# Corruption Perceptions Index 2021 URL: https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/corruption-perceptions-index-2021 Type: Publication or report Published: 2022-01-25 Updated: 2022-01-25 --- 25 January 2022 Two years into the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) reveals that corruption levels have stagnated worldwide. Despite commitments on paper, 131 countries have made no significant progress against corruption over the last decade and this year 27 countries are at historic lows in their CPI score. Meanwhile, human rights and democracy across the world are under assault. This is no coincidence. Corruption enables human rights abuses, setting off a vicious and escalating spiral. As rights and freedoms are eroded, democracy declines and authoritarianism takes its place, which in turn enables higher levels of corruption. The past year has brought disturbing examples of this, from the killing of human rights defenders and the closing of media outlets, to government spying scandals like the Pegasus Project. Increasingly, rights and checks and balances are being undermined not only in countries with systemic corruption and weak institutions, but also among established democracies. There is an urgent need to accelerate the fight against corruption if we are to halt human rights abuses and democratic decline across the globe. The CPI scores 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, according to experts and business people. ### Related publications ## [Ending Debt Secrecy: Recommendations to the G20 on Anti-Corruption in Sovereign Borrowing and Lending](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/ending-debt-secrecy-g20-recommendations) Publication • 04 September 2026 Recommendations to the G20 to strengthen transparency, accountability and integrity in sovereign borrowing and lending ## [Monitoring political finance: Compendium of citizen initiatives and good practices](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/monitoring-political-finance-compendium-of-citizen-initiatives-and-good-practices) Publication • 18 August 2026 This compendium aims to provide ideas for stakeholders interested in monitoring political finance. It presents seven monitoring and disclosure solutions from around the world,… ## [Connecting the Dots: How financial intelligence units expose corrupt money flows and how they could do more](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/connecting-the-dots) Publication • 24 June 2026 Financial intelligence units can play a key role in uncovering corruption, but only if they have the powers, resources and access to information they need. ## [Global Corruption Barometer 2003](https://www.transparency.org/en/publications/gcb-2003) Publication • 03 July 2003 ## Priorities - [Grand corruption](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/grand-corruption) - [Judiciary and law enforcement](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/judiciary-and-law-enforcement) - [Political integrity](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/political-integrity) - [Public procurement](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/public-procurement) - [Sustainable Development Goals](https://www.transparency.org/en/our-priorities/sustainable-development-goals) ## CPI - [2021](https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2021) ## Regions - [Global](https://www.transparency.org/en/region/global) ![Report cover with a map of the world, banknotes changing hands and a pen in chains.](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/Report_CPI2021_EN_Page_01.jpg?auto=compress&fit=crop&fm=webp&w=1200) [Download](https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/CPI2021_Report_EN-web.pdf)