South Korea has topped the list of the world’s most intelligent countries for the first time.

According to the latest ranking released in 2026 based on international IQ test results, South Korea has secured the top position with the highest average IQ score in the world. The report analyzed the results of nearly 1.2 million people from 126 countries who took the same online test in 2025.

Based on the results of approximately 27,000 participants, South Korea recorded an average score of 106.97, marking the first time the country has claimed the top spot. It ranked second last year. China came in second this year with a score of 106.48, while Japan ranked third with an average score of 106.3.

Iran ranked fourth with a score of 104.8, while Australia made significant progress to secure fifth place with a score of 104.45. Other countries with high scores included Russia, Singapore, Mongolia, New Zealand, and Vietnam. The United States ranked 18th, with an average score of around 101.

East Asian countries dominated the top positions. Experts often attribute these strong results to rigorous education systems that emphasize mathematics, science, discipline, and early education. Many of these countries also perform well in international assessments of student achievement.  Different studies sometimes show slight variations, with older datasets placing countries such as Japan, Taiwan, or Singapore at the top. The latest ranking highlights broader global trends while also reflecting the minor year-to-year changes in average IQ scores.