Countries With the Fastest Decline in Corruption / control of corruption score (5-Year Change)
Change in Control of corruption score over the five years to each country's latest year, in points (a share or rate is not shown as a % of itself). Only countries that fell are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0 (Worldwide Governance Indicators terms)).
Summary
American Samoa fell the most: by 23.8, from 37.6 score (-2.5 to 2.5) to 13.8 score (-2.5 to 2.5) in the five years to 2023. Singapore is second (−22.5), followed by Liechtenstein (−22.5). 90 countries fell over that period; the median change among them was −7.54.
- #1
- American Samoa · −23.8
- Median
- −7.54
- Coverage
- 90 countries
- Data year
- 2023
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (score (-2.5 to 2.5)) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Samoa | 37.6 | 13.8 | −23.8 |
| 2 | Singapore | 44.9 | 22.4 | −22.5 |
| 3 | Liechtenstein | 41.3 | 18.8 | −22.5 |
| 4 | Sweden | 44.4 | 22.3 | −22.1 |
| 5 | New Zealand | 44.9 | 22.9 | −22 |
| 6 | Luxembourg | 43.1 | 21.2 | −21.9 |
| 7 | United Kingdom | 38 | 16.3 | −21.8 |
| 8 | Germany | 40 | 18.3 | −21.7 |
| 9 | Finland | 45.7 | 24.4 | −21.3 |
| 10 | Iceland | 38 | 17.1 | −21 |
| 11 | Austria | 33 | 12.5 | −20.6 |
| 12 | Norway | 43.2 | 23.2 | −19.9 |
| 13 | Canada | 37.7 | 18.4 | −19.3 |
| 14 | Denmark | 45.4 | 26.1 | −19.3 |
| 15 | Netherlands | 39.8 | 20.5 | −19.2 |
| 16 | Switzerland | 41.5 | 22.2 | −19.2 |
| 17 | Monaco | 32.1 | 13.8 | −18.3 |
| 18 | Aruba | 25.5 | 7.8 | −17.7 |
| 19 | Australia | 37.2 | 19.6 | −17.6 |
| 20 | Bhutan | 33.5 | 16.8 | −16.7 |
| 21 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 34.5 | 17.9 | −16.6 |
| 22 | Belgium | 30.1 | 14.7 | −15.4 |
| 23 | Ireland | 32.3 | 17.3 | −15 |
| 24 | United States | 27.2 | 12.4 | −14.9 |
| 25 | Barbados | 28.9 | 14.8 | −14.1 |
| 26 | Estonia | 30.9 | 16.9 | −14 |
| 27 | France | 27 | 13 | −14 |
| 28 | Japan | 29.3 | 15.4 | −13.9 |
| 29 | Greenland | 24.1 | 11.3 | −12.8 |
| 30 | Virgin Islands (US) | 12.3 | -0.203 | −12.5 |
| 31 | United Arab Emirates | 23.5 | 11.8 | −11.7 |
| 32 | Andorra | 24.9 | 13.8 | −11.2 |
| 33 | Bermuda | 24.9 | 13.8 | −11.2 |
| 34 | Guam | 24.9 | 13.8 | −11.2 |
| 35 | Malta | 11.6 | 1.21 | −10.4 |
| 36 | Chile | 20.2 | 10.7 | −9.56 |
| 37 | Portugal | 17 | 7.66 | −9.36 |
| 38 | Fiji | 14.8 | 5.57 | −9.25 |
| 39 | Cyprus | 12.8 | 3.66 | −9.19 |
| 40 | Bahamas, The | 23.1 | 13.9 | −9.17 |
| 41 | Slovenia | 17.6 | 8.54 | −9.1 |
| 42 | Georgia | 15.3 | 6.79 | −8.52 |
| 43 | Uruguay | 25.5 | 17.3 | −8.14 |
| 44 | Botswana | 15.2 | 7.54 | −7.65 |
| 45 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 15.7 | 8.11 | −7.61 |
| 46 | San Marino | 21.2 | 13.8 | −7.46 |
| 47 | Poland | 13.2 | 6.22 | −6.95 |
| 48 | Qatar | 14.6 | 7.72 | −6.91 |
| 49 | Israel | 15.9 | 9.12 | −6.79 |
| 50 | Spain | 13 | 6.92 | −6.03 |
| 51 | St. Lucia | 11.9 | 5.99 | −5.88 |
| 52 | Samoa | 13.7 | 8 | −5.68 |
| 53 | Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | 14.1 | 8.62 | −5.48 |
| 54 | Dominica | 11.4 | 5.99 | −5.37 |
| 55 | Namibia | 6.53 | 1.21 | −5.32 |
| 56 | Cabo Verde | 16 | 10.8 | −5.13 |
| 57 | Macao SAR, China | 14.3 | 9.34 | −4.94 |
| 58 | Cayman Islands | 9.69 | 4.81 | −4.87 |
| 59 | St. Kitts and Nevis | 8.75 | 4.55 | −4.2 |
| 60 | Belarus | -3.18 | -7.32 | −4.13 |
| 61 | Rwanda | 11.3 | 7.39 | −3.95 |
| 62 | Cuba | 2.9 | -0.606 | −3.51 |
| 63 | Costa Rica | 10.6 | 7.19 | −3.42 |
| 64 | Eswatini | -4.79 | -8.08 | −3.29 |
| 65 | Malaysia | 6.38 | 3.25 | −3.13 |
| 66 | Lesotho | -2.79 | -5.6 | −2.81 |
| 67 | Kiribati | 7.31 | 4.53 | −2.78 |
| 68 | West Bank and Gaza | -4.67 | -7.44 | −2.77 |
| 69 | Czechia | 10.8 | 8.45 | −2.35 |
| 70 | Korea, Rep. | 12.1 | 9.84 | −2.28 |
| 71 | Oman | 4.6 | 2.37 | −2.23 |
| 72 | Brunei Darussalam | 16.1 | 14.1 | −2.01 |
| 73 | Tonga | -1.39 | -3.39 | −2 |
| 74 | Argentina | -2.01 | -3.97 | −1.96 |
| 75 | Marshall Islands | 6.34 | 4.53 | −1.81 |
| 76 | Grenada | 7.87 | 6.14 | −1.73 |
| 77 | Jordan | 2.68 | 0.975 | −1.71 |
| 78 | Slovak Republic | 4.92 | 3.22 | −1.7 |
| 79 | Antigua and Barbuda | 5.07 | 3.59 | −1.48 |
| 80 | Tunisia | -2.33 | -3.76 | −1.44 |
| 81 | Lithuania | 9.87 | 8.6 | −1.27 |
| 82 | Hungary | 1.24 | -0.0055 | −1.25 |
| 83 | Saudi Arabia | 7.01 | 5.9 | −1.12 |
| 84 | Naoero | 7.52 | 6.47 | −1.04 |
| 85 | Palau | 7.52 | 6.47 | −1.04 |
| 86 | Solomon Islands | -0.663 | -1.48 | −0.819 |
| 87 | Montenegro | -0.228 | -0.872 | −0.644 |
| 88 | Myanmar | -12.8 | -13.4 | −0.58 |
| 89 | South Africa | -2.8 | -3.13 | −0.336 |
| 90 | Seychelles | 18.2 | 17.9 | −0.253 |
About the top 10
#1 American Samoa
American Samoa ranks #1 on this list with −23.8.
- Capital
- Pago Pago
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 46,029 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$871 million (2022)
- GDP per person
- US$18,017 (2022)
- Life expectancy
- 73 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 80.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #8 in forest area share · #9 in voice and accountability score · #14 in homicide rate.
