Control of Corruption - Ranking 1996
In 1996, Denmark (2.23), Finland (2.21), and Sweden (2.17) ranked highest in control of corruption among all countries. Congo, Democratic Republic of ranked lowest at -1.65.
Data & analysis
- Denmark — 2.56
- Finland — 2.31
- Norway — 2.14
- New Zealand — 2.11
- Switzerland — 2.04
The 2025 World Bank WGI Control of Corruption index, covering 203 countries, reveals a stark global divide. The top tier is dominated by Nordic and Anglosphere nations, with Denmark at 2.564 and Finland at 2.3148, both reflecting deeply embedded institutional transparency, robust rule of law, and strong civil society oversight. These factors create self-reinforcing cycles of accountability. At the bottom, South Sudan at -1.9832 and Syria at -1.8039 exemplify states where prolonged conflict, weak state capacity, and the absence of independent judiciaries allow corruption to become systemic. The structural lag in these bottom-ranked nations stems from the collapse of governance frameworks that could otherwise check graft. As the 2025 data captures a static moment, the leaderboard could be reshuffled by the long-term effects of anti-corruption digitalization, such as blockchain-based public procurement, or by major geopolitical shifts that restore functional state institutions in currently fragile regions.
| Rank | Country | Value | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|