Women in developing countries such as Vietnam seem to be more financially savvy than those in developed countries.

Women in Vietnam stand the fourth in Asia/Pacific region in terms of the Financial Literacy Index, with an score of 70.1. This rating was included in a report on Index of Financial Literacy across Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA). This is the first of its kind carried out by MasterCard Worldwide.

The Index is based on a survey of 10,502 consumers from 24 markets across APMEA.

The survey was conducted between September 13 and November 11, 2010. It was composed of questions covering three major components: basic money management (counting for 50%), financial planning (counting for 30%), and investment (counting for 20%).

A Financial Literacy score was calculated for each market, using the answers from this survey.

According to the report, women in Thailand, another developing market, topped the Financial Literacy Index with an index score of 73.9. They also had the highest scores in financial planning (87.0) and investment (69.3), outshining all their peers in the Asian Pacific.

Women in New Zealand take second place, with an index score of 71.3; followed by Australia (70.2).

Singapore ranks the fifth with a financial literacy score of 69.4. Women there got a score of 70 for basic money management, and 80.4 for financial planning.

Meanwhile, women in South Korea, a developed country, had the lowest financial literacy score, of 55.9, and ranked the lowest in two of the major components: basic money management (51.1) and financial planning (65.7).

Women in Japan had a financial literacy score of only 59.9, standing the second lowest after South Korea. Japan had the lowest investment score (38.4).

Within the Middle East, Egyptian women had the highest Financial Literacy Index score, (70.2), while women in UAE had the lowest score of 56.2.

In Africa, Nigerian women had the highest overall Financial Literacy Index score of 65.5.