Countries with the lowest and highest levels of corruption. Bribes and bribery: rating of the most corrupt countries Rating of corruption in countries of the world

Russia ranked 135th out of 180 in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, sharing this position with Paraguay and Kyrgyzstan. High-profile trials of officials did not affect the opinion of experts about corruption in the country

Leaders and Outsiders

In 2017, Russia scored 29 points out of 100 possible in the Corruption perception index, which is compiled annually by the international anti-corruption organization Transparency International (TI).

The Dominican Republic, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mexico, Papua New Guinea and Paraguay scored the same number of points, according to a study released by the organization. The listed countries share with Russia 135th place out of 180 in the ranking of the least corrupt states compiled by Transparency.

The Transparency release notes that for the third year in a row, Russia has been gaining 29 points in the index, while at the same time the country’s position in the ranking has worsened: at the end of 2015, it occupied 119th place, and at the end of 2016, 131st. This is due to the inclusion of new states in the index, as well as changes in other countries, Transparency explained. For example, states that occupied the same place in the ranking as Russia at the end of 2016, a year later slightly (by one or two points) improved their results; these are Iran, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Nepal.

The leaders and outsiders of the index have remained unchanged over the past few years: the first places are occupied by New Zealand (89 points), Denmark (88 points), Finland, Norway and Switzerland (85 points each). The ranking is completed by Somalia (9 points) and South Sudan (12 points).

“Those countries that scored below the average - we have 43 points - are states where there are no institutions themselves that can guarantee security from corruption,” Anton Pominov, director of the Russian branch of Transparency, told RBC.

According to the rating methodology, a zero value in the index corresponds to the maximum possible level of corruption, and a hundred corresponds to the minimum. Transparency compiles its index using regularly published research from a number of international organizations - the World Bank, Freedom House, the Bertelsmann Foundation and others. Each of these studies analyzes a separate aspect: investment risks, freedom of speech, standard of living, complexity of doing business, but all of them in one way or another touch on issues of corruption. “We isolate from there the questions related to our topic, bring them all to a hundred-point scale and calculate the values ​​​​for each country according to the available sources,” said Pominov.

Arrests didn't help

The perception of corruption in Russia was not changed by the high-profile corruption trials that took place at the end of 2017 - beginning of 2018 against officials: the former Minister of Economic Development and ex-governors and, the TI release emphasizes. The harsh sentences, according to the organization’s experts, “did not make enough of an impression on respondents to recognize any progress in combating corruption.”​

Pominov believes that to improve Russia’s position in the ranking, a systematic approach to the fight against corruption is missing, and cites the example of many Western companies that were caught bribing Russian officials: Siemens, Daimler, Hewlett Packard, Pfizer. “When, instead of reforms aimed at the independence of the judicial system and parliament, we grab one of the officials for show or to get even with him for something, this does not impress either citizens or foreign investors,” says the director of the Russian Transparency departments.

“We must separate the inept attempts to present the fight against corruption with several high-profile cases and the real perception of corruption,” agrees the public commissioner for the protection of the rights of entrepreneurs, Alexander Khurudzhi. “Entrepreneurs and citizens see no improvement, with the exception of a reduction in grassroots corruption thanks to the widespread launch of MFCs throughout the country.”

In his opinion, representatives of global corporations can pay attention to such ratings. At the same time, Khurudji points out that most entrepreneurs are skeptical about them. “A business will never honestly decipher who it gave bribes to, and the compilation of such ratings is seriously influenced by the subjective factor of perception,” he argues.

Corruption is a factor holding back the economy and the development of society. This term refers to the excessive use of authority by an official. Such acts in a number of countries around the world are equated to fraud and are punishable under articles of the criminal code.

Eradicating corruption is a complex process. It is even more difficult to correctly assess it on the scale of one country. Let's talk about how the index is calculated and present a list of the most corrupt countries.

What is the Corruption Perceptions Index?

The most famous and widely used ranking of corrupt countries is compiled by the non-governmental organization Transparency International. It is called Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), which translated into Russian means Corruption Perceptions Index.

