Ranking countries by intelligence can be like comparing apples and oranges. However, there are methods by which you can assess the level of intelligence in the country. In this article, you will learn about the ten smartest nations, ranked by IQ level, but taking into account other important factors.
Research methods
One of the most popular ways to measure intelligence is the IQ test. Each test consists of many thematic questions with increasing difficulty. Among them are tasks for logical and spatial thinking, assessment of the ability to independently compare and summarize facts, etc. There have been endless studies on whether a standardized test can accurately reflect the level of education and abilities of a person in areas such as memory, creativity or work. Also, if an IQ test is being developed in, say, a European country, wouldn't it automatically be designed for members of local nations, and would it prejudice people from other continents?
There are other ways to rate the smartest nation in the world. For example, you can look at student grades in areas such as science and math, and take a survey. They are carried out directly during the period of children's education at school, which makes it possible to assess their current level of intelligence. Unlike other methods, the survey provides insight into how students are learning, which is a good way to look at how a country's education system works as a whole.
Another way to gauge a nation's intelligence is to look at a country's contribution to mathematics and science. Statistical data, such as the number of scientific papers and discoveries per capita, show a high level of intelligence among the scientists of the country, but perhaps not of the entire population. This is where the complexity of assessing the intelligence of an entire nation lies.
Some people also look at the level of education in a country by looking at how many people have a bachelor's, master's or PhD degree. However, this approach is inherently biased towards countries with cheap or free higher education systems, and is more a matter of access to education than actual intelligence. For example, according to statistics, Russia is in second place in the world in terms of the number of people with higher education, but according to other studies and polls, Russians are not in the top 10 smartest nations.
10. Sweden
The average IQ is around 100. Sweden has a good education system - most of the costs of its payment are coveredgovernment. Because of this, it is available to anyone who has good mental abilities. In Sweden, over seventy-five percent of workers use computers in their workplaces. This is a good statistic. They also have a fairly large percentage of people with higher education.
9. Austria
The next three countries on this list have an average IQ that rounds up to the same whole number, so they will be listed in alphabetical order. Oddly enough, these three countries border on each other. This could mean that they have similar cultural backgrounds that make their IQ test scores very similar. It is possible that due to their proximity, these three countries have similar education systems.
Austria is considered a country with one of the best education systems in the world. For every thousand people in the country, about 7 women and 9 men have a Ph. D. It is for these factors that Austria is included in the top of the smartest nations in the world. The average IQ in Austria is 102.
8. Germany
Germans have always had a high percentage of great thinkers. When one talks about the fields of philosophy, science or art, many influential German minds come to mind. This is probably due to the fact that German citizens with higher education in the field of natural sciences, mathematics, engineering, often go to study in another speci alty. In fact, they are in third place in terms of the number of graduates with STEM levels (Science, Technology, Engineering andMathematics), despite the fact that their population is not as large compared to many other countries. Germany has a high GDP and some of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world. Thanks to this, the Germans take pride of place in the ranking of the smartest nations in the world. Statistics show: the average IQ in Germany is 102.
7. Italy
When we think of Italy, we always think of the Roman Empire or the Renaissance. Some of the greatest sculptors, painters, writers and poets have come from this southern European country. To date, Italians are showing good progress in mathematics, physics and other fields. The average IQ in Italy is around 102.
6. Netherlands
The Netherlands has a very good education system. The country with the best education system in the world and the best school exam grades is Finland. However, looking at the average IQ of all countries in the world, Finland only ranks 29th. This perhaps illustrates the difficulty of ranking a country's intelligence in terms of IQ. On the other hand, education may be more focused on memorization and general knowledge, which are not as useful on an IQ test. The average IQ in Holland is 103.
5. Singapore
Singapore opens the top five smartest countries, interestingly, they are all located in Asia. It is a small island-city-state in the southern part of Malaysia. Singapore is a place of cutting edge technology andalso business and finance. Young people in Singapore are always at the forefront when it comes to results in mathematics and science. Super-high GDP and ease of trade provide a lot of money to finance educational and social projects. The average IQ in Singapore is 103.
4. Taiwan
Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China, is one of the most densely populated places in the world. Taiwan is world famous for its achievements in technology as well as its dedication to the public education system. Many people in the state are bilingual. Since one of Taiwan's largest trading partners is the United States, many young people speak English fluently to gain more career opportunities. The average IQ in Taiwan is 104.
3. Japan
Japan is a very advanced country when it comes to the quality of education. She is known for having a complex philosophy of educating children, with students spending hundreds of hours preparing for difficult exams. When it comes to scientific research, Japan is increasingly becoming one of the leading countries in the world. The University of Tokyo is included in the list of top educational institutions in the world and is considered the best university in Asia. With a literacy rate of ninety-nine percent, Japan is one of the smartest nations in the world. The average IQ in Japan is 105.
2. South Korea
South Korea is the most "innovative" of all countries in the world. South Korean students perform some of the best on tests. The state spends colossal sums of money on research and development. Among the population, a high percentage of people hold a STEM degree, with over 30 percent of the adult population holding a degree in one of these cutting-edge fields. South Korea is considered to have the fastest and most reliable internet in the world. However, their education system has one significant disadvantage. As a result of difficult tests, long school hours and high competition, the country has a high suicide rate among schoolchildren and students. The average IQ in South Korea is 106.
1. Hong Kong
Which nation is the smartest in the world? It turns out that the Chinese are in the lead! Purely technically, Hong Kong is not a country - it is a "special administrative region" in China. However, Hong Kong cannot be ignored as it is home to millions of people with the highest IQs. Hong Kong students win prizes at world math and science olympiads. It has the best education system after Finland. Many students in Hong Kong take additional courses outside of their institution to improve their education and future prospects. This kind of thirst for knowledge is rather surprising, however, it is clear that the hard mental work of the people of Hong Kong has paid off in full. Their average IQ is 107.
