Since 1995, every year Transparency International(TI), an international non-governmental organization based in Berlin, Germany publishing the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) which ranks countries by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, according to experts and business-people. Each country is given a score from zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
The organization generally defines corruption as “the misuse of public power for private benefit.”
In the latest 2019 report, CPI ranked 180 countries/territories. According to them a majority of countries are showing little to no improvement in tackling corruption. Two out of three countries score below 50/100. The average country score is 43 while India’s score is 41 just above the average score and ranking at 80/180. China, the most populated country also ranks at 80 with score of 41/100.
Top 10 Least Corrupted countries
New Zealand shares the first place with Denmark, both countries scored 87 out of hundred points, as the countries which are least affected by corruption. Singapore, scored 85, is Asia’s least corrupt country, ranked at no. 4.
- Denmark
- New Zealand
- Finland
- Singapore
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Norway
- Netherlands
- Germany
- Luxembourg
Top 10 Most Corrupted countries
The most corrupt countries are Somalia (last 180), South Sudan (179), Syria (178), Yemen (177) and Venezuela (173).
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Syria
- Yemen
- Afghanistan
- Equatorial Guinea
- Sudan
- Venezuela
- Korea, North
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
Here is the full table:
Here are few recommendations suggested by Transparency International to stop corruption
- Manage Conflicts of Interest
- Regulate Lobbying Activities
- Reinforce Checks and Balances
- Control Political Financing
- Tackle Preferential Treatment
- Strengthen Electoral Integrity
- Empower Citizens
