Special Report

The Most Corrupt Countries in the World

TomasSereda / iStock via Getty Images

Russian President Vladimir Putin of Russia announced a “special military operation” in Ukraine, launching rockets and shells throughout Ukraine, killing at least 137 soldiers on the first day. 

This military action has threatened to destabilize the entire Eastern European region. Corrupt governments, such as the one in Russia, pose a threat to global order and security. Such a concentration of power for the head of state allows authoritarian regimes to crack down on dissenters and journalists and carry out military operations virtually unopposed. And Russia is far from the only country with such high levels of corruption.

To determine the most corrupt countries in the world, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index. Countries were ranked based on their corruption index score, a measure reflecting perceived levels of public sector corruption ranging from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). Transparency International calculates index scores using data  from 13 different surveys. Each country considered must have at least three sources assessing it.. Data on population came from the World Bank and is for 2020.

Overall, the nations of the world have done little to improve the perception of their corruption in recent years. All across the globe, countries have cracked down on civil liberties and removed accountability measures designed to keep public sector corruption in check. Even in relatively open countries, accountability for major issues like COVID-19 responses has been limited.

In corrupt countries, it can be very difficult for average citizens to gain access to the financial resources they need to escape poverty. High levels of corruption have been shown to cut down on economic growth and restrict access to education, which can make it more difficult for lower-income individuals to lift themselves out of poverty. This has been shown to increase the gap between the rich and the poor. These are the countries with the worst wealth inequality.

Click here to see the mot corrupt countries in the world

Mordolff / E+ via Getty Images

45. Russia
> Corruption perceptions index: 29/100
> Total population: 144.10 million
> Region: Eastern Europe & Central Asia

[in-text-ad]

dutourdumonde / iStock via Getty Images

44. Mali
> Corruption perceptions index: 29/100
> Total population: 20.25 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

jbdodane / iStock via Getty Images

43. Liberia
> Corruption perceptions index: 29/100
> Total population: 5.06 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

Luke Dray / Getty Images News via Getty Images

42. Angola
> Corruption perceptions index: 29/100
> Total population: 32.87 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

[in-text-ad-2]

Lukas Bischoff / iStock via Getty Images

41. Uzbekistan
> Corruption perceptions index: 28/100
> Total population: 34.23 million
> Region: Eastern Europe & Central Asia

HomoCosmicos / iStock via Getty Images

40. Pakistan
> Corruption perceptions index: 28/100
> Total population: 220.89 million
> Region: Asia & the Pacific

[in-text-ad]

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images

39. Myanmar
> Corruption perceptions index: 28/100
> Total population: 54.41 million
> Region: Asia & the Pacific

HomoCosmicos / iStock via Getty Images

38. Mauritania
> Corruption perceptions index: 28/100
> Total population: 4.65 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

Vagabondering Andy - Andy Doyle / iStock via Getty Images

37. Uganda
> Corruption perceptions index: 27/100
> Total population: 45.74 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

[in-text-ad-2]

LUKASZ-NOWAK1 / iStock via Getty Images

36. Kyrgyzstan
> Corruption perceptions index: 27/100
> Total population: 6.59 million
> Region: Eastern Europe & Central Asia

mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images

35. Cameroon
> Corruption perceptions index: 27/100
> Total population: 26.55 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

[in-text-ad]

Jacek_Sopotnicki / iStock via Getty Images

34. Mozambique
> Corruption perceptions index: 26/100
> Total population: 31.26 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

33. Madagascar
> Corruption perceptions index: 26/100
> Total population: 27.69 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

Ibnul Asaf Jawed Susam / iStock via Getty Images

32. Bangladesh
> Corruption perceptions index: 26/100
> Total population: 164.69 million
> Region: Asia & the Pacific

[in-text-ad-2]

autau / iStock via Getty Images

31. Tajikistan
> Corruption perceptions index: 25/100
> Total population: 9.54 million
> Region: Eastern Europe & Central Asia

Lukas Bischoff / iStock via Getty Images

30. Iran
> Corruption perceptions index: 25/100
> Total population: 83.99 million
> Region: Middle East & North Africa

[in-text-ad]

viti / iStock via Getty Images

29. Guinea
> Corruption perceptions index: 25/100
> Total population: 13.13 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

Gfed / iStock via Getty Images

28. Guatemala
> Corruption perceptions index: 25/100
> Total population: 16.86 million
> Region: The Americas

ANDREYGUDKOV / iStock via Getty Images

27. Central African Republic
> Corruption perceptions index: 24/100
> Total population: 4.83 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

[in-text-ad-2]

AYOTOGRAPHY / iStock via Getty Images

26. Nigeria
> Corruption perceptions index: 24/100
> Total population: 206.14 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

ramzihachicho / iStock via Getty Images

25. Lebanon
> Corruption perceptions index: 24/100
> Total population: 6.83 million
> Region: Middle East & North Africa

[in-text-ad]

Sproetniek / iStock via Getty Images

24. Zimbabwe
> Corruption perceptions index: 23/100
> Total population: 14.86 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

Phototreat / iStock via Getty Images

23. Iraq
> Corruption perceptions index: 23/100
> Total population: 40.22 million
> Region: Middle East & North Africa

sorincolac / iStock via Getty Images

22. Honduras
> Corruption perceptions index: 23/100
> Total population: 9.90 million
> Region: The Americas

[in-text-ad-2]

21. Cambodia
> Corruption perceptions index: 23/100
> Total population: 16.72 million
> Region: Asia & the Pacific

hugy / iStock via Getty Images

20. Eritrea
> Corruption perceptions index: 22/100
> Total population: 6.15 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

[in-text-ad]

Virginia Yunes / Getty Images

19. Guinea Bissau
> Corruption perceptions index: 21/100
> Total population: 1.97 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

Claudine Silaho Weber-Hilty / iStock via Getty Images

18. Congo
> Corruption perceptions index: 21/100
> Total population: 5.52 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

ferozeea / iStock via Getty Images

17. Sudan
> Corruption perceptions index: 20/100
> Total population: 43.85 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

[in-text-ad-2]

marlaynaglynnbrown / iStock via Getty Images

16. Nicaragua
> Corruption perceptions index: 20/100
> Total population: 6.62 million
> Region: The Americas

La_Corivo / iStock via Getty Images

15. Haiti
> Corruption perceptions index: 20/100
> Total population: 11.40 million
> Region: The Americas

[in-text-ad]

mbrand85 / iStock via Getty Images

14. Comoros
> Corruption perceptions index: 20/100
> Total population: 869,595
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

HomoCosmicos / iStock via Getty Images

13. Chad
> Corruption perceptions index: 20/100
> Total population: 16.43 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

avatavat / iStock via Getty Images

12. Turkmenistan
> Corruption perceptions index: 19/100
> Total population: 6.03 million
> Region: Eastern Europe & Central Asia

[in-text-ad-2]

mtcurado / Getty Images

11. Democratic Republic of the Congo
> Corruption perceptions index: 19/100
> Total population: 89.56 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

mtcurado / iStock via Getty Images

10. Burundi
> Corruption perceptions index: 19/100
> Total population: 11.89 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

[in-text-ad]

batuhanozdel / iStock via Getty Images

9. Libya
> Corruption perceptions index: 17/100
> Total population: 6.87 million
> Region: Middle East & North Africa

vestica / iStock via Getty Images

8. Equatorial Guinea
> Corruption perceptions index: 17/100
> Total population: 1.40 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

Kilinson / iStock via Getty Images

7. Yemen
> Corruption perceptions index: 16/100
> Total population: 29.83 million
> Region: Middle East & North Africa

[in-text-ad-2]

Sven Loeffler / Getty Images

6. North Korea
> Corruption perceptions index: 16/100
> Total population: 25.78 million
> Region: Asia & the Pacific

christophe_cerisier / E+ via Getty Images

5. Afghanistan
> Corruption perceptions index: 16/100
> Total population: 38.93 million
> Region: Asia & the Pacific

[in-text-ad]

DouglasOlivares / iStock via Getty Images

4. Venezuela
> Corruption perceptions index: 14/100
> Total population: 28.44 million
> Region: The Americas

jasminam / iStock via Getty Images

3. Syria
> Corruption perceptions index: 13/100
> Total population: 17.50 million
> Region: Middle East & North Africa

HomoCosmicos / iStock via Getty Images

2. Somalia
> Corruption perceptions index: 13/100
> Total population: 15.89 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

[in-text-ad-2]

Phototreat / iStock via Getty Images

1. South Sudan
> Corruption perceptions index: 11/100
> Total population: 11.19 million
> Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

Find a Qualified Financial Advisor (Sponsor)

Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to 3 fiduciary financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. If you’re ready to be matched with local advisors that can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.