With a score of 35 out of 100, Sri Lanka has improved its position in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2025, released by Transparency International (TI) yesterday, rising to 107th place out of 182 countries, a jump of 14 places from the 2024 ranking.
The annual CPI, which measures public-sector corruption, scores countries and territories on a scale from zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean) based on the perceptions of experts and business leaders using 13 independent data sources including the World Bank, World Economic Forum, private risk and consulting companies, and think tanks.
Denmark retained the title of the least corrupt country for the eighth time in a row with a score of 89, followed by Finland (88) and Singapore (84). Only five countries reached scores above 80. South Sudan, Somalia and Venezuela remained the worst-ranked nations.
The CPI covers key aspects of public sector corruption, including bribery, diversion of public funds, and abuse of public office for private gain without consequences.
It also assesses the ability of Governments to contain corruption, excessive red tape that creates opportunities for corrupt practices, and nepotistic appointments. Laws requiring public officials to disclose assets and conflicts of interest, legal protection for whistleblowers, state capture by narrow vested interests, and access to information on public affairs and Government activities are also measured.
However, the index does not capture citizens’ direct experiences or perceptions of corruption, nor does it cover tax fraud, illicit financial flows, money laundering, private sector corruption, the role of professional enablers such as lawyers and accountants, or corruption linked to informal economies and markets.
In a global press release, TI said that more than two-thirds of nations score below 50, indicating widespread perceived corruption in public institutions.
The annual CPI, which measures public-sector corruption, scores countries and territories on a scale from zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean) based on the perceptions of experts and business leaders using 13 independent data sources including the World Bank, World Economic Forum, private risk and consulting companies, and think tanks.
Denmark retained the title of the least corrupt country for the eighth time in a row with a score of 89, followed by Finland (88) and Singapore (84). Only five countries reached scores above 80. South Sudan, Somalia and Venezuela remained the worst-ranked nations.
The CPI covers key aspects of public sector corruption, including bribery, diversion of public funds, and abuse of public office for private gain without consequences.
It also assesses the ability of Governments to contain corruption, excessive red tape that creates opportunities for corrupt practices, and nepotistic appointments. Laws requiring public officials to disclose assets and conflicts of interest, legal protection for whistleblowers, state capture by narrow vested interests, and access to information on public affairs and Government activities are also measured.
However, the index does not capture citizens’ direct experiences or perceptions of corruption, nor does it cover tax fraud, illicit financial flows, money laundering, private sector corruption, the role of professional enablers such as lawyers and accountants, or corruption linked to informal economies and markets.
In a global press release, TI said that more than two-thirds of nations score below 50, indicating widespread perceived corruption in public institutions.
