Sri Lanka has recorded an improvement in the Corruption Perception Index 2010 released by the Transparency International.

With a score of 3.2 points Sri Lanka is ranked 91 out of 178 countries in the world. Last year Sri Lanka was placed at the 97th position. From the Asia- Pacific region Sri Lanka is ranked 17th out of 33 countries.

Only Bhutan in the South Asian region has received over four points with India falling 2nd with a score of 3.3 points. Sri Lanka is ranked third from the South Asian region.

The report noted that corruption has increased in some of the countries most affected by a financial crisis. The United States fell three notches down from the 19th position in 2009 to 22nd position this year while the United Kingdom fell from 17th position in 2009 to 20th this year.

Transparency International (TI) is the Berlin-based watchdog which monitors perceived corruption and has published its annual report based on a poll of businesses and people in 178 nations.

Denmark, New Zealand and Singapore tie for top place as the world's least corrupt countries. Russia is rated in the bottom in 154th place below Sri Lanka while Italy is down in 67th spot, coming below Rwanda. Meanwhile, emerging economic powerhouse China is in 78th place.

Sri Lanka is committed to ending corruption as stated in the Mahinda Chintana policy document of President Mahinda Rajapaksa which states, 'I will address this social decline and establish high values and ethics by eliminating fraud, corruption and malpractices which have engulfed our society for a long time, and will take whatever measures necessary to eradicate criminal activities.'