The mission of the international organization is to conduct global research in the field of public administration and entrepreneurship. The index is a kind of summary of the work done. Any abuse of official position is subject to study, not just cases of direct bribery.

A map clearly showing the level of corruption in countries around the world for 2018

How is the Corruption Perceptions Index calculated?

The basis is the results of surveys of entrepreneurs and analysts from countries around the world. They are asked to evaluate the level of corruption in the country using a 100-point system. The average score is the desired index.

Transparency International emphasizes that statistics provided by government agencies cannot be objective when calculating the index, since a number of cases in corrupt countries may be closed before reaching trial or not prosecuted.

The interviewed entrepreneurs encounter corruption when doing business. The analysts interviewed are directly related to the problem; they study it within the country.

Formation of country ratings

The score means the following: the higher it is, the less corrupt the state is. The lower in the line it is located, the worse the situation with illegal enrichment and abuse of power is.

When determining position on the list, data for the last three years is taken into account. Note that changes in estimates occur slowly.

List of countries by corruption perception index

The organization publishes a new list annually. Let's explore it from the end and present the most corrupt countries in the world. For a complete picture of the world, see Transparency International.

On the map, countries are colored in colors ranging from light yellow to burgundy. Light shades indicate that the state received a high score from experts and entrepreneurs. Red and burgundy shades indicate the presence of serious problems and obstacles in economic development.

Denmark is a corruption-free country

The list of the ten least corrupt states looks like this (the aggregate score is indicated in parentheses):

1. Denmark (88);
2. New Zealand (87);
3. Finland (85);
4. Singapore (84);
5. Sweden (85);
6. Switzerland (85);
7. Norway (84);
8. Netherlands (82)
9. Canada (81);
10. Luxembourg (81);

The position of countries with the same index in the list is influenced by statistics for the last 3 years. In 2018, the level of bribery and abuse of one's position improved in Estonia, Senegal, and Côte d'Ivoire. The situation has worsened in Chile, Australia, Turkey, and Malta.

Russia's position in a corrupt world

Everyone knows that the problem is acute in Russia. Corruption exists in all areas of the population's life. Complex issues are solved for money; citizens consider the government’s struggle in the field of bribery to be insignificant.

As of 2019, the Russian Federation ranks 138th in the corruption perception rating, scoring 28 points. There has been a deterioration in positions over the past 3 years.

According to Transparency International, Russians have to corrupt in vital areas:

• law enforcement agencies;
• healthcare system;
• education system;
• public administration;
• taxation.

The Russian tsars also spoke about the risks of this situation, but corruption has always been historically involved in the system of government.

Only for the period 2010-2016. In Russia, crimes with a corrupt component were uncovered in the following areas:

• space exploration (theft during the allocation of funds for the development of GLONASS, the construction of the Vostochny cosmodrome);
• gambling business (the case of “protection protection” by employees of the prosecutor’s office of a casino in the Moscow region);
• energy (criminal proceedings "RusHydro");
• agro-industrial sector (theft at Rosagroleasing amounting to more than 30 billion rubles).

At the end of 2017, four executives of large companies were convicted of embezzling over 400 million rubles allocated for the development of GLONASS

The listed cases are a small part of high-profile criminal cases in which facts of extortion and bribery were revealed.

Top 10 most corrupt countries in the world

Somalia (10)

The outsider of the rating for 5 years is Somalia. The consequences of the civil war are a destroyed economy, anarchy, high unemployment, and the presence of criminal structures. Today the state is trying to build a new economy and is participating in an international lending program.

It is impossible to open a business in Somalia without the support of government agencies.

The Syrian civil war and subsequent foreign military action have severely undermined political and economic forces. Rebuilding destroyed infrastructure is a difficult task. In the coming decades, the Syrian government will have to fight bribery and theft from the treasury.

Investments will improve the situation in Syria, but their flow is not expected given the high level of corruption

External injections will not come to Syria soon, since investors strictly assess their own risks and are not ready to sacrifice money.

South Sudan (13)

The state gained independence in 2011. Interethnic conflicts flare up every year; armed gangs operate freely in the territory and control the regions. There is no need to talk about the presence of freedoms in South Sudan.

