Russia has slipped to 154th place in Transparency International's 2010 Corruption Index, down 8 from last year, the organization announced on Tuesday.
Denmark, New Zealand and Singapore tie for first place, while the bottom rungs are held by Iraq (175), Afghanistan (176) and Somalia (178), according to Transparency International.
Russia, coming uncomfortably close to the end of the pack, has been outdone by most post-Soviet countries: Estonia was ranked 26th, Lithuania 46th, and Latvia 59th. Georgia (68) has also made the top 100. Kazakhstan and Moldova share the 105th position, Armenia ranks 123rd, further down the line is Belarus (127), while Ukraine and Azerbaijan tie for 134th place.
The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is based on figures from country experts and business leaders at 10 independent institutions, including the World Bank, Economist Intelligence Unit and World Economic Forum.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has launched wholesale reforms to clean up corruption and bridge the gap between the super-rich and ordinary Russians, but analysts say the effort has brought about little improvement.
MOSCOW, October 26 (RIA Novosti)