Paraguay is located in the center of South America and shares borders with three countries: Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia.
Paraguay’s average IQ is 90.76. Is this a bad score for such a country?
Looking closer, you'll understand that all three countries perform better than Paraguay! But why?
There are various reasons, such as economic differences, cultural influences, geographical location, educational development, etc.
Language Problems: Paraguay is a bilingual nation—Spanish and Guaraní are the languages. You may think that's an advantage and is beneficial for children as they grow up learning two different languages. However, most children grow up speaking only Guaraní at home, yet most textbooks are written in Spanish.
Rural-Urban Divide: Not every child in this country is lucky enough to have a proper educational situation! Children in some areas skip school to work on family farms. This impacts their ability to do problem-solving exercises, reading, and structured learning.
Nutrition: Poor families in Paraguay still face malnutrition issues. Too many children don't get access to proper nutrition, foods, and enriched environments that support early learning and brain development.
Paraguay's average IQ score is lower than that of other countries like Argentina (94.39) or Chile (95.38).
However, Paraguay’s data are a good fit compared to nations with similar economic and social models, like Bolivia (92.76).
Bolivia and Brazil are two countries close to Paraguay and have almost similar situations; however, they perform better. Bolivia’s average IQ is 92.76, and Brazil’s is 92.92.
Paraguay has a literacy rate of about 94%, which is a decent place to begin.
That means the potential is entirely there. With the proper focus—especially on early childhood education, health, and bilingual assistance—Paraguay might entirely watch its average IQ increase over the next several decades.