The Most Corrupt Countries On Earth
The practice of foreign companies bribing local officials for favorable treatment corrupts the flow of commerce across international lines, according to the Berlin-based non-governmental watchdog group Transparency International. The group has warned about “a continued decline in enforcement against foreign bribery in many countries.”
What do Luxembourg and China have in common? On the face of it, not much. One is a tiny and affluent European democracy; the other an authoritarian superpower of 1.4 billion people that commands nearly 12% of the world’s exports. Yet both countries rank at the bottom when it comes to policing foreign bribery.
To determine the countries most likely to allow foreign bribery, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed Transparency International report Exporting Corruption 2022: Top trading countries doing even less than before to stop foreign bribery. Countries are grouped into four levels of enforcement: active, moderate, limited, and little or no enforcement. Within each level, we ordered countries by more detailed actions taken, such as investigations or sanctions, in the four-year period from 2018 to 2021 and by the share of global exports.
Out of the 47 countries reviewed and that are responsible for 84% of global exports, only the United States and Switzerland are considered to be actively policing foreign bribery.
In fact, the United States was the first country to enact a law to curb the practice of foreign bribery when it passed the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in 1977 — an unprecedented move at a time when it was considered standard practice for foreign companies to shower gifts on local officials in return for lucrative business contracts. By the 1990s, European countries were passing their own versions of the law, and in 2005, the United Nations’ Convention Against Corruption treaty that went into effect.
Despite this, the practice continues. In one high-profile example, Walmart Inc. paid a record $282 million in 2019 to settle an investigation into its business practices, including bribing local officials, in Mexico, Brazil, China, and India. But we only know of these cases because the U.S. is investigating, prosecuting, and sanctioning such practice. In most countries, these practices go unnoticed because of lax enforcement, if any. (Here are 30 scandals that cost companies billions in fines.)
Transparency International found that Luxembourg and China — along with India, Finland, and Bulgaria — launched no anti-bribery investigations against foreign companies from 2018 to 2021. Furthermore, 20 of the world’s countries responsible for nearly 40% of global exports have only initiated 25 investigations and imposed just six punitive sanctions in that period of time.
Countries with little or no enforcement of foreign bribery include economic behemoths like Japan and South Korea as well as less developed countries thirsty for more foreign direct investment like Hungary and Poland. (Also see, Russia is on the list of the most corrupt countries in the world.)
The latest report from Transparency International is discouraging, with only two countries improving enforcement and nine lowering enforcement, suggesting the world still has a long way to go to stamp out the practice.
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
47. United States
> Enforcement level: Active
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 48
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 97
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 9.8%
> Corruption index, 2021: 67 – #27 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 331,893,745
Source: StockByM / iStock via Getty Images
46. Switzerland
> Enforcement level: Active
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 39
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 9
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 2.0%
> Corruption index, 2021: 84 – #7 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 8,701,914
Germany by A.Kreicberga
Germany (CC BY 2.0) by A.Kreicberga
45. Germany
> Enforcement level: Moderate
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 16
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 37
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 7.4%
> Corruption index, 2021: 80 – #10 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 83,129,285
Source: saiko3p / iStock via Getty Images
44. France
> Enforcement level: Moderate
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 19
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 7
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 3.5%
> Corruption index, 2021: 71 – #22 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 67,719,897
The Old Royal Naval College Gr… by . Ray in Manila
The Old Royal Naval College Gr… (CC BY 2.0) by . Ray in Manila
43. United Kingdom
> Enforcement level: Moderate
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 19
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 9
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 3.4%
> Corruption index, 2021: 78 – #11 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 67,350,695
Perth by Pedro Szekely
Perth (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Pedro Szekely
42. Australia
> Enforcement level: Moderate
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 8
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 5
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 1.4%
> Corruption index, 2021: 73 – #18 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 25,738,142
Source: guter / iStock via Getty Images
41. Israel
> Enforcement level: Moderate
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 4
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 1
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.5%
> Corruption index, 2021: 59 – #36 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 9,365,083
Norway by Stefan Wagener
Norway (CC BY 2.0) by Stefan Wagener
40. Norway
> Enforcement level: Moderate
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 3
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 1
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.6%
> Corruption index, 2021: 85 – #4 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 5,408,320
latvia by Simon O’Brien
latvia (CC BY 2.0) by Simon O’Brien
39. Latvia
> Enforcement level: Moderate
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 8
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 1
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.1%
