Offshore investment is safest in New Zealand

New Zealand has been named the least corrupt country in the world for investment.

A report from Transparency International assessed 180 countries on their level of corruption amongst politicians and government officials.

With a score of 9.4 out of ten New Zealand emerged at the top, indicating the country provided a stable environment for offshore investors. New Zealand  emerged from recession in September 2009. House prices have been increasing consistently since that time. The country remains one of the most popular destinations for UK citizens choosing to move abroad.

Denmark, Singapore, Sweden and Switzerland were the only other countries with a score of nine or higher.

The report stated: “These scores reflect political stability, long-established conflict of interest regulations and solid, functioning public institutions.”

The UK was in 17th place, tying with Japan, the world’s second largest economy. For the first time, however, the UK scored below eight, possibly a reflection of the scandals that have engulfed politicians lately. Countries experiencing wars or political turmoil dominated the bottom of the list as the most corrupt nations. These included Somalia, Myanmar, Afghanistan, the Sudan and Iraq.