Dumbest Countries 2025

Average IQ

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Average IQ 2019

1.	Nepal	42.99
2.	Sierra Leone	45.07
3.	Liberia	45.07
4.	Guatemala	47.72
5.	Cape Verde	52.5
6.	Gambia	52.68
7.	Nicaragua	52.69
8.	Guinea	53.48
9.	Ghana	58.16
10.	Ivory Coast	58.16
11.	South Sudan	58.61
12.	Mauritania	59.76
13.	Mali	59.76
14.	Togo	59.83
15.	Honduras	62.16
16.	Belize	62.55
17.	Central African Republic	62.55
18.	Yemen	62.86
19.	Gabon	62.97
20.	Republic of the Congo	62.97
21.	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	63.42
22.	DR Congo	64.92
23.	Sao Tome and Principe	65.22
24.	Dominica	66.03
25.	Namibia	66.19
26.	Morocco	67.03
27.	Somalia	67.67
28.	Nigeria	67.76
29.	Cameroon	67.76
30.	Djibouti	68.41
31.	Ethiopia	68.42
32.	Zambia	68.43
33.	Eritrea	68.77
34.	Eswatini	68.87
35.	Lesotho	68.87
36.	South Africa	68.87
37.	Botswana	69.45
38.	El Salvador	69.63
39.	Malawi	69.7
40.	Benin	69.71
41.	Rwanda	69.95
42.	Antigua and Barbuda	70.48
43.	Saint Kitts and Nevis	70.48
44.	Niger	70.82
45.	Burundi	72.09
46.	Mozambique	72.5
47.	Saint Lucia	73.68
48.	Burkina Faso	73.8
49.	Zimbabwe	74.01
50.	Bangladesh	74.33
51.	Syria	74.41
52.	Tanzania	74.95
53.	Jamaica	75.08
54.	Angola	75.1
55.	Kenya	75.2
56.	Algeria	76
57.	India	76.24
58.	Egypt	76.32
59.	Saudi Arabia	76.36
60.	Uganda	76.42
61.	Bolivia	76.53
62.	British Virgin Islands	76.69
63.	Madagascar	76.79
64.	Comoros	77.07
65.	Senegal	77.37
66.	Palestine	77.69
67.	Ecuador	78.26
68.	Timor Leste	78.49
69.	Indonesia	78.49
70.	Papua New Guinea	78.49
71.	Kuwait	78.64
72.	Oman	78.7
73.	Seychelles	78.76
74.	Chad	78.87
75.	Sudan	78.87
76.	Panama	79
77.	Kyrgyzstan	79.09
78.	Tunisia	79.22
79.	Grenada	79.34
80.	Pakistan
81.	Iran	80.01
82.	Maldives	80.54
83.	Jordan	80.7
84.	Qatar	80.78
85.	Libya	80.92
86.	Laos	80.99
87.	Northern Mariana Islands	81.36
88.	Peru	81.44
89.	Philippines	81.64
90.	Lebanon	81.7
91.	Albania	81.75
92.	North Macedonia	81.91
93.	Puerto Rico	81.99
94.	Dominican Republic	82.05
95.	United Arab Emirates	82.05
96.	Haiti	82.1
97.	Afghanistan	82.12
98.	Cayman Islands	82.24
99.	Venezuela	82.99
100.	Colombia	83.13
101.	Guyana	83.23
102.	Brazil	83.38
103.	Bahrain	83.6
104.	Cuba	83.9
105.	Samoa	83.96
106.	Marshall Islands	83.96
107.	Cook Islands	83.96
108.	Fiji	83.96
109.	Kiribati	83.96
110.	Solomon Islands	83.96
111.	Tonga	83.96
112.	Micronesia	83.96
113.	Paraguay	84.04
114.	Turks and Caicos Islands	84.29
115.	Georgia	84.5
116.	Azerbaijan	84.81
117.	Trinidad and Tobago	85.63
118.	Montenegro	85.78
119.	Turkmenistan	85.86
120.	Mauritius	86.56
121.	Sri Lanka	86.62
122.	Argentina	86.63
123.	Turkey	86.8
124.	Romania	86.88
125.	Bahamas	86.99
126.	Brunei	87.58
127.	Malaysia	87.58
128.	Uruguay	87.59
129.	Tajikistan	87.71
130.	Mexico	87.73
131.	Chile	87.89
132.	Bhutan	87.94
133.	Costa Rica	88.34
134.	Bosnia and Herzegovina	88.54
135.	Armenia	88.82
136.	Thailand	88.87
137.	Kazakhstan	88.89
138.	Uzbekistan	89.01
139.	Iraq	89.28
140.	Vietnam	89.53
141.	Serbia	89.6
142.	Moldova	89.98
143.	Ukraine	90.07
144.	Suriname	90.29
145.	Greece	90.77
146.	Bulgaria	90.99
147.	Mongolia	91.03
148.	Myanmar	91.18
149.	Malta	91.27
150.	Barbados	91.6
151.	Israel	92.43
152.	Portugal	92.77
153.	Cyprus	93.39
154.	Bermuda	93.48
155.	Spain	93.9
156.	Vanuatu	93.92
157.	New Caledonia	93.92
158.	Italy	94.23
159.	Latvia	94.79
160.	Czech Republic	94.92
161.	Ireland	95.13
162.	Andorra	95.2
163.	Croatia	95.75
164.	Lithuania	95.89
165.	Russia	96.29
166.	Slovakia	96.32
167.	Poland	96.35
168.	France	96.69
169.	Sweden	97
170.	Norway	97.13
171.	United States	97.43
172.	Belgium	97.49
173.	Denmark	97.83
174.	Iceland	98.26
175.	Austria	98.38
176.	New Zealand	98.57
177.	Slovenia	98.6
178.	North Korea	98.82
179.	Greenland	98.89
180.	United Kingdom	99.12
181.	Switzerland	99.24
182.	Australia	99.24
183.	Hungary	99.24
184.	Canada	99.52
185.	Cambodia	99.75
186.	Macau	99.82
187.	Luxembourg	99.87
188.	Estonia	100.72
189.	Germany	100.74
190.	Netherlands	100.74
191.	Liechtenstein	101.07
192.	Finland	101.2
193.	Belarus	101.6
194.	South Korea	102.35
195.	China	104.1
196.	Hong Kong	105.37
197.	Singapore	105.89
198.	Taiwan	106.47
199.	Japan	106.48