> Corruption index, 2021: 59 – #36 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 1,884,488
Trois Rivieres by Angel de los Rios
Trois Rivieres (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Angel de los Rios
38. Canada
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 3
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 2.2%
> Corruption index, 2021: 74 – #13 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 38,246,108
Source: 152930510@N02 / Flickr
37. Netherlands
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 11
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 1
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 3.1%
> Corruption index, 2021: 82 – #8 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 17,533,406
Liguria Recco… by Tango7174
Liguria Recco… (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Tango7174
36. Italy
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 13
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 2
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 2.5%
> Corruption index, 2021: 56 – #42 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 59,109,666
Source: SCStock / iStock via Getty Images
35. Spain
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 7
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 1.9%
> Corruption index, 2021: 61 – #34 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 47,326,687
Source: fotoVoyager / iStock via Getty Images
34. Sweden
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 10
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 1.0%
> Corruption index, 2021: 85 – #4 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 10,415,812
Brazil by Philippe Perreaux
Brazil (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Philippe Perreaux
33. Brazil
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 5
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 2
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 1.1%
> Corruption index, 2021: 38 – #84 most corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 213,317,639
Hallstat, Austria by Pedro Szekely
Hallstat, Austria (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Pedro Szekely
32. Austria
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 3
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 1
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 1.0%
> Corruption index, 2021: 74 – #13 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 8,951,520
Colòmbia by Aleix Cabarrocas Garcia
Colòmbia (CC BY 2.0) by Aleix Cabarrocas Garcia
31. Colombia
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 3
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 1
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.2%
> Corruption index, 2021: 39 – #87 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 51,207,695
Source: guenterguni / E+ via Getty Images
30. South Africa
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 7
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.4%
> Corruption index, 2021: 44 – #70 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 60,142,978
Chile by amy gizienski
Chile (CC BY 2.0) by amy gizienski
29. Chile
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 4
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 1
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.3%
> Corruption index, 2021: 67 – #27 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 19,678,363
Tallinn, Estonia by Pedro Szekely
Tallinn, Estonia (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Pedro Szekely
28. Estonia
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 0
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 1
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.1%
> Corruption index, 2021: 74 – #13 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 1,330,932
Lisbon, Portugal by Pedro Szekely
Lisbon, Portugal (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Pedro Szekely
27. Portugal
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 2
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.4%
> Corruption index, 2021: 62 – #32 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 10,297,876
Source: stockstudioX / iStock via Getty Images
26. Costa Rica
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 4
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.1%
> Corruption index, 2021: 58 – #39 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 5,163,038
Source: pawopa3336 / iStock via Getty Images
25. Argentina
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 4
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.3%
> Corruption index, 2021: 38 – #84 most corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 45,808,747
New Zealand landscape by Pedro Szekely
New Zealand landscape (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Pedro Szekely
24. New Zealand
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 3
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.2%
> Corruption index, 2021: 88 – #1 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 5,112,800
Source: Christian Vinces / iStock via Getty Images
23. Peru
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 3
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.2%
> Corruption index, 2021: 36 – #75 most corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 33,359,420
Greece by daves_archive1
Greece (CC BY 2.0) by daves_archive1
22. Greece
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 1
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.3%
> Corruption index, 2021: 49 – #58 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 10,656,962
Ljubljana, Slovenia by Pedro Szekely
Ljubljana, Slovenia (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Pedro Szekely
21. Slovenia
> Enforcement level: Limited
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 2
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.2%
> Corruption index, 2021: 57 – #41 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 2,107,007
Japan by Leo-setä
Japan (CC BY 2.0) by Leo-setä
20. Japan
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 2
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 1
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 3.6%
> Corruption index, 2021: 73 – #18 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 125,502,290
Hong Kong cityscape by Rémi Lanvin
Hong Kong cityscape (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Rémi Lanvin
19. Hong Kong
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 0
