A global ranking of the most corrupt countries in the world, from the latest Corruption Perceptions Index published by Transparency International.
The Corruption Perceptions Index, published by the non-profit organisation Transparency International, ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption. The report reveals that most countries have made little to no progress in tackling corruption over the last decade.
Transparency International define public sector corruption as “the abuse of entrusted power for private gain”. The non-profit argues that corruption can take many forms, but generally, public sector corruption tends to come under one of, some, or even all, of the following definitions:
- Public servants demanding or taking money or favours in exchange for services.
- Politicians misusing public money or granting public jobs or contracts to their sponsors, friends and families.
- Corporations bribing officials to get lucrative deals.
The latest report focused on the impact of corruption had on government responses to COVID-19. The report compared countries’ performance in the index to their annual investment in health care and the extent to which democratic norms and institutions were weakened during the pandemic.
It showed that persistent corruption has undermined health care systems and caused democracy to decline during the pandemic.
Most corrupt countries in the world
1. South Sudan
2. Somalia
2. Syria
4. Venezuela
5. Afghanistan
5. North Korea
5. Yemen
8. Equatorial Guinea
8. Libya
10. Turkmenistan
Least corrupt countries in the world
1. Denmark
1. Finland
1. New Zealand
4. Norway
4. Singapore
4. Sweden
7. Switzerland
8. Netherlands
9. Luxembourg
10. Germany
Key findings
- The average score is 43/100.
- Two-thirds of countries scored below 50.
- South Sudan is most corrupt countriy in the world with 11 points, closely followed by Syria and Somalia on 13.
- Denmark, Finland and New Zealand are the least corrupt countries in the world with 88 points.
- This year, 25 countries improved their CPI scores, while 23 countries decreased their scores.
- 131 countries remained the same.
- Continuing its downward trend, the USA (27th) recorded its worst position since 2012
- The most corrupt region is Sub-Saharan Africa with an average score of 33.
- The least corrupt region is Western Europe & European Union with an average score of 66.
- New Zealand (1st), Singapore (4th) and Hong Kong (12th) are the least corrupt countries in the Asia-Pacific; North Korea (174th), Afghanistan (174th) and Cambodia (157th) are the most.
- Canada (13th), Uruguay (18th), Chile (27th) and the USA (27th) are the least corrupt counties in the Americas; Venezuela (177th), Haiti (164th) and Nicaragua (164th) are the most.
Corruption – complete ranking
The table below ranks 180 of the world’s countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption.
RANK | COUNTRY | SCORE |
---|---|---|
1 | Denmark | 88 |
1 | Finland | 88 |
1 | New Zealand | 88 |
4 | Norway | 85 |
4 | Singapore | 85 |
4 | Sweden | 85 |
7 | Switzerland | 84 |
8 | Netherlands | 82 |
9 | Luxembourg | 81 |
10 | Germany | 80 |
11 | UK | 78 |
12 | Hong Kong | 76 |
13 | Canada | 74 |
13 | Iceland | 74 |
13 | Ireland | 74 |
13 | Estonia | 74 |
13 | Austria | 74 |
18 | Australia | 73 |
18 | Belgium | 73 |
18 | Japan | 73 |
18 | Uruguay | 73 |
22 | France | 71 |
23 | Seychelles | 70 |
