IQ Career Lab

Average IQ in Nepal

Nepal has an average IQ of 82, ranking #136 out of 195 countries globally. This is considered below average on the worldwide scale.

82
Average IQ Score
Below Average (80–87) · Rank #136 of 195
Source: Lynn & Vanhanen (2012) (2012)

Key Statistics

Population
30,900,000
GDP per Capita (PPP)
$4,340
World Bank, 2023
Literacy Rate
68%
UNESCO, 2023
Human Development Index
0.601
UNDP, 2023
Mean Years of Schooling
5
Adults 25+
Education Expenditure
5.1%
% of GDP

Education System in Nepal

Nepal has expanded access to education significantly since 2000, with a focus on community-managed schools. Geographic challenges in mountainous regions affect educational access.

IQ and Economic Development

Nepal's GDP per capita of $4,340 reflects a lower-income economy. Research shows a moderate correlation (r ≈ 0.7) between national GDP and measured IQ, though this relationship is complex and bidirectional.

With 5 average years of schooling and a 5.1% GDP investment in education, Nepal maintains a moderate investment in education.

Countries with Similar IQ Scores

Asia Rankings

Data Sources for Nepal

IQ Score:Lynn & Vanhanen (2012) (2012) — from "Intelligence: A Unifying Construct." Some estimates in this dataset may be imputed from educational achievement data rather than direct testing.
GDP & Education Spending:World Bank (2023)
HDI & Schooling:UNDP Human Development Report (2023–2024)
Literacy Rate:UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2023)
Population:UN World Population Prospects (2024)

National IQ estimates are approximate and based on meta-analyses of available cognitive testing data (Becker, 2019; Lynn & Vanhanen, 2012; World Population Review, 2025). These scores reflect measured test performance and are influenced by education, nutrition, healthcare, and socioeconomic factors — they do not measure innate intelligence. Within-country variation is much larger than between-country differences. IQ tests developed in Western contexts may not translate fairly across all cultures. Interpret with appropriate caution.

See the full methodology on our main IQ by Country page for complete source descriptions and data quality notes.

Frequently Asked Questions

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