Most Corrupt Countries

Last updated September 18, 2024

Corruption Perceptions Index
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Corruption Perceptions IndexQuestion Mark
1.SomaliaSomalia12%
2.SyriaSyria13%
3.South SudanSouth Sudan13%
4.VenezuelaVenezuela14%
5.YemenYemen16%
6.North KoreaNorth Korea17%
7.BurundiBurundi17%
8.HaitiHaiti17%
9.LibyaLibya17%
10.Equatorial GuineaEquatorial Guinea17%
11.ChadChad19%
12.TurkmenistanTurkmenistan19%
13.ComorosComoros19%
14.Guinea BissauGuinea Bissau21%
15.SudanSudan22%
16.EritreaEritrea22%
17.MyanmarMyanmar23%
18.IraqIraq23%
19.ZimbabweZimbabwe23%
20.HondurasHonduras23%
21.AzerbaijanAzerbaijan23%
22.NigeriaNigeria24%
23.AfghanistanAfghanistan24%
24.GuatemalaGuatemala24%
25.CambodiaCambodia24%
26.TajikistanTajikistan24%
27.Central African RepublicCentral African Republic24%
28.LebanonLebanon24%
29.BangladeshBangladesh25%
30.IranIran25%
31.GuineaGuinea25%
32.UgandaUganda26%
33.MozambiqueMozambique26%
34.MadagascarMadagascar26%
35.CameroonCameroon26%
36.LiberiaLiberia26%
37.PakistanPakistan27%
38.RussiaRussia28%
39.MaliMali28%
40.ParaguayParaguay28%
41.GabonGabon29%
42.EgyptEgypt30%
43.Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea30%
44.TogoTogo30%
45.MauritaniaMauritania30%
46.EswatiniEswatini30%
47.MexicoMexico31%
48.UzbekistanUzbekistan31%
49.BoliviaBolivia31%
50.LaosLaos31%
51.KenyaKenya32%
52.NigerNiger32%
53.Dominican RepublicDominican Republic32%
54.PhilippinesPhilippines33%
55.AlgeriaAlgeria33%
56.UkraineUkraine33%
57.AngolaAngola33%
58.ZambiaZambia33%
59.El SalvadorEl Salvador33%
60.MongoliaMongolia33%
61.IndonesiaIndonesia34%
62.NepalNepal34%
63.MalawiMalawi34%
64.Sierra LeoneSierra Leone34%
65.Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina34%
66.GambiaGambia34%
67.TurkeyTurkey36%
68.ThailandThailand36%
69.PeruPeru36%
70.Sri LankaSri Lanka36%
71.KazakhstanKazakhstan36%
72.EcuadorEcuador36%
73.SerbiaSerbia36%
74.PanamaPanama36%
75.AlbaniaAlbania36%
76.Ivory CoastIvory Coast37%
77.LesothoLesotho37%
78.BrazilBrazil38%
79.EthiopiaEthiopia38%
80.TanzaniaTanzania38%
81.ArgentinaArgentina38%
82.MoroccoMorocco38%
83.ColombiaColombia39%
84.BelarusBelarus39%
85.MoldovaMoldova39%
86.IndiaIndia40%
87.TunisiaTunisia40%
88.North MacedoniaNorth Macedonia40%
89.GuyanaGuyana40%
90.SurinameSuriname40%
91.MaldivesMaldives40%
92.VietnamVietnam42%
93.Burkina FasoBurkina Faso42%
94.HungaryHungary42%
95.KuwaitKuwait42%
96.Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad and Tobago42%
97.Timor LesteTimor Leste42%
98.Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands42%
99.South AfricaSouth Africa43%
100.GhanaGhana43%
101.SenegalSenegal43%
102.BeninBenin43%
103.BulgariaBulgaria43%
104.OmanOman44%
105.JamaicaJamaica44%
106.BahrainBahrain44%
107.ChinaChina45%
108.CubaCuba45%
109.MontenegroMontenegro45%
110.Sao Tome and PrincipeSao Tome and Principe45%
111.RomaniaRomania46%
112.ArmeniaArmenia46%
113.MalaysiaMalaysia47%
114.JordanJordan47%
115.VanuatuVanuatu48%
116.NamibiaNamibia49%
117.CroatiaCroatia50%
118.MauritiusMauritius50%
119.Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia51%
120.RwandaRwanda51%
121.MaltaMalta51%
122.GreeceGreece52%
123.CyprusCyprus52%
124.GrenadaGrenada52%
125.SlovakiaSlovakia53%
126.FijiFiji53%
127.Costa RicaCosta Rica54%
128.PolandPoland55%
129.Saint LuciaSaint Lucia55%
130.DominicaDominica55%
131.ItalyItaly56%
132.GeorgiaGeorgia56%
133.SloveniaSlovenia56%
134.QatarQatar58%
135.LatviaLatvia59%
136.SpainSpain60%
137.BotswanaBotswana60%
138.Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesSaint Vincent and the Grenadines60%
139.PortugalPortugal62%
140.LithuaniaLithuania62%
141.South KoreaSouth Korea63%
142.IsraelIsrael63%
143.BahamasBahamas64%
144.BarbadosBarbados65%
145.ChileChile67%
146.United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates67%
147.TaiwanTaiwan68%
148.BhutanBhutan68%
149.United StatesUnited States69%
150.SeychellesSeychelles70%
151.AustriaAustria71%
152.FranceFrance72%
153.JapanJapan73%
154.United KingdomUnited Kingdom73%
155.BelgiumBelgium73%
156.CanadaCanada74%
157.UruguayUruguay74%
158.EstoniaEstonia74%
159.IcelandIceland74%
160.AustraliaAustralia75%
161.Hong KongHong Kong76%
162.IrelandIreland77%
163.GermanyGermany79%
164.NetherlandsNetherlands80%
165.SwitzerlandSwitzerland82%
166.SwedenSweden83%
167.SingaporeSingapore83%
168.NorwayNorway84%
169.FinlandFinland87%
170.New ZealandNew Zealand87%
171.DenmarkDenmark90%

