Do you know that Prof. Young Hoon Kim, the Founder & President (CEO) of the United Sigma Intelligence Association (USIA), has an amazing and astounding IQ of 276? Additionally, Kim Namjoon of BTS also has an incredible IQ of 148.
The IQ, or intelligence quotient, is a measure of a person's cognitive abilities, with an average IQ typically falling around 100. IQ scores are used to assess intellectual potential and cognitive abilities in individuals.
An IQ below 70 is considered to be indicative of an intellectual disability, while an IQ above 130 is considered to be in the gifted range. In this article, we'll talk about the top 10 countries with the lowest IQ scores based on the latest research and data available.
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Countries with the Lowest IQ
According to the World Population Review, here is a list of the top 10 countries with the lowest average IQ scores as of 2025:
| Rank | Country | IQ |
| 199 | Nepal | 42.99 |
| 198 | Liberia | 45.07 |
| 197 | Sierra Leone | 45.07 |
| 196 | Guatemala | 47.72 |
| 195 | Cape Verde | 52.50 |
| 194 | Gambia | 52.50 |
| 193 | Nicaragua | 52.68 |
| 192 | Guinea | 52.69 |
| 191 | Ivory Coast | 53.48 |
| 190 | Ghana | 58.16 |
| 143 | India | 76.24 |
Source: World Population Review
1) Nepal
- Continent: Asia
- Total Population (2025): Approximately 29.6 million
- Average IQ: 42.99
Source: Shutterstock
Nepal has the lowest average IQ score of 42.99 among the listed countries. Despite its rich cultural heritage and stunning landscapes, the country faces significant challenges in providing adequate education and healthcare to its population, particularly in remote rural areas. The key factors contributing to lower IQ scores include limited access to quality education, widespread poverty, and nutritional deficiencies.
2) & 3) Liberia & Sierra Leone
- Continent: Africa
- Total Population (2025): Approximately 5.7 million (Liberia) & 8.7 million (Sierra Leone)
- Average IQ: 45.07
Source: Britannica (Flag of Liberia)
Both Liberia and Sierra Leone share an average IQ score of 45.07, placing them second lowest on the list. These West African nations have endured prolonged periods of civil unrest, which has severely impacted their development.
Source: Britannica (Flag of Sierra Leone)
The lower IQ scores can be attributed to several factors, including conflict-induced trauma, limited access to education, and significant healthcare disparities. The years of civil unrest have also led to inadequate infrastructure development, which continues to affect the overall development of their populations.
4) Guatemala
Source: Britannica
- Continent: North America
- Total Population (2025): Approximately 18.6 million
- Average IQ: 47.72
Guatemala records an average IQ of 47.72. As a Central American nation, it continues to face significant challenges despite ongoing efforts to improve its education and healthcare systems.
The country grapples with high levels of poverty, social inequality, and exclusion, particularly affecting indigenous communities. The lower IQ scores in Guatemala are primarily attributed to limited access to quality education and persistent socio-economic disparities throughout the country.
5) Cape Verde
Source: Freepik
- Continent: Africa
- Total Population (2025): Approximately 526.9 thousand
- Average IQ: 47.72
Cape Verde has an average IQ score of 52.5. While the country has made notable progress in improving both education and healthcare sectors in recent years, it still faces several significant challenges. These include high unemployment rates, persistent poverty, and ongoing emigration issues.
The relatively lower IQ scores observed in Cape Verde are influenced by various socio-economic factors and historical influences that continue to impact the nation's development.
6) Gambia
Source: Britannica
- Continent: Africa
- Total Population (2025): Approximately 2.8 million
- Average IQ: 52.98
The Gambia records an average IQ score of 52.68. Despite continuous efforts to enhance education and healthcare services, the country faces numerous developmental challenges. These include high poverty rates, insufficient access to quality education, and inadequate infrastructure. These persistent challenges have been identified as key contributors to the lower IQ scores observed in the country.
7) Nicaragua
Source: Britannica
- Continent: North America
- Total Population (2025): Approximately 6.9 million
- Average IQ: 52.69
Nicaragua has an average IQ score of 52.69. While the country has experienced recent economic growth and made improvements in its education sector, it continues to face significant challenges. These include widespread poverty, social inequality, and political instability. The combination of limited access to quality education and persistent socio-economic disparities has contributed to the lower IQ scores recorded in Nicaragua.
8) Guinea
Source: Britannica
- Continent: Africa
- Total Population (2024): Approximately 13 million
- Average IQ: 53.48
Guinea ranks with an average IQ score of 53.48. Although there have been efforts to improve education and healthcare systems, the country continues to face significant challenges. These include widespread poverty, political instability, and inadequate infrastructure. The lower IQ scores observed in Guinea are largely attributed to these socio-economic factors and historical influences that have impacted the nation's development.
