South Sudan and Somalia are the most corrupt countries in the world in 2026, tied for last place with a score of 9 out of 100 in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, published in February 2026. Venezuela follows with 10. This list covers the 20 lowest-scoring of the 182 countries and territories scored, and shows how each has moved since 2015.
The index measures perceived public-sector corruption on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). The global average fell to 42, a new low, and 122 of the 182 countries scored below 50. Denmark leads with 89, followed by Finland (88) and Singapore (84).
The 20 most corrupt countries at a glance
| Rank | Country | 2025 score | 2015 score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (tied) | South Sudan | 9 | 15 | -6 |
| 1 (tied) | Somalia | 9 | 8 | +1 |
| 3 | Venezuela | 10 | 17 | -7 |
| 4 (tied) | Eritrea | 13 | 18 | -5 |
| 4 (tied) | Libya | 13 | 16 | -3 |
| 4 (tied) | Yemen | 13 | 18 | -5 |
| 7 (tied) | Nicaragua | 14 | – | – |
| 7 (tied) | Sudan | 14 | 12 | +2 |
| 9 (tied) | Equatorial Guinea | 15 | – | – |
| 9 (tied) | North Korea | 15 | 8 | +7 |
| 9 (tied) | Syria | 15 | 18 | -3 |
| 12 (tied) | Afghanistan | 16 | 11 | +5 |
| 12 (tied) | Haiti | 16 | 17 | -1 |
| 12 (tied) | Myanmar | 16 | 22 | -6 |
| 15 (tied) | Burundi | 17 | 21 | -4 |
| 15 (tied) | Turkmenistan | 17 | 18 | -1 |
| 17 | Tajikistan | 19 | – | – |
| 18 (tied) | Cambodia | 20 | 21 | -1 |
| 18 (tied) | Comoros | 20 | – | – |
| 18 (tied) | DR Congo | 20 | 22 | -2 |
Of the 16 countries here with a 2015 score to compare, 12 scored lower in 2025. Only Somalia, Sudan, North Korea and Afghanistan improved, and their scores remain among the lowest in the world.
What do the most corrupt countries have in common?
Most countries at the bottom fall into one of three groups: states affected by conflict or collapse, closed political systems with little public oversight, and economies that depend on a single resource. Most of the lowest-scoring countries are fragile states affected by conflict.
A low score reflects how experts and business leaders perceive corruption, not a court verdict on any person. Rank in the table counts from the bottom, and tied countries share a rank.
1. South Sudan: score 9 (tied for last)
South Sudan became independent in July 2011. A civil war began in December 2013, and the score has fallen from 15 in 2015 to 9. It shares last place with Somalia.
2. Somalia: score 9 (tied for last)
Somalia has been rebuilding federal institutions since 2012 while insecurity continues. The score moved from 8 in 2015 to 9, the smallest of the gains on this list, and it still sits at the very bottom.
3. Venezuela: score 10
Venezuela holds some of the largest proven oil reserves in the world, yet its economy shrank sharply after 2013. The score fell from 17 in 2015 to 10, the biggest drop among the countries we could compare.
4. Eritrea: score 13 (tied)
Eritrea scored 18 in 2015 and 13 in 2025, a fall of five points. It shares this rank with Libya and Yemen.
5. Libya: score 13 (tied)
Libya has had divided authority since 2014, which makes oversight of oil revenue difficult. The score slipped from 16 in 2015 to 13.
6. Yemen: score 13 (tied)
Yemen has been in conflict since 2014, and its score dropped from 18 to 13 over the decade.
7. Nicaragua: score 14 (tied)
Nicaragua scored 14 in the 2025 index, tied with Sudan. We do not show a 2015 comparison for it.
8. Sudan: score 14 (tied)
Sudan improved from 12 in 2015 to 14, but the country has been in armed conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces since April 2023, which makes public oversight even harder.
9. Equatorial Guinea: score 15 (tied)
Equatorial Guinea relies heavily on oil and gas. It scored 15, tied with North Korea and Syria.
10. North Korea: score 15 (tied)
North Korea moved from 8 in 2015 to 15, the biggest gain on the list. It remains one of the most closed economies in the world, so any score rests on limited data.
11. Syria: score 15 (tied)
Syria scored 18 in 2015 and 15 in 2025. The country’s government changed in December 2024, and the index records how perceptions look after more than a decade of war.
12. Afghanistan: score 16 (tied)
Afghanistan rose from 11 in 2015 to 16, one of the larger gains here. Authorities changed in 2021, and the country remains heavily dependent on aid and a narrow economy.
13. Haiti: score 16 (tied)
Haiti scored 17 in 2015 and 16 in 2025. The country has faced a prolonged security crisis, which makes institutions hard to run.
14. Myanmar: score 16 (tied)
Myanmar fell from 22 in 2015 to 16, a six-point drop. The military took power in February 2021.
15. Burundi: score 17 (tied)
Burundi scored 21 in 2015 and 17 in 2025, a four-point decline.
16. Turkmenistan: score 17 (tied)
Turkmenistan has stayed close to the same level, from 18 in 2015 to 17. Its state controls a large share of the economy, including natural gas.
17. Tajikistan: score 19
Tajikistan scored 19 in the 2025 index. We do not show a 2015 comparison for it.
18. Cambodia: score 20 (tied)
Cambodia scored 21 in 2015 and 20 in 2025, a nearly flat result across ten years.
19. Comoros: score 20 (tied)
Comoros scored 20 in 2025, tied with Cambodia and DR Congo. We do not show a 2015 comparison.
20. Democratic Republic of the Congo: score 20 (tied)
The country has seen long-running conflict in its east, and its score moved from 22 in 2015 to 20.
FAQ
Which is the most corrupt country in the world in 2026?
South Sudan and Somalia are tied for last place with a score of 9 out of 100 in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2025, published in February 2026.
How is the Corruption Perceptions Index calculated?
It scores perceived public-sector corruption from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean), based on expert assessments and business surveys. The 2025 edition scored 182 countries and territories.
Which countries are the least corrupt?
Denmark leads with 89, followed by Finland at 88 and Singapore at 84.
What is the global average score?
The global average fell to 42 in the 2025 index, a new low. More than two thirds of countries (122 of 182) scored below 50.
Which countries changed most since 2015?
Venezuela fell the most among the countries we compared, from 17 to 10. North Korea gained the most, from 8 to 15.
Does a low score mean everyone in the country is corrupt?
No. The index measures perceptions of public-sector corruption, not individual behavior. It describes how institutions are seen to work.
How we put this list together
We used the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index score for each country, published in February 2026, and compared it with the 2015 edition. Where several countries share a score, we show them as tied.
Last updated: October 2026.
