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Political corruption index
What this indicator measures
This V-Dem index estimates the extent to which a country is affected by political corruption: bribes in the executive, the legislature and the judiciary, and embezzlement of public funds.
How to read this?
The closer the index is to 1, the more widespread political corruption is; the closer to 0, the less widespread it is.
Ranking : ranked from lowest to highest
In brief
Political corruption index: across 173 countries and territories, values range from 0 (Denmark) to 0.97 (Venezuela), with a world median of 0.51. Data: 2025. The top 10% of countries exceed 0.85, while the bottom 10% stay below 0.05. By continent, the median is highest in Africa (0.7) and lowest in Europe (0.16).
Median by continent
- Africa 0.7 (51)
- Asia 0.62 (47)
- North America 0.57 (15)
- South America 0.46 (12)
- Oceania 0.31 (6)
- Europe 0.16 (39)
Why this indicator matters
Political corruption affects trust in institutions and the use of public money. This index makes it possible to compare, on the same scale, the estimated extent of bribery and embezzlement.
What makes this indicator vary
The level depends on the strength of checks and balances, the independence of the judiciary, press freedom, public transparency and political history. It changes with reforms and regime changes.
Reading precautions
This is an estimate based on expert assessments, not a count of cases. The index measures an expert perception and has a margin of uncertainty. It does not cover private corruption or petty bribes.
Full ranking
ranked from lowest to highest
| Rank | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1er | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 0 | 2025 |
| 2e | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 0.01 | 2025 |
| 3e | 🇳🇴 Norway | 0.01 | 2025 |
| 4e | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 0.01 | 2025 |
| 5e | 🇮🇸 Iceland | 0.01 | 2025 |
| 5e | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 0.01 | 2025 |
| 7e | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 0.02 | 2025 |
| 8e | 🇩🇪 Germany | 0.02 | 2025 |
| 9e | 🇪🇪 Estonia | 0.03 | 2025 |
| 9e | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 0.03 | 2025 |
| 11e | 🇨🇦 Canada | 0.03 | 2025 |
| 12e | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 0.03 | 2025 |
| 13e | 🇦🇺 Australia | 0.03 | 2025 |
| 14e | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 0.03 | 2025 |
| 14e | 🇫🇮 Finland | 0.03 | 2025 |
| 16e | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 0.03 | 2025 |
| 17e | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 0.04 | 2025 |
| 18e | 🇯🇵 Japan | 0.05 | 2025 |
| 19e | 🇸🇨 Seychelles | 0.05 | 2025 |
| 20e | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 0.06 | 2025 |
| 21e | 🇫🇷 France | 0.06 | 2025 |
| 22e | 🇺🇸 United States | 0.06 | 2025 |
| 23e | 🇱🇻 Latvia | 0.07 | 2025 |
| 24e | 🇧🇧 Barbados | 0.07 | 2025 |
| 25e | 🇨🇱 Chile | 0.08 | 2025 |
| 26e | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 0.08 | 2025 |
| 27e | 🇵🇱 Poland | 0.08 | 2025 |
| 28e | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China | 0.09 | 2025 |
| 29e | 🇦🇹 Austria | 0.1 | 2025 |
| 30e | 🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago | 0.1 | 2025 |
| 31e | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 0.11 | 2025 |
| 32e | 🇮🇱 Israel | 0.11 | 2025 |
| 33e | 🇪🇸 Spain | 0.11 | 2025 |
| 34e | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | 0.15 | 2025 |
| 35e | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 0.16 | 2025 |
| 36e | 🇮🇹 Italy | 0.16 | 2025 |
| 37e | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 0.16 | 2025 |
| 38e | 🇨🇾 Cyprus | 0.17 | 2025 |
| 38e | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 0.17 | 2025 |
| 40e | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 0.17 | 2025 |
| 41e | 🇸🇷 Suriname | 0.17 | 2025 |
| 42e | 🇲🇹 Malta | 0.19 | 2025 |
| 43e | 🇧🇯 Benin | 0.19 | 2025 |
| 44e | 🇧🇼 Botswana | 0.2 | 2025 |
| 45e | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 0.21 | 2025 |
| 46e | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 0.21 | 2025 |
| 47e | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | 0.21 | 2025 |
| 48e | 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | 0.25 | 2025 |
