Sometimes you wonder if the yardstick
used to measure corruption index. Anyway, it is amazing that despite all the
cries of corruption activities in a country like Nigeria, its name is not in
the top-ten most corrupt countries according to transparency international!
10. Eritrea
Corruption score:
18 Power structure: Single-Party
Presidential Democracy
Eritrea is a new entrant onto the
list this year, having vaulted from number 25 to number 10 in 2014. Many people
may have never even heard of Eritrea, let alone be aware of the corruption
issues the country faces. Eritrea is located in Africa, bordering the Red Sea
directly across from Saudi Arabia, bordering Djibouti to the south and Sudan to
the north. Eritrea is a small and relatively poor country, with a GDP of only
$3.44 billion, and a population of 6.3 million.
The situation in Eritrea is clearly
in flux. After years of relative self-imposed isolation, Eritrea has begun
opening its borders to foreign business and investment, along with privatizing
state-owned assets. That has allowed for some government officials, and others
in power, to take advantage of their positions for personal profit. With
undeveloped legal, economic, and political framework, the country has had a lot
of trouble finding a stable foothold in the international community.
Until Eritrea can sort out its
internal problems, it’s likely that the country’s numerous issues will
continue. Due to rule by a single party — despite being a democracy — a
suitable minority party that can successfully challenge for power is likely
what is needed. The economy is expected to continue to stagnate, and the
prospect of war in the region spilling over into the country’s borders are also
concerns for foreign investors.
9. Libya
Corruption score: 18
Power structure: Transitional
Few nations have experienced as much
turmoil over the past few years as Libya. The country’s government saw its
downfall during a mass uprising and protest, which ultimately led to protestors
parading around with the body of former president Muammar Gaddafi on the
streets. The country’s fall was a part of the ‘Arab Spring’, which also saw
mass protests in Syria, Egypt and Bahrain, among others.
Now, Libya is still embroiled in
turmoil. No formal government has taken root, and fighting between rebels and
those loyal to the old administration is still taking place. Due to the high
levels of uncertainty, the country’s GDP contracted 9.4 percent during 2013,
according to The World Bank. The power vacuum has left open a great opportunity
for arms dealers and corrupt military higher-ups to take charge and make
profits by pitting citizens against each other.
Libya currently operates under a
transitional government, and both its administrative and judicial systems are
vulnerable to a wide variety of outside interference. It’s economy is almost
entirely based on energy, which supplies 95 percent of export earnings and 80
percent of the nation’s GDP, per the CIA. Until a new, permanent government can
be established, Libya will most likely remain a hotbed of political and
economic instability.
8. Uzbekistan
Corruption score: 18
Power structure: Republic
One of the lesser-traveled nations in
the world, Uzbekistan finds itself as one of the world’s messiest countries.
From an economic standpoint, things appear to be going alright with 8% growth
in GDP during 2013. In fact, information from The World Bank indicates the
economy of Uzbekistan has remained more or less the same through the financial crisis
which has crippled systems in Europe and North America.
The nation’s government is set up as
a republic with an authoritative presidential figure in Islam Karimov. The vast
majority of the country’s power resides within the executive branch, making it
ripe for corruption. Karimov has been president since Uzbekistan actually
became a country after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, winning three
straight terms of between five and seven years. Like many other Middle-Eastern
authority figures, he has apparently not grown tired of ruling the country.
Much of the Uzbek economy relies on
agriculture for subsistence, as the entire country is landlocked and
experiences a very dry climate. Many multinational corporations have
experienced run-ins with the country’s government, having been accused of not
following local laws and customs. That hasn’t stopped the administration from
trying to attract more business, however, through tax incentives and sometimes
even bribery.
7. Turkmenistan
Corruption score: 17
Power structure: Presidential Democracy/Authoritarian
Turkmenistan resides in a dangerous
neighborhood, to say the least. Bordered by Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and
Kazakhstan to the north, the country lies in a virtual hotbed of corrupt
states. With the constant turmoil all over the Middle East, it’s been very easy
for the country to fall into corrupt affairs, especially concentrated at the
top from the authoritarian presidential figure, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.
The CIA’s file says that Turkmenistan
likes to describe itself as a secular democracy and presidential republic,
while in practice, its government more closely resembles an authoritarian
dictatorship. The country itself was founded as a result of the Soviet Union’s
collapse, as so many others in the region, and the resulting power struggle has
left the nation highly corrupt and vulnerable to tomfoolery.
