South Koreans have claimed the top spot for the highest average IQ in the world according to the latest International IQ Test data released in 2026.
The report analyzed results from about 1.2 million people across 126 countries who took the same online test in 2025.
South Koreans scored an average of 106.97, based on nearly 27,000 participants. This marks the first time the country has ranked number one, improving from second place the previous year. China came second with 106.48, while Japan took third with 106.3.
Top performers and rising names
Iran placed fourth at 104.8, and Australia made a strong jump to fifth with 104.45. Other high scorers included Russia, Singapore, Mongolia, New Zealand and Vietnam. The United States ranked around 18th with a score near 101.
East Asian countries to dominate the upper ranks. Experts often link these strong results to rigorous education systems that emphasize math, science, discipline and early learning. Many of these nations also perform well in international student assessments like PISA.
What the numbers mean
IQ scores measure certain types of problem-solving and reasoning skills. National averages do not reflect every individual and can be influenced by education quality, nutrition, testing familiarity and culture.
Different studies sometimes show slight variations with older datasets placing Japan, Taiwan or Singapore at the very top.
The new rankings highlight ongoing global patterns while showing small shifts year to year. Australia’s rise and Vietnam’s entry into the top ten stood out as notable changes. Overall, the data reinforces East Asia’s strong position in cognitive performance rankings.
