Iceland ranked the least corrupt country in a 159 nation survey according to the Transparency International’s 2005 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released yesterday. Iceland scored 9.7 followed by Finland (9.6), New Zealand (9.6), Denmark (9.5), and Singapore (9.4). Bangladesh (1.7) and Chad (1.7) ranked lowest. More than two-thirds of the nations surveyed scored less than 5 indicating serious levels of corruption.
“Corruption is a major cause of poverty as well as a barrier to overcoming it,” said Transparency International Chairman Peter Eigen. “The two scourges feed off each other, locking their populations in a cycle of misery. Corruption must be vigorously addressed if aid is to make a real difference in freeing people from poverty.”
For more information see:
http://ww1.transparency.org/cpi/2005/cpi2005_infocus.html#cpi
