The
Miss World pageant is the oldest surviving major international beauty pageant. It was created in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
by
Eric MorleyEric Douglas Morley was born in Holborn, London, England. He was the founder of the Miss World pageant...
in
1951Miss World 1951, the first annual Miss World pageant, was held on 29 July, 1951 at Lyceum Theatre, London, UK. 21 British delegates and 5 from foreign countries; a total of 26 contestants, competed for the inaugural Miss World title...
. Since his death in
2000Miss World 2000, the 50th Miss World pageant, was held on 30 November, 2000 at the Millennium Dome in London, United Kingdom. The pageant's swimsuit segment was filmed in the Maldives....
, Morley's wife,
Julia MorleyJulia Morley is the executive chairman, and event organizer of the Miss World pageant. She is the widow of Eric Morley from whom she inherited the role.-External links:***...
, co-chairs the pageant..
Alongside its rival
Miss UniverseMiss Universe is an annual international beauty contest run by the Miss Universe Organization.The contest was founded in 1952 by California clothing company Pacific Mills...
and
Miss EarthMiss Earth is an annual international beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness.-Eco-fashion design competition:On November 4, 2008, the first Miss Earth Eco-Fashion Design Competition was launched by the Miss Earth Foundation as an annual event for professional and non-professional fashion...
contests, this pageant is one of the most publicised beauty contests in the world. The telecast of the final competition is the world's largest live annual beauty pageant television event with global viewers.
The winner spends a year travelling to represent the Miss World Organization and its various causes. Traditionally, Miss World lives in
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
during her reign. The current Miss World is
Ksenia SukhinovaKsenia Vladimirovna Sukhinova is a Russian beauty queen who won the Miss Russia 2007 and Miss World 2008 pageants. She also appeared in all of the postcards that introduced every participating song in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest....
of
RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
History
Miss World started as the Festival
Bikini ContestA bikini contest is a beauty contest where women compete against each other in bikinis.Bikini contests can take place in bars, nightclubs, at beaches, and beauty pageants...
, in honour of the recently introduced swim wear of the time, but was called "Miss World" by the media. It was originally planned as a one-off event. Upon learning about the upcoming
Miss UniverseMiss Universe is an annual international beauty contest run by the Miss Universe Organization.The contest was founded in 1952 by California clothing company Pacific Mills...
pageant, Morley decided to make the pageant an annual event.
Opposition to the wearing of
bikiniA bikini or two piece is a women's swimsuit with two parts, one covering the breasts, the other the groin , leaving an uncovered area between the two . It is often worn in hot weather or while swimming...
s led to their replacement with more modest swim wear after the first contest. In 1959, the BBC started broadcasting the competition. The pageant's popularity grew with the advent of television.
In the 1980s, the pageant repositioned itself with the
sloganAdvertising slogans are short, often memorable phrases used in advertising campaigns. They are claimed to be the most effective means of drawing attention to one or more aspects of a product. A strapline is a British term used as a secondary sentence attached to a brand name...
Beauty With a Purpose, with added tests of intelligence and personality. However, the competition has been seen as old-fashioned and rather
politically incorrectPolitical correctness is a term denoting language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social offense in gender, racial, cultural, handicap, and age-related usages...
in its native Britain. Despite the global appeal, the show was not broadcast on any major terrestrial British TV network for several years, until Channel 5 aired it in
1998The 48th Miss World pageant was held at the Lake Berjaya Mahé Resort in Mahé Island, Seychelles. 86 delegates from around the world competed for the crown. Ronan Keating then lead singer of Boyzone and MTV's Eden Harel hosted the event...
.
21st Century
Eric Morley died as the pageant entered the new century. His wife, Julia, succeeded as chairwoman of the Miss World Organization..
The century saw its first black African winner,
Agbani DaregoIbiagbanidokibubo 'Agbani' Asenite Darego , is a Nigerian model, best known for being the first black African to be crowned Miss World in 2001.-Pre-Miss World:...
