These are the most and least corrupt countries in the world

Transparency International has released its annual Corruption Perceptions Index, with Denmark named the least corrupt country in the world and North Korea and Somalia at the opposite end of the spectrum.

The index ranked 175 countries on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 being considered highly corrupt. Denmark earned 92 points, followed by New Zealand with 91 points, Finland with 89 points, Sweden with 87 points, and Norway with 86 points. North Korea and Somalia both received 8 points, while Sudan earned 11 points, Afghanistan 12 points, and South Sudan 15 points.

Transparency International said the index is based on "expert opinions of public sector corruption. Countries' scores can be helped by open government where the public can hold leaders to account, while a poor score is a sign of prevalent bribery, lack of punishment for corruption, and public institutions that don't respond to citizens' needs."

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More than two-thirds of the countries scored less than 50, NPR reports, and the U.S. was ranked 17 with 74 points. Corruption and money laundering are major issues in Brazil, Russia, India, and China, and Egypt and the Ivory Coast both made gains, earning five points more than they did last year.