What exactly makes a country “smart”? Is it high IQ scores, world-class universities or the legacy of Nobel Prize winners? A new global study attempts to answer this by ranking the world’s smartest countries using a mix of education, intelligence and academic achievement data.
world of card games The ranking system used several metrics to determine global intelligence rankings. The study measured three factors, including average IQ scores, Nobel Prize nomination totals, and adult higher education attainment rates.
The researchers gave each factor numerical values between 0 and 100, which they combined through a weighted average to determine the final Smart Capital score.
The researchers obtained data from sources including the Nobel Prize Foundation, the World Bank and the World Population Review. The aim of the study was to produce a balanced comparison, even adjusting for countries with limited data.
Top 10 smartest countries in the world
- Switzerland
- united kingdom
- United States of America
- Netherlands
- belgium
- sweden
- Germany
- poland
- denmark
- finland
Many of the world’s most intelligent countries share similar characteristics: strong education systems, investment in research, and cultures that value critical thinking.
