Ranking of Top 10 Most Corrupt Countries Worldwide (2024)

According to usnews.com, the ranking of top 10 most corrupt countries were measured based on a survey of more than 16,000 people from four regions. This year 2023, Iraq surprisingly ranked first on the list..

Corruption as defined by oxford dictionary is that act by which one chooses to follow a wrong path despite seeing a right way to follow. This practice also involves bribery, stealing from government purse, tribalism, favouritism, laziness and all other forms of moral irregularities capable of destroying the growth of a country.

Many for so long has attributed this practice to Africa alone. They believe that other continents and other countries in the world that are least corrupt are wise enough not to engage themselves in this improper attitude.

There is this belief that third world countries are filled with the most corrupt politicians, government officials, personalities and above all spiritual leaders. This is definitely wrong, as there are high numbers of corrupt practices across the world especially the western or developed countries.

This list is ranked based on the rate by which politicians of these corrupt countries makes unclean money, how government fails to put the interest of its citizens first, how the economic situation of each country remains stagnant and unproductive.

Last year, Nigeria was indexed first on the list because of the supposed corruption fight that its democratic government was fighting. If there is one thing similar about corrupt nations, it is the fact that democracy suffers a lot in such countries.

Russia, the second most powerful country in the world was also indexed as the sixth world’s most corrupt country last year also. The list looked bias as countries either opposed to US policies or the under-developed ones were all included.

Here are the 10 most corrupt countries of the world 2023

Country Name	Corrupt Rank	Best Countries Overall Rank
Iraq	Corrupt Rank: 1	Best Countries Overall Rank: 80
Pakistan	Corrupt Rank: 2	Best Countries Overall Rank: 75
Iran	Corrupt Rank: 3	Best Countries Overall Rank: 79
Nigeria	Corrupt Rank: 4	Best Countries Overall Rank: 74
Colombia	Corrupt Rank: 5	Best Countries Overall Rank: 66
Angola	Corrupt Rank: 6	Best Countries Overall Rank: 78
Mexico	Corrupt Rank: 7	Best Countries Overall Rank: 35
Ghana	Corrupt Rank: 8	Best Countries Overall Rank: 69
Myanmar	Corrupt Rank: 9	Best Countries Overall Rank: 61
Guatemala	Corrupt Rank: 10	Best Countries Overall Rank: 64

What is your take on the list of the world’s most corrupt countries. Do you think the list is bias?

Top 10 Most Corrupt Countries In The World 2023

• Iraq

Iraq has been ranked first as the world’s most corrupt country due to the excessive mismanagement of the state’s resources by its public officials. Iraq is also an undemocratic nation that isn’t at peace with itself.

According to Wikipedia, the government officials in Iraq are known to have embezzled $2 billion USD while the citizens lavish in poverty plus its a war torn zone.

• Pakistan

Pakistan is the 2nd most corrupt nation in the world as indexed above and this country is located in the middle east. With all the riches in this country, its people suffer miserably.

Bribery is the order of the day in this country and even it has been termed one of the most dangerous places to go to on the earth as war has divivded the nation a lot and stagnated the nation’s growth.

• Nigeria

Nigeria is the giant of Africa but when you pay a visit to this country, you would see why she has been ranked 3rd among the most corrupt countries of the world.

Even though the government of the day claim to fight this evil menace, it has been perceived by many of its citizens as a one sided affair in a bid to muzzle the democratic opposition of the current government in power.

• Colombia

Colombia, is another country located in the northwest of South America and they are the fourth world’s most corrupt country this 2024.

• Angola

Angola is an African country listed among the most corrupt nations in the African continent. The government has done little or nothing to alleviate poverty levels in the country.

Angola currently lacks some basic amenities as public funds is not properly accounted for. It will even shock you that the masses hardly feed well due to the corrupt minds ruling the affairs of Angola.

• Mexico

Mexico is another corrupt country where drugs, bribery, killings and all sort of vices exist at its maximum. Although, Mexico is close to the United States, cases of drug smuggling, illegal border crossing and other vices has been reported in this country.

There is hardly any drug lord who doesn’t trace his history to Mexico. These drug lords often bribe the police, politicians and other agencies just to get what they want and kill whoever opposes them.

• Ghana

Since Independence, corruption in Ghana has been in existence. Even though Ghana’s ranking on the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index has slightly improved, there is still a growing perception that government-related corruption is still on the rise.

Although corruption in Ghana can’t be compared to other countries in Africa, citizens frequently quote corruption as the main obstacle for doing business in the country, hence the increase in corruption cases.

• Myanmar

Corruption in Myanmar is on another level and it is very serious. Transparency International’s 2017 Corruption Perception Index ranked the country 130th place out of 180 countries. Today, its now ranked 9th and has shown no signs of improvement.

Owing to failures in regulation and enforcement, corruption flourishes in every sector of the economy and businesses. Many investors consider corruption “a serious barrier to investment and trade in Myanmar.”

It is now common in Myanmar to charge illicit payments for government services, to bribe tax collectors to secure a lower tax payment, and to bribe customs officials to avoid paying customs duties.

• Guatemala

According to Human Rights Watch, Guatemala has a weak and corrupt law enforcement institutions. Democracy is dead

Vices like in arms trafficking, money laundering, extortion, human smuggling, black-market adoptions, and kidnapping for ransom, and drug trade can be found in this country.