Corruption Around the World

Corruption is an insidious worldwide issue, infiltrating every level of society and degrading public trust, economic development, and societal progress. By deep-diving into the state of corruption globally, we can draw a vivid picture of systemic integrity issues that plague numerous nations and may compare these phenomena as they manifest across different regions. Each year, Transparency International releases the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), placing countries on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean), based on perceived levels of public sector corruption. The less corrupt countries are closer to 100%, while those with a higher percentage of corruption are closer to 0%. Utilizing information from this critical source, we can identify key findings and trends in corruption globally. Key findings from the data include:

  • The countries perceived as most corrupt, scoring below 15% on the CPI scale, include Somalia, Syria, South Sudan, and Venezuela. These countries have major issues with institutionalized corruption, which severely hampers their development and impacts their citizens' quality of life.
  • Meanwhile, African countries such as Burundi, Libya, and Equatorial Guinea share the same corruption perception as North Korea, which sits at 17% on the index.
  • European countries like Russia and Ukraine are perceived as corrupt, scoring a respective 28% and 33% on the index. This emphasizes that corruption is not a regional problem, but a global one.
  • Among the least corrupt countries in the world, with scores above 80%, are Scandinavian countries Denmark, Finland, and Norway, along with New Zealand and Switzerland. These countries exemplify high standards of public sector transparency and stringent anti-corruption mechanisms.
  • The United States ranks as the 24th least corrupt country with a CPI score of 69%, indicating that America also grapples with issues of public sector corruption, albeit to a far lesser extent than many other nations. The fight against corruption requires constant vigilance and action at the international, national, and local levels. Understanding where each country stands on the corruption perception index is a critical first step towards formulating effective solutions for this deep-seated global issue.

10 Most Corrupt Countries

According to the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), the 10 countries perceived as most corrupt are Somalia, Syria, South Sudan, Venezuela, Yemen, North Korea, Burundi, Haiti, Libya, and Equatorial Guinea. Each of these nations has a CPI score below 20%, indicating severe corruption within their public sectors. Topping the list is Somalia, with a disheartening CPI score of 12%. This country is struggling immensely with institutionalized corruption, hampering its development and compromising the quality of life for its citizens. The second and third most corrupt countries as per the index are Syria and South Sudan, both with a CPI score of 13%. These nations are riddled with corruption, most prominently witnessed in public sector mismanagement and misuse of entrusted power for private gains. Coming fourth is Venezuela, with a CPI score of 14%. The country's spiraling economic crisis, coupled with institutionalized corruption, has severely dampened its progress. Yemen follows closely, ranking as the fifth most corrupt country with a CPI score of 16%. North Korea, Burundi, Haiti, Libya, and Equatorial Guinea all share the next spot on the list, demonstrating an equivalent CPI score of 17%. 10 Most Corrupt Countries:

