Top 10 smartest countries in the world by average IQ: Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore lead the list
Determining the world's smartest countries is complex. A 2019 study by Richard Lynn and David Becker measured the average IQ of citizens across 132 nations. It is to be noted that these rankings are highly controversial and questioned for their methodology and objectivity.
Japan
Japan has an average IQ score of 106.48, and according to Lynn and Becker is the smartest country in the world. Its emphasis on discipline, early childhood education, and technology-driven learning contributes to its high average IQ. Japanese children are especially drawn towards science, mathematics, coding and AI.
Taiwan
Taiwan is the close second with an average IQ of 106.47. It has a rigorous science-oriented education system, with heavy investment in R&D. It has a booming semiconductor industry, and it instilled a culture of analytical thinking and technical mastery. It is also claimed to have excellence in music and the arts.
Singapore
Singapore's average IQ is 105.89. The Singaporean government have made a robust education system with large investments emphasising logical reasoning, STEM learning, and bilingual proficiency. Its economy is driven by innovation and technology.
Hong Kong
The average IQ of Hong Kong is 105.37. The education system in Hong Kong is a blend of Western liberal and Chinese traditional, which emphasises academic achievement. The city has a multilingual culture with both English and Chinese promoting cognitive flexibility.
China
With the start of the 21st century, China has dominated STEM globally, its schools producing the largest number of engineers, scientists and technicians. Most of its tests rigorously test logical reasoning and comprehension skills. Rooted in the Confucianism philosophy of structural functionalism, pushes for academic excellence. The average IQ of China is 104.1.
South Korea
South Korea’s education system is known for its intensity and investment in digital education and STEM fields, which have fostered a knowledge-based economy. It has an average IQ of 102.35. South Koreans also display strong innovation capacity, particularly in technology, robotics, and entertainment industries. It is baffling how 6 of the top 10 nations are East Asian and belong to Mongoloid racial group.
Belarus
Belarus has a strong education system and a near-perfect literacy rate. Its population demonstrates strong cognitive performance with an average IQ of 101.6. It's free education, and soviet era academic rigour puts it among the top 10.
Finland
Finland is globally admired for its student-centred education system that values creativity, equality, and critical thinking over rote learning. European education is more balanced, with equal emphasis on the Liberal arts as well as STEM disciplines. Finland's average IQ is 101.2.
Liechtenstein
Though small in population, Liechtenstein’s education standards rival the best in Europe. Its citizens enjoy a high standard of living and access to excellent schooling that integrates both Swiss and Austrian educational influences. The average IQ of Liechtenstein is 101.07
Germany
Germany also has a high average IQ with 100.74. Its universities are renowned for scientific research and an innovative culture. It provides a holistic education combining theoretical learning with vocational training and fosters practical intelligence alongside academic knowledge.
Knowledge is socially situated
The proprietor of these data, Lynn, had been considered a eugenist. He used his data to support scientifically inaccurate theories. A eugenist is someone who believes in racial superiority, that certain racial groups are more intelligent than others. Intelligence is not purely genetic; it is largely shaped by social, cultural, and environmental factors. Sociologists view knowledge and, in turn, intelligence as a socially constructed concept defined by power relations, and dominant discourse which deems which knowledge is valuable and which one is discarded.
)
)
)
)
)