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Interactive Map
Introduction
Dumbness in the World
Dumbest Countries in the World
By Region
Table
Source

Introduction

Intelligence quotient (IQ) has always been a subject of intense debate and numerous studies. Amidst the controversy, it's crucial to remember that national IQ averages are both useful and somewhat contentious illustrations.

Asian countries, especially East Asia, lead by a wide margin in terms of average IQ scores. With Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and China in the top 6, the emphasis on education in these countries and their cultural focus on intellectual achievement can be seen as a significant contributing factor.
On the lower end of the spectrum, nations such as Nepal, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guatemala exhibit significantly lower IQ averages, sitting below an IQ score of 50.
More affluent nations typically appear to have higher average IQ scores. For example, the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, and the Netherlands all rank within the top quarter of the list.
There seems to be a regional pattern among less economically developed countries having lower average scores. African nations like Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cape Verde, and Gambia all appear within the 10 lowest averages.

Dumbest Countries

Region ↕	Average IQ 2019↕	Education Index 2022↕
Afghanistan	82.12	0.381
Albania	81.75	0.739
Algeria	76	0.664
Andorra	95.2	0.742
Angola	75.1	0.532
Antigua and Barbuda	70.48	0.781
Argentina	86.63	0.870
Armenia	88.82	0.777
Australia	99.24	0.923
Austria	98.38	0.866
Azerbaijan	84.81	0.706
Bahamas	86.99	0.754
Bahrain	83.6	0.819
Bangladesh	74.33	0.577
Barbados	91.6	0.788
Belarus	101.6	0.796
Belgium	97.49	0.917
Belize	62.55	0.638
Benin	69.71	0.389
Bermuda	93.48
Bhutan	87.94	0.557
Bolivia	76.53	0.743
Bosnia and Herzegovina	88.54	0.719
Botswana	69.45	0.663
Brazil	83.38	0.710
British Virgin Islands	76.69
Brunei	87.58	0.687
Bulgaria	90.99	0.766
Burkina Faso	73.8	0.302
Burundi	72.09	0.388
Cambodia	99.75	0.496
Cameroon	67.76	0.589
Canada	99.52	0.908
Cape Verde	52.5	0.523
Cayman Islands	82.24
Central African Republic	62.55	0.336
Chad	78.87	0.304
Chile	87.89	0.837
China	104.1	0.692
Colombia	83.13	0.697
Comoros	77.07	0.568
Cook Islands	83.96
Costa Rica	88.34	0.741
Croatia	95.75	0.843
Cuba	83.9	0.753
Cyprus	93.39	0.863
Czech Republic	94.92	0.883
DR Congo	64.92	0.507
Denmark	97.83	0.933
Djibouti	68.41	0.352
Dominica	66.03	0.684
Dominican Republic	82.05	0.684
Ecuador	78.26	0.714
Egypt	76.32	0.685
El Salvador	69.63	0.571
Eritrea	68.77	0.373
Estonia	100.72	0.892
Eswatini	68.87	0.604
Ethiopia	68.42	0.355
Fiji	83.96	0.730
Finland	101.2	0.930
France	96.69	0.834
Gabon	62.97	0.664
Gambia	52.68	0.400
Georgia	84.5	0.887
Germany	100.74	0.957
Ghana	58.16	0.536
Greece	90.77	0.880
Greenland	98.89
Grenada	79.34	0.791
Guatemala	47.72	0.490
Guinea	53.48	0.363
Guyana	83.23	0.648
Haiti	82.1	0.495
Honduras	62.16	0.521
Hong Kong	105.37	0.904
Hungary	99.24	0.826
Iceland	98.26	0.960
India	76.24	0.570
