Countries by IQ – Average IQ by Country 2024: Mapping Intelligence

The Intelligence Quotient (IQ) stands as a quantifiable gauge of human cognitive prowess. Aspiring individuals seeking to gauge their intellectual capacity undergo a series of standardized tests, resulting in a numerical score that places them on a spectrum of cognitive aptitude.

This score serves as a yardstick to estimate an individual’s cognitive capabilities, with higher scores suggesting a greater degree of intelligence. This practice has become a cornerstone in assessing cognitive potential and remains a prevalent means of evaluating intellectual acumen.

IQ and Education: Navigating a Complex Relationship

The link between IQ scores and education unveils a multidimensional interplay that often mirrors the socio-economic landscape of a given region. These scores often mirror the access to educational opportunities and resources within the local geographic context.

Regions characterized by lower IQ scores tend to grapple with economic constraints and developmental challenges, particularly in the realm of education, when contrasted with nations boasting higher IQ averages.

Moreover, IQ metrics have been harnessed by researchers to discern the intellectual tapestry of different countries, contributing to the compilation of lists that rank nations based on their perceived cognitive prowess. The map above color-codes each country based on the extent to which their average IQ scores ascend.

This intricate relationship underscores the intricate dance between intelligence, education, and societal progress on a global scale.

1	Japan	106.48	123,294,513
2	Taiwan	106.47	23,923,276
3	Singapore	105.89	6,014,723
4	Hong Kong	105.37	7,491,609
5	China	104.1	1,425,671,352
6	South Korea	102.35	51,784,059
7	Belarus	101.6	9,498,238
8	Finland	101.2	5,545,475
9	Liechtenstein	101.07	39,584
10	Germany	100.74	83,294,633
11	Netherlands	100.74	17,618,299
12	Estonia	100.72	1,322,765
13	Luxembourg	99.87	654,768
14	Macau	99.82	704,149
15	Cambodia	99.75	16,944,826
16	Canada	99.52	38,781,291
17	Australia	99.24	26,439,111
18	Hungary	99.24	10,156,239
19	Switzerland	99.24	8,796,669
20	United Kingdom	99.12	67,736,802
21	Greenland	98.89	56,643
22	North Korea	98.82	26,160,821
23	Slovenia	98.6	2,119,675
24	New Zealand	98.57	5,228,100
25	Austria	98.38	8,958,960
26	Iceland	98.26	375,318
27	Denmark	97.83	5,910,913
28	Belgium	97.49	11,686,140
29	United States	97.43	339,996,563
30	Norway	97.13	5,474,360
31	Sweden	97	10,612,086
32	France	96.69	64,756,584
33	Poland	96.35	41,026,067
34	Slovakia	96.32	5,795,199
35	Russia	96.29	144,444,359
36	Lithuania	95.89	2,718,352
37	Croatia	95.75	4,008,617
38	Andorra	95.2	80,088
39	Ireland	95.13	5,056,935
40	Czech Republic	94.92	10,495,295
41	Latvia	94.79	1,830,211
42	Italy	94.23	58,870,762
43	Vanuatu	93.92	334,506
44	New Caledonia	93.92	292,991
45	Spain	93.9	47,519,628
46	Bermuda	93.48	64,069
47	Cyprus	93.39	1,260,138
48	Portugal	92.77	10,247,605
49	Israel	92.43	9,174,520
50	Barbados	91.6	281,995
51	Malta	91.27	535,064
52	Myanmar	91.18	54,577,997
53	Mongolia	91.03	3,447,157
54	Bulgaria	90.99	6,687,717
55	Greece	90.77	10,341,277
56	Suriname	90.29	623,236
57	Ukraine	90.07	36,744,634
58	Moldova	89.98	3,435,931
59	Serbia	89.6	7,149,077
60	Vietnam	89.53	98,858,950
61	Iraq	89.28	45,504,560
62	Uzbekistan	89.01	35,163,944
63	Kazakhstan	88.89	19,606,633
64	Thailand	88.87	71,801,279
65	Armenia	88.82	2,777,970
66	Bosnia And Herzegovina	88.54	3,210,847
67	Costa Rica	88.34	5,212,173
68	Bhutan	87.94	787,424
69	Chile	87.89	19,629,590
70	Mexico	87.73	128,455,567
71	Tajikistan	87.71	10,143,543
72	Uruguay	87.59	3,423,108
73	Malaysia	87.58	34,308,525
74	Brunei	87.58	452,524
75	Bahamas	86.99	412,623
