Australia is known for its remarkable beauty. Last year, we were even crowned one of the most beautiful countries on Earth. But we’re so much more than just a pretty face. According to the latest International IQ Test rankings, Australia is among the most intelligent countries in the world. That’s a no-brainer, though, considering we’re the masterminds behind some of life’s greatest innovations – from mass-producing penicillin and creating cochlear implants to inventing Wi-Fi, dual-flush toilets and of course, Vegemite.
You’ve probably heard the term IQ thrown around, but only those with a high IQ probably know what it actually means. IQ stands for ‘intelligence quotient’ and is basically a measure of someone’s cognitive ability. In even simpler terms, it’s how well someone uses information and logic to solve problems, spot patterns, think analytically and make predictions. That’s not the same as being ‘smart’, which goes beyond test scores to include common sense, creativity, social skills and emotional intelligence.
Earlier this year, the world’s only official International IQ Test site released its 2025 rankings – and Australia landed in the top ten countries worldwide. Kudos to us! The ranking was based on more than 1.3 million IQ tests taken across the globe in 2024, and with 83 per cent of countries obtaining similar average IQ scores to the year before, we can trust that the results are pretty reliable.
Australia landed in ninth place overall with an average IQ of 102.57 – that’s a 0.97-point increase from last year and 2.57 points higher than the global average of 100. This places us in the top eight per cent of the 126 countries included (with any nations lacking sufficient data excluded).
So, which places managed to outsmart Australia? In a country where academic achievement is drilled in from a young age, it’s no surprise that China held onto the top spot with the world’s highest average IQ of 107.19. Plus, with a population of more than 1.4 billion people – nearly 18 per cent of the planet – China also has sheer numbers on its side. This helps explain why only 27 of the 126 countries ranked scored above the global average of 100.
East Asia dominated the leaderboard, with South Korea landing in second place on 106.43 and Japan following in third with an IQ of 106.4. The only other nations to crack an average IQ above 105 were Iran and Singapore, with the Russian Federation, Mongolia, Armenia, Australia and Spain rounding out the top ten.
Australia far outperformed our western, English-speaking counterparts, including the United States in 30th place on 99.74 and the United Kingdom in 33rd with 99.68. Overall, Central and Southern Africa, along with Latin America, recorded the lowest average IQs. You can check out the full rankings and even put your own IQ to the test here.
The 10 countries with the highest IQ
- China
- South Korea
- Japan
- Iran
- Singapore
- Russian Federation
- Mongolia
- Armenia
- Australia
- Spain