#2 Singapore
Singapore ranks #2 on this list with −22.5.
- Capital
- Singapore
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 6.11 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$603.87 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$98,814 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 100% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Singapore.
Also ranks #1 in gdp per capita ppp · #1 in government debt share of gdp · #1 in human capital index.
#3 Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein ranks #3 on this list with −22.5.
- Capital
- Vaduz
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 41,024 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$8.91 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$220,170 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 84.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 14.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in rural population share · #1 in researchers in r&d per million · #2 in gdp per capita.
#4 Sweden
Sweden ranks #4 on this list with −22.1.
- Capital
- Stockholm
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 10.6 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$669 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$63,133 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 84.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö.
Also ranks #3 in researchers in r&d per million · #4 in r&d expenditure share of gdp · #6 in male life expectancy.
#5 New Zealand
New Zealand ranks #5 on this list with −22.
- Capital
- Wellington
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.32 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$264.06 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$49,591 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 84% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Auckland.
Also ranks #3 in voice and accountability score · #4 in tax revenue share of gdp · #4 in control of corruption score.
#6 Luxembourg
Luxembourg ranks #6 on this list with −21.9.
- Capital
- Luxembourg
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 686,970 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$101.16 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$147,250 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 94.9% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in gdp per capita ppp · #2 in trade share of gdp · #3 in gdp per capita.
#7 United Kingdom
United Kingdom ranks #7 on this list with −21.8.
- Capital
- London
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 69.49 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$4 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$57,602 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 83.3% of population (2025)
Largest cities: London, Birmingham, Glasgow.
Also ranks #2 in government debt share of gdp · #2 in new businesses registered · #4 in exports of goods and services.
#8 Germany
Germany ranks #8 on this list with −21.7.
- Capital
- Berlin
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 83.49 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$5.05 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$60,496 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 80.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 82.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Berlin, Hamburg, Munich.
Also ranks #2 in tourism receipts · #3 in gdp (current us$) · #3 in exports of goods and services.
#9 Finland
Finland ranks #9 on this list with −21.3.
- Capital
- Helsinki
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.65 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$317.04 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$56,149 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 74.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in rule of law score · #2 in bank accounts share (adults) · #2 in control of corruption score.
#10 Iceland
Iceland ranks #10 on this list with −21.
- Capital
- Reykjavík
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 392,400 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$38.58 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$98,323 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 94.2% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in energy use per capita · #1 in bank accounts share (adults) · #1 in water resources per capita.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Change in Control of corruption score over the five years to each country's latest year, in points (a share or rate is not shown as a % of itself). Only countries that fell are listed.
Source: The World Bank, indicator CC.EST. Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Worldwide Governance Indicators terms). Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Control of Corruption: Estimate: Worldwide Governance Indicators, World Bank (WB) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators, World Bank (WB).
Values are shown as published (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.