, in
2001Miss World 2001, the 51st Miss World pageant was held at the Super Bowl, in Sun City Entertainment Centre, Sun City, South Africa on November 16, 2001. Agbani Darego from Nigeria won the pageant, she became the first black African to win the Miss World crown. 93 contestants from all over the world...
. As part of its marketing strategy, Miss World came up with a "You Decide" television special during that edition, featuring the delegates behind the scenes and on the beach, and allowing viewers to either phone in or vote online for their favorites. It also sells its Talent, Beach Beauty and Sports events as television specials to broadcasters.
In
2002Miss World 2002, the 52nd Miss World pageant was held on December 7, 2002 at Alexandra Palace, London, United Kingdom. The pageant was initially slated for Abuja, Nigeria but due to conflict in the city of Kaduna arising from a publication of an article in a Lagos based newspaper the pageant was...
the pageant was slated for choosing
AbujaAbuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria in the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, which was built mainly in the 1980s and officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing the role of the previous capital Lagos...
, the
capital cityCapital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
of
NigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Capital Territory. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger...
to host its final. This choice was controversial, as a northern Nigerian woman,
Amina LawalAmina Lawal Kurami is a Nigerian woman. In March 2002, an Islamic Sharia court sentenced her to death by stoning for adultery for conceiving a child out of wedlock. The father of the child was not prosecuted for lack of evidence.Her conviction was overturned and she has since remarried...
, was awaiting death by
stoningStoning, or lapidation, refers to a form of capital punishment. For the method of metalworking using sharpening stones see stoning ....
for
adulteryAdultery is referred to as extramarital sex, philandery, or infidelity, but does not include fornication. The term "adultery" for many people carries a moral or religious association, while the term "extramarital sex" is morally or judgmentally neutral....
under
ShariaSharia is an Arabic word meaning ‘way’ or ‘path’. In Arabic, the collocation ‘Šarīʿat Allāh’ is traditionally used not only by Muslims, but also Christians and Jews, sometimes translating expressions such as Torat Elōhīm [תורת אלוהים] or ‘ho nómos toû theoû' '’...
law there, but Miss World chose to use the publicity surrounding its presence to bring greater global awareness and action to Amina's plight
(see Controversies section).
Miss World Organization
The Miss World Organization owns and manages the annual Miss World Finals, a competition that has grown into one of the World’s biggest. Since its launch in 1951, the Miss World Organization has raised more than £250 million for children’s charities. Miss World is franchised in more than 100 countries. Miss World, Limited is a privately held firm, and thus figures for its earnings, expenses and charitable contributions are not publicly available.
Aside from raising millions of pounds for charities around the globe under the banner of its 'Beauty with a Purpose' program, Miss World is also credited with directly influencing a dramatic increase in tourism in
SanyaSanya is a city in southern Hainan province of China. It has a population of 536,000 as of 2006. After Haikou, the capital, it is the second most populous city of the island. Sanya is renowned for its tropical climate and has emerged as a popular tourist destination. It is also the focus city for...
, China, host of the Miss World finals from 2003-05.
The Pageant
In the year preceding the global finals, each delegate must win her national title or a specially designated Miss World national preliminary. Miss World's national preliminaries are conducted by their licence-holders, who hold the franchise to use the "Miss World" name in their country. The annual final is typically a month long event, with several preliminary galas, dinners, balls and activities, culminating in a globally telecast final show in which the field is narrowed to between 15-20 delegates.
Since 2003 Miss World pageant also features Fast Track events during the preliminary round. The winners of Fast Track events are automatically qualified to enter the final round. Fast Track events which have been used since 2003 are:
- Beach Beauty
Miss World Beach Beauty is a swimsuit or fast track competition in the Miss World pageant. It was formerly known as the Best in swimwear award. The Beach Beauty event first started in 2003, where the Miss World Organization wanted to have preliminary or "fast track events" to allow delegates to get...
(2003-present)
- Miss Talent
Miss World Talent is a talent or fast track competition in the Miss World pageant, in which a number of contestants show their abilities in singing, dancing, poetry, etc. Introduced in Miss World 2001, the winner of the event automatically makes it into the semifinals starting 2003.-Miss World...
