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Countries by IQ - Average IQ by
Country 2023

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 region. 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 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:*

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

*It bears mentioning that Lynn's studies, while

comprehensive, tend to spark considerable
debate. Some researchers dispute the
techniques Lynn employs to calculate estimates
when hard data is lacking. Others claim Lynn,
an unabashed eugenicist, misinterprets his data
to support conclusions that are both
scientifically inaccurate and supportive of white
supremacy.

As the data demonstrates, there is a wide range

of average IQ scores 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
actually 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, you could compare each country's
academic test scores, its likelihood of
"expanding the frontier of knowledge" and
introducing new data technologies (Intelligence
Capital Index), or even the number of Nobel
Prizes each country has won. In fact, you could
even combine all three stats.

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)
Here are the 10 countries with the highest IQ:

1. Japan: 106.48
2. Taiwan: 106.47
3. Singapore: 105.89
4. Hong Kong: 105.37
5. China: 104.1
6. South Korea: 102.35
7. Belarus: 101.6
8. Finland: 101.2
9. Liechtenstein: 101.07
10. Germany: 100.74

CSV JSON

Rank Country IQ 2023 Population

Japan 106.48 123,294,513

Taiwan 106.47 23,923,276
Singapore 105.89 6,014,723
Hong Kong 105.37 7,491,609
China 104.1 1,425,671,352
South Korea 102.35 51,784,059
Belarus 101.6 9,498,238
Finland 101.2 5,545,475
Liechtenstein 101.07 39,584
Germany 100.74 83,294,633
Netherlands 100.74 17,618,299
Estonia 100.72 1,322,765
Luxembourg 99.87 654,768

Countries by IQ - Average IQ by Country 2023

IQ

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Japa
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Taiw
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Sing
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Liech
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Germ
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e th erlan
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nia
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Aust
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Italy
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has the highest average

IQ?

Japan has the highest average IQ in the world,

with an average IQ of 106.49.

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
and Switzerland are tied for the tenth-highest
average IQ in the world.

Sources

1. Intelligence related to income and climate -

2006
2. The Intelligence of Nations - Ulster Institute
2019
3. World Ranking of Countries By Their Average
IQ - 2010
4. Intelligence: A Unifying Construct for the
Social Sciences - 2012

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