KATHMANDU: In the recently released Corruption Perception Index (CPI) by Transparency International, Nepal secured the 108th position with 35 points among 180 countries and territories.

The annual report, a flagship publication of the global anti-corruption group based in Berlin, showcased a marginal improvement for Nepal, elevating it by two positions from the 110th rank in 2022.

The top-ranking countries in the CPI 2023 are Denmark at number one with 90 points, followed by Finland with 87 points and New Zealand with 85 points.

On the flip side, Somalia, Venezuela, and Syria found themselves at the bottom of the list with 11, 13, and 13 points, respectively, representing nations with the highest levels of corruption.

Established in 1995, the Corruption Perceptions Index has evolved into a leading global indicator of public sector corruption.

It evaluates 180 countries and territories based on perceptions of corruption, drawing data from 13 external sources, including the World Bank, World Economic Forum, private risk and consulting companies, think tanks, and others.

The scores reflect the perspectives of experts and business professionals rather than the general public.

Transparency International utilizes a scale ranging from zero to 100, where zero signifies the highest level of corruption, and 100 denotes the least corrupt.

A score below 50 indicates a relatively higher level of corruption in a country, according to the anti-corruption advocacy body.