Canada ranks among the world’s smartest countries — while the U.S. doesn’t even make the list

The world's smartest countries in 2025 have been revealed, and Canada placed in the top 10.

Being a smart country is about how well nations learn, innovate, and apply knowledge. 

This recent ranking from TradingPlatforms combined OECD PISA 2022 scores in math, science, and reading with scientific publication output and average IQ scores to create a global smartness ranking.

The analysis focuses on three key factors: student performance on the OECD’s 2022 PISA exams in math, reading, and science; the volume of scientific research papers published in 2024; and each country’s average IQ score. 

These elements combine to form a comprehensive “Smartness Score,” which measures education, research output, and overall cognitive ability.

What are the top 10 smartest countries?

1. Hong Kong 

2. Singapore 

3. Switzerland 

4. Taiwan 

5. Japan 

6. South Korea 

7. Iceland 

8. Denmark 

9. Australia 

10. Canada

What are the world's top 20 smartest countries in 2025?

According to the Smartness Score, here's the global top 20:

1. Hong Kong – 94.0

2. Singapore – 81.6

3. Switzerland – 72.2

4. Taiwan – 66.3

5. Japan – 64.4

6. South Korea – 64.3

7. Iceland – 59.1

8. Denmark – 57.9

9. Australia – 57.8

10. Canada – 55.4

11. Finland – 55.2

12. Estonia – 54.7

13. Sweden – 54.4

14. New Zealand – 53.4

15. Slovenia – 53.0

16. Netherlands – 51.9

17. Austria – 51.8

18. United Kingdom – 51.2

19. Belgium – 51.2

20. Spain – 50.3

For more information about the TradingPlatforms ranking, click here.

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