Global study reveals the world’s smartest countries

World of Card Games launched a new global study to determine what makes a country “the smartest,” analysing intelligence and education data across several nations.

The researchers used information from reputable sources, including the Nobel Prize Organisation, World Population Review, and international educational databases.

How were they ranked?

The study then evaluated the countries across five major benchmarks, including:

• Number of Individuals with Nobel Prize Nominations
• Number of Universities with Nobel Prize Nominations
• Average IQ (Lynn-Becker scale)
• Percentage of Adults with at least a Bachelor’s Degree
• Percentage of Adults with at least a Master’s Degree

The researchers normalised each factor on a 0–100 scale, giving slightly more weight to Nobel Prize nominations and education levels in the final score.

They then produced the Smart Capital Score, a comprehensive ranking that highlights not only individual brainpower but also national achievement and access to higher education.

The smartest country in the world

At the top of the list was Switzerland, earning a Smart Capital Score of 92.02. Despite its modest population of under nine million, Switzerland stands out for its strong balance across all five metrics:

• 1 099 Nobel Prize nominations by Swiss individuals
• 32 universities with Nobel Prize nominations
• Average IQ of 99.24
• 40.02% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent
• 18.05% of adults with a master’s degree or equivalent

Switzerland claimed the title of the world’s smartest nation in 2025, thanks to its strong mix of intellectual capacity, education, and international recognition.

The United Kingdom and the United States followed closely with scores of 89.40 and 89.18, respectively, earning high Nobel Prize recognition but recording slightly lower average IQs than some smaller European countries.

Here’s the full top 10 list:

1. Switzerland – 92.02
2. United Kingdom – 89.40
3. United States – 89.18
4. Netherlands – 87.30
5. Belgium – 86.58
6. Sweden – 85.62
7. Germany – 85.40
8. Poland – 80.70
9. Denmark – 80.46
10. Finland – 80.24