| 49e | 🇴🇲 Oman | 0.25 | 2025 |
| 50e | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 0.25 | 2025 |
| 51e | 🇬🇲 Gambia | 0.27 | 2025 |
| 52e | 🇳🇦 Namibia | 0.27 | 2025 |
| 53e | 🇬🇷 Greece | 0.28 | 2025 |
| 54e | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | 0.28 | 2025 |
| 55e | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde | 0.29 | 2025 |
| 56e | 🇫🇯 Fiji | 0.29 | 2025 |
| 56e | 🇬🇪 Georgia | 0.29 | 2025 |
| 56e | 🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe | 0.29 | 2025 |
| 59e | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | 0.29 | 2025 |
| 60e | 🇲🇻 Maldives | 0.31 | 2025 |
| 61e | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 0.32 | 2025 |
| 62e | 🇲🇩 Moldova | 0.33 | 2025 |
| 63e | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 0.33 | 2025 |
| 64e | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 0.33 | 2025 |
| 65e | 🇶🇦 Qatar | 0.33 | 2025 |
| 66e | 🇻🇺 Vanuatu | 0.33 | 2025 |
| 67e | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | 0.35 | 2025 |
| 68e | 🇲🇺 Mauritius | 0.36 | 2025 |
| 69e | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | 0.37 | 2025 |
| 70e | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 0.39 | 2025 |
| 71e | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 0.4 | 2025 |
| 72e | 🇧🇾 Belarus | 0.41 | 2025 |
| 72e | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 0.41 | 2025 |
| 74e | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 0.42 | 2025 |
| 75e | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | 0.42 | 2025 |
| 76e | 🇷🇴 Romania | 0.42 | 2025 |
| 77e | 🇯🇴 Jordan | 0.42 | 2025 |
| 78e | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 0.42 | 2025 |
| 79e | 🇿🇲 Zambia | 0.43 | 2025 |
| 80e | 🇲🇪 Montenegro | 0.43 | 2025 |
| 81e | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 0.47 | 2025 |
| 82e | 🇦🇲 Armenia | 0.47 | 2025 |
| 82e | 🇱🇸 Lesotho | 0.47 | 2025 |
| 84e | 🇧🇭 Bahrain | 0.48 | 2025 |
| 85e | 🇵🇦 Panama | 0.49 | 2025 |
| 86e | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 0.49 | 2025 |
| 87e | 🇬🇾 Guyana | 0.51 | 2025 |
| 88e | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 0.53 | 2025 |
| 89e | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 0.54 | 2025 |
| 90e | 🇨🇳 China | 0.55 | 2025 |
| 90e | 🇸🇿 Eswatini | 0.55 | 2025 |
| 92e | 🇳🇵 Nepal | 0.56 | 2025 |
| 93e | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 0.56 | 2025 |
| 94e | 🇦🇴 Angola | 0.57 | 2025 |
| 95e | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 0.57 | 2025 |
| 96e | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 0.57 | 2025 |
| 97e | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 0.59 | 2025 |
| 98e | 🇳🇪 Niger | 0.59 | 2025 |
| 99e | 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire | 0.6 | 2025 |
| 100e | 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | 0.6 | 2025 |
| 101e | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 0.62 | 2025 |
| 102e | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | 0.62 | 2025 |
| 103e | 🇸🇾 Syria | 0.62 | 2025 |
| 104e | 🇦🇱 Albania | 0.62 | 2025 |
| 105e | 🇲🇼 Malawi | 0.63 | 2025 |
| 106e | 🇵🇪 Peru | 0.63 | 2025 |
| 107e | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 0.64 | 2025 |
| 108e | 🇨🇺 Cuba | 0.64 | 2025 |
| 108e | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 0.64 | 2025 |
| 110e | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 0.64 | 2025 |
| 111e | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | 0.65 | 2025 |
| 112e | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 0.66 | 2025 |
| 113e | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 0.67 | 2025 |
| 114e | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 0.67 | 2025 |
| 115e | 🇸🇻 El Salvador | 0.68 | 2025 |
| 116e | 🇮🇳 India | 0.68 | 2025 |
| 116e | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | 0.68 | 2025 |
| 118e | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | 0.69 | 2025 |
| 119e | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | 0.7 | 2025 |
| 120e | 🇩🇯 Djibouti | 0.71 | 2025 |
| 121e | 🇸🇩 Sudan | 0.72 | 2025 |
| 122e | 🇬🇦 Gabon | 0.72 | 2025 |
| 122e | 🇲🇱 Mali | 0.72 | 2025 |
| 124e | 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 0.73 | 2025 |
| 125e | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 0.73 | 2025 |