  1. Somalia - 12%
  2. Syria - 13%
  3. South Sudan - 13%
  4. Venezuela - 14%
  5. Yemen - 16%
  6. North Korea - 17%
  7. Burundi - 17%
  8. Haiti - 17%
  9. Libya - 17%
  10. Equatorial Guinea - 17%

By Region

Afghanistan

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Ranked in World

#23

Albania

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Ranked in World

#75

Algeria

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Ranked in World

#55

Angola

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Ranked in World

#57

Argentina

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Ranked in World

#81

Armenia

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Ranked in World

#112

Australia

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Ranked in World

#160

Austria

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Ranked in World

#151

Azerbaijan

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Ranked in World

#21

Bahamas

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Ranked in World

#143

Bahrain

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Ranked in World

#106

Bangladesh

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Ranked in World

#29

Barbados

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Ranked in World

#144

Belarus

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Ranked in World

#84

Belgium

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Ranked in World

#155

Benin

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Ranked in World

#102

Bhutan

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Ranked in World

#148

Bolivia

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Ranked in World

#49

Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Ranked in World

#65

Botswana

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Ranked in World

#137

Brazil

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Ranked in World

#78

Bulgaria

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Ranked in World

#103

Burkina Faso

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Ranked in World

#93

Burundi

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Ranked in World

#7

Cambodia

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Ranked in World

#25

Cameroon

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Ranked in World

#35

Canada

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Ranked in World

#156

Central African Republic

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Ranked in World

#27

Chad

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Ranked in World

#11

Chile

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Ranked in World

#145

China

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Ranked in World

#107

Colombia

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Ranked in World

#83

Comoros

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Ranked in World

#13

Costa Rica

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Ranked in World

#127

Croatia

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Ranked in World

#117

Cuba

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Ranked in World

#108

Cyprus

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Ranked in World

#123

Denmark

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Ranked in World

#171

Dominica

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Ranked in World

#130

Dominican Republic

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Ranked in World

#53

Ecuador

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Ranked in World

#72

Egypt

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Ranked in World

#42

El Salvador

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Ranked in World

#59

Equatorial Guinea

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Ranked in World

#10

Eritrea

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Ranked in World

#16

Estonia

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Ranked in World

#158

Eswatini

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Ranked in World

#46

Ethiopia

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Ranked in World

#79

Fiji

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Ranked in World

#126

Finland

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Ranked in World

#169

France

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Ranked in World

#152

Gabon

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Ranked in World

#41

Gambia

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Ranked in World

#66

Georgia

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Ranked in World

#132

Germany

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Ranked in World

#163

Ghana

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Ranked in World

#100

Greece

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Ranked in World

#122

Grenada

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Ranked in World

#124

Guatemala

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Ranked in World

#24

Guinea

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Ranked in World

#31

Guinea Bissau

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Ranked in World

#14

Guyana

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Ranked in World

#89

Haiti

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Ranked in World

#8

Honduras

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Ranked in World

#20

Hong Kong

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Ranked in World

#161

Hungary

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Ranked in World

#94

Iceland

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Ranked in World

#159

India

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Ranked in World

#86

Indonesia

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Ranked in World

#61

Iran

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Ranked in World

#30

Iraq

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Ranked in World

#18

Ireland

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Ranked in World

#162

Israel

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Ranked in World

#142

Italy

