Average IQ by Country 2025
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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 |
 | Czech Republic | 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 |
- 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.
- 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.
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
Country | Average IQ (Lynn/Becker 2019) |
|---|---|
| Japan | 106 |
| Taiwan | 106 |
| Singapore | 106 |
| Hong Kong | 105 |
| China | 104 |
| South Korea | 102 |
| Belarus | 102 |
| Finland | 101 |
| Liechtenstein | 101 |
| Germany | 101 |
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.
Top 10 Smartest Countries Based on Students’ Test Scores in Reading, Math and Science - OECD PISA 2022
Country | PISA 2022 Overall Score | PISA Math 2022 | PISA Science 2022 | PISA Reading 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore | 1679 | 575 | 561 | 543 |
| China | 1605 | 552 | 543 | 510 |
| Japan | 1599 | 536 | 547 | 516 |
| Taiwan | 1599 | 547 | 537 | 515 |
| South Korea | 1570 | 527 | 528 | 515 |
| Hong Kong | 1560 | 540 | 520 | 500 |
| Estonia | 1547 | 510 | 526 | 511 |
| Canada | 1519 | 497 | 515 | 507 |
| Ireland | 1512 | 492 | 504 | 516 |
| Switzerland | 1494 | 508 | 503 | 483 |
Top 10 Countries with the Highest Intelligence Capital Index - 2017
Country | ICI Grade 2017 | ICI Score 2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | D- | 13.9 |
| Ethiopia | D- | 10.3 |
| Indonesia | D+ | 23.7 |
| Pakistan | D | 19.6 |
| Bangladesh | D | 16.9 |
| India | C- | 29.4 |
| Brazil | C+ | 36.2 |
| China | B | 47.3 |
| Russia | B | 46.6 |
| United States | A+ | 74.9 |
