But the U.S. is in good company. The Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Madagascar and Niger also received lower scores than they did last year. Transparency International explains the declining scores of some nations -- such as the United States -- with the recent global financial crisis. For many countries, it says, the crisis was "precipitated by transparency and integrity deficits."
The CPI uses 13 different expert and business surveys, like the African Development Bank, Global Insight and IMD, to compute its numbers. Of the 178 countries surveyed, nearly three quarters scored lower than 5. The most corrupt countries were also the poorest, and are mostly ruled either by dictators or by unstable governments.
The report did contain some good news: Bhutan, Chile, Ecuador, Macedonia, Gambia, Haiti, Jamaica, Kuwait and Qatar all improved their scores.
The 10 Most (and 10 Least)
1. Somalia
Score: 1.1
Despite experiencing civil unrest, Somalia has maintained a healthy informal economy, based mainly on livestock, remittance/money transfer companies, and telecommunications.
2. Myanmar
Score: 1.4
Previously known as Burma, this southeast Asian has suffered through decades of military rule, civil war, and catastrophic economic management. Most of its citizens are impoverished, but many remain hopeful that a new constitution introduced this year will usher in change.
3. Afghanistan
Score: 1.4
Since the late 1970s, Afghanistan has been plagued by civil war and foreign occupation. It still struggles against Taliban insurgents.
4. Republic of Equatorial Guinea
5. Burundi
6. Chad
7. Sudan
8. Turkmenistan
9. Uzbekistan
10. Iraq
Score: 1.5
The current government of Iraq is less than a decade old. The survival of the government is still dependent on the US occupying force.
Score: 1.1
Despite experiencing civil unrest, Somalia has maintained a healthy informal economy, based mainly on livestock, remittance/money transfer companies, and telecommunications.
2. Myanmar
Score: 1.4
Previously known as Burma, this southeast Asian has suffered through decades of military rule, civil war, and catastrophic economic management. Most of its citizens are impoverished, but many remain hopeful that a new constitution introduced this year will usher in change.
3. Afghanistan
Score: 1.4
Since the late 1970s, Afghanistan has been plagued by civil war and foreign occupation. It still struggles against Taliban insurgents.
4. Republic of Equatorial Guinea
Score: 1.9
Crude oil is the nation’s largest export. It’s regularly criticized for human rights. The government is unstable and the current president came to power after a coup.
Score: 1.8
Burundi has the lowest GDP per capita of any nation in the world, according to the CIA Factbook. The nation has suffered from decades of tribal warfare.
Score: 1.7
Chad’s major export is oil. Some say kickbacks are a regular part of the industry. There has been at least one coup attempt recently against the country’s ruling party –the Patriotic Salvation Movement.
Score: 1.6
One of the world’s poorest nations, Sudan has been ruled by dictators intermittently for decades. One of the nation’s recent presidents was charged with war crimes by The International Criminal Court.
Score: 1.6
country’s government is considered repressive, and is operated under a de facto single party system.Score: 1.6
The nations is considered a presidential republic, but upholds significant limits on individual rights. Uzbekistan is often criticized for its human rights policies.
Score: 1.5
The current government of Iraq is less than a decade old. The survival of the government is still dependent on the US occupying force.
