Which Southeast Asian Countries Have the Highest IQ in 2025?

Southeast Asian countries continue to show dynamic progress in human development, one aspect of which is reflected in cognitive capacity indicators measured through Intelligence Quotient (IQ). Although it is not the sole measure of human resource quality, this data is often used to provide a general overview of the cognitive abilities of populations across countries.

The IQ Map of Southeast Asia

Based on the 2025 recap of the International IQ Test, which involved 1,212,714 participants across 137 countries, most countries demonstrated stability in IQ scores. A total of 84.8% of countries in the study recorded an average annual change of less than two points.

In Southeast Asia, Singapore ranks at the top with an average IQ score of 103.56. This achievement not only places it as the highest in ASEAN but also ranks seventh globally. However, the score slightly declined compared to the previous year’s 105.14.

Vietnam holds the second position with a score of 102.26 from 14,915 participants, marking an increase of 2.14 points from the previous year. Below it is a group of countries with scores close to the global average: Thailand (99.94 from 16,622 participants), Malaysia (98.51 from 19,346 participants), and Myanmar (98.28 from 340 participants).

Brunei Darussalam and the Philippines are also in this group, with scores of 96.54 and 95.68 respectively, indicating relatively stable conditions in terms of cognitive development.

Challenges at the Lower End

At the lower end of the list are Cambodia with a score of 93.12, Laos with 92.97, Indonesia with 89.96, and Timor-Leste with 86.7. These positions reflect structural challenges, particularly in terms of unequal access to education, infrastructure quality, and child nutrition and health conditions.

In Indonesia’s context, its vast geographical size and regional disparities are key factors influencing the quality of education and human resource development. Additionally, Indonesia’s IQ score declined by 3.22 points compared to the previous year.

However, it is important to note that this data does not fully represent entire populations, as it is based only on individuals who participated in the test. In Indonesia, the number of participants reached 299,304 in 2025—significantly higher than in other ASEAN countries—which may have influenced the average score.

Global Overview: East Asia’s Dominance

Globally, South Korea ranks first with an IQ score of 106.67 from 26,996 participants, increasing by 0.54 points from the previous year. China follows in second place with a score of 106.48 from 229,918 participants, while Japan ranks third with 106.3 from 55,994 participants.

The global top five is completed by Iran with a score of 104.8 from 10,538 participants and Australia with 104.45 from 4,245 participants. Overall, the data suggests that global cognitive capacity remains strongly influenced by the strength of education systems and investment in human development, with cross-country variations still shaped by structural and social factors.

Below are the IQ scores for ASEAN countries in 2025, according to data from the International IQ Test: