbia89.6TC+35.21327440447440
Vietnam89.53TC-25.11403469472462
Iraq89.28T
Uzbekistan89.01T1055364355336
Kazakhstan88.89TC+35.11234425423386
Thailand88.87TC-29.21182394409379
Armenia88.82EC-29.6
Bosnia and Herzegovina88.54TC-25.8
Costa Rica88.34TC32.41211385411415
Bhutan87.94E
Chile87.89TC+37.81304412444448
Mexico87.73TC30.71220395410415
Tajikistan87.71TD+23.1
Uruguay87.59EC+37.91274409435430
Malaysia87.58TC+35.51213409416388
Brunei87.58E1317442446429
Bahamas86.99T
Romania86.88TC+39.41284428428428
Turkey86.8TC33.41385453476456
Argentina86.63TB-40.51185378406401
Sri Lanka86.62TD+23.2
Mauritius86.56TC31.7
Turkmenistan85.86E
Montenegro85.78EC34.61214406403405
Azerbaijan84.81EC-28.61142397380365
Georgia84.5EC31.51148390384374
Turks and Caicos Islands84.29E
Paraguay84.04ED+24.51079338368373
Fiji83.96E
Solomon Islands83.96E
Samoa83.96E
Kiribati83.96E
Micronesia83.96E
Tonga83.96E
Marshall Islands83.96T
Cook Islands83.96E
Cuba83.9T
Bahrain83.6TC-29.6
Brazil83.38TC+36.21192379403410
Guyana83.23E
Colombia83.13TC-27.91203383411409
Venezuela82.99TC-26.8
Cayman Islands82.24E
Afghanistan82.12E
Haiti82.1T
Dominican Republic82.05TD+23.91050339360351
United Arab Emirates82.05TC+35.91280431432417
Puerto Rico81.99T
North Macedonia81.91EC-28.31128389380359
Albania81.75ED+23.41102368376358
Lebanon81.7TD19.8
Philippines81.64TC-26.61058355356347
Peru81.44TC-281207391408408
Northern Mariana Islands81.36E
Laos80.99TD18.8
Libya80.92T
Qatar80.78TC31.31265414432419
Jordan80.7TC-261078361375342
Maldives80.54E
Iran80.01TC-25.5
Pakistan80TD19.6
Grenada79.34E
Tunisia79.22ED+24.8
Kyrgyzstan79.09TC-27.2
Panama79EC-28.81137357388392
Sudan78.87T
Chad78.87ED-10.3
Seychelles78.76T
Oman78.7TC-27.1
Kuwait78.64TC-29.8
Indonesia78.49TD+23.71108366383359
Papua New Guinea78.49E
Ecuador78.26TC-25.3
Palestine77.69T1084366369349
Senegal77.37ED-13.2
Comoros77.07E
Madagascar76.79ED-9
British Virgin Islands76.69E
Bolivia76.53TD+22.3
Uganda76.42TD-12.4
Saudi Arabia76.36TC30.21162389390383
Egypt76.32TD+21.6
India76.24TC-29.4
Algeria76ED19.1
Kenya75.2TD19.3
Angola75.1T
Jamaica75.08TC-26.71190377403410
Tanzania74.95TD-14.4
Syria74.41T
Bangladesh74.33TD16.9
Zimbabwe74.01TD-11.7
Burkina Faso73.8T
Saint Lucia73.68E
Mozambique72.5ED-10.9
Burundi72.09ED-8.8
Niger70.82E
Antigua and Barbuda70.48E
Saint Kitts and Nevis70.48E
Rwanda69.95ED-9.9
Benin69.71ED-12.8
Malawi69.7TD-10.7
El Salvador69.63ED+21.71081343373365
Botswana69.45TD+23.9
South Africa68.87TC33
Lesotho68.87ED16.1
Eswatini68.87E
Eritrea68.77T
Zambia68.43ED18.9
Ethiopia68.42TD-10.3
Djibouti68.41E
Nigeria67.76TD-13.9
Cameroon67.76ED17.8
Somalia67.67T
Morocco67.03TD+22.61069365365339
Namibia66.19TD18.9
Dominica66.03T
Sao Tome and Principe65.22E
DR Congo64.92T
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines63.42T
Republic of the Congo62.97T
Gabon62.97E
Yemen62.86T
Central African Republic62.55E
Belize62.55E
Honduras62.16ED+20.2
Togo59.83E
Mali59.76TD-9.9
Mauritania59.76ED-11.6
South Sudan58.61T
Ghana58.16TD17.4
Ivory Coast58.16E
Guinea53.48ED-6.8
Nicaragua52.69TD+22.5
Gambia52.68T
Cape Verde52.5E
Guatemala47.72TD+22.81091344373374
Sierra Leone45.07T
Liberia45.07E
Nepal42.99TD18.3
Total438.69447.99436.19

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

Sources