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 1
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 2.7%
> Corruption index, 2021: 76 – #12 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 7,413,100
Source: tropicalpixsingapore / iStock via Getty Images
18. Singapore
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 0
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 1
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 2.7%
> Corruption index, 2021: 85 – #4 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 5,453,570
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
17. South Korea
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 4
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 1
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 2.8%
> Corruption index, 2021: 62 – #32 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 51,744,876
Source: kruwt / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
16. Belgium
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 1
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 2
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 1.8%
> Corruption index, 2021: 73 – #18 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 11,552,615
Source: Alexis Gonzalez / E+ via Getty Images
15. Denmark
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 6
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.8%
> Corruption index, 2021: 88 – #1 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 5,850,189
Source: 128905059@N02 / Flickr
14. Czech Republic
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 1
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.8%
> Corruption index, 2021: 54 – #49 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 10,500,850
Source: KIKILOMBO / iStock via Getty Images
13. Mexico
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 3
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 1.9%
> Corruption index, 2021: 31 – #56 most corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 128,972,439
Ireland by Luca Sartoni
Ireland (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Luca Sartoni
12. Ireland
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 2
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 2.2%
> Corruption index, 2021: 74 – #13 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 5,011,460
Source: Mindaugas Dulinskas / iStock via Getty Images
11. Lithuania
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 1
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.2%
> Corruption index, 2021: 61 – #34 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 2,795,321
Source: sorincolac / iStock via Getty Images
10. Slovakia
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 1
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.4%
> Corruption index, 2021: 52 – #56 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 5,441,991
Source: ZoltanGabor / iStock via Getty Images
9. Hungary
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 1
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.5%
> Corruption index, 2021: 43 – #73 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 9,710,107
Source: Thankful Photography / iStock via Getty Images
8. Turkey
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 1
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 1.0%
> Corruption index, 2021: 38 – #84 most corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 84,147,326
Source: TomasSereda / iStock via Getty Images
7. Poland
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 1
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 1.4%
> Corruption index, 2021: 56 – #42 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 38,162,224
Russia by flowcomm
Russia (CC BY 2.0) by flowcomm
6. Russia
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 1
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 1.9%
> Corruption index, 2021: 29 – #44 most corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 143,446,000
Source: hdesislava / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
5. Bulgaria
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 0
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.2%
> Corruption index, 2021: 42 – #78 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 6,898,621
Source: bruev / iStock via Getty Images
4. Finland
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 0
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.4%
> Corruption index, 2021: 88 – #1 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 5,541,020
Source: querbeet / iStock via Getty Images
3. Luxembourg
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 0
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 0.6%
> Corruption index, 2021: 81 – #9 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 640,064
India by Herry Lawford
India (CC BY 2.0) by Herry Lawford
2. India
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 0
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 2.3%
> Corruption index, 2021: 40 – #85 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 1,393,409,033
Source: tcly / iStock via Getty Images
1. China
> Enforcement level: Little or No
> Investigations commenced, 2018-2021: 0
> Cases concluded with sanctions, 2018-2021: 0
> Share of world exports, 2018-2021: 11.6%
> Corruption index, 2021: 45 – #66 least corrupt of 180 countries
> Population, 2021: 1,444,216,102
Methodology
To determine the countries where foreign bribery is most likely, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed Transparency International report Exporting Corruption 2022: Top trading countries doing even less than before to stop foreign bribery. Countries are grouped into four levels of enforcement: active, moderate, limited, and little or no enforcement. Within each level, we ranked countries by total points given to the number of investigations or cases commenced and sanctions imposed in the four-year period from 2018 to 2021, from most to least, with major cases given greater points. In case ties remained, we ranked by the share of global exports, from lowest to highest share. We listed all 47 countries reviewed.
We added from the report the number of investigations commenced and the number of cases concluded with sanctions and the country’s share of world exports, all for the years 2018-2021. From another Transparency International report, we added the Corruption Perception Index for 2021. 2021 population data came from OECD or from the World Bank when unavailable.
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