The world believes New Zealand is the least corrupt country – but we shouldn't get complacent.

An “alarming” 4% of New Zealanders admit to having paid a bribe in New Zealand in the last 12 months, according to Transparency International’s 2010 Global Corruption Barometer.

Transparency International New Zealand director Alex Tan described it as a “truly alarming” result, but “in some ways not surprising.”

He said, “We have traditionally tended to rest on our laurels and think we are above corruption and bribery practices which are common place in the rest of the world.

New Zealand has sneaked ahead of Denmark and Sweden as the least corrupt country in the world.

Rankings produced by Transparency International in its latest Corruption Perceptions Index show New Zealand has gained a mere 10th of a point to top the ladder.