Japan Takes Top Score in Worldwide IQ Test
Japan is the world's smartest country, according to new IQ test data.
Data collected in the Worldwide IQ Test by a Finnish intelligence testing company found that out of 109 countries, Japan had the highest average IQ test score in 2024.
IQ stands for "intelligence quotient," which is a score that shows the relative intelligence of a person. While there are different types of IQ tests, they often test things like math, memory and language ability. Some can be multiple choice, while others ask for short written answers.
On many tests, including the Worldwide IQ Test, the average IQ is set at 100. Japan's average score is 112.30, followed by Hungary with 111.32 and Taiwan with 111.19.
Italy, South Korea, Serbia, and Iran rank next with scores over 110, followed by Finland and Hong Kong with scores over 109, and Vietnam as the 10th smartest country with a score over 108.
The Worldwide IQ Test includes 35 questions and must be completed in 24 minutes.
While IQ tests can be used to test for different things, experts say that they only show certain types of intelligence.
Speaking with Reader's Digest, John DeLuca of the Kessler Foundation explained that while a person may have a high IQ score, they might not have common sense.
"Einstein may have had a high IQ, but it doesn't mean he was able to, for example, make good decisions about his financial life," he added.
