Regional differences in intelligence in the Sultanate of Oman

We administered the SPM to a sample of 1614 pupils aged between 9 and 18 in 2018 in the Dhofar region of Oman. Our results were compared to a previous administration of the SPM to 5139 pupils aged 9 to 18 in the capital region of Muscat which took place in 2001. We found that the IQ of Muscat in 2001 is substantially higher than the IQ of Dhofar is 17 years later. As there are only a small number of studies on the mean IQ in Oman, we did not apply a Flynn-effect correction. It is found that these regional IQ differences are paralleled by regional differences on many correlates of IQ such as life expectancy and years spent in schooling. We suggest three key factors as likely explaining the difference in IQ: poorer conditions in Dhofar, the association between intelligence and urban migration, and the effects of the Dhofar Rebellion. Other possible explanations are also examined.