2011 is considered the year of fall of the corrupt as regimes fell to the might of the common man throughout the Middle East when protesters took to the streets and demanded better rights. TIME magazine’s person of the year was the protester, a nameless, faceless representation of the might of the people. But even so, as corrupt regimes faltered and withered in most parts of the Middle East, the world is yet to be rid of the menace of corrupt governments and regimes that oppress the people they dictate over.
The Corruption Perception Index ranks corruption in the countries of the world on a scale of 1 to 10 – 1 being the most corrupt. According to these ratings, here we have compile d a list of the ten most corrupt countries of the world in 2012.
10. Venezuela
Venezuela has earned a CPI score of 1.9 and are ranked 172nd out of 182 countries of the world. The event that kicked off the country’s slide in to corruption was the discovery of vast amounts of oil and by the time the ’70s decade arrived, the Venezuelans had started calling the petroleum being mined as ”the Devil’s excrement”. Hugo Chavez came by in 1999 promising to remove corruption but did nothing to even slow it down as his movement was accused of the same ills as the movement before him; ills such as political patronage, cronyism, and of course, corruption. In Venezuela, even the police, the department appointed to protect the law, are notorious for their corruption and bribery.
9. Haiti
Haiti was struck by a massive earthquake in 2010, but the 2 billion dollars that came into Haiti as funds for the people inflicted by the earthquake did little for those it was intended to as most of the aid was consumed by the rampant corruption practiced by the bureaucracy. The legal system and its flaws enables politicians and bureaucrats to gain influence and direct public outcomes for financial gains. Haiti’s CPI score is 1.8 (ranked 175th), and they are plagued by the rampant corruption of the impenetrable bureaucracy.
8. Iraq
In September 2011, a renowned Iraqi journalist was murdered in his home because he was accused of leading anti government protests.
During the Saddam regime, the corruption was so rampant that anyone that so much as lifted a finger against the government was immediately captured and brutally murdered. Saddam and his son were quite infamous for their brutality and corruption. But even after the fall of Saddam, the Iraqi government is still so used to the old pattern of corruption that they still remove, intimidate and/or murder officials, politicians and journalists who are suspected to blow the whistle on the corrupt government or even support the whistle blowers. The death of the journalist in 2011 is proof of the old patterns of corruptions existing in the Iraqi government. Their CPI score is 1.8 and are ranked 175th.
7. Sudan
Sudan gets millions of dollars in aid for development to start the rebuilding process that has become a necessity in the country ravaged by years of war. But the aid funds seldom (read: almost never) go to the purposes of development and instead end up in private hands of the government officials and their foreign banks. Since the country gained self rule in 2005, no effort has been put into prosecuting the officials responsible for corruption despite a commission being set up for just this job. Sudan’s CPI score is 1.6 and are ranked at 177th.
6. Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan spent 69 years under the Soviet Union and their time with the Soviets has left its effects on the government. Though the country declared independence in 1991, the totalitarian rule of the Soviets left its imprint and has led to a totalitarian control by the government of Turkmenistan. The people suffer intense human rights violations and face severe restrictions whenever they try leaving the country. It has the world’s third worst freedom of the press, and is the tenth most censored country in the world. Turkmenistan has a CPI of 1.6 and are ranked at 177.
5. Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is a country rich in resources, but the government does not allow for growth in the independent private sector as they keep control over all the resources. The government, infamous for its authoritarianism, is often called the root of all the corruption and the problems that arise as a result. According to a local businessman, the country’s half-hearted war on corruption reaped no results and there has been “no progress in the battle against corruption. The country and its society are corrupted through and through.” Turkmenistan’s CPI is 1.6 and its ranked at 177.
4. Afghanistan
Afghanistan is a state riddled with the the corruption of bribery. As recent as 2010, Afghani people paid around 2.5 billion dollars in bribes and nearly half the Afghan population had paid the country in kickbacks. Bribery and the menace of kickbacks are so commonplace in Afghanistan that 38 percent of the people consider it to be normal. Even meeting a politician, something that seems as simple as a normal talk or a handshake, involves giving kickbacks 40 percent of the time. Afghanistan’s CPI is 1.9 and is ranked 180th in the world.
3. Myanmar
Myanmar is rich in natural resources, a blessing that is more of a curse in this country riddled with drug rings and widespread corruption. In fact, these reasons have not only affected Myanmar, but has been considered the root of all problems in the Golden Triangle. On top of all that, the country has been witness to brutal ethnic violence on a large scale and the human rights issues has had it isolated by most of the developed countries of the world. The country’s CPI is scored at 1.5 and is ranked 180th in the world tied with Afghanistan.