Also like many other countries in its
region, Turkmenistan’s economy is largely based on agriculture and energy. The
country is fortunate to have vast reserves of crude oil and natural gas to
supplement the economy, although they are controlled by the government. Misuse
of the state’s revenues have driven many investors away and led to high levels
of corruption.
6. Iraq
Corruption score: 16
Power structure: Federal Parliamentary Constitutional Republic
(ostensibly)
Many people may be surprised that
Iraq isn’t higher on the list of the world’s most corrupt countries, but its
certainly up there. It’s no secret the current state of affairs in Iraq is a
total mess. After the second American invasion in 15 years, the pullout of U.S.
forces has left Iraq a virtual power vacuum, with several different sects
fighting for power over the embattled nation. Fighting is mostly concentrated
between the Kurds, the Shiites and the Sunnis, but the arrival of ISIS from
Syria has added additional issues.
The CIA lists Iraq’s government as a
parliamentary democracy, but the legitimacy of the government is definitely up
for debate. And there’s definitely little debate as to whether or not
corruption has taken hold in the country, as Iraq’s vast wealth and natural
resources have made it a target for all kinds of industry and war profiteers.
Iraq has actually seen some economic
growth as the country rebuilds itself, but there is also a lot of outside interference
from American and European contracting companies, hired to rebuild
infrastructure and tap into the country’s oil reserves. The future of Iraq is
probably as uncertain as any country in the world. It’s very possible that the
nation will dissolve and turn into three distinct countries, as it was before
Europeans entered the fray in the early 20th century. As for now, incredible
instability — along with the arrival of ISIL (or ISIS) from the north — will
keep the country in a state of flux.
5. South Sudan
Corruption score: 15
Power structure: Republic
One of the world’s youngest
countries, South Sudan officially declared independence in 2011, following
long-standing conflicts with its parent country, Sudan, which gained its
independence in 1956. Between the mid-1950s and now, conflicts in the region have
resulted in the deaths of as many as 2.5 million people, or so the CIA
contends. South Sudan now stands as an independent republic, composed of 10
states.
A nation still in its infancy, South
Sudan does not have the traditional long-standing government structures in
place that many others do. This has led to ripe opportunities for corrupt
politicians to step in, and as a result, the country has remained mostly
undeveloped, and its citizens participate in a largely subsistence-based
economic system. One other issue is the lack of a sense of nationhood among the
200 or so ethnic groups occupying the country.
According to The World Bank, the vast
majority of South Sudan’s GDP — around 80% — is derived from oil exports. This
has been a major problem, as international oil companies have been able to take
advantage of the nation’s weak governmental structures and regulatory policies,
turning huge profits at the expense of the citizens. In fact, 85% of the
country’s workforce is engaged in non-paid labor. More than half live below the
poverty line as well.
4. Afghanistan
Corruption score: 12
Power structure: Islamic Republic
Afghanistan has an incredibly
difficult history to try and condense. The area has been inhabited for a very
long time — and its geographic location has also put it in the middle of many
conflicts over hundreds, if not thousands of years. There’s a reason the
country has been stuck with the nickname ‘the graveyard of empires’, as it is
incredibly difficult to not only conquer, but to keep under control.
The country has been loosely held
together by a central government that largely lacks power, and has been carved
up by a myriad of local tribal leaders and warlords, as we’ve seen first-hand
with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. The country’s now-former president Hamid Karzai
was notoriously corrupt — he’s been recently busted for taking bagfuls of money
from the American military, among other things. Afghanistan is also home to an
enormous amount of the world’s heroin production, which has brought lots of
wealth to a lucky few.
The country’s economy has remained in
a state of flux for some time now, although the fall of the Taliban has helped
— as has a flood of international aid. But it still faces major issues going
forward. As the CIA puts it, “Criminality, insecurity, weak governance, lack of
infrastructure, and the Afghan Government’s difficulty in extending rule of law
to all parts of the country pose challenges to future economic growth.”
Sudanese wave national flags as they
gather outside the Defence Ministry in the capital Khartoum - Source: Ashraf
Shazly/AFP/Getty Images
3. Sudan
Corruption score: 11
Power structure: Federal Republic
One country that has been wrapped
thoroughly in the grasp of war for many years is the African nation of Sudan.