76	Romania	86.88	19,892,812
77	Turkey	86.8	85,816,199
78	Argentina	86.63	45,773,884
79	Sri Lanka	86.62	21,893,579
80	Mauritius	86.56	1,300,557
81	Turkmenistan	85.86	6,516,100
82	Montenegro	85.78	626,485
83	Trinidad And Tobago	85.63	1,534,937
84	Azerbaijan	84.81	10,412,651
85	Georgia	84.5	3,728,282
86	Turks And Caicos Islands	84.29	46,062
87	Paraguay	84.04	6,861,524
88	Fiji	83.96	936,375
89	Solomon Islands	83.96	740,424
90	Samoa	83.96	225,681
91	Kiribati	83.96	133,515
92	Micronesia	83.96	115,224
93	Tonga	83.96	107,773
94	Marshall Islands	83.96	41,996
95	Cook Islands	83.96	17,044
96	Cuba	83.9	11,194,449
97	Bahrain	83.6	1,485,509
98	Brazil	83.38	216,422,446
99	Guyana	83.23	813,834
100	Colombia	83.13	52,085,168
101	Venezuela	82.99	28,838,499
102	Cayman Islands	82.24	69,310
103	Afghanistan	82.12	42,239,854
104	Haiti	82.1	11,724,763
105	Dominican Republic	82.05	11,332,972
106	United Arab Emirates	82.05	9,516,871
107	Puerto Rico	81.99	3,260,314
108	North Macedonia	81.91	2,085,679
109	Albania	81.75	2,832,439
110	Lebanon	81.7	5,353,930
111	Philippines	81.64	117,337,368
112	Peru	81.44	34,352,719
113	Northern Mariana Islands	81.36	49,796
114	Laos	80.99	7,633,779
115	Libya	80.92	6,888,388
116	Qatar	80.78	2,716,391
117	Jordan	80.7	11,337,052
118	Maldives	80.54	521,021
119	Iran	80.01	89,172,767
120	Pakistan	80	240,485,658
121	Grenada	79.34	126,183
122	Tunisia	79.22	12,458,223
123	Kyrgyzstan	79.09	6,735,347
124	Panama	79	4,468,087
125	Sudan	78.87	48,109,006
126	Chad	78.87	18,278,568
127	Seychelles	78.76	107,660
128	Oman	78.7	4,644,384
129	Kuwait	78.64	4,310,108
130	Indonesia	78.49	277,534,122
131	Papua New Guinea	78.49	10,329,931
132	Timor Leste	78.49	1,360,596
133	Ecuador	78.26	18,190,484
134	Palestine	77.69	5,371,230
135	Senegal	77.37	17,763,163
136	Comoros	77.07	852,075
137	Madagascar	76.79	30,325,732
138	British Virgin Islands	76.69	31,538
139	Bolivia	76.53	12,388,571
140	Uganda	76.42	48,582,334
141	Saudi Arabia	76.36	36,947,025
142	Egypt	76.32	112,716,598
143	India	76.24	1,428,627,663
144	Algeria	76	45,606,480
145	Kenya	75.2	55,100,586
146	Angola	75.1	36,684,202
147	Jamaica	75.08	2,825,544
148	Tanzania	74.95	67,438,106
149	Syria	74.41	23,227,014
150	Bangladesh	74.33	172,954,319
151	Zimbabwe	74.01	16,665,409
152	Burkina Faso	73.8	23,251,485
153	Saint Lucia	73.68	180,251
154	Mozambique	72.5	33,897,354
155	Burundi	72.09	13,238,559
156	Niger	70.82	27,202,843
157	Antigua And Barbuda	70.48	94,298
158	Saint Kitts And Nevis	70.48	47,755
159	Rwanda	69.95	14,094,683
160	Benin	69.71	13,712,828
161	Malawi	69.7	20,931,751
162	El Salvador	69.63	6,364,943
163	Botswana	69.45	2,675,352
164	South Africa	68.87	60,414,495
165	Lesotho	68.87	2,330,318
166	Eswatini	68.87	1,210,822
167	Eritrea	68.77	3,748,901
168	Zambia	68.43	20,569,737
169	Ethiopia	68.42	126,527,060
170	Djibouti	68.41	1,136,455
171	Nigeria	67.76	223,804,632
172	Cameroon	67.76	28,647,293
173	Somalia	67.67	18,143,378
174	Morocco	67.03	37,840,044
175	Namibia	66.19	2,604,172
176	Dominica	66.03	73,040
177	Sao Tome And Principe	65.22	231,856
178	Dr Congo	64.92	102,262,808
179	Saint Vincent And The Grenadines	63.42	103,698
180	Republic Of The Congo	62.97	6,106,869
181	Gabon	62.97	2,436,566
182	Yemen	62.86	34,449,825
183	Central African Republic	62.55	5,742,315
184	Belize	62.55	410,825
185	Honduras	62.16	10,593,798
186	Togo	59.83	9,053,799
187	Mali	59.76	23,293,698
188	Mauritania	59.76	4,862,989
189	South Sudan	58.61	11,088,796
190	Ghana	58.16	34,121,985
191	Ivory Coast	58.16	28,873,034
192	Guinea	53.48	14,190,612
193	Nicaragua	52.69	7,046,310
194	Gambia	52.68	2,773,168
195	Cape Verde	52.5	598,682
196	Guatemala	47.72	18,092,026
197	Sierra Leone	45.07	8,791,092
198	Liberia	45.07	5,418,377
199	Nepal	42.99	30,896,590