2. North Korea
This picture shows the “great” leader of North Korea standing with his “happy” citizens having the time of their lives. Yeah, right!
It is reported by the RFA that a Chinese national who snuck in and out of North Korea said, “In some places in North Korea, people are starving to death, but railway security agents wear Seiko watches and smoke [Craven A] cigarettes.” There is no reason why someone should even try going to North Korea, but even getting there requires payments of huge sums of money as bribes to officials. There is little that is known about North Korea, as once you’re in, you either get captured or find worse fates, or you pay huge bribes to escape, and the testimonies that shed any light on the conditions in North Korea are from the refugees who either paid bribes to escapes or snuck out some other dangerous way. The CPI score, based on what is known, is a lowly 1 and they are ranked at the second last spot, 181st. Wathc this documentary on escaping North Korea by the BBC.
1. Somalia
If it weren’t for the fact that Somalia is even considered a country, some circles believe it shouldn’t be considered as such unless at least a stable shadow of a government is present, it wouldn’t even be on this list. The state and the officials, however they are, are so infested with the malice of corruption and brutal violence that it is ranked at the very last among the countries in the world, and by some circles, it is not even considered a country. The corruption and violence was sparked when the US and the USSR used Somalia as a battleground for the political ideologies and backed clans and militias into fighting for their respective sides. Funding from the US really kicked off the particular Siad Barre regime which took corruption to a whole new level. Since the oust of the regime in 1991, Somalia has been essentially lawless and has no government except for parts being governed and fought over by different clans and militias and the coastal areas are riddled by pirates. Their CPI is the lowest 1 and for that, Somalia earns the top spot in being the most corrupt country in the world as of 2012.
Our first Stop, Chanel No. 5, one of the most popular perfumes out there and created by Ernest Beaux in 1921. Chanel No. 5 is the benchmark for all elite perfumes and comes in two concentrations; Eau de Toilette and the Eau de Parfum. This one will cost you $121.71 per ounce.
Next up we have a ladies perfume that was created by Maurice Roucel. Aroma is made up of neroli, tuberose and tiare flower while the base fragrance is of musk and sandalwood. The smell gets enhanced over time from going from strong floral to flower in full bloom. This one will cost you $409.09 per ounce.
At number 8, we have a perfume that was launched in 1981 and able to be used both by men and women, also elevated to Fragrance Foundation’s Hall of Fame during FiFi. It has a citrus fragrance and costs $441.18 per ounce.
How about the smell of air after a lightning strike? You want that, don’t you? That’s what Joel A. Rosenthal, a jeweler, hoped people would do when he designed this perfume. The fragrance lasts longer than expected and is packaged in hand cut bottles that have been specially designed. This perfume will cost you $765 per ounce.
At number 6, we have the perfume which was voted the Scent of the Century by Fragrance Foundation in FiFi awards of 2000 thus beating the Chanel No. 5. This one costs $800 per ounce and the fact that an ounce of this perfume requires 336 roses and 10,000 jasmine flowers justifies the high price. Wouldn’t you agree?
With a sophisticated smell that is strong and aggressive, Caron Poivre can be used by both genders. Available in a limited edition Baccarat bottle made of pristine crystal and top encrusted with white gold, this one is available for $1,000 per ounce.
This designed for women perfume is at number 4 in our list and is on 4th for a reason; only a thousand bottles were made by Hermes. Shaped in the form of a square and made of St. Louis crystal, this one was also created by Maurice Roucel in 1995. The effect is long lasting and floral while being light to senses at the same time. This one will cost you $1,500 per ounce.
It comes in a bottle made of lead crystal which has been handmade for the perfume. A small diamond, one third of a carat, is visible on the neck. The scarcity of its ingredients accounts for the high price of $2,150 per ounce.
Back in the late 1990s only a limited number of this aroma were made and the creator was Baccarat. The container was made with crystal and in the shape of a pyramid. It smells of ancient Middle East and will cost you $6,800 per ounce.
At the top of the list, ladies and gentlemen, we have Clive Christian No. 1 Imperial Majesty Perfume. Made of Baccarat crystal, with a white diamond worth five carats and a 18 carat solid gold dollar, only ten bottles were made of this perfume thus making it a highly prized collectible item. If you are willing to pay, this will cost you $12,721.89 per ounce.
