Savvy international travelers know there are more threats in the world than simple pickpockets and distraction artists looking to steal a wallet. In some countries, some of the biggest scams are organized by authorities, and look to prey on unknowing tourists visiting their countries. Which countries' contend with the most corruption every year?
Every year, international non-profit organization Transparency International, dedicated to fighting public corruption, surveys over 145 countries in the Corruption Perceptions Index, in order to determine which nations allow the most corruption through government.
While nations like Somalia and North Korea top the list as the most corrupt countries in the world, several other key destinations also offer a lot of threat due to public corruption.
If your itinerary runs through one of these nations, be weary: threats to your well-being may come from muggers and police officers alike. According to Transparency International, here are some of the most corrupt nations around the world.
The most corrupt nations in Asia
Many developing nations that are not necessarily welcome to tourists ranked very high for public corruption throughout the African continent. For the third straight year, Somalia earned a total score of eight (out of 100), earning them a tie for the most corrupt nation in the world. Several other developing African nations, including Libya, Angola, and the Sudans, earned below 20 points in the international survey.
Among the nations open to tourists, there were still several nations where public corruption was a major concern. Morocco, which welcomed over 10 million tourists in 2014 according to the United Nations World Tourism Office, ranked high for corruption.
However, they were not the nation many travelers should be concerned over. Zimbabwe, a nation that welcomed 1.8 million tourists in 2014, ranked very high for corruption, earning only 21 points and ranking 156 out of 175 countries surveyed. Kenya, another destination which hosted over one million tourists in 2013, earned 25 points in the survey, ranking them among the top 30 nations with a corruption problem.
The most corrupt nations in Asia
While the Middle East nations of Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan ranked the highest for corruption, several other nations outside of the Middle East also ranked high for corruption. While North Korea tied Somalia for the most corrupt nation in the world, many nations in Southeast Asia ranked outside of the best 75 nations for corruption, meaning travelers need to beware as they travel to these destinations.
The Transparency Project identified Paupa New Guinea to be one of the worst nations for corruption, earning only 25 points on their index. In addition, several other nations ranked high for corruption issues throughout the region. Vietnam earned only 31 points in the survey, ranking the communist nation at 119, while Indonesia ranked 107 out of the 175 countries surveyed. Thailand was also of concern for public corruption, earning 38 points in the survey.
The most corrupt nations in the Americas
Travelers within the United States and Canada often do not consider corruption as a major problem. After all, both nations ranked among the top 20 cleanest nations in the world. However, travelers heading south should take note of corruption issues in the nations they visit.
In South America, Venezuela ranked as the worst nation for corruption, scoring only 19 on the index and ranking among the top ten most corrupt nations in the world. Paraguay also ranked high for corruption, ranked 150 out of the 175 nations surveyed. Among Central America, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic also ranked high for corruption, each nation sitting outside the top 75 cleanest nations in the world. Finally, Mexico also ranked high for corruption, earning 35 points on the index, and rated 103rd out of the list of 175 countries.
Prior to any trip, travelers need to be understand and assess all of their risks prior to traveling. By being aware of the risk corruption posts, travelers can be prepared to understand the situations they can get into with local authorities, and avoid them at all costs.