9) & 10) Ivory Coast & Ghana
Source: Britannica
- Continent: Africa
- Total Population (2024): Approximately 32.5 million (Ivory Coast) & 34.9 million (Ghana)
- Average IQ: 58.16
Both Ivory Coast and Ghana share an average IQ score of 58.16, placing them at the higher end of this list. Despite having relatively higher scores compared to other countries mentioned, both nations continue to face significant challenges.
Source: Freepik
These include persistent poverty, social inequality, and political instability. These factors continue to impact access to quality education and overall development in both countries.
143) India
Source: Freepik
India records an average IQ score of 76.24, ranking 143rd globally, with an average of 6.6 years of schooling. Despite being one of the world's fastest-growing economies and a hub for technological innovation, the country faces significant disparities in educational access and quality across its vast population of over 1.4 billion people.
The lower-than-global-average IQ scores can be attributed to multiple factors, including:
- Socioeconomic Disparities: Significant wealth gaps between urban and rural areas
- Educational Infrastructure: Varying quality of schools across different regions
- Nutritional Challenges: High rates of childhood malnutrition in certain areas
- Access to Healthcare: Uneven distribution of medical facilities
- Cultural Factors: Gender disparities in education access
However, India has made substantial progress in recent years through initiatives like:
- The Right to Education Act
- Mid-day Meal Programs
- Digital Learning Initiatives
- Skill Development Programs
The country's diverse linguistic and cultural landscape, combined with its large population, presents unique challenges in standardising education quality and access across all regions. Despite these challenges, India continues to produce globally recognised professionals in various fields, particularly in technology, medicine, and engineering.
What are the main challenges faced by countries with the lowest IQ?
Countries with the lowest IQ scores face several significant challenges that hinder cognitive development and educational attainment. Here are the main issues:
- Poverty: High poverty rates are prevalent in these countries, limiting access to basic needs such as nutritious food, healthcare, and quality education. Malnutrition, particularly during childhood, severely impacts cognitive development and can lead to lasting deficits in intelligence.
- Lack of Access to Quality Education: Many countries on this list have underfunded educational systems with inadequate resources. Schools often lack trained teachers, proper facilities, and educational materials, which diminishes the quality of education and learning outcomes for students.
- Healthcare Issues: Poor healthcare systems contribute to high rates of preventable diseases that can affect cognitive functioning. Limited access to healthcare services means that many children do not receive necessary vaccinations or treatment for illnesses that could impair their development.
- Cultural Factors: Cultural attitudes towards education can also play a role. In some communities, there may be less emphasis on formal education, especially for girls, leading to lower overall educational attainment.
- Political Instability: Countries like Liberia and Sierra Leone have experienced civil conflicts that disrupt education and healthcare systems, making it difficult to implement effective reforms.
- Environmental Factors: Some regions face environmental challenges such as natural disasters or lack of infrastructure, further complicating efforts to improve living conditions and educational opportunities.
What Role Does Education Play in Shaping IQ Averages?
If you observe all the countries with the lowest IQ, one common thing is the lack of education and poverty. And you know a simple theory is that these both are directly proportional to each other.
If there is a lack of education and poverty in a country, the average IQ level will likely be lower compared to countries with higher levels of education and economic stability.
Education plays a vital role in the development of cognitive abilities, critical thinking skills, and overall intelligence.
- Education significantly influences IQ averages by enhancing cognitive abilities. Studies show that each additional year of education can increase IQ scores by 1 to 5 points.
- Education improves skills like problem-solving and critical thinking, leading to better performance on intelligence tests.
- Additionally, individuals with higher IQs often achieve more educational success, creating a reciprocal relationship between education and intelligence.
Conclusion
Though a person's IQ can be low , it does not necessarily reflect their overall intelligence or capabilities. Many individuals with lower IQ scores excel in other areas such as creativity, emotional intelligence, and practical skills.
So, explaining in simple terms, IQ is just one measure of intelligence and should not be used as the sole indicator of a person's abilities or potential for success. Poverty, lack of resources, and education are temporary barriers that can impact a person's IQ score, but they do not define a person's worth or potential.
The above-mentioned data is collected from the World Population Review, & Datapandas.org and if you look at it carefully, you'll get to know it is not completely true and is estimated based on various factors. It is important to remember that intelligence is a complex and multifaceted trait that cannot be fully captured by a single test or score.
Ultimately, individuals should be judged on their actions, character, and contributions to society rather than a number on a test. So, the above-mentioned data are just numbers that provide a limited snapshot of a person's abilities and should not be used as the sole measure of their worth or potential.
You are more than just a test score or IQ number—your value as a person goes far beyond what can be measured by intelligence tests.
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