Pinnacle of Cognitive Achievement: Global IQ Rankings

As per a comprehensive study conducted in 2019 by esteemed researchers Richard Lynn and David Becker at the Ulster Institute, the coveted title of possessing the highest average IQ scores worldwide is claimed by the Japanese populace.

Not far behind, the citizens of Taiwan and Singapore demonstrate their impressive cognitive abilities, securing their positions in the upper echelons of intellectual prowess.

The roster of top 10 nations, celebrated for their cognitive aptitude, is presented below, while an exhaustive listing of rankings is provided in the subsequent table for a more comprehensive understanding.

This study unravels the captivating tapestry of global cognitive distinctions, offering insights into the distribution of intellectual brilliance across diverse geographical landscapes.

Top 10 Countries with the Highest Average IQ – Ulster Institute 2019:*

1. Japan – 106.49
2. Taiwan – 106.47
3. Singapore – 105.89
4. Hong Kong (China) – 105.37
5. China – 104.10
6. South Korea – 102.35
7. Belarus – 101.60
8. Finland – 101.20
9. Liechtenstein – 101.07
10. Netherlands & Germany (tie) – 100.74

The global spectrum of average IQ scores vividly portrays the remarkable diversity in cognitive aptitude across nations. To make sense of this intricate mosaic, certain researchers have embarked on a classification endeavor, categorizing countries into graded tiers contingent upon their mean IQ scores.

This analytical pursuit involves commencing with the standard IQ test outcomes, a widely accepted benchmark, as the initial cornerstone. However, these foundational scores are further refined and enriched through a meticulous fusion of supplementary measurements, encompassing national assessments in domains like mathematics, reading, and science.

Beyond the numerical realm, the overarching quality of the data is scrutinized with equal diligence. The amalgamation of these multifaceted elements crystallizes a comprehensive assessment, offering a nuanced portrayal of a nation’s cognitive fabric.

This approach transcends the mere numerical facets, delving into the intricacies of educational excellence, cognitive prowess, and intellectual engagement at a national level.

As a result, this classification framework not only reflects the variegated intellectual landscapes of different countries but also underscores the holistic nature of human intelligence in a global context.

Diverse Avenues of Intelligence Assessment

While IQ certainly offers valuable insights into cognitive capabilities, it’s crucial to recognize that it’s just one facet of a multifaceted diamond when it comes to gauging intelligence.

The pursuit of identifying the most intellectually advanced nations transcends the confines of average IQ, encompassing an array of alternative methodologies that showcase a broader perspective.

One avenue of exploration is the examination of academic test scores. This approach delves into the educational landscape of each country, shedding light on their commitment to nurturing knowledge and fostering intellectual growth.

By assessing how effectively nations cultivate learning environments and facilitate academic achievements, this method provides a nuanced glimpse into the collective intellectual endeavors of societies.

Another lens through which to perceive a country’s intellectual vibrancy is the “Intelligence Capital Index.” This innovative concept encapsulates a nation’s capacity to spearhead new frontiers of knowledge and innovation, particularly in the realm of data technologies.

