Corruption Perceptions Index

The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is an index published annually by Transparency International, a German registered association, since 1995. It scores and ranks countries by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, as assessed by experts and business executives. The CPI generally defines corruption as an "abuse of entrusted power for private gain". From 1995 to 2011, the index was scored on a scale of 10 to 0. Since 2012, the Corruption Perceptions Index has been ranked on a scale from 100 (very clean) to 0 (highly corrupt). Of the 182 countries ranked in the 2025 CPI, published in February 2026, the top scorers included Denmark (89), Finland (88), and Singapore (84), while those perceived as the most corrupt included South Sudan (9), Somalia (9), and Venezuela (10). Although widely used as a key indicator of corruption, the CPI does not capture all forms of corruption. Perceptions about corruption may differ from actual levels of corruption and the index focuses solely on the public sector. For a more comprehensive picture, the CPI should be used alongside other assessments.