Africa is the continent with the most developed corrupt network. In 2017, a period of drought led to famine in South Sudan, making the situation worse for the people.

Average Corruption Scores in Africa

Yemen (14)

Before the conflict in Yemen, the state was the poorest among its neighbors in the Arab world. Oil reserves are not large, the amount of “black gold” in the depths is drying up. Citizens are divided into tribes, each of which has power in a specific region. This situation has a negative impact on the political and economic situation.

The crisis of the 80s in the DPRK continued with the collapse of the USSR. Residents were massively engaged in smuggling Chinese products, and salaries at state-owned enterprises were low. If 30 years ago the state was the least corrupt in the world, with the arrival of private business in the country everything changed. Officials found themselves at the mercy of temptations.

After the death of Kim Il Sung, the level of corruption increased several times

Sudan (16)

Sudan continues to fight with its southern neighbor over territory, so the risks for doing business are high. According to the World Bank’s “Doing Business” study, the state ranks last; opening and running your own business is a big problem.

Guinea-Bissau (16)

Extortion is widespread in Guinea-Bissau. Policemen, officials, and doctors openly ask for bribes. It is impossible to get a job without the specified amount.

The transit point between Colombia and Europe along the cocaine route is Guinea-Bissau. Business is controlled by all government structures

The second pressing problem is drug smuggling. In Guinea-Bissau, this business is controlled by the army, law enforcement officers, and judges.

Equatorial Guinea (16)

In 2017, information appeared that the President of Equatorial Guinea was laundering money from Europe and the United States with the help of a team of Ukrainian citizens who were previously in the diplomatic service. Bribery is present in all spheres of life of the country's citizens, and there is no fight against it.

The war in Afghanistan and decades of ongoing armed conflict are the key to the problem of corruption. The drug trade is thriving and terrorist groups are multiplying. Citizens are hostages of the situation. Every year in Afghanistan, the number of people who become refugees within their own country increases. No one is helping them.

Afghanistan is one of the world's largest opium producers

Libya (17)

The war in Libya has given rise to corruption in all areas of society. It has become customary to take and give bribes. The budget is being “cut up” by inflating the cost of transactions at open auctions. Currently, there is no order in the country, scandals are breaking out about the sale of people into slavery, bribes in the public administration sector.

Rating of the most corrupt European countries

Regional analysis showed that Europe is an area with a relatively low level of corruption. The average score is 66 out of 100. By comparison, the African average is half that.

The World Bank says the corruption situation in Ukraine is not improving

If we consider Europe without taking into account the Russian Federation, which was mentioned above, the ranking of countries mired in bribes would look like this (the score is indicated in parentheses):

1. Ukraine (32);
2. Moldova (33);
3. Albania (36);
4. Kosovo (37);
5. Macedonia (37);
6. Bosnia (38);
7. Serbia (39);
8. Bulgaria (42);
9. Belarus (44);
10. Montenegro (45).

If we consider part of the world in tandem with the Russian Federation, it would become the most corrupt country in Europe.

Least corrupt region – Western Europe and EU countries

conclusions

1. The Corruption Perceptions Index is compiled annually by the non-governmental organization Transparency I. It draws conclusions based on a survey of entrepreneurs and experts. The higher the score, the more favorable the country's position.
2. The fewest problems with abuse of official position are in Denmark, the most in Somalia.
3. Europe has a low level of corruption. The most difficult situation is in Russia, Ukraine, and the Balkan countries.

Ukraine became the most corrupt country in Europe after Russia at the end of 2017. Our state took 130th place in the corruption perception rating from Transparency International.

Transparency International published its annual Corruption Perceptions Index at the end of February. Each country was given a score ranging from 0 (very high level of corruption) to 100 (low level of corruption).

This year Ukraine received 30 points out of a possible 100, improving the overall result compared to 2016 by only 1 point. Therefore, on the map of Europe, Ukraine and Russia (which has 29 points) are the most corrupt countries.

