Miss Universe Pageant

The Miss Universe Pageant is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by the United States–based Miss Universe Organization. It is one of the most watched pageants in the world with an estimated audience of over 500 million viewers in over 190 territories.

The Miss Universe Organization (MUO) is a global, inclusive organization that celebrates women of all cultures and backgrounds and empowers them to realize their goals through experiences that build self-confidence and create opportunities for success. According to the organizers, the Miss Universe contest is more than a beauty pageant, along with participating in swimsuit and evening gown competitions, women aspiring to become Miss Universe must also be intelligent, well-mannered, and cultured. The delegates and titleholders that have participated in the MUO system are able to cultivate their personal, professional, and philanthropic goals. These women are forward thinking and motivated to not just talk about change, but to initiate it.

The first Miss Universe Pageant, won by Armi Kuusela of Finland, was held in Long Beach, California in 1952.

Year

Titleholder

Country

Age

1952

Armi Kuusela

Finland

17

1953

Christiane Martel

France

17

1954

Miriam Stevenson

United States

21

1955

Hillevi Rombin

Sweden

21

1956

Carol Morris

United States

20

1957

Gladys Zender

Peru

17

1958

Luz Marina Zuluaga

Columbia

19

1959

Akiko Kojima

Japan

22

1960

Linda Bement

United States

18

1961

Marlene Schmidt

Germany

23

1962

Norma Nolan

Argentina

24

1963

Iêda Maria Vargas

Brazil

18

1964

Corinna Tsopei

Greece

20

1965

Apasra Hongsakula

Thailand

18

1966

Margareta Arvidsson

Sweden

18

1967

Sylvia Hitchcock

United States

21

1968

Martha Vasconcellos

Brazil

20

1969

Gloria Diaz

Philippines

18

1970

Marisol Malaret

Puerto Rico

20

1971

Georgina Rizk

Lebanon

18

1972

Kerry Anne Wells

Australia

20

1973

Margie Moran

Philippines

19

1974

Amparo Muñoz

Spain

20

1975

Anne Marie Pohtamo

Finland

19

1976

Rina Messinger

Israel

20

1977

Janelle Commissiong

Trinidad and Tobago

24

1978

Margaret Gardiner

South Africa

18

1979

Maritza Sayalero

Venezuela

18

1980

Shawn Weatherly

United States

20

1981

Irene Sáez

Venezuela

19

1982

Karen Dianne Baldwin

Canada

18

1983

Lorraine Downes

New Zealand

19

1984

Yvonne Ryding

Sweden

21

1985

Deborah Carthy-Deu

Puerto Rico

19

1986

Bárbara Palacios

Venezuela

22

1987

Cecilia Bolocco

Chile

22

1988

Porntip Nakhirunkanok

Thailand

20

1989

Angela Visser

Netherlands

22

1990

Mona Grudt

Norway

19

1991

Lupita Jones

Mexico

23

1992

Michelle McLean

Namibia

19

1993

Dayanara Torres

Puerto Rico

18

1994

Sushmita Sen

India

18

1995

Chelsi Smith

United States

21

1996

Alicia Machado

Venezuela

19

1997

Brook Lee

United States

26

1998

Wendy Fitzwilliam

Trinidad and Tobago

25

1999

Mpule Kwelagobe

Botswana

19

2000

Lara Dutta

India

22

2001

Denise Quiñones

Puerto Rico

20

2002

Oxana Fedorova

Justine Pasek

Russia

Panama

24

23

2003

Amelia Vega

Dominican Republic

18

2004

Jennifer Hawkins

Australia

20

2005

Natalie Glebova

Canada

23

2006

Zuleyka Rivera

Puerto Rico

18

2007

Riyo Mori

Japan

20

2008

Dayana Mendoza

Venezuela

22

2009

Stefanía Fernández

Venezuela

18

2010

Ximena Navarrete

Mexico

22

2011

Leila Lopes

Angola

25

2012

Olivia Culpo

United States

20

2013

Gabriela Isler

Venezuela

25

2014

Paulina Vega

Colombia

22

2015

Pia Wurtzbach

Philippines

26

2016

Iris Mittenaere

France

24

2017

Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters

South Africa

22

2018

Catriona Gray

Philippines

24

2019

Zozibini Tunzi

South Africa

26

2020

Andrea Meza

Mexico

26

2021

Harnaaz Sandhu

India

21

2022

R’Bonney Gabriel

United States

28

2023

Sheynnis Palacio

Nicaragua

23

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