Is corruption increasing globally? Well, according to Transparency International, there is a global trend of weakening justice systems, which is reducing accountability and allows corruption to thrive. And this is true in both more authoritarian and more democratic countries.
In fact, based on the group’s corruption perception index, which scores countries’ perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean), over two-thirds of countries score below 50, and the global average is only 43. Still, some countries score considerably higher and are relatively “clean.”
To find the least corrupt countries in the world, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index. Of the 180 countries ranked by the CPI, we listed the 48 least corrupt countries — those that have a CPI score of 54 or higher. Population, GDP per capita in current U.S. dollars, and life expectancy at birth data came from the World Bank. The CPI notes it “aggregates data from several different sources that capture perceptions among businesspeople and country experts of the level of corruption in the public sector.”
Among Transparency International’s 48 countries at the top of its 2023 index, 24 are in Western Europe and the EU region. In fact, the average score among countries in the region is 65 out of 100. Four Nordic countries in the top 10 cleanest countries, with the top 10 score beginning at 78 for Luxembourg and tops out at 90 for Denmark.
Ten of the least corrupt countries are in the Americas, including Canada and the U.S., though the region’s average score is 43. The U.S. ranks 24th with a score of 69 out of 100. Another eight countries are in Asia Pacific, including New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and Singapore, with a regional average score of 45. No countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia made the list. (Also see, The World’s Happiest Countries: See Where the US Ranks.)
Except for five of the top ranking countries, all have a higher GDP per capita than the global average of nearly $12,700, and many rank among the wealthiest countries. Similarly, only three countries have a lower average life at expectancy at birth than the world average of 71.3 years.
Even countries ranking high have an impunity problem, the CPI report notes. “Many cross-border corruption cases have involved companies from top-scoring countries that resort to bribery when doing business abroad.” In addition, professionals sell secrets or enable foreign corrupt officials, and yet, these countries often fail to prosecute these offenses.
48. Slovakia
Source: QQ7 / iStock via Getty Images
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 54 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 7 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $21,257 (#42 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 74.7 years (#59 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 5,431,752
47. Poland
Source: MikeMareen / iStock via Getty Images
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 54 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 6 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $18,688 (#47 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 75.6 years (#52 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 36,821,749
46. Saint Lucia
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Global region: Americas
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 55 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 16 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $13,031 (#59 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 71.1 years (#97 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 179,857
45. Costa Rica
Source: miroslav_1 / iStock via Getty Images
- Global region: Americas
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 55 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 2 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $13,365 (#57 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 77.0 years (#41 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 5,180,829
44. Dominica
Source: belfast1970 / Flickr
- Global region: Americas
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 56 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 2 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $8,351 (#75 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 72.8 years (#80 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 72,737
43. Slovenia
Source: pedrosz / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 56 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 1 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $28,439 (#35 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 80.9 years (#28 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 2,111,986
42. Italy
Source: lazarevmaru / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 56 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 13 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $34,776 (#25 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 82.8 years (#12 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 58,940,425
41. Czechia
Source: warrenlemay / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 57 out of 100
- Decade change in corruption: 9 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $27,227 (#37 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 77.4 years (#40 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 10,672,118
40. Qatar
Source: SHansche / iStock via Getty Images
- Global region: Middle East & North Africa
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 58 out of 100
- Decade change in corruption: 10 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $87,661 (#5 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 79.3 years (#32 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 2,695,122
39. Botswana
Source: poco_bw / iStock via Getty Images
- Global region: sub-Saharan Africa
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 59 out of 100
- Decade change in corruption: 5 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $7,739 (#78 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 61.1 years (#159 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 2,630,296
38. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Source: Vadim_Nefedov / iStock via Getty Images
- Global region: Americas
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 60 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 2 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $9,125 (#71 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 69.6 years (#113 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 103,948
37. Latvia
Source: kokotoni / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 60 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 7 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $21,780 (#41 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 73.3 years (#76 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 1,879,383
36. Spain
Source: chuvash / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 60 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 1 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $29,675 (#34 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 83.2 years (#7 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 47,778,340
35. Portugal
Source: mussikatz / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 61 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 1 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $24,515 (#40 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 81.1 years (#26 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 10,409,704
34. Lithuania
Source: pjgardner / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 61 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 4 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $25,065 (#38 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 74.3 years (#62 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 2,831,639
33. Israel
Source: antoniobovinophotography / Flickr
- Global region: Middle East & North Africa
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 62 out of 100
- Decade change in corruption: 1 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $54,931 (#14 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 82.5 years (#15 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 9,557,500
32. Korea, South
Source: aomam / iStock via Getty Images
- Global region: Asia Pacific
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 63 out of 100
- Decade change in corruption: 8 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $32,423 (#29 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 83.5 years (#4 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 51,628,117
31. Bahamas
Source: alkanchaglar / Flickr
- Global region: Americas
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 64 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 7 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $31,458 (#31 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 71.6 years (#94 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 409,984
30. Cabo Verde
Source: cinoby / E+ via Getty Images
- Global region: sub-Saharan Africa
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 64 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 6 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $3,754 (#111 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 74.1 years (#64 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 593,149
29. Chile
Source: Boris Kasimov from Toronto, Canada. / Wikimedia Commons
- Global region: Americas
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 66 out of 100
- Decade change in corruption: 5 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $15,355 (#53 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 78.9 years (#33 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 19,603,733
28. Taiwan
Source: paintdraw / Flickr
- Global region: Asia Pacific
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 67 out of 100
