#1 Somalia has been a proxy battleground for nations for years
Somalia ranks 182 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1 out of 10.
Foreign
countries such as the US and USSR who used the country as a
battleground for political ideologies helped drive corruption by backing
particular clans or groups.
U.S. funding really helped the Siad Barre regime,
which really took government corruption to the next level. After the
regime fled in 1991, the country is essentially lawless and ruled by
clans, warlords, and militia groups.
Even
some NGOs giving Somalia millions are actually splitting the money
between the NGOs and the the signing government officials.
#2 North Korea's officials drink imported Coke while its citizens die from starvation
North Korea ranks 182out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1 out of 10.
North
Korea is little transparency, but just getting there usuallyrequires
large bribes. Most of the testimonies come from refugees from the
country, most of whom paid bribes to escape.
A
Chinese national who snuck in and out of the country told RFA, "In some
places in North Korea people are starving to death, but railway
security agents wear Seiko watches and smoke [Craven A] cigarettes."
#3 Myanmar's corruption stems from its logs, gold, and drugs
Myanmar ranks 180 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.5 out of 10.
Its
rich natural resources and drug rings have led widespread corruption in
all of Southeast Asia. It is often seen as the root of problems in the
Golden Triangle.
The
country is full of internal ethnic violence and has been isolated most
of the developed world because of human rights issues. But it still
engages in illegal resource deals with nearby nations like China.
Clinton's visit there this week is the first one in over 50 years.
#4 Afghanistan's citizens consider government kickbacks normal
Afghanistan ranks 180out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.9 out of 10.
In 2010, people from Afghanistan paid $2.5 billion in bribes, and nearly half the population has paid the government kickbacks.
Kickbacks
are so common that 38 percent of citizens think its normal. Even
meeting with a politician implies giving a kickback 40 percent of the
time.
#5 Uzbekistan's top officials reap all the benefits from rich resources
Uzbekistan ranks 177out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.6 out of 10.
The government is rich in resources, but doesn't allow for independent private sector growth, keeping control of everything.
A
WikiLeak letter condemns former Prince Michael for "rampant corruption"
and "organized crime." The authoritarian government is often cited as
the root of the corruption problems.
Part of its anti-corruption drive shut down 100 supermarkets and manufacturing businesses. But
according a local businessman, there's been "no progress in the battle
against corruption. The country and its society are corrupted through
and through."
#6 The 69 years Turkmenistan spent in the Soviet Union has led to totalitarian control
Turkmenistan ranks 177out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.6 out of 10.
Though Turkmenistan declared its independence in 1991, the country just made moves to open up the country in 2006.
The
country also labors under immense human rights abuses and residents
face severe restrictions anytime they try leaving the country.
Turkmenistan has the 3rd worse freedom of the press, and is the 10th most censored country in the world.
#7 Money for Sudan's development ends in private hands and in foreign banks
Sudan ranks 177 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.6 out of 10.
Sudan's new president Salva Kir is being pushed to stop the mass pilfering of development money that comes into the Sudan meant to help rebuild the war ravaged country.
Since
gaining self-rule in 2005 not one official has been prosecuted for
corruption, despite there being a commission assigned specifically to
the task.
#8 Iraq goes out of its way to silence whistleblowers
Iraq ranks 175 out of 182 countries and earned ascore of 1.8 out of 10.
The
Iraq government is so entrenched in its rampant pattern of corruption
since the fall of Saddam Hussein that it removes officials who try to
prosecute racketeers.
Members of the government also intimidate politicians and journalists who support whistleblowers.
As recently as September 2011 a renown Iraqi journalist was murdered in his home for leading anti-government protests.
#9 Haiti is plagued by impenetrable bureaucracy
Haiti ranks 175 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.8 out of 10.
The
immobilizing amount of "red tape" in the Haitian legal system enables
local politicians and bureaucrats to gain influence and and direct public outcomes for financial gain.
The result has debilitated Haitian society and placed the country consistently at the top of the corruption list.
The
$2 billion that came into the country following the 2010 earthquake did
little to alleviate corruption and meandering bureaucracy.
#10 Venezuela's corruption began with the discovery of oil
Venezuela ranks 172 out of 182 countries and earned a score of 1.9 out of 10.
The
discovery of mass amounts of oil in Venezuela hastened its slide into
corruption and by the 1970s the petroleum sucked from the ground was
called "the Devil's excrement" by Venezuelans.
Hugo
Chavez's election to president in 1999 did nothing to slow the
corruption. His Fifth Republic Movement is accused of cronyism,
political patronage, and corruption just like the movement his party
promised to replace.
Even the Venezuelan police force is recognized for its drastic levels of corruption.
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