According to the International IQ Test 2026 country rankings, Lebanese people scored an average IQ of 99.13.
The ranking placed Lebanon first among Middle Eastern nations and 41st globally.
The ranking comes from more than 1.2 million people worldwide who took the same standardized test online in 2025.
While global averages tend to hover around 100, Lebanon’s position on the list puts it ahead of many peers in the region and showcases the strength of its cultural emphasis on learning and critical thinking.
South Korea still leads the world with an average IQ of 106.97, followed closely by China and Japan. In 84.8% of countries, the average score shifted by less than 2 points year over year.
In the Middle East, Israel ranked second after Lebanon with an average IQ of 98.57, followed by Syria in third at 98.41, and Qatar in fourth at 97.94 – marking one of the largest global increases from last year, with its average IQ rising by 3.17 points.