- Decade change in corruption: 6 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $32,698 (#28 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 81.4 years (#23 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 23,588,613
27. Bhutan
Source: mussikatz / Flickr
- Global region: Asia Pacific
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 68 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 5 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2021: $3,560 (#114 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 71.8 years (#92 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 782,455
26. United Arab Emirates
Source: Stefan Tomic / iStock via Getty Images
- Global region: Middle East & North Africa
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 68 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 1 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $53,708 (#15 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 78.7 years (#36 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 9,441,129
25. Barbados
Source: bpperry / iStock via Getty Images
- Global region: Americas
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 69 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 6 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $20,239 (#45 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 77.6 years (#39 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 281,635
24. United States
Source: aparlette / Flickr
- Global region: Americas
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 69 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 4 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $76,330 (#7 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 76.3 years (#49 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 333,287,557
23. Seychelles
Source: flowcomm / Flickr
- Global region: sub-Saharan Africa
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 71 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 17 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $13,250 (#58 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 73.4 years (#74 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 119,878
22. Austria
Source: pedrosz / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 71 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 2 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $52,085 (#16 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 812 years (#24 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 9,041,851
21. United Kingdom
Source: giuseppemilo / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 71 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 5 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $46,125 (#22 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 80.7 years (#29 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 66,971,395
20. France
Source: LianeM / iStock via Getty Images
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 71 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 0 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $40,886 (#24 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 82.3 years (#16 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 67,971,311
19. Iceland
Source: con4tini / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 72 out of 100
- Decade change in corruption: 6 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $73,467 (#8 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 83.1 years (#10 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 382,003
18. Uruguay
Source: Leonid Andronov / iStock via Getty Images
- Global region: Americas
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 73 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 0 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $20,795 (#44 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 75.4 years (#53 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 3,422,794
17. Belgium
Source: kentwang / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 73 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 2 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $49,927 (#18 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 81.9 years (#20 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 11,685,814
16. Japan
Source: StockByM / iStock via Getty Images
- Global region: Asia Pacific
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 73 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 1 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $34,017 (#27 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 84.4 years (#2 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 125,124,989
15. Hong Kong
Source: EarnestTse / iStock via Getty Images
- Global region: Asia Pacific
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 75 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 0 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $48,984 (#19 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 85.5 years (#1 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 7,346,100
14. Australia
Source: mdalmuld / Flickr
- Global region: Asia Pacific
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 75 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 6 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $65,100 (#10 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 83.3 years (#6 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 26,005,540
13. Estonia
Source: pedrosz / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 76 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 8 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $28,247 (#36 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 76.7 years (#44 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 1,348,840
12. Canada
Source: davylandman / Flickr
- Global region: Americas
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 76 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 5 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $55,522 (#13 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 82.6 years (#14 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 38,929,902
11. Ireland
Source: lucasartoni / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 77 out of 100
- Decade change in corruption: 5 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $103,983 (#3 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 82.1 years (#18 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 5,127,170
10. Luxembourg
Source: jepoirrier / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 78 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 2 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $125,006 (#1 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 82.7 years (#13 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 653,103
9. Germany
Source: akreicberga / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 78 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 0 points improvement
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $48,718 (#20 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 80.9 years (#27 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 83,797,985
8. Netherlands
Source: jd_scape / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 79 out of 100
- Decade change in corruption: 4 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $57,025 (#11 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 81.5 years (#21 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 17,700,982
7. Switzerland
Source: diegopianarosa / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 82 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 3 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $93,260 (#4 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 83.9 years (#3 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 8,775,760
6. Sweden
Source: f11photo / iStock via Getty Images
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 82 out of 100 (tied)
- Decade change in corruption: 7 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $56,424 (#12 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 83.2 years (#9 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 10,486,941
5. Singapore
Source: travelourplanet / Flickr
- Global region: Asia Pacific
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 83 out of 100
- Decade change in corruption: 3 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $82,808 (#6 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 83.4 years (#5 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 5,637,022
4. Norway
Source: stefanwagener / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 84 out of 100
- Decade change in corruption: 2 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $108,729 (#2 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 83.2 years (#8 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 5,457,127
3. New Zealand
Source: New Zealand Defence Force from Wellington, New Zealand / Wikimedia Commons
- Global region: Asia Pacific
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 85 out of 100
- Decade change in corruption: 6 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $48,419 (#21 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 82.2 years (#17 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 5,124,100
2. Finland
Source: Ninara from Helsinki, Finland / Wikimedia Commons
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 87 out of 100
- Decade change in corruption: 2 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $50,872 (#17 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 81.9 years (#19 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 5,556,106
1. Denmark
Source: philfiddyment / Flickr
- Global region: Western Europe & EU
- Corruption perception index, 2023: 90 out of 100
- Decade change in corruption: 1 points decline
- GDP per capita (current USD), 2022: $67,790 (#9 highest out of 175 countries)
- Life expectancy at birth, 2021: 81.4 years (#22 highest out of 180 countries)
- Total population in 2022: 5,903,037
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