Ukraine is the most corrupt country in Europe after Russia

Experts note that Ukraine managed to achieve a slight increase in the ranking due to the fact that in 2017, Ukrainian anti-corruption authorities (SAP and NABU) sent the first cases to court on suspicion of corruption of high-ranking officials. Also among the reasons for the slight improvement are the reform of the gas market, the work of the register of electronic declarations, the first year of public procurement reform and the use of the ProZorro system, as well as a decrease in the level of corruption in the police and a decrease in the number of cases where businesses are forced to pay bribes.

Ukraine found itself in the company of countries such as Gambia, Iran, Myanmar and Sierra Leone. We share 130th place in the ranking with them.

Disappointing "company" Ukraine in the corruption perception rating

Among Ukraine's neighbors, the situation with the perception of corruption is best in Poland - the country with 60 points ranked 36th in the world. True, compared to 2016, the Poles lost 7 positions. In Slovakia, the level of perception of corruption was rated at 50 points. All other neighboring countries of Ukraine scored less than 50 points.

What is the level of corruption in Ukraine's neighboring countries?

Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index is topped by New Zealand (89), Denmark (88) and Finland (85). The most corrupt countries in the world are Somalia (9), South Sudan (12) and Syria (14).

Countries with the highest and lowest levels of corruption

According to experts, more than two-thirds of the 180 countries in the ranking have scores below 50 points. “This means that more than six billion people live in corrupt countries,” the report said.

Illustration copyright Getty Images

For three years, the situation with corruption in Russia has not changed, but it has improved in its closest neighbors, including Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

This is evidenced by data from the study “Corruption Perception Index” by the international organization Transparency International.

In a list of 180 countries in the world, Russia ranks 135th (the lower it is, the more corrupt the country is considered). On the same level as Russia are DominicanRRepublic, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mexico And Papua New Guinea.

Since 2015, Russia’s score, which determines its place on the list, has not changed (29).

“A number of high-profile corruption cases in Russia, including the trial of former Minister of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukaev and former governors Nikita Belykh and Alexander Khoroshavin, did not make a sufficient impression on respondents,” Transparency said.

Worse than the neighbors

If last year they were on par with Russia Ukraine And Kazakhstan, then this year they went a little ahead and took 130th and 122nd places, respectively. On the same line with Russia Kyrgyzstan(the last time something like this happened was in 2014).

And here’s what Russia’s place looked like among former and current members of the Commonwealth of Independent States during the years of change of power in the 21st century, that is, from the beginning of Vladimir Putin’s first term (the research methodology changed periodically, and the composition of the countries included in it expanded).

Most of the post-Soviet countries change places from year to year, although their results remain quite close to each other. The gap between Ukraine and Russia, for example, is extremely insignificant, emphasizes Anton Pominov, general director of Transparency International - Russia, in an interview with the BBC Russian Service.

“There is no particular trust in the anti-corruption policy of the Ukrainian authorities,” he notes.

Exception - Georgia, which made significant progress in the fight against corruption when Mikheil Saakashvili was president of the country (2004-2013), and continues to lead by a significant margin.

Positive dynamics are noticeable in Belarus. “Nothing is happening in the country: stability. Minor progress is being made in the anti-corruption sphere, so Belarus is growing compared to its neighbors,” explains Pominov.

From New Zealand to South Sudan

Somalia and South Sudan are again recognized as outsiders.

Transparency International has produced the Corruption Perceptions Index every year since 1995.

The index is calculated based on data for the last two years (2016-2017) collected by the World Bank, Freedom House, the International Institute for Management Development and other independent organizations.

In Russia, the local branch of Transparency International is recognized as a “foreign agent”, since its activities are financed from abroad.

In the past few days, Russians have been shocked by news reports of the detention of government officials accused of involvement in corruption scandals.

After such news, comments and opinions became popular again that corruption in Russia reaches simply enormous proportions and in general the Russian Federation is the most corrupt country in the world. However, this is far from the case.

Non-profit organization Transparency International calculates its own corruption index of countries - Corruption Perceptions Index. Based on its results, it gives points from 0 to 100. The closer to a hundred, the better. The results are largely predictable: small northern democracies almost always win. Here are the results for 2015: Denmark (91) - 1st place, Finland (90) - 2nd place. Sweden, with 89 points, as you might guess, took third place. It is interesting to see which countries in the Western world have the highest levels of corruption. Below is a ranking of the 16 OECD countries with the highest levels of corruption.