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Ranked in World

#131

Ivory Coast

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Ranked in World

#76

Jamaica

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Ranked in World

#105

Japan

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Ranked in World

#153

Jordan

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Ranked in World

#114

Kazakhstan

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Ranked in World

#71

Kenya

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Ranked in World

#51

Kuwait

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Ranked in World

#95

Laos

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Ranked in World

#50

Latvia

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Ranked in World

#135

Lebanon

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Ranked in World

#28

Lesotho

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Ranked in World

#77

Liberia

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Ranked in World

#36

Libya

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Ranked in World

#9

Lithuania

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Ranked in World

#140

Madagascar

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Ranked in World

#34

Malawi

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Ranked in World

#63

Malaysia

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Ranked in World

#113

Maldives

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Ranked in World

#91

Mali

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Ranked in World

#39

Malta

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Ranked in World

#121

Mauritania

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Ranked in World

#45

Mauritius

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Ranked in World

#118

Mexico

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Ranked in World

#47

Moldova

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Ranked in World

#85

Mongolia

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Ranked in World

#60

Montenegro

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Ranked in World

#109

Morocco

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Ranked in World

#82

Mozambique

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Ranked in World

#33

Myanmar

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Ranked in World

#17

Namibia

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Ranked in World

#116

Nepal

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Ranked in World

#62

Netherlands

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Ranked in World

#164

New Zealand

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Ranked in World

#170

Niger

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Ranked in World

#52

Nigeria

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Ranked in World

#22

North Korea

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Ranked in World

#6

North Macedonia

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Ranked in World

#88

Norway

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Ranked in World

#168

Oman

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Ranked in World

#104

Pakistan

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Ranked in World

#37

Panama

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Ranked in World

#74

Papua New Guinea

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Ranked in World

#43

Paraguay

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Ranked in World

#40

Peru

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Ranked in World

#69

Philippines

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Ranked in World

#54

Poland

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Ranked in World

#128

Portugal

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Ranked in World

#139

Qatar

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Ranked in World

#134

Romania

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Ranked in World

#111

Russia

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Ranked in World

#38

Rwanda

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Ranked in World

#120

Saint Lucia

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Ranked in World

#129

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

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Ranked in World

#138

Sao Tome and Principe

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Ranked in World

#110

Saudi Arabia

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Ranked in World

#119

Senegal

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Ranked in World

#101

Serbia

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Ranked in World

#73

Seychelles

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Ranked in World

#150

Sierra Leone

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Ranked in World

#64

Singapore

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Ranked in World

#167

Slovakia

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Ranked in World

#125

Slovenia

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Ranked in World

#133

Solomon Islands

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Ranked in World

#98

Somalia

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Ranked in World

#1

South Africa

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Ranked in World

#99

South Korea

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Ranked in World

#141

South Sudan

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Ranked in World

#3

Spain

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Ranked in World

#136

Sri Lanka

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Ranked in World

#70

Sudan

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Ranked in World

#15

Suriname

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Ranked in World

#90

Sweden

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Ranked in World

#166

Switzerland

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Ranked in World

#165

Syria

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Ranked in World

#2

Taiwan

