IQ and the Science of Nations

CarpeDiemWe are accustomed to making the correlation between the average IQ of a population and its GDP. We also understand that nations with low average IQs can often "make-do" if it has a smart fraction, or market dominant minority.
WikipediaSo it makes sense that other national characteristics besides wealth would track the average population IQ. Spiegel offers an example in a recent article that looks at genetic modification of crops as a possible answer to world hunger.
SpiegelThe map accompanying the article points to the parts of the world where the most progress is being made in the genetics revolution. Not coincidentally, genetics "hotspots" correlate with the countries with highest population IQ in the maps above.

As long as you understand that oppressive states such as North Korea and Russia will be outliers -- due to the suppressive effects on free inquiry of tyrannical governments -- you can take virtually any area of cutting edge science and create a similar map.

IQ is important. It is important between countries and within countries. It is important between families and within families. The only other brain metric more important than IQ, is executive function (EF). EF plays a greater role in personal success than IQ, although both are important if one wants to be on the cutting edge.

Of course if you are powerful enough, you can be wealthy without having a high IQ. The leaders of third world nations possessing vast mineral wealth may be more intelligent than the average citizen of their countries, but still have IQs under 100. A few leaders of the oil/gas and mineral-rich nations of Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America come to mind.

What about BH Obama? What is his IQ? No one knows. His grades and test scores have been sealed for his protection. But if Obama ever wants to dispell common rumours concerning his low intelligence, and publicly take an IQ test, scoring as well as he can, he should look over "How to Score Above Average in IQ Tests". It might help. Obama's IQ is likely higher than that of his wife, but that isn't saying very much. ;-)