IQ Career Lab

Average IQ in Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste has an average IQ of 78, ranking #155 out of 195 countries globally. This is considered below the global average on the worldwide scale.

78
Average IQ Score
Below 80 (Below 80) · Rank #155 of 195
Source: World Population Review (2025) (2025)

Key Statistics

Population
1,340,000
GDP per Capita (PPP)
$4,480
World Bank, 2023
Literacy Rate
68%
UNESCO, 2023
Human Development Index
0.607
UNDP, 2023
Mean Years of Schooling
4.4
Adults 25+
Education Expenditure
4.2%
% of GDP

Education System in Timor-Leste

Timor-Leste, independent since 2002, provides instruction in Tetum and Portuguese. The young nation is rapidly expanding education infrastructure with significant international support.

IQ and Economic Development

Timor-Leste's GDP per capita of $4,480 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 4.4 average years of schooling and a 4.2% GDP investment in education, Timor-Leste maintains a moderate investment in education.

Countries with Similar IQ Scores

Asia Rankings

Data Sources for Timor-Leste

IQ Score:World Population Review (2025) (2025) — aggregated estimate. Peer-reviewed primary sources were unavailable for this country; treat as a rougher approximation.
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.

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