Long-standing conflicts between competing factions and ethnic groups have
destabilized the country’s ability to efficiently operate from an economic
standpoint, and the result has been devastating to many of the country’s
citizens. South Sudan has also recently broken-off from the rest of the
country, taking with it vast oil reserves. CNN reports that Sudan’s GDP was
expected to contract by a fair amount due to South Sudan’s departure.
The country’s government is listed as
a federal republic, which is ruled by the National Congress Party, according to
the CIA. The NCP came to power after a coup d’etat in 1989, and has not been
able to successfully repair the nation’s issues. As a result of the prolonged
instability, Sudan’s GDP has tanked since spiking in 2006, much of which has to
do with the situation in South Sudan.
64.5% of Sudan’s citizens live under
the poverty line, by The World Bank’s calculations. The nation’s GDP stands at
$66.55 billion as well. Both of these statistics would likely see improvement
if not for some of the draconian and growth-inhibiting policies of the NCP.
Also, if Sudan can find a way to rid itself of some of its corrupt officials,
many violent conflicts could possibly see resolution as well.
Tie – 1. North Korea
Corruption score: 8
Power structure: Dictatorship
The world’s biggest wildcard is North
Korea. There is little doubt in anyone’s mind that the country is immensely
corrupt, having been effectively run into the ground over the past half-century
by Kim Jong Sun, Kim Jong Il and now Kim Jung Un, all of whom the country’s
citizens affectionately have referred to as ‘Supreme Leader’. The CIA lists
North Korea’s government as a ‘communist state one-man dictatorship’, with an
estimated GDP of $28 billion as of 2009.
Notorious for having very little
electricity and sending its citizens to prison camps, North Korea’s government
and economy are effectively shrouded in mystery. While it does receive aid from
countries like China, North Korea obviously has had problems producing enough
fuel and food to properly care for its citizens. Military spending far
outweighs spending on social programs and aid, mostly to put on appearances for
the rest of the world in their famous outbursts of saber-rattling, and to keep
citizens in line.
The country’s major issues can be
traced back to a number of natural disasters and the collapse of the Soviet
Union, as the land, people and equipment have all been ‘worn out’ over the
years, according to a CNN report. With little hope for change in the near
future, North Korea is destined to remain one of the planet’s most corrupt and
destitute nations.
Tie – 1. Somalia
Corruption score: 8
Power structure: Almost none; “in the process of building a federal
parliamentary republic” – CIA
Somalia may just be the most unstable
country on the entire planet. The country has become infamous in the United
States as being the setting for the Blackhawk Down incident, as well as the
country’s pirates who are known to take over passing ships in the Gulf of Aden
and Indian Ocean. The country is barely held together by an incredibly loose
central government, and is more accurately being run by a number of competing
clans and warlords, creating lots of hostility and division.
Life in Somalia is notoriously tough.
On the economic front, many people make a living from raising livestock or
farming, and others from fishing. Of course, with things remaining such a mess
at the top of the power structure, any long-term planning for social programs
and infrastructure is difficult. According to The World Bank, only 29% of the
country’s population has been enrolled in school, and life expectancy is only
55 years. Both of these numbers rank well-below most other countries, and
provide some insight into the internal strife the country is experiencing.
Beyond these things, information on
the inner workings of Somalia’s government and its economic system are scarce.
That alone is rather telling, as corrupt officials may not want outsiders
seeing the true picture of what’s going on inside the country’s borders.
Honorable Mention: The United States
Corruption score: 74
power structure: Democratic Republic
There has to be an honorable mention
for the United States, which many people figure has to be the most corrupt
nation on Earth. The fact is, the U.S. does have a great deal of corruption in
many forms, like lobbying, bribery, gerrymandering, and bought elections. But
according to the corruption index, the U.S. pales in comparison to countries in
Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
The economic system of the U.S. —
although often portrayed as ‘free-market’ — does not quite live up to that
description, in many cases. A quick look at the telecom or energy industry
shows that many monopolistic forces are at play, and big money oftentimes can
get laws rewritten to preserve power and influence. Pressure from big business
and labor groups is a major factor in why America is the only major world power
without a nationalized healthcare system, and why there has been enormous
growth in inequality, particularly as of late.
There are definitely many issues the
United States needs to work out — from the financial system to elections — but
with the status quo firmly set in place, there isn’t much indication that
citizens should expect big-time change in the near-term.
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