By assessing a country’s prowess in harnessing and advancing data-driven technologies, this index unveils the cutting-edge intellectual prowess that underpins global progress.

Furthermore, the accolade-laden path to measuring intelligence could encompass the tally of Nobel Prizes won by each country. This prestigious honor, earned through groundbreaking contributions to fields ranging from science to literature, serves as a testament to a nation’s intellectual caliber and innovative spirit.

Top 10 Smartest Countries Based on Students’ Test Scores in Reading, Math and Science – OECD PISA 2018:

1. China – 555, 591, 590
2. Singapore – 549, 569, 551
3. Macau (China) – 525, 558, 544
4. Hong Kong (China) – 524, 551, 517
5. Estonia – 523, 523, 530
6. Canada – 520, 512, 518
7. Finland – 520, 507, 522
8. Ireland – 518, 500, 496
9. Korea – 514, 526, 519
10. Poland – 512, 516, 511

Top 10 Countries with the Highest Intelligence Capital Index – 2017:

1. United States – 74.88 (A+)
2. United Kingdom – 64.19 (A)
3. Germany – 64.18 (A)
4. Australia – 63.96 (A)
5. Singapore – 63.60 (A)
6. Sweden – 61.58 (A)
7. Switzerland – 61.57 (A)
8. Canada – 61.15 (A)
9. Finland – 60.45 (A)
10. Denmark – 60.25 (A)

Average by Age

IQ metrics often fluctuate based on age, with distinct age brackets reflecting varied average IQ values. For young ones, the standard IQ score hovers around 100. But as individuals mature, there’s a noticeable uptick in their IQ, with adults generally scoring higher than youngsters.

The zenith of IQ is typically reached at about 25 years, boasting an average score of around 112. Subsequent to this peak, there’s a gentle decline in IQ scores with advancing age, with the average diminishing by roughly 1-2 points every ten years.

Lowest IQ Country

Nepal is often cited as having one of the world’s lowest average IQs, registering at 42.99. However, it’s essential to highlight that this statistic stems from a limited group of individuals, making it only somewhat reflective of the broader Nepalese population’s IQ.

This could likely indicate a score much lower than the real average. Several elements might provide context to Nepal’s IQ figures. Positioned between India and China, Nepal’s geographical landlocked nature has historically limited its global interactions, depriving it of contemporary amenities and educational advancements.

Furthermore, Nepal has grappled with widespread poverty for decades, constraining the resources available for establishing a robust educational foundation or even rudimentary health services. This has led to a general deficiency in the populace’s cognitive skills, such as critical thinking, logical analysis, and in-depth conceptual understanding.

The scarcity of access to premier educational institutions within Nepal and overseas also means that only a handful can expand their knowledge or refine their cognitive abilities. This positions Nepal with one of the globe’s lowest average IQs when juxtaposed with other countries.

FAQ

What is Australia’s average IQ in 2024?

Australia’s average IQ in 2024 is 99.

Can IQ scores change over time?

While IQ scores tend to remain relatively stable throughout adulthood, they can be influenced by various factors such as education, environment, and life experiences.

Can IQ scores be improved through practice?

While practice can lead to better performance on specific types of IQ test questions, the overall increase in IQ score is limited. IQ tests measure a range of cognitive abilities that are relatively stable.

At what age can IQ testing be reliable?

IQ testing can start as early as age 6, but scores may be less stable in young children due to rapid developmental changes. Scores tend to become more stable from adolescence onwards.

Who Are Celebrities With Highest IQ Scores?

Actor James Woods is reported to have an IQ around 180, Shakira is rumored to have an IQ of 140, Nolan Gould boasts an IQ of 150. Comedian and actor Steve Martin is believed to have an IQ of 142, and actress and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik holds a PhD in neuroscience and has an IQ estimated to be around 150.

What is Elon Musk’s IQ?

Elon Musk’s exact IQ is not publicly disclosed. While he is undoubtedly a brilliant entrepreneur and innovator, it’s essential to note that success and intelligence can manifest in many ways beyond just an IQ score.

Final Words

Understanding IQ scores and their implications across different countries provides a unique lens into the cognitive abilities of populations.

However, it’s crucial to approach these figures with a holistic perspective, recognizing that intelligence is multifaceted and not solely defined by a single metric. As we navigate through the complexities of human potential, let’s celebrate the diverse ways in which intelligence manifests across cultures, regions, and individuals.