Macao has been ranked one of the world's cleanest countries and regions by an international graft index, local media reported Tuesday.

The Macao Post Daily reported that the index, launched by the Transparency International, a global graft watchdog based in Berlin, displayed that Macao was ranked the 26th among 163 countries and regions on the graft issue.

In the Asia-Pacific, Macao was ranked the sixth cleanest jurisdiction following New Zealand, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong and Japan, according to the index.

The Transparency International does not rank countries or regions for which not enough data is available, according to the newspaper.

(Xinhua News Agency November 8, 2006)