Which has higher public sector corruption index, Australia or Sweden?

Australia, at 0.02 against 0.019 in Sweden as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for Australia and Sweden?

237 years are reported by both, from 1789 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Public Sector Corruption Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Australia vs Sweden: Public Sector Corruption Index

Australia

0.02

in 2025

Sweden

0.019

in 2025

Australia rank

164th

Sweden rank

166th

Public Sector Corruption Index over time

Australia
Sweden

How they compare

Australia currently reports 0.02 against 0.019 in Sweden, a difference of 0.001.

That makes Australia's figure about 1.1 times Sweden's.

The two have swapped places 5 times across 237 shared years of data; in 1789 it was Sweden ahead.

Australia ranks 164th and Sweden ranks 166th of 176 countries.

Across the 25 decades both report, Australia averaged higher in 16 and Sweden in 9.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Australia	Sweden	Difference	Ahead
1780s	0.142	0.449	0.307	Sweden
1790s	0.4927	0.449	0.0437	Australia
1800s	0.643	0.449	0.194	Australia
1810s	0.016	0.449	0.433	Sweden
1820s	0.016	0.449	0.433	Sweden
1830s	0.016	0.449	0.433	Sweden
1840s	0.016	0.449	0.433	Sweden
1850s	0.016	0.449	0.433	Sweden
1860s	0.016	0.076	0.06	Sweden
1870s	0.016	0.076	0.06	Sweden
1880s	0.016	0.032	0.016	Sweden
1890s	0.016	0.005	0.011	Australia
1900s	0.016	0.005	0.011	Australia
1910s	0.016	0.005	0.011	Australia
1920s	0.016	0.005	0.011	Australia
1930s	0.016	0.005	0.011	Australia
1940s	0.016	0.005	0.011	Australia
1950s	0.01	0.005	0.005	Australia
1960s	0.01	0.005	0.005	Australia
1970s	0.01	0.005	0.005	Australia
1980s	0.01	0.005	0.005	Australia
1990s	0.01	0.005	0.005	Australia
2000s	0.01	0.0058	0.0042	Australia
2010s	0.0175	0.012	0.0055	Australia
2020s	0.02	0.0173	0.0027	Australia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher public sector corruption index, Australia or Sweden?: Australia, at 0.02 against 0.019 in Sweden as of 2025.
What is the difference in public sector corruption index between Australia and Sweden?: 0.001, with Australia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Australia and Sweden?: 237 years are reported by both, from 1789 to 2025.
How do Australia and Sweden rank globally for public sector corruption index?: Australia ranks 164th and Sweden ranks 166th of 176 countries.
Where does this data come from?: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Public Sector Corruption Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator: Public Sector Corruption Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 25,541 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Data by V-Dem. Expert estimates of the extent to which public sector employees engage in bribery and theft. The index ranges from 0 to 1 (highly corrupt).