What is the average IQ in Papua New Guinea?

The average IQ in Papua New Guinea is approximately 84, based on Lynn & Vanhanen (2012) (2012). This ranks Papua New Guinea #122 out of 195 countries in our dataset. This score is considered below average on the global scale.

How does Papua New Guinea's IQ compare to other Oceania countries?

Papua New Guinea ranks among the lower-scoring countries in Oceania. Other Oceania countries with similar scores include .

What factors influence IQ scores in Papua New Guinea?

Key factors include: education quality and access (4.6 average years of schooling), literacy rate (64%), economic development (GDP per capita of $4,400), healthcare access (HDI: 0.558), nutrition, and urbanization levels. These environmental factors significantly affect measured cognitive test performance.

Is the IQ score for Papua New Guinea reliable?

The score of 84 is an estimate based on Lynn & Vanhanen (2012) (2012). Like all national IQ estimates, it has limitations including varying sample sizes, potential cultural test bias, and the fact that within-country variation is always much larger than between-country differences. It should be interpreted as a rough approximation, not a precise measurement.

Average IQ in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea has an average IQ of 84, ranking #122 out of 195 countries globally. This is considered below average on the worldwide scale.

Average IQ Score

Below Average (80–87) · Rank #122 of 195

Source: Lynn & Vanhanen (2012) (2012)

Key Statistics

Population

10,300,000

GDP per Capita (PPP)

$4,400

World Bank, 2023

Literacy Rate

64%

UNESCO, 2023

Human Development Index

0.558

UNDP, 2023

Mean Years of Schooling

4.6

Adults 25+

Education Expenditure

% of GDP

Education System in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is the world's most linguistically diverse country (840+ languages). Education is provided in English, with significant access challenges in remote highland areas.

IQ and Economic Development

Papua New Guinea's GDP per capita of $4,400 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 4.6 average years of schooling and a 2% GDP investment in education, Papua New Guinea has room to increase education investment relative to GDP.

Countries with Similar IQ Scores

Oceania Rankings

#	Country	Avg IQ
1	Australia	102
2	New Zealand	101
3	Fiji	87
4	Samoa	87
5	Tonga	87
6	Kiribati	84
7	Marshall Islands	84
8	Micronesia	84
9	Nauru	84
10	Palau	84

Data Sources for Papua New Guinea

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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