Indonesia	78.49	0.676
Iran	80.01	0.748
Iraq	89.28	0.566
Ireland	95.13	0.890
Israel	92.43	0.863
Italy	94.23	0.821
Ivory Coast	58.16	0.421
Jamaica	75.08	0.654
Japan	106.48	0.854
Jordan	80.7	0.697
Kazakhstan	88.89	0.824
Kenya	75.2	0.573
Kiribati	83.96	0.631
Kuwait	78.64	0.683
Kyrgyzstan	79.09	0.761
Laos	80.99	0.480
Latvia	94.79	0.904
Lebanon	81.7	0.623
Lesotho	68.87	0.558
Liberia	45.07	0.468
Libya	80.92	0.649
Liechtenstein	101.07	0.844
Lithuania	95.89	0.906
Luxembourg	99.87	0.828
Macau	99.82
Madagascar	76.79	0.409
Malawi	69.7	0.493
Malaysia	87.58	0.715
Maldives	80.54	0.599
Mali	59.76	0.248
Malta	91.27	0.848
Marshall Islands	83.96	0.882
Mauritania	59.76	0.385
Mauritius	86.56	0.739
Mexico	87.73	0.709
Micronesia	83.96	0.593
Moldova	89.98	0.807
Mongolia	91.03	0.716
Montenegro	85.78	0.839
Morocco	67.03	0.609
Mozambique	72.5	0.427
Myanmar	91.18	0.553
Namibia	66.19	0.568
Nepal	42.99	0.500
Netherlands	100.74	0.920
New Caledonia	93.92
New Zealand	98.57	0.930
Nicaragua	52.69	0.593
Niger	70.82	0.243
Nigeria	67.76	0.545
North Korea	98.82
North Macedonia	81.91	0.701
Northern Mariana Islands	81.36
Norway	97.13	0.937
Oman	78.7	0.758
Pakistan	80	0.366
Palestine	77.69	0.697
Panama	79	0.723
Papua New Guinea	78.49	0.472
Paraguay	84.04	0.683
Peru	81.44	0.744
Philippines	81.64	0.656
Poland	96.35	0.882
Portugal	92.77	0.787
Puerto Rico	81.99
Qatar	80.78	0.706
Republic of the Congo	62.97	0.621
Romania	86.88	0.783
Russia	96.29	0.849
Rwanda	69.95	0.480
Saint Kitts and Nevis	70.48	0.860
Saint Lucia	73.68	0.639
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	63.42	0.819
Samoa	83.96	0.724
Sao Tome and Principe	65.22	0.549
Saudi Arabia	76.36	0.799
Senegal	77.37	0.349
Serbia	89.6	0.786
Seychelles	78.76	0.759
Sierra Leone	45.07	0.367
Singapore	105.89	0.866
Slovakia	96.32	0.842
Slovenia	98.6	0.913
Solomon Islands	83.96	0.483
Somalia	67.67	0.274
South Africa	68.87	0.784
South Korea	102.35	0.878
South Sudan	58.61	0.346
Spain	93.9	0.848
Sri Lanka	86.62	0.751
Sudan	78.87	0.366
Suriname	90.29	0.586
Sweden	97	0.923
Switzerland	99.24	0.924
Syria	74.41	0.396
Taiwan	106.47
Tajikistan	87.71	0.679
Tanzania	74.95	0.426
Thailand	88.87	0.727
Timor Leste	78.49	0.567
Togo	59.83	0.548
Tonga	83.96	0.816
Trinidad and Tobago	85.63	0.782
Tunisia	79.22	0.672
Turkey	86.8	0.793
Turkmenistan	85.86	0.737
Turks and Caicos Islands	84.29
Uganda	76.42	0.526
Ukraine	90.07	0.739
United Arab Emirates	82.05	0.904
United Kingdom	99.12	0.936
United States	97.43	0.909
Uruguay	87.59	0.787
Uzbekistan	89.01	0.730
Vanuatu	93.92	0.568
Venezuela	82.99	0.695
Vietnam	89.53	0.647
Yemen	62.86	0.313
Zambia	68.43	0.549
Zimbabwe	74.01	0.599

Dumbness in the World

IQ, or intelligence quotient, is a standardized measure of cognitive ability, often used to assess reasoning, problem-solving, and intellectual potential. National IQ averages reflect trends in education, economic development, and social conditions of the respective country. Low scores often indicate systemic challenges such as poor access to education, malnutrition, and inadequate healthcare, all of which can negatively impact cognitive development.

