25 Dumbest Countries in the World

What are the dumbest countries in the world?

If you are conscious of your country’s reputation in the world, we bring you the list of the 25 dumbest countries in the world to help you find out where your country stands. There are countries in the world which produce the finest intellectuals in every field, yet the same country sinks in the depths of poverty and debts…we will try to cover why this may happen later in the article.

For a start, one may pray that her country does not make it to the list as nobody likes being called dumb. However, this article is based upon facts and figures published by the World Economic Forum in their Global Competitiveness Report. By the way, we already published an article about the list of smartest countries in the world. Please read and share our articles.

We used four criteria to determine which countries to include in our list of the dumbest countries. One major element among these is how well the country is performing in the field of technology and research. The second element could be the quality of math and science education provided by the country to its citizens and similarly another element could be the rate of students enrolling in tertiary education. Finally we included access to internet as the fourth criteria.

We used survey results done by WEF to rank countries by the quality of math and science education. The tertiary education enrollment percentage was obtained by WEF from UNESCO Institute for Statistics. We used patent applications per million population to rank countries based on their advancement in technology and research. WEF obtained patent application data from OECD and population data from IMF. Finally we used percent of individuals using internet to rank countries based on access to internet. WEF obtained this data from International Telecommunication Union. Most of the data we used belong to 2014, however we used data from earlier years for countries that didn’t have the 2014 data.

We averaged each country’s rankings in these 4 categories and ranked them based on this average ranking score. There were 151 countries included in WEF’s database, so it is very likely that some of the countries that aren’t in this database would rank very high. Based on our calculations here are the dumbest countries in the World.

25. Pakistan

Pakistan is an Asian country and has rich culture and history. The country is not there amongst the top 10 in any of the categories mentioned below but its presence in each one of them makes the country stand at number 25 in our list.

Quality of math and science education: 3.40

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 43

Tertiary education enrollment %: 9.52

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 27

Patent applications/million: 0.0229

Rank based on patent applications: 30

Percent of individuals using internet: 10.9

Rank based on internet access: 25

Average ranking score: 31.25

24.Uganda

Uganda  is number 24 on our list chiefly due to its well below average ranking in higher education enrollment rate.

Quality of math and science education: 3.10

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 29

Tertiary education enrollment %: 9.1

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 24

Patent applications/million: 0.0264

Rank based on patent applications: 32

Percent of individuals using internet: 16.2

Rank based on internet access: 38

Average ranking score: 30.75

23. Honduras

Honduras is a Central American country not known for its advancement in technology at all. In fact the country has 0 patent application/million.

Quality of math and science education: 2.92

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 24

Tertiary education enrollment %: 20.40

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 54

Patent applications/million: 0

Rank based on patent applications: 1

Percent of individuals using internet: 17.8

Rank based on internet access: 42

Average ranking score: 30.25

22. Rwanda

Rwanda is situated in East Africa. The country is facing many problems one of which is its inability to perform in technology.

Quality of math and science education: 4.13

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 78

Tertiary education enrollment %: 7.22

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 18

Patent applications/million: 0

Rank based on patent applications: 1

Percent of individuals using internet: 8.7

Rank based on internet access: 22

Average ranking score: 29.75

21. Burkina Faso

Another African country on our list of 25 dumbest countries in the world is Burkina Faso. It is a landlocked country and is really struggling when it comes to higher education enrollment rate.

Quality of math and science education: 3.84

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 59

Tertiary education enrollment %: 4.6

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 12

Patent applications/million: 0.0234

Rank based on patent applications: 31

Percent of individuals using internet: 4.4

Rank based on internet access: 13

Average ranking score: 28.75

20. Timor-Leste

Only 1.1% of people in Timor-Leste have access to Internet, which makes the country take our 20th spot.

Quality of math and science education: 2.10

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 4

Tertiary education enrollment %: 17.74

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 47

Patent applications/million: 0.2976

Rank based on patent applications: 58

Percent of individuals using internet: 1.1

Rank based on internet access: 1

Average ranking score: 27.5

19. Madagascar

Madagascar is a famous island with beautiful beaches but the country is really struggling when it comes to advancement in tech.

Quality of math and science education: 3.75

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 54

Tertiary education enrollment %: 4.23

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 10

Patent applications/million: 0.0458

Rank based on patent applications: 36

Percent of individuals using internet: 2.2

Rank based on internet access: 7

Average ranking score: 26.75

18. Lesotho

Lesotho ranks number one if we consider patent application per million. The country doesn’t perform well when it comes higher education as well.

Quality of math and science education: 3.81

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 57

Tertiary education enrollment %: 10.8

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 32

Patent applications/million: 0

Rank based on patent applications: 1

Percent of individuals using internet: 5

Rank based on internet access: 15

Average ranking score: 26.25

17. Cambodia

Cambodia is an Asian country and number 17th on our list. This is because the country performs poorly in the field of latest tech development and internet access.

Quality of math and science education: 3.25

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 35

Tertiary education enrollment %: 15.8

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 43

Patent applications/million: 0

Rank based on patent applications: 1

Percent of individuals using internet: 6

Rank based on internet access: 18

Average ranking score: 24.25

16. Ethiopia

Being the 6th top country with lowest number of people with internet access, Ethiopia is at number 16. It doesn’t perform well when we talk about the technological development too.

Quality of math and science education: 3.62

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 53

Tertiary education enrollment %: 5.4

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 15

Patent applications/million: 0.0019

Rank based on patent applications: 21

Percent of individuals using internet: 1.9

Rank based on internet access: 6

Average ranking score: 23.75

15. Angola

Angola really struggles in the field of quality and math education. It overall ranks the 2nd worst nation in math and science field.

