The 12 Most Corrupt Countries In The World

It's clear that corrupt activities by individuals and governments – to the tune of trillions per year– have a huge impact on the world economy.

But since corruption generally involves illegal activities that are hidden until exposed, it's very difficult to assess a country's societal or private sector corruption.

Transparency International's 2012 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) does the next best thing by ranking countries and territories based on how corrupt their administrative and political institutions are perceived to be on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) and a 100 (very clean).

Based on a combination of surveys and assessments of "the abuse of entrusted power for private gain," the CPI is the most widely used indicator of corruption worldwide. 

Chad is both one of the poorest and most corrupt nations in the world

Chad ranks 165 out of 174 countries and earned a score of 19 out of 100.

Two watchdogs said that the oil pipeline running from Chad to Cameroon that generates more than a billion dollars annually for the Chadian government is an example of World Bank and International Monetary Fund failures to foster "fundamental measures of transparency in the oil, gas and mining industries."

Chad had promised to dedicate revenue from oil to social spending but has instead spent it on weapons, and lenders failed to insist on transparency in the Chadian government.

Burundi's stability is constantly threatened by corrupt officials

Burundi ranks 165 out of 174 countries and earned a score of 19 out of 100.

Many hoped that a 2005 rebellion would stem corruption, but the landlocked east African nation is facing "a deepening corruption crisis that jeopardizes prospects for lasting peace and stability," according to The International Crisis Group.

Political power has transferred from the Tutsi to the Hutu, but corruption scandals involving new diplomats and state officials "have watered down the hope of a change of governance and a more equitable wealth distribution."

Source: Transparency International 

Haiti has changed its president but it hasn't affected corruption in government

Haiti ranks 165 out of 174 countries and earned a score of 19 out of 100.

The 2011 Human Rights Report by the U.S. State Department found that corruption“remained widespread in all branches and at all levels of government” even after Haiti elected a new president in 2011.

"In this country everything is money," Chairman of the Port-au-Prince Bar Association Stanley Gaston said. "There isn't value in any other thing.

Two government anti-corruption bodies, the Unit in the Fight Against Corruption (ULCC) and the Central Unit of Financial Intelligence (UCREF), have even refused to pursue allegations of embezzlement and corruption.

Source: Transparency International

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