İbrahim AL, Aslı Güler
The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between clusters of countries based on their levels of structural development and their financial literacy levels. For this purpose, a Structural Development Index (SDI) was developed using a range of socioeconomic indicators to represent the structural development levels of countries. Based on this index, 30 countries were grouped according to their similar structural characteristics using the k-means clustering method. The resulting clusters were then compared in terms of their financial literacy levels. The findings indicate that clusters with lower levels of structural development tend to exhibit lower levels of financial literacy, whereas clusters with higher levels of structural development tend to demonstrate higher financial literacy levels. However, the heterogeneous patterns observed among the middle-level clusters suggest that this relationship is not linear and that country-specific variations exist. Overall, the study demonstrates that financial literacy is associated with structural development but is shaped through a multidimensional and non-linear process, highlighting the need for country-specific policy strategies.