Chile

Corruption Perceptions Index: 70

Although Chile is one of the most corrupt countries in the OECD, it is also one of the least corrupt countries in Latin America, with countries such as Brazil, Venezuela and Paraguay leading the way.

Overall, Chile's corruption index is 70, which is 3 points less than last year. This means that within a year the country has become slightly more corrupt than it was before.

Estonia

Corruption Perceptions Index: 70

In 2012, Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves passed an anti-corruption law aimed at increasing transparency in the public sector. Thanks to this, the country's corruption index increased from 69 to 70.

France

Corruption Perceptions Index: 70

Over the past year, the level of corruption in France has decreased slightly - by 1 point, amounting to 70 out of 100. In addition, corruption in the country is not very widespread.

Portugal

Corruption Perceptions Index: 63

In a June 2015 study by Ernst & Young, 83% of Portuguese residents said that corruption and bribery are widespread in their country.

In 2014, former Prime Minister José Socrates was detained on suspicion of tax fraud and money laundering.

Poland

Corruption Perceptions Index: 62

With an index of 62, Poland falls just short of the top 10 most corrupt OECD countries.

Nepotism is widespread in Poland.

As GAN Integrity notes: “Political corruption is a serious obstacle to business, as politicians use their positions to gain benefits, and cronyism is widespread in this country.”

Israel

Corruption Perceptions Index: 61

Israel is one of the poorest countries in the OECD and one of the most corrupt. Israel's index is 61 out of 100.

In May 2015, former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was convicted of a bribe of more than $150 thousand, which he received from an American tycoon.

Slovenia

Corruption Perceptions Index: 60

Slovenia has experienced several corruption scandals in recent years.

So, in 2013 and 2014. There were mass protests in the country against Prime Minister Janez Janš and opposition leader Zoram Janković. They were accused of hiding their assets and income.

Spain

Corruption Perceptions Index: 58

Before his recent re-election, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy was accused of corruption. Not long ago, a new scandal broke out in which the People's Party was involved. 24 people were arrested on bribery charges.

Overall, Spain received 58 points from Transparency International.

Czech

This year the Czech Republic received 56 points, compared to 51 last year.

This growth is associated with the end of a corruption scandal in the country, which in 2013 led to the fact that Prime Minister Petr Necas was forced to resign.

South Korea

Corruption Perceptions Index: 56

Corruption is a big problem in South Korea.

In 2015, the country's prime minister was forced to resign in April due to bribery allegations contained in the suicide note of a prominent businessman.

Hungary

Last year, Hungary's index was 54, but this year it fell to 51 as the level of corruption in the country increased.

The practice of paying small bribes to doctors and surgeons is widespread in the country. According to one survey, 92% of Hungarians think this is appropriate.

Slovakia

Corruption Perceptions Index: 51

Slovakia also received 51 points, entering the list of the most corrupt countries in Europe.

Recently, a major corruption scandal has erupted in the country, with politicians, government officials and company heads being accused of bribery.

Greece

Corruption Perceptions Index: 46

The level of corruption in the country has decreased compared to last year. The country scored 46 points, compared to 43 last year.

There is a widespread phenomenon in the country called fakelaki, which means a small bribe to receive higher quality services.

Italy

Corruption Perceptions Index: 44

Corruption in this country is often associated with the country's former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who was accused of bribery many times.

He was also convicted of tax fraud in 2013 and found guilty of bribery in 2015.

Türkiye

Corruption Perceptions Index: 42

Turkey is the most corrupt country in Europe, scoring only 42 points out of 100.

In 2013, the country was rocked by large-scale scandals related to the director of a state bank, with many well-known entrepreneurs suspected of bribery, fraud, and money laundering.

Mexico

Corruption Perceptions Index: 35

The most corrupt country in the OECD is Mexico, with an index of just 35. This is not surprising given that Mexico is a drug trafficking hub. Drugs flow through Mexico from Latin American countries to the United States.