(2003-present)
- Miss Sports
Miss World Sports or Sportswoman is a title and award given to the winner of a sports event at Miss World. It is a fast track or preliminary event, giving the winner automatically makes it into the semifinals. So far there are 5 Miss World Sports winners starting at 2003...
(2003-present)
- Beauty With A Purpose
Beauty With A Purpose is an event established in 2001 that is celebrated during the activities prior to the Miss World pageant. It awards the contestant with the most relevant and important charity project in her nation. Since 2005 the winner automatically makes the semifinals...
(2005-present)
- Top Model
The Miss World Top Model is a modeling fast track competition at the Miss World Pageant. The competition was first held in 2004, but not held in 2005-2006. It was also held from 2007 onwards. The winner of the competition automatically makes it into the semifinals.-Top Model Winners:...
(2004, 2007-present)
- People's Choice (2003)
- Personality (2003)
- Contestant's Choice (2004)
Criteria
Contestants must fulfill a number of entry requirements to participate in the national contests. These requirements vary from contry and can vary from a simple age criteria, or no criminal record, education, not haven giving birth, moral character to heigh, language and religion
Titleholders
-
- The following is a list of winners from 1999 to 2008. See List of Miss World titleholders for the full list of titleholders.
| Year |
Miss World |
Country |
Location |
| 2008 Miss World 2008, the 58th Miss World pageant was held at Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa on December 13, 2008. Originally, the pageant was going to take place in Kiev, Ukraine, but because of the ongoing crisis between Georgia and Russia in neighboring South Ossetia, the...
|
Ksenia Sukhinova Ksenia Vladimirovna Sukhinova is a Russian beauty queen who won the Miss Russia 2007 and Miss World 2008 pageants. She also appeared in all of the postcards that introduced every participating song in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest....
|
Russia |
Johannesburg Johannesburg also known as Jozi or Jo'burg, is the largest city in South Africa. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
|
2007Miss World 2007, the 57th Miss World pageant was held at the Crown of Beauty Theatre, Sanya, People's Republic of China on December 1, 2007. It was hosted by Fernando Allende and Angela Chow. Zhang Zilin of the People's Republic of China won the crown and succeeded Miss World 2006, Taťána Kuchařová...
|
Zhang Zilin Zhang Zilin , is the Miss World 2007 title holder, representing the People's Republic of China as Miss China World 2007. She is the first Miss World of East Asian origin.- Biography :...
|
China |
SanyaSanya is a city in southern Hainan province of China. It has a population of 536,000 as of 2006. After Haikou, the capital, it is the second most populous city of the island. Sanya is renowned for its tropical climate and has emerged as a popular tourist destination. It is also the focus city for...
, ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
|
2006Miss World 2006, the 56th Miss World pageant was held at Sala Kongresowa, the main 2,897-seat auditorium at the Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw, Poland on the September 30, 2006. It was the first time ever that the pageant was held in a European city other than London, United Kingdom, having...
|
Taťána Kuchařová Taťána Kuchařová won the title of Miss Czech Republic and Miss World 2006. In doing so, she became the first woman from the Czech Republic to win the title at the final event of the Miss World competition, held on September 30, 2006, in Warsaw, Poland.- Miss World experience :Kuchařová beat 103...
|
Czech Republic |
Warsaw Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River roughly from both the Baltic Sea coast and the Carpathian Mountains. Its population as of 2009 was estimated at 1,709,781, and the Warsaw metropolitan area at approximately 2,785,000...
, PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
|
2005Miss World 2005, the 55th Miss World pageant was held at the Crown of Beauty Theatre in Sanya, People's Republic of China on December 102005. Nine former Miss World titleholders and chairwoman of Miss World Organization Julia Morley judged the pageant. Miss World 2004 María Julia Mantilla of Peru...
|
Unnur Birna Vilhjálmsdóttir Unnur Birna Vilhjálmsdóttir is a former winner of the Miss Iceland pageant. She was crowned Miss World 2005 on December 10, 2005 in the Beauty Crown Theatre located in the Chinese beach city of Sanya, by the reigning beauty queen, 2004's Miss Peru Maju Mantilla.Mexico and Puerto Rico were the...
|
Iceland |
SanyaSanya is a city in southern Hainan province of China. It has a population of 536,000 as of 2006. After Haikou, the capital, it is the second most populous city of the island. Sanya is renowned for its tropical climate and has emerged as a popular tourist destination. It is also the focus city for...
, ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
|
2004Miss World 2004, the 54th Miss World pageant was held at the Crown of Beauty Theatre, Sanya, People's Republic of China on December 6, 2004. The 2004 pageant marks the second straight year that Sanya played host of the pageant. Miss World 2003, Rosanna Davison of Ireland crowned her successor María...
|
María Julia Mantilla María Julia “Maju” Mantilla García was born on the 10 July 1984 in Trujillo, a city in Peru's northern coast. On the 4 December 2004, in the Beauty Crown Theatre located in the Chinese beach city of Sanya, she was crowned Miss World 2004 by the last year's winner, Rosanna Davison of Ireland,...
|
Peru |
SanyaSanya is a city in southern Hainan province of China. It has a population of 536,000 as of 2006. After Haikou, the capital, it is the second most populous city of the island. Sanya is renowned for its tropical climate and has emerged as a popular tourist destination. It is also the focus city for...
, ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
|
2003Miss World 2003, the 53rd Miss World pageant was held at Crown of Beauty Theatre, Sanya, People's Republic of China on 6 December 2003. The pageant was presented by Phil Keoghan, Amanda Byram and Angela Chow. The contestants also visited Beijing, the national capital of People's Republic of China,...
|
Rosanna Davison Rosanna Diane Davison , is an Irish socialite and model, and was the winner of the Miss World 2003 title. She is the daughter of musician Chris De Burgh...
|
Ireland |
SanyaSanya is a city in southern Hainan province of China. It has a population of 536,000 as of 2006. After Haikou, the capital, it is the second most populous city of the island. Sanya is renowned for its tropical climate and has emerged as a popular tourist destination. It is also the focus city for...
, ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
|
2002Miss World 2002, the 52nd Miss World pageant was held on December 7, 2002 at Alexandra Palace, London, United Kingdom. The pageant was initially slated for Abuja, Nigeria but due to conflict in the city of Kaduna arising from a publication of an article in a Lagos based newspaper the pageant was...
|
Azra Akın Azra Akın is a Turkish model, who was crowned Miss World 2002 at the annual pageant held on December 7 2002 at Alexandra Palace in London, England, representing Turkey.- Biography :Azra Akin is a Turkish model....
|
Turkey |
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
|
2001Miss World 2001, the 51st Miss World pageant was held at the Super Bowl, in Sun City Entertainment Centre, Sun City, South Africa on November 16, 2001. Agbani Darego from Nigeria won the pageant, she became the first black African to win the Miss World crown. 93 contestants from all over the world...
|
Agbani Darego Ibiagbanidokibubo 'Agbani' Asenite Darego , is a Nigerian model, best known for being the first black African to be crowned Miss World in 2001.-Pre-Miss World:...
|
Nigeria |
Sun City Sun City is a luxury South African casino resort, situated in the North West Province of South Africa. It is located about two hours' drive from Johannesburg, near the city of Rustenburg. The complex borders the Pilanesberg National Park.- History :...
