I was chatting with a friend the other day about IQ, and he sent me the following map of the average IQs around the world:
Just in case you are not able decipher the legend, the top box (yellow) reads “105″, followed by 100 (tan), 85-90 (orange), 70 (brown), and 60 (red). If you look closely, you will notice that all countries except China and those in Europe are blanketed by either orange, brown, or red, which means the average IQ of the people in those countries are below 90. Correct me if I am wrong, but aren’t IQ scores supposed to fit the Gaussian curve with a median of 100? In other words, isn’t “100″ the average IQ score? If so, how can the average IQ of a big chunk of the world’s population be below 100?
The only explanation I can offer is this: China. Not only is the average IQ of Chinese 105, China is also the most populous country in the world. Perhaps the large population of higher average IQ balanced the equation when averaged with the population of lower average IQ. Even then, I am not totally convinced that explanation is sound — the math simply does not add up.
What do you think? Please offer your own explanation in the comments below.


8 comments
Comments feed for this article
December 31, 2008 at 7:57 pm
joe wilson
IQ 100 is a “standard for world comparison.
IQ 100 is used as a benchmark-for-world. IQ 100 is for white 17-year old boy.
In Europe, half are above 100, half are below 100.
Note: the IQ is for Native populations, Not the Brits who settled Australia or New Nealand for Immigrants to USA.
Dr. James Watson, of DNA, noted Africans had pretty low IQ. Not sure where it came from but probably own research.
IQ 105, in East Asia
IQ 100, in Europe
IQ 85-90, Rest of world
IQ 70, in Africa
IQ 60, Natives of Africa and Australia.
True-False
Real-Fake
Real-Hoax.
Real-Fraud. Is this map for Real? Will have to wait for Evidence.
March 12, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Chris Fitzpatrick
How is it that Australia has the lowest iq? to me this makes no sense. we are NOT A STUPID CONTRY we even invented a gun that shoots 100,000 bullets a minute. check the genuines book of world records if you must. plus an AUSTRALIAN scientist found a treatment for cervix cancer. soo how is our iq lower than 60??? seriously 22 million people with the iq of 60…. that just dosnt work. how??
we are not a poor stupid contry we have hospitals and schools im sure they got this wrong
if our iq was an average of 60.. we would not have school and mainly hospital or anyother thing that requires the iq above fucking 60… so how?? wheres the logic? we live in a rich contry with Great hopital service and schools plus teltra made a promas that they was gona make fibure optic cables going to every house in australia
August 31, 2009 at 11:47 am
H. Gesundheit Crutch
Based on the spelling, grammar and atrocious language in your post, you are at the high end of the scale. ‘Onya, mate.
April 27, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Tom
I went to Australia once… I think the map is accurate.
July 5, 2009 at 12:29 pm
a pom who supports the aussies on this
I thought that map looked odd too with the bit about Australia, I think its some Kiwis idea of a joke, its from wikipedia so anyone could have made that map.
Don’t worry Aussies, probably everyone knows that maps been tampered with.
July 5, 2009 at 12:40 pm
a pom who supports the aussies on this
This looks like a authentic IQ map and Australia looks matched with Europe, North America and Asia:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/IQ_by_Country.png/800px-IQ_by_Country.png
Thats the proper map, not that fake orange one.
July 18, 2009 at 11:55 am
Shane
Joe Wilson is correct, this map is based on the indigenous populations only, so, perhaps it could be accurate towards the indigenous peoples’ IQ. Every other map that I have looked at have Australia’s IQ hovering around 98. Again, though, these are deceptive as well. For example, when IQ studies are done in China, they are only done within urban areas from which they calculate the entire Chinese population to have the same IQ.
August 13, 2009 at 3:41 pm
texapino
the sum of the populations of the light yellow countries is over 1.5 billion..adding the light orange countries makes another billion..almost half the world’s people right there..the other half live in below-avg iq nations..i’m not surprised africa is especially low but australia?..i thought they had the best education system in the world lol