24 | UAE | 69 |
25 | Bhutan | 68 |
25 | Taiwan | 68 |
27 | Chile | 67 |
27 | USA | 67 |
29 | Barbados | 65 |
30 | Bahamas | 64 |
31 | Qatar | 63 |
32 | South Korea | 62 |
32 | Portugal | 62 |
34 | Lithuania | 61 |
34 | Spain | 61 |
36 | Israel | 59 |
36 | Latvia | 59 |
36 | St Vincent & Gren | 59 |
39 | Cabo Verde | 58 |
39 | Costa Rica | 58 |
41 | Slovenia | 57 |
42 | Italy | 56 |
42 | Poland | 56 |
42 | Saint Lucia | 56 |
45 | Botswana | 55 |
45 | Dominica | 55 |
45 | Fiji | 55 |
45 | Georgia | 55 |
49 | Czechia | 54 |
49 | Malta | 54 |
49 | Mauritius | 54 |
52 | Grenada | 53 |
52 | Cyprus | 53 |
52 | Rwanda | 53 |
52 | Saudi Arabia | 53 |
56 | Oman | 52 |
56 | Slovakia | 52 |
58 | Armenia | 49 |
58 | Greece | 49 |
58 | Jordan | 49 |
58 | Namibia | 49 |
62 | Malaysia | 48 |
63 | Croatia | 47 |
64 | Cuba | 46 |
64 | Montenegro | 46 |
66 | China | 45 |
66 | Romania | 45 |
66 | Sao Tome & Principe | 45 |
66 | Vanuatu | 45 |
70 | Jamaica | 44 |
70 | South Africa | 44 |
70 | Tunisia | 44 |
73 | Ghana | 43 |
73 | Hungary | 43 |
73 | Kuwait | 43 |
73 | Senegal | 43 |
73 | Solomon Islands | 43 |
78 | Bahrain | 42 |
78 | Benin | 42 |
78 | Burkina Faso | 42 |
78 | Bulgaria | 42 |
82 | Timor-Leste | 41 |
82 | Belarus | 41 |
82 | Trinidad & Tobago | 41 |
85 | India | 40 |
85 | Maldives | 40 |
87 | Kosovo | 39 |
87 | Colombia | 39 |
87 | Ethiopia | 39 |
87 | Guyana | 39 |
87 | Morocco | 39 |
87 | North Macedonia | 39 |
87 | Suriname | 39 |
87 | Tanzania | 39 |
87 | Vietnam | 39 |
96 | Argentina | 38 |
96 | Brazil | 38 |
96 | Indonesia | 38 |
96 | Lesotho | 38 |
96 | Serbia | 38 |
96 | Turkey | 38 |
102 | Gambia | 37 |
102 | Kazakhstan | 37 |
102 | Sri Lanka | 37 |
105 | Cote d’Ivoire | 36 |
105 | Ecuador | 36 |
105 | Moldova | 36 |
105 | Panama | 36 |
105 | Peru | 36 |
110 | Albania | 35 |
110 | Bosnia & Herz | 35 |
110 | Malawi | 35 |
110 | Mongolia | 35 |
110 | Thailand | 35 |
115 | El Salvador | 34 |
115 | Sierra Leone | 34 |
117 | Egypt | 33 |
117 | Nepal | 33 |
117 | Philippines | 33 |
117 | Zambia | 33 |
117 | Algeria | 33 |
122 | Eswatini | 32 |
122 | Ukraine | 32 |
124 | Gabon | 31 |
124 | Mexico | 31 |
124 | Niger | 31 |
124 | Papua New Guinea | 31 |
128 | Azerbaijan | 30 |
128 | Bolivia | 30 |
128 | Djibouti | 30 |
128 | Dominican Rep. | 30 |
128 | Laos | 30 |
128 | Paraguay | 30 |
128 | Togo | 30 |
128 | Kenya | 30 |
136 | Angola | 29 |
136 | Liberia | 29 |
136 | Mali | 29 |
136 | Russia | 29 |
140 | Mauritania | 28 |
140 | Myanmar | 28 |
140 | Pakistan | 28 |
140 | Uzbekistan | 28 |
144 | Cameroon | 27 |
144 | Kyrgyzstan | 27 |
144 | Uganda | 27 |
147 | Bangladesh | 26 |
147 | Madagascar | 26 |
147 | Mozambique | 26 |
150 | Guatemala | 25 |
150 | Guinea | 25 |
150 | Iran | 25 |
150 | Tajikistan | 25 |
154 | Lebanon | 24 |
154 | Nigeria | 24 |
154 | Central African Rep. | 24 |
157 | Cambodia | 23 |
157 | Honduras | 23 |
157 | Iraq | 23 |
157 | Zimbabwe | 23 |
161 | Eritrea | 22 |
162 | Congo | 21 |
162 | Guinea Bissau | 21 |
164 | Chad | 20 |
164 | Comoros | 20 |
164 | Haiti | 20 |
164 | Nicaragua | 20 |
164 | Sudan | 20 |
169 | Burundi | 19 |
169 | DR Congo | 19 |
169 | Turkmenistan | 19 |
172 | Equatorial Guinea | 17 |
172 | Libya | 17 |
174 | Afghanistan | 16 |
174 | North Korea | 16 |
174 | Yemen | 16 |
177 | Venezuela | 14 |
178 | Somalia | 13 |
178 | Syria | 13 |
180 | South Sudan | 11 |
Source: Transparency International