, South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
|
2000Miss World 2000, the 50th Miss World pageant, was held on 30 November, 2000 at the Millennium Dome in London, United Kingdom. The pageant's swimsuit segment was filmed in the Maldives....
|
Priyanka ChopraPriyanka Chopra is an Indian actress and former Miss World. Before starting her acting career, she worked as a model and gained fame after winning the Miss World title in 2000....
|
India |
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, UK |
1999The 49th Miss World pageant was held on 4 December 1999 at London's Olympia Hall. The pageant was hosted by Ulrika Jonsson and model Melanie Sykes. The 1999 pageant attracted 94 delegates from all over the world. The 1999 pageant also marked the first time that Scotland and Wales fielded their...
|
Yukta Mookhey Yukta Mookhey is an Indian model and actress. A native of Mulund, Mumbai, she was crowned Miss World in December 1999 at the Olympia theatre in London.-Biography:...
|
India |
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, UK |
Best Performances by Country
As of 2008:
| Titles |
Country |
| 5 |
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
, VenezuelaVenezuela , officially titled Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It is a continental mainland with numerous islands located off its coastline in the Caribbean Sea...
|
| 4 |
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
|
| 3 |
IcelandThe Republic of Iceland is a European island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km². Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, whose surrounding area is home to approximately two thirds of the national population...
, JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width, amounting to 11,100 km 2. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harboring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
|
| 2 |
ArgentinaArgentina, officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. It is the eighth largest country in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations, though Mexico,...
, AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
, AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...
, NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
, PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico...
, RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
, United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
|
| 1 |
BermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, it is situated around 1,770 kilometres northeast of Miami, Florida, and 1,350 kilometres south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada...
, BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
, ChinaThe People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately one-fifth of the world's population...
, Czech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a country in Central Europe that is sometimes considered to be Eastern European. The country borders Poland to the northeast, Germany to the west and northwest, Austria to the south and Slovakia to the east. The capital and largest city is Prague...
, Dominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are occupied by two countries...
, EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
, FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland , is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
, FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
, GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
, GreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula....
, GrenadaGrenada is an island country and sovereign state consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. Grenada is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela, and southwest of Saint Vincent and the...
, GuamGuam is an island in the western Pacific Ocean and is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. The island's capital is Hagåtña...
, IrelandIreland is a country in north-western Europe. The modern sovereign state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned on 3 May 1921. It is a parliamentary democracy and a republic...
, IsraelIsrael officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
, NigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Capital Territory. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger...
, PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Puerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is a self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands...
, Trinidad and TobagoThe Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying northeast of the South American country of Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. It shares maritime boundaries with other nations including Barbados to the northeast, Guyana to the...
,TurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia and Thrace in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe...
|
Best Performances by Continental Region
As of 2008:
| Continent |
Best Performance |
| Europe |
24 titles won by United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
(4), IcelandThe Republic of Iceland is a European island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km². Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, whose surrounding area is home to approximately two thirds of the national population...
and SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
(3), AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...
, NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
, RussiaRussia , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia . It is a semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and TurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia and Thrace in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe...
(2), Czech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a country in Central Europe that is sometimes considered to be Eastern European. The country borders Poland to the northeast, Germany to the west and northwest, Austria to the south and Slovakia to the east. The capital and largest city is Prague...
, FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland , is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
, FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
, GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
, GreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula....
, IrelandIreland is a country in north-western Europe. The modern sovereign state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned on 3 May 1921. It is a parliamentary democracy and a republic...
and PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
(1). |
| Americas |
13 titles won by VenezuelaVenezuela , officially titled Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It is a continental mainland with numerous islands located off its coastline in the Caribbean Sea...
(5), ArgentinaArgentina, officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. It is the eighth largest country in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations, though Mexico,...
, PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico...
and United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(2), BermudaBermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, it is situated around 1,770 kilometres northeast of Miami, Florida, and 1,350 kilometres south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada...
and BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
(1). |
| Asia-Pacific |
9 titles won by IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
(5), AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
(2), GuamGuam is an island in the western Pacific Ocean and is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. The island's capital is Hagåtña...
and ChinaThe People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately one-fifth of the world's population...
(1). |
| Caribbean |
8 titles won by JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width, amounting to 11,100 km 2. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harboring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
(3), Dominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are occupied by two countries...
, GrenadaGrenada is an island country and sovereign state consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. Grenada is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela, and southwest of Saint Vincent and the...
, Puerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is a self-governing unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands...
and Trinