How bad is corruption, and what can be done? Based on expert opinion, the Corruption Perceptions Index 2014 covers 175 countries. Not one single country gets a perfect score and more than two-thirds score below 50, on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). A poor score is likely a sign of widespread bribery, lack of punishment for corruption and public institutions that don’t respond to citizens’ needs.
Poorly equipped schools, counterfeit medicine and elections decided by money are just some of the consequences of public sector corruption. Bribes and backroom deals both steal resources from the most vulnerable and undermine justice and economic development, and destroy public trust in government and leaders. Corruption is a problem for all countries. Countries at the top of the index also need to act. Leading financial centres in the EU and US need to join with fast-growing economies to stop the corrupt. The G20 needs to prove its global leadership role and prevent money laundering and stop secret companies from masking corruption. The CPI measures the perceived levels of public sector corruption in countries worldwide, scoring them from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). Covering 175 countries, the 2014 index paints an alarming picture.
Key Findings:
- Not one country gets a perfect score and more than two-thirds score below 50.
- The least corrupt countries are Denmark at 92 and New Zealand at 91.
- The most corrupt countries are North Korea and Somalia at 8.
