The anti-corruption campaign group, Transparency International, has ranked South Sudan among the five most corrupt countries in the world.

Somalia and North Korea top of the list, followed by Afghanistan and the Sudan.

The report says the 2015 index presents a worrying picture, with 40 out of 46 countries in the sub-Saharan Africa showing a serious corruption problem.

It says there has been no improvement in the powerhouses of the continent: Nigeria and South Africa.

“The human cost of corruption is huge, yet all too often leaders with notoriously corrupt records continue to enjoy lives of luxury at the expense of people living in grinding poverty. It’s time they faced the consequence of their actions,” the report read.

The lowest ranked countries are characterized by conflict and war, poor governance, weak public institutions like police and the judiciary, and a lack of independence in the media.

Denmark took the top spot as the least corrupt country for the second year running.

Good performers share key characteristics: high levels of press freedom; access to budget information; high levels of integrity among people in power; and independent judiciaries.