Transparency international – a coalition against global corruption – has populated their annual list of corruption index for 182 countries world wide. The index draws on assessments and opinion surveys carried out by independent and reputable institutions. These surveys and assessments include questions related to the bribery of public officials, kickbacks in public procurement, embezzlement of public funds, and the effectiveness of public sector anti-corruption efforts. Perceptions are used because corruption is to a great extent a hidden activity that is difficult to measure. Over time, perceptions have proved to be a reliable estimate of corruption.
The survey pegs corruption in the countries of the world on a scale of 1 to 10 — from most corrupt — to the least. So, if you’re fed up with the corruption where you reside, be glad you don’t live in the most 10 corrupt countries in the world. Here’s a list:
10. Venezuela
Ranks 172 out of 182 countries, with a score of 1.9 out of 10. The discovery of mass amounts of oil in Venezuela hastened its slide into corruption and by the 1970s the petroleum sucked from the ground was called “the Devil’s excrement” by Venezuelans. Even the Venezuelan police force is recognized for its drastic levels of corruption.
9. Haiti
Ranks 175 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.8 out of 10. The immobilizing amount of “red tape” in the Haitian legal system enables local politicians and bureaucrats to gain influence and and direct public outcomes for financial gain.
8. Iraq
Ranks 175 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.8 out of 10. The Iraqi government is so entrenched in its rampant pattern of corruption since the fall of Saddam Hussein that it removes officials who try to prosecute racketeers.
7. Sudan
Ranks 177 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.6 out of 10. Money for Sudan’s development ends in private hands and in foreign banks. Not one official has been prosecuted for corruption, despite there being a commission assigned specifically to the task.
6. Turkmenistan
Ranks 177 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.6 out of 10. The 69 years Turkmenistan spent in the Soviet Union has led to totalitarian control. Though Turkmenistan declared its independence in 1991, the country just made moves to open up the country in 2006. The country also labors under immense human rights abuses and residents face severe restrictions anytime they try leaving the country. Turkmenistan has the 3rd worse freedom of the press, and is the 10th most censored country in the world.
5. Uzbekistan
Ranks 177 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.6 out of 10. Uzbekistan’s top officials reap all the benefits from rich resources. The government is rich in resources, but doesn’t allow for independent private sector growth, keeping control of everything. Part of its anti-corruption drive shut down 100 supermarkets and manufacturing businesses. But according a local businessman, there’s been no progress in the battle against corruption. The country and its society are corrupted through and through.
4. Afghanistan
Ranks 180 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.9 out of 10. Afghanistan’s citizens consider government kickbacks normal. In 2010, people from Afghanistan paid $2.5 billion in bribes, and nearly half the population has paid the government kickbacks. Kickbacks are so common that 38 % of citizens think its normal. Even meeting with a politician implies giving a kickback 40 percent of the time.
3. Myanmar
Ranks 180 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.5 out of 10. Myanmar’s corruption stems from its logs, gold, and drugs. Its rich natural resources and drug rings have led widespread corruption in all of Southeast Asia. It is often seen as the root of problems in the Golden Triangle. The country is full of internal ethnic violence and has been isolated most of the developed world because of human rights issues. But it still engages in illegal resource deals with nearby nations like China.
2. North Korea
Ranks 182 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1 out of 10. North Korea’s officials drink imported Coke while its citizens die from starvation. Most of the testimonies come from refugees from the country, most of whom paid bribes to escape.
1. Somalia
Ranks 182 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1 out of 10. Somalia has been a proxy battleground for nations for years. Foreign countries such as the US and USSR who used the country as a battleground for political ideologies helped drive corruption by backing particular clans or groups. Even some NGOs giving Somalia millions are actually splitting the money between the NGOs and the the signing government officials.
