The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) provides a global snapshot of corruption levels, ranking 180 countries on a scale from 1 (most corrupt) to 100 (least corrupt). Published annually by Transparency International, the report offers critical insights into governance, accountability, and institutional integrity worldwide.
What does the 2025 CPI report reveal?
According to the latest findings, only 32 countries have made significant progress in reducing corruption. Meanwhile, 148 countries have either stagnated or seen their corruption levels worsen, signaling a concerning global trend.
How does corruption influence society?
Corruption is closely tied to influence, where powerful individuals or groups shape policies in their favor rather than for public benefit. This undermines democratic processes and slows progress on urgent global challenges, including climate change.
Which regions are improving and which are struggling?
The report offers mixed outcomes across regions. The Middle East and North Africa have shown slight improvements in average scores. However, Sub-Saharan Africa continues to face widespread corruption, often prompting public protests and civic action.
What about top-performing regions?
Western Europe and the European Union remain the highest-ranked regions overall. Despite this, they have experienced a decline for the second consecutive year, reflecting weakening enforcement of policies and growing prioritization of private interests over public welfare.
Which countries rank among the most corrupt?
Several countries continue to struggle with severe corruption. Lebanon (23/100) shows slight improvement despite institutional collapse. Russia (22/100) faces worsening corruption trends since 2020. Chad (22/100) and Zimbabwe (22/100) show minimal progress but still deal with systemic issues.
Cambodia (20/100) and Comoros (20/100) face challenges in enforcing anti-corruption laws. Guinea-Bissau (21/100) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (20/100) continue to struggle with weak institutions and instability.
In Central Asia, Tajikistan (19/100) reflects entrenched corruption despite stable scores. Burundi (17/100) and Turkmenistan (17/100) face ongoing governance and transparency issues.
Which countries have the lowest CPI scores?
Haiti and Myanmar both scored 16/100, reflecting instability and systemic corruption. Afghanistan and North Korea each scored 15/100, indicating persistent governance challenges.
Equatorial Guinea and Syria (15/100) continue to struggle, though Syria has shown slight improvement. Sudan and Nicaragua (14/100) face worsening political and institutional conditions.
Eritrea, Libya, and Yemen each scored 13/100, highlighting ongoing governance crises. Venezuela (10/100) remains deeply affected by corruption and organized crime.
At the bottom of the index, Somalia and South Sudan (9/100) rank as the most corrupt countries, where corruption permeates nearly every sector of society and remains extremely difficult to combat.
Why does this matter globally?
The CPI highlights how corruption continues to erode public trust, weaken institutions, and block meaningful progress worldwide. Addressing corruption remains essential for sustainable development, political stability, and global cooperation.