| 126e | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 0.74 | 2025 |
| 127e | 🇪🇷 Eritrea | 0.75 | 2025 |
| 127e | 🇭🇳 Honduras | 0.75 | 2025 |
| 129e | 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | 0.75 | 2025 |
| 130e | 🇹🇬 Togo | 0.76 | 2025 |
| 131e | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | 0.76 | 2025 |
| 132e | 🇱🇦 Laos | 0.77 | 2025 |
| 133e | 🇮🇷 Iran | 0.77 | 2025 |
| 134e | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 0.77 | 2025 |
| 135e | 🇰🇲 Comoros | 0.77 | 2025 |
| 136e | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 0.78 | 2025 |
| 137e | 🇷🇺 Russia | 0.78 | 2025 |
| 138e | 🇭🇹 Haiti | 0.79 | 2025 |
| 139e | 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | 0.79 | 2025 |
| 140e | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 0.79 | 2025 |
| 141e | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 0.8 | 2025 |
| 142e | 🇵🇾 Paraguay | 0.8 | 2025 |
| 143e | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 0.8 | 2025 |
| 144e | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 0.8 | 2025 |
| 145e | 🇬🇳 Guinea | 0.81 | 2025 |
| 146e | 🇱🇾 Libya | 0.81 | 2025 |
| 147e | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | 0.82 | 2025 |
| 148e | 🇲🇷 Mauritania | 0.83 | 2025 |
| 149e | 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | 0.83 | 2025 |
| 150e | 🇱🇧 Lebanon | 0.83 | 2025 |
| 151e | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 0.83 | 2025 |
| 152e | 🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville | 0.84 | 2025 |
| 152e | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 0.84 | 2025 |
| 154e | 🇧🇮 Burundi | 0.85 | 2025 |
| 155e | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | 0.85 | 2025 |
| 156e | 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | 0.85 | 2025 |
| 157e | 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | 0.86 | 2025 |
| 158e | 🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma) | 0.86 | 2025 |
| 159e | 🇸🇴 Somalia | 0.87 | 2025 |
| 160e | 🇱🇷 Liberia | 0.88 | 2025 |
| 161e | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | 0.88 | 2025 |
| 162e | 🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa | 0.89 | 2025 |
| 163e | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 0.89 | 2025 |
| 164e | 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | 0.89 | 2025 |
| 165e | 🇮🇶 Iraq | 0.89 | 2025 |
| 166e | 🇹🇯 Tajikistan | 0.89 | 2025 |
| 167e | 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | 0.9 | 2025 |
| 168e | 🇾🇪 Yemen | 0.9 | 2025 |
| 169e | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 0.9 | 2025 |
| 170e | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 0.94 | 2025 |
| 171e | 🇳🇮 Nicaragua | 0.94 | 2025 |
| 172e | 🇹🇩 Chad | 0.95 | 2025 |
| 173e | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 0.97 | 2025 |
Frequently asked questions
Which country has the highest value for "Political corruption index"?
The highest value is in Venezuela, at 0.97 (2025).
Which country has the lowest value for "Political corruption index"?
The lowest value is in Denmark, at 0 (2025).
What is the world median value of "Political corruption index"?
The world median is 0.51, calculated across 173 countries: half of the countries are above it, the other half below.
What is the value of "Political corruption index" for France?
France scores 0.06 (2025), ranking 21 out of 173 countries (ranked from lowest to highest).
Where does the "Political corruption index" data come from?
It comes from V-Dem (Varieties of Democracy), version 16 – via Our World in Data. Site last updated: November 8, 2026. Each country is shown with the year of its most recent value.
How should the scale of this index be read?
The scale runs from lowest to highest. A high value indicates more widespread political corruption, a low value less widespread corruption. It is the opposite of a good-governance index.
Who produces these estimates?
The V-Dem project builds them from the assessments of many experts, combined by a statistical model. It is not a survey of residents or a count of convictions.
Source and update
Source : V-Dem (Varieties of Democracy), version 16 – via Our World in Data. Site last updated: November 8, 2026.
Indicators in the same category : Governance & Rule of Law
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