A disclaimer, though, is that historically IQ scores have been misused to justify racist and classist ideas. People have referred to other groups as “naturally” dumber, which has led to real harm and discrimination. Our intention here is not to reinforce any stereotypes. Remember: IQ tests do not measure things like emotional intelligence and creativity. Intelligence is multi-dimensional, and relying on a single number can be very misleading.

For data on Average IQ By Country: click here.

What is The Intelligence of Nations?

The Intelligence of Nations by Richard Lynn and David Becker is a study that compiles national IQ data from a variety of sources. By comparing IQ levels worldwide, the study sheds light on how environmental and socio-economic conditions influence intelligence on a national scale.

The IQ scores are derived from academic performance assessments and standardized intelligence tests, such as the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) and Raven’s Progressive Matrices, which assess reasoning, memory, and problem-solving abilities. The results are then normalized to a mean score of 100, with standard deviations used to compare intelligence levels between populations. National IQ scores are derived by aggregating data from multiple sources and adjusting for factors such as educational attainment, nutrition, and socio-economic conditions.

These scores do not reflect inherent intelligence but rather the impact of external factors such as poverty, lack of resources, and limited educational opportunities, which can directly contribute to lower cognitive performance.

Dumbest Countries in the World

The countries with the lowest average IQ scores tend to face significant challenges in education, healthcare, and economic development. These nations often struggle with limited access to quality schooling, high poverty rates, malnutrition, and inadequate infrastructure.

What country is the dumbest?

Based on the 2019 data, Nepal has the lowest recorded average IQ at 42.99, making it the lowest-ranked country in terms of measured cognitive ability. Bearing in mind that low national IQ scores often reflect systemic challenges rather than the intellectual potential of individuals, Nepal faces significant hurdles in regards to its education sector, such as poor quality, limited access, and deep-rooted inequalities.

According to UNICEF, 770,000 children aged 5–12 are still out of school, and only half of students in grades 3, 5, and 8 meet basic academic standards in Nepali and mathematics. Early childhood education attendance is low at 51 percent, and stark disparities persist—only 12 percent of children from the lowest wealth quintile are developmentally on track in literacy and numeracy, compared to 65 percent from the wealthiest. Moreover, most schools do not meet child-friendly standards, and just 11 percent of school buildings are earthquake-resistant.

A point to consider when analyzing Nepal’s IQ score is that Lynn and Becker’s book The Intelligence of Nations (2019) cites unrepresentative data from a few small studies in rural areas during the 1980s and 90s—none of which were designed to measure cognitive ability. These studies focused mainly on nutrition, not psychometrics, and lacked linguistic and cultural sensitivity as we do not know if the sampled people were interviewed in either their mother tongues or in Nepali.

Top 10 Dumbest Countries in the World

Nepal has the lowest average IQ at 42.99, placing it at the bottom of the ranking. Liberia and Sierra Leone are tied at 45.07, reflecting the educational and economic challenges these West African nations face. Guatemala ranks fourth with 47.72, the lowest in Central America. Cape Verde and Gambia share a score of 52.50. Nicaragua follows closely with a score of 52.68, just above Guinea, which ranks eighth at 52.69. Ivory Coast takes the ninth spot with 53.48. Slightly better, Ghana ranks tenth on the list with an IQ of 58.16.

Country	IQ
Nepal	42.99
Liberia	45.07
Sierra Leone	45.07
Guatemala	47.72
Cape Verde	52.50
Gambia	52.50
Nicaragua	52.68
Guinea	52.69
Ivory Coast	53.48
Ghana	58.16

By Region

Afghanistan

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Dumbest Countries

Table of Contents

Introduction

Dumbest Countries

Dumbness in the World

What is The Intelligence of Nations?

Dumbest Countries in the World

What country is the dumbest?

Top 10 Dumbest Countries in the World

By Region

Afghanistan

Albania

Algeria

Andorra

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Armenia

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bahamas

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Barbados

Belarus

Belgium

Belize

Benin

Bermuda

Bhutan

Bolivia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Botswana

Brazil

British Virgin Islands

Brunei

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cambodia

Cameroon

Canada

Cape Verde

Cayman Islands

Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

China

Colombia

Comoros

Cook Islands

Costa Rica

Croatia

Cuba

Cyprus

Czech Republic

DR Congo

Denmark

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

Egypt

El Salvador

Eritrea

Estonia

Eswatini

Ethiopia

Fiji

Finland

France

Gabon

Gambia

Georgia

Germany

Ghana

Greece

Greenland

Grenada