Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Nepal has been ranked 107th in the 2024 Corruption Perception Index published by Transparency International.
Nepal achieved a score of 34 out of 100 in the index which is below the global average score of 43, according to a statement issued by Transparency International Nepal on Tuesday.
Nepal was ranked 108th last year with a score of 35 points in 2023, one point more than in 2022.
Denmark has been identified as the country with the least corruption, while South Sudan has been listed as the most corrupt country. Denmark has consistently scored 90 points for the past seven years, while South Sudan scored only eight points this year.
The index uses a scale where 100 points indicate a very clean country, while 0 points signify extreme corruption.
Among South Asian countries, Nepal is behind Bhutan (72 points), India (38 points) and the Maldives (38 points), while Sri Lanka (32 points), Pakistan (27 points), Bangladesh (23 points) and Afghanistan (17 points) are below Nepal.
Transparency International has said that corruption is strongly intertwined with one of the biggest challenges humanity currently faces: climate change. “Huge numbers of people around the world suffer severe consequences of global heating, as funds intended to help countries cut greenhouse gas emissions and protect vulnerable populations are stolen or misused. At the same time, corruption in the form of undue influence obstructs policies aimed at addressing the climate crisis and leads to environmental damage,” it said. “Protecting climate mitigation and adaptation efforts from corruption will make these life-saving activities more effective and, in turn, benefit people in need.”