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Ranked in World

#147

Tajikistan

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Ranked in World

#26

Tanzania

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Ranked in World

#80

Thailand

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Ranked in World

#68

Timor Leste

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Ranked in World

#97

Togo

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Ranked in World

#44

Trinidad and Tobago

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Ranked in World

#96

Tunisia

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Ranked in World

#87

Turkey

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Ranked in World

#67

Turkmenistan

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Ranked in World

#12

Uganda

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Ranked in World

#32

Ukraine

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Ranked in World

#56

United Arab Emirates

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Ranked in World

#146

United Kingdom

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Ranked in World

#154

United States

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Ranked in World

#149

Uruguay

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Ranked in World

#157

Uzbekistan

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Ranked in World

#48

Vanuatu

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Ranked in World

#115

Venezuela

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Ranked in World

#4

Vietnam

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Ranked in World

#92

Yemen

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Ranked in World

#5

Zambia

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Ranked in World

#58

Zimbabwe

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Ranked in World

#19

Table

Region ↕Corruption Perceptions Index↕
Afghanistan iconAfghanistan24%
Albania iconAlbania36%
Algeria iconAlgeria33%
Angola iconAngola33%
Argentina iconArgentina38%
Armenia iconArmenia46%
Australia iconAustralia75%
Austria iconAustria71%
Azerbaijan iconAzerbaijan23%
Bahamas iconBahamas64%
Bahrain iconBahrain44%
Bangladesh iconBangladesh25%
Barbados iconBarbados65%
Belarus iconBelarus39%
Belgium iconBelgium73%
Benin iconBenin43%
Bhutan iconBhutan68%
Bolivia iconBolivia31%
Bosnia and Herzegovina iconBosnia and Herzegovina34%
Botswana iconBotswana60%
Brazil iconBrazil38%
Bulgaria iconBulgaria43%
Burkina Faso iconBurkina Faso42%
Burundi iconBurundi17%
Cambodia iconCambodia24%
Cameroon iconCameroon26%
Canada iconCanada74%
Central African Republic iconCentral African Republic24%
Chad iconChad19%
Chile iconChile67%
China iconChina45%
Colombia iconColombia39%
Comoros iconComoros19%
Costa Rica iconCosta Rica54%
Croatia iconCroatia50%
Cuba iconCuba45%
Cyprus iconCyprus52%
Denmark iconDenmark90%
Dominica iconDominica55%
Dominican Republic iconDominican Republic32%
Ecuador iconEcuador36%
Egypt iconEgypt30%
El Salvador iconEl Salvador33%
Equatorial Guinea iconEquatorial Guinea17%
Eritrea iconEritrea22%
Estonia iconEstonia74%
Eswatini iconEswatini30%
Ethiopia iconEthiopia38%
Fiji iconFiji53%
Finland iconFinland87%
France iconFrance72%
Gabon iconGabon29%
Gambia iconGambia34%
Georgia iconGeorgia56%
Germany iconGermany79%
Ghana iconGhana43%
Greece iconGreece52%
Grenada iconGrenada52%
Guatemala iconGuatemala24%
Guinea iconGuinea25%
Guinea Bissau iconGuinea Bissau21%
Guyana iconGuyana40%
Haiti iconHaiti17%
Honduras iconHonduras23%
Hong Kong iconHong Kong76%
Hungary iconHungary42%
Iceland iconIceland74%
India iconIndia40%
Indonesia iconIndonesia34%
Iran iconIran25%
Iraq iconIraq23%
Ireland iconIreland77%
Israel iconIsrael63%
Italy iconItaly56%
Ivory Coast iconIvory Coast37%
Jamaica iconJamaica44%
Japan iconJapan73%
Jordan iconJordan47%
Kazakhstan iconKazakhstan36%
Kenya iconKenya32%
Kuwait iconKuwait42%
Laos iconLaos31%
Latvia iconLatvia59%
Lebanon iconLebanon24%
Lesotho iconLesotho37%
Liberia iconLiberia26%
Libya iconLibya17%
Lithuania iconLithuania62%
Madagascar iconMadagascar26%
Malawi iconMalawi34%
Malaysia iconMalaysia47%
Maldives iconMaldives40%
Mali iconMali28%
Malta iconMalta51%
Mauritania iconMauritania30%
Mauritius iconMauritius50%
Mexico iconMexico31%
Moldova iconMoldova39%
Mongolia iconMongolia33%
Montenegro iconMontenegro45%
Morocco iconMorocco38%
Mozambique iconMozambique26%
Myanmar iconMyanmar23%
Namibia iconNamibia49%
Nepal iconNepal34%
Netherlands iconNetherlands80%
New Zealand iconNew Zealand87%
Niger iconNiger32%
Nigeria iconNigeria24%
North Korea iconNorth Korea17%
North Macedonia iconNorth Macedonia40%
Norway iconNorway84%
Oman iconOman44%
Pakistan iconPakistan27%
Panama iconPanama36%
Papua New Guinea iconPapua New Guinea30%
Paraguay iconParaguay28%
Peru iconPeru36%
Philippines iconPhilippines33%
Poland iconPoland55%
Portugal iconPortugal62%
Qatar iconQatar58%
Romania iconRomania46%
Russia iconRussia28%
Rwanda iconRwanda51%
Saint Lucia iconSaint Lucia55%
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines iconSaint Vincent and the Grenadines60%
Sao Tome and Principe iconSao Tome and Principe45%
Saudi Arabia iconSaudi Arabia51%
Senegal iconSenegal43%
Serbia iconSerbia36%
Seychelles iconSeychelles70%
Sierra Leone iconSierra Leone34%
Singapore iconSingapore83%
Slovakia iconSlovakia53%
Slovenia iconSlovenia56%
Solomon Islands iconSolomon Islands42%
Somalia iconSomalia12%
South Africa iconSouth Africa43%
South Korea iconSouth Korea63%
South Sudan iconSouth Sudan13%
Spain iconSpain60%
Sri Lanka iconSri Lanka36%
Sudan iconSudan22%
Suriname iconSuriname40%
Sweden iconSweden83%
Switzerland iconSwitzerland82%
Syria iconSyria13%
Taiwan iconTaiwan68%
Tajikistan iconTajikistan24%
Tanzania iconTanzania38%
Thailand iconThailand36%
Timor Leste iconTimor Leste42%
Togo iconTogo30%
Trinidad and Tobago iconTrinidad and Tobago42%
Tunisia iconTunisia40%
Turkey iconTurkey36%
Turkmenistan iconTurkmenistan19%
Uganda iconUganda26%
Ukraine iconUkraine33%
United Arab Emirates iconUnited Arab Emirates67%
United Kingdom iconUnited Kingdom73%
United States iconUnited States69%
Uruguay iconUruguay74%
Uzbekistan iconUzbekistan31%
Vanuatu iconVanuatu48%
Venezuela iconVenezuela14%
Vietnam iconVietnam42%
Yemen iconYemen16%
Zambia iconZambia33%
Zimbabwe iconZimbabwe23%
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