(By Haifa Chairunisa)
Data compiled by International IQ Test analyzed results from more than 1.2 million participants across 137 countries in 2025 to assess comparative human resource capacity. The findings show that in 84.8 percent of countries surveyed, average IQ scores shifted by less than two points per year, indicating relative stability globally.
Within the region, Singapore recorded the highest average IQ score at 103.56, ranking not only first in ASEAN but also seventh worldwide. The city-state’s performance has been linked to its competitive education system, strong investment in research, and long-term human development strategies. However, the latest figure represents a slight decline from the previous year’s average of 105.14.
A cluster of countries followed with scores near the global average. Taiwan posted 99.94 based on 16,622 samples, while Malaysia and Myanmar recorded 98.51 and 98.28 respectively. These figures point to relatively stable conditions, where access to education is broadly available, though disparities in quality remain a challenge.
Brunei Darussalam and Philippines also fell within this range, with scores of 96.54 and 95.68, suggesting that welfare levels and access to basic services play a role in shaping cognitive development.
At the lower end of the regional ranking were Cambodia at 93.12, Laos at 92.97, Indonesia at 89.96, and Timor-Leste with 86.7. These positions reflect ongoing structural challenges, including unequal access to education, infrastructure gaps, and issues related to child nutrition and health. In Indonesia’s case, geographic scale and regional disparities continue to affect education quality and broader human resource development. The country’s score also declined by 3.22 points from the previous year.
Researchers cautioned that the figures do not represent entire national populations, as they are based only on individuals who participated in the test. Indonesia, for instance, had 299,304 respondents in 2025, far exceeding participation levels in other ASEAN countries, a factor that could influence the national average.
Globally, South Korea ranked highest with a score of 106.67 from 26,996 participants, followed by China at 106.48 and Japan at 106.3. Iran and Australia completed the top five with scores of 104.8 and 104.45 respectively.
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