[JURIST] The Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index [corruption index; press release] released Tuesday shows more than two-thirds of the 159 countries surveyed scored less than 5 on a scale of zero to ten, indicating serious levels of corruption. The index is a survey of business people and analysts and is widely watched in the international community, especially in the context of awarding foreign aid. Chad and Bangladesh were deemed the most corrupt nations in the world, while Finland, New Zealand, and Denmark consistently rank among the least corrupt. Africa was deemed the most corrupt continent [Reuters report], with 31 of 44 nations scoring less than three. Canada has seen a steady decline in rankings [Globe and Mail report], ranked 5th in the 1990's, dropping this year to 14th. Bloomberg has more.