Tajikistan with a score of 93.75 ranks 96th in a global intelligence ranking of 127 countries.
The testing reportedly included 422 participants from Tajikistan. Last year, the country scored 92.1, marking an improvement of 1.65 points.
Among Central Asian countries, Kazakhstan ranked 66th (97.27), Uzbekistan 69th (96.98), and Kyrgyzstan 84th (95).
No data was available for Turkmenistan.
The top three countries were China (107.43), Iran (106.63), and South Korea (106.57). The lowest-ranked countries were Benin (87.11), Angola (86.14), and Gabon (85.56).
According to the ranking’s creators, the study is based on data from 1,393,066 people worldwide who completed the same test in 2024. Some countries were excluded due to insufficient data.
The report notes that average IQ levels are generally highest in East Asia, close to average in Europe, West Asia, Oceania, North America, and North Africa, and below average in Central and Southern Africa, as well as Latin America.
An intelligence quotient (IQ) is a total score derived from a set of standardized tests or subtests designed to assess human intelligence.
What is the average IQ in the world?
The global average IQ is 100.
Why is the average IQ by country below 100 for most countries?
One of the main reasons for this is China, which alone represents about 18% of the world’s population. China balances out many countries with an average IQ below 100 due to its very high average IQ score (107.43) and its large population.
When considering the population of countries and their average IQs, the final result is an average IQ of 100 for the global population.
Why is there a difference in the average IQ by country?
Several factors can influence a country’s average IQ:
- Infectious Diseases: A 2010 study demonstrated that countries with high rates of infectious diseases generally have populations with lower average IQ scores. These diseases can negatively affect cognitive development. Africa is the continent most affected by infectious diseases.
- Dietary Habits: A 2025 study showed that children with good dietary habits have higher IQs than other children. Therefore, countries with good dietary habits (and less food poverty) tend to have higher average IQs.
- Intellectual Activities: A 2022 study found that regularly playing chess can increase children's IQs. Another 1962 study showed that bilingual children score higher on intelligence tests than children who speak only one language. Thus, regular intellectually stimulating activities within a country’s culture tend to raise its average IQ.
- Genetics: A 2013 study on over a thousand twins demonstrated that IQ is influenced between 50% and 80% by genetics.
To conclude, countries with good healthcare systems, that promote healthy dietary habits, and encourage their citizens to engage in intellectually stimulating activities, tend to have populations with higher average IQs.
Genetics provides a solid foundation upon which the environment can build further. Thus, good genetics combined with a good environment tend to increase the average IQ score. The global average IQ should therefore gradually increase, as confirmed by a 2014 study, which observed a 2.31 IQ score increase per decade. This phenomenon is known as the Flynn Effect.
However, the purpose of the IQ test is to classify the population around an average of 100. The algorithm of the international IQ test should therefore adapt to this increase to maintain the IQ average at 100 with a standard deviation of 15.
The average IQ ranking by country is updated annually on January 1st, based on data from the previous year.