Quality of math and science education: 1.91

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 2

Tertiary education enrollment %: 7.5

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 21

Patent applications/million: 0.0127

Rank based on patent applications: 25

Percent of individuals using internet: 19.7

Rank based on internet access: 44

Average ranking score: 23

14. Liberia

Yet another African country in our list of 25 dumbest countries in the world, Liberia’s main downfall is its poor performance in tech and Internet access.

Quality of math and science education: 2.92

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 25

Tertiary education enrollment %: 19.1

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 51

Patent applications/million: 0

Rank based on patent applications: 1

Percent of individuals using internet: 3.8

Rank based on internet access: 11

Average ranking score: 22

13. Gambia

The country is just below average in the quality of math and science department but struggles in every other.

Quality of math and science education: 3.55

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 50

Tertiary education enrollment %: 3.4

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 7

Patent applications/million: 0

Rank based on patent applications: 1

Percent of individuals using internet: 14

Rank based on internet access: 30

Average ranking score: 22

12. Yemen

Internet access and latest tech development can hardly be seen in Yemen. The quality of math and science education hurts the nation too.

Quality of math and science education: 2.27

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 5

Tertiary education enrollment %: 10.3

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 29

Patent applications/million: 0

Rank based on patent applications: 1

Percent of individuals using internet: 20

Rank based on internet access: 46

Average ranking score: 20.25

11. Malawi

What brings Malawi to number 11 in our list is its poor performance in both quality of math and science education and higher education enrollment rate.

Quality of math and science education: 3

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 27

Tertiary education enrollment %: 0.8

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 1

Patent applications/million: 0.0051

Rank based on patent applications: 22

Percent of individuals using internet: 5.4

Rank based on internet access: 16

Average ranking score: 16.5

10. Guinea

Guinea is number 1 when it comes to least patent applications/million.

Quality of math and science education: 3.09

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 31

Tertiary education enrollment %: 9.9

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 28

Patent applications/million: 0

Rank based on patent applications: 1

Percent of individuals using internet: 1.6

Rank based on internet access: 4

Average ranking score: 16

9. Haiti

Getting a basic Internet connection in Haiti is a tough task as only 10.6% of the people have access to Internet there. If you can’t live without Facebook, you should think twice about visiting Haiti.

Quality of math and science education: 2.89

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 21

Tertiary education enrollment %: N/A

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: N/A

Patent applications/million: 0

Rank based on patent applications: 1

Percent of individuals using internet: 10.6

Rank based on internet access: 24

Average ranking score: 15.3

8. Mali

Development in technology and access to Internet is the main reason why Mali is included at number 8.

Quality of math and science education: 3.14

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 32

Tertiary education enrollment %: 7.5

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 20

Patent applications/million: 0

Rank based on patent applications: 1

Percent of individuals using internet: 23

Rank based on internet access: 8

Average ranking score: 15.25

7. Myanmar

With only 1.2% of people using Internet, Myanmar is really finding it tough advancing in the field of tech.

Quality of math and science education: 2.70

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 16

Tertiary education enrollment %: 13.8

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 41

Patent applications/million: 0

Rank based on patent applications: 1

Percent of individuals using internet: 1.2

Rank based on internet access: 2

Average ranking score: 15

6. Tanzania

Tanzania is a country known for its wildlife and beautiful landscapes but when it comes to quality of math and science education and higher education enrollment – the country really struggles.

Quality of math and science education: 2.40

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 8

Tertiary education enrollment %: 3.9

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 8

Patent applications/million: 0.0170

Rank based on patent applications: 28

Percent of individuals using internet: 4.4

Rank based on internet access: 13

Average ranking score: 14.25

5. Burundi

Burundi performs poorly in almost every category we have analyzed and thus ranks as the 5th dumbest country in the world.

Quality of math and science education: 3.46

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 47

Tertiary education enrollment %: 3.2

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 6

Patent applications/million: 0

Rank based on patent applications: 1

Percent of individuals using internet: 1.3

Rank based on internet access: 3

Average ranking score: 14.25

4. Mauritania

Mauritania also ranks number 1 when it comes to patent applications/million. In other categories, the country fails to impress as well.

Quality of math and science education: 2.90

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 22

Tertiary education enrollment %: 5.1

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 14

Patent applications/million: 0

Rank based on patent applications: 1

Percent of individuals using internet: 6.2

Rank based on internet access: 19

Average ranking score: 14

3. Sierra Leone

What hurts Sierra Leone the most is its inability to perform in the tech field and only 2% tertiary education enrollment.

Quality of math and science education: 2.51

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 11

Tertiary education enrollment %: 2.0

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 3

Patent applications/million: 0.0426

Rank based on patent applications: 34

Percent of individuals using internet: 1.7

Rank based on internet access: 5

Average ranking score: 13.25

2. Mozambique

The reason why Mozambique is at number 2 in our list is its poor ranking in quality of math and science education and advancement of latest tech.

Quality of math and science education: 2.59

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 12

Tertiary education enrollment %: 4.9

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 13

Patent applications/million: 0

Rank based on patent applications: 1

Percent of individuals using internet: 5.4

Rank based on internet access: 16

Average ranking score: 10.5

1. Chad

Topping our list of 25 dumbest countries in the world is Chad. Chad is considered the least technologically advanced states in the world and also the top 8th when it comes to countries with least number of individual using Internet.

Quality of math and science education: 2.82

Rank based on quality of math and science education: 18

Tertiary education enrollment %: 2.25

Rank based on tertiary education enrollment: 4

Patent applications/million: 0

Rank based on patent applications: 1

Percent of individuals using internet: 2.3

Rank based on internet access: 8

Average ranking score: 7.75