Hongkongers fourth in global IQ rankings

Hongkongers have the fourth highest average IQ score in the world, according to the latest World Population Review report, while Japan has the highest average IQ of 106.48.

Taiwan,with an average IQ of 106.47, and Singapore, with 105.89, ranked second and third, respectively.

Hong Kong scored 105.37, well over the global average IQ of 82, followed by China in fifth with 104.10 and South Korea sixth with 102.35.

More than half of the top 10 most intelligent countries were from Asia.

The World Population Review is an independent organization without political affiliations. It gathers data across 200 nations and reports demographic information, with the latest report released on Friday.

The organization combined the findings of academic test scores, number of Nobel prize winners and possibility of introducing new data technologies to determine the smartest country or region in the world.

The report states that the literacy rate of Japan was at 99 percent and citizens possess the characteristics of being hardworking, self-disciplined and attentive to details.

Countries with lower IQ scores are less developed, especially in the field of education.

Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nepal had the lowest IQ among the 199 listed nations, scoring 45.07, 45.07 and 42.99, respectively.

The Philippines was ranked 111, with an average IQ of 81.64. Pakistan was ranked 120 with 80. Indonesia ranked 130 with 78.49 and India was at number 143 with average IQ of 76.24.

The Department of Education of the Philippines said it would discuss how to improve the country's education system. It will consider rolling out "learning camps" and investigate measures to aid students' nutritional intake, which the country's Department of Health said was key to IQ development.

"Filipinos used to have an average IQ of 86," said an assistant professor at the University of Philippines Diliman. "Schools emphasize recitation, instead of developing students' critical thinking and language abilities."

Around nine out of 10 Filipino children aged 10 or below are not proficient in reading and writing, according to statistics released by the World Bank in 2021.

charlie.chun@singtaonewscorp.com