Photographs: Christian Charisius/Reuters.
Corruption can happen anywhere...when politicians put their own interests above those of the public, when officials demand money and favours from citizens for services that should be free, says Transparency International.
Corruption is not just an envelope filled with money, though – these people make decisions that affect our lives, it points out.
Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index measures the perceived levels of public sector corruption in countries across the world.
The scores of countries are rated from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). Some countries score well, but no country scores a perfect 100.
Nordic countries among the "most clean" when it comes to public sector corruption. These countries performed well, showing evidence of some of the strongest 'integrity systems' in Europe, with established, well-enforced laws.
Take a look at the world's 30 LEAST corrupt nations...
Denmark
Corruption index score: 90
Score range: 83-98
Country rank: 1
Scale: 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Kacper Pempel/Reuters.
Finland
Corruption index score: 90
Score range: 83-100
Country rank: 1
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Courtesy, newzealand.com
New Zealand
Corruption index score: 90
Score range: 83-98
Country rank: 1
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Courtesy, sweden.se.
Sweden
Corruption index score: 88
Score range: 82-97
Country rank: 4
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Courtesy,yoursingapore.com.
Singapore
Corruption index score: 87
Score range: 79-99
Country rank: 5
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Courtesy,myswitzerland.com.
Switzerland
Corruption index score: 86
Score range: 73-90
Country rank: 6
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Courtesy,australia.com.
Australia
Corruption index score: 85
Score range: 80-89
Country rank: 7
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Courtesy, visitnorway.com
Norway
Corruption index score: 85
Score range: 78-89
Country rank: 7
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Mathieu Belanger/Reuters.
Canada
Corruption index score: 84
Score range: 74-89
Country rank: 9
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Michael Kooren/Reuters.
The Netherlands
Corruption index score: 84
Score range: 73-89
Country rank: 9
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Iceland
Corruption index score: 82
Score range: 71-98
Country rank: 11
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Courtesy, ont.lu.
Luxembourg
Corruption index score: 80
Score range: 71-89
Country rank: 12
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Tobias Schwarz/Reuters.
Germany
Corruption index score: 79
Score range: 73-89
Country rank: 13
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Courtesy, discoverhongkong.com.
Hong Kong
Corruption index score: 77
Score range: 69-83
Country rank: 14
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Ulybug/Wikimedia Commons.
Barbados
Corruption index score: 76
Score range: 66-88
Country rank: 15
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Thierry Roge/Reuters.
Belgium
Corruption index score: 75
Score range: 71-89
Country rank: 16
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Yuriko Nakao/Reuters.
Japan
Corruption index score: 74
Score range: 57-79
Country rank: 17
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Courtesy,visitlondon.com.
United Kingdom
Corruption index score: 74
Score range: 69-81
Country rank: 17
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Carlo Allegri/Reuters.
United States
Corruption index score: 73
Score range: 50-89
Country rank: 19
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Victor San Martin/Wikimedia Commons.
Chile
Corruption index score: 72
Score range: 63-82
Country rank: 20
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Daniel Stonek/Wikimedia Commons.
Uruguay
Corruption index score: 72
Score range: 69-79
Country rank: 20
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: TampAGS/Wikimedia Commons.
Bahamas
Corruption index score: 71
Score range: 69-73
Country rank: 22
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Charles Platiau/Reuters.
France
Corruption index score: 71
Score range: 57-79
Country rank: 22
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Gzdavidwong/Wikimedia Commons.
Saint Lucia
Corruption index score: 71
Score range: 70-73
Country rank: 22
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Courtesy, Austria.info.
Austria
Corruption index score: 69
Score range: 59-79
Country rank: 25
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Cathal McNaughton/Reuters.
Ireland
Corruption index score: 69
Score range: 54-78
Country rank: 25
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Courtesy, Qatar Tourism.
Qatar
Corruption index score: 68
Score range: 49-89
Country rank: 27
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Tintazul/Wikimedia Commons.
United Arab Emirates
Corruption index score: 68
Score range: 54-86
Country rank: 27
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Nino Verde/ Wikimedia Commons.
Cyprus
Corruption index score: 66
Score range: 62-71
Country rank: 29
...
World's 30 least corrupt nations
Photographs: Courtesy, botswanatourism.
Botswana
Corruption index score: 65
Score range: 60-72
Country rank: 30
article