REUTERS/Vincent Kessler
Denmark's Queen Margrethe II and Prince Consort Henrik (L) leave the Notre-Dame Cathedral after the religious wedding service of Luxembourg's Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and his wife Princess Stephanie in Luxembourg October 20, 2012.
The U.S. is listed as the 17th least corrupt place, along with Barbados, Hong Kong, and Ireland.
Somalia, North Korea, Sudan, and Afghanistan are the most corrupt.
The CPI ranks countries and territories based on how corrupt their administrative and political institutions are perceived to be on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) and a 100 (very clean).
Denmark scored 92, New Zealand 91, Finland 89, and Sweden 87.
Top performers are found to "have high levels of press freedom, open budget processes and strong accountability mechanisms," according to the report.
Over the last 20 years, New Zealand has developed into a free market economy in which welfare is provided mostly on the basis of need.
The other three countries follow the general Nordic welfare model, which supports a "universalist" welfare state aimed at enhancing individual autonomy and promoting social mobility by maximizing labor force participation, promoting gender equality, providing extensive benefits, and redistributing wealth.
Denmark goes as far as involving the private sector in welfare services and providing choice for users.
This graphic gives an indication of the spectrum of global corruption, which is most concentrated in East Europe & Central Asia as well as Sub-Saharan Africa.
Here's a look at the world overview:
