Switzerland has been ranked as the most intelligent country in the world in a recent study. The research, which takes into account factors such as Nobel Prize nominations, the education level of the population and the average IQ, compares 44 countries based on scientifically relevant criteria.
The United States takes the third place and is the only non-European country in the top ten.
The study is based on data from the Nobel Prize Organization, the World Population Review and the World Bank. The factors evaluated include the number of Nobel Prize nominations, university rankings, the average national IQ and the percentage of the population with an academic degree.
Switzerland excelled in all categories. According to the data, there were 1,099 Nobel Prize nominations, the average national IQ is 99.24 points and 40 percent of the population hold a bachelor’s degree, while 18 percent have a master’s degree or an equivalent qualification. Moreover, 32 universities in the country have been nominated for the Nobel Prize.
The ranking shows a clear dominance of European states. Besides Switzerland in first place, the United Kingdom takes the second spot with 89.40 points and the United States follows in third.
Germany ranks seventh, achieving high results particularly in Nobel Prize nominations and IQ, but is pushed back in the overall evaluation due to a relatively low percentage of academic degrees.
France takes the 17th place, performing better than Spain (25th) and Italy (32nd). The bottom of the ranking is formed by Bosnia, North Macedonia and Albania, with point values just above 20. The study suggests that education and research investments have a decisive impact on the rankings.
The British newspaper Express highlighted in its reporting that Switzerland is not only known for its chocolate and cheese, but also for its high-quality education system, particularly the high percentage of the population with a higher education degree.
Regardless of this ranking, Switzerland was also recognized as the most innovative country in the world in the United Nations’ Global Innovation Index, defending its top spot before Sweden and the United States. Germany takes the eighth place in this ranking, which evaluates 132 economies based on 80 criteria, including research and development investments and digital infrastructure. Again, Switzerland remains at the forefront of global innovation.
Although the ranking provides interesting insights, the measurement of intelligence on a national level remains complex. Factors such as historical education investments and research funding play a decisive role. Nobel Prizes, for example, serve as an indicator of long-term scientific excellence, but rather reflect past achievements than current developments.
However, the results demonstrate the outstanding position of Switzerland in the fields of education, research and innovation. While methodological differences in various studies can lead to different results, the analyses overall underscore the strong intellectual position of the country in the global comparison.