New Zealand hasn't had a lot going for it in recent times, but it is still not a bad place to live in...

New Zealand leads the global race when it comes to honesty.

Anti-graft watchdog Transparency International (TI) ranked it number one in the world’s least corrupt countries, according to media reports.

New Zealand scored 9.4 points out of a possible 10.

The score is based on perceptions of the degree of corruption as seen by business people and country analysts.

Trailing New Zealand is Denmark, Singapore, Sweden and Switzerland. Lawless Somalia and war-torn Afghanistan were the most corrupt.

TI's corruption index showed how countries devastated by conflict have become overrun by graft, with Iraq, Sudan and Myanmar accounting for the three other states in the bottom five of the chart.

TI's spokesman Huguette Labelle said the international community "must find efficient ways to help war-torn countries to develop and sustain their own institutions".

The most corrupt nation on earth remained Somalia, with a score of 1.1 points.

Come on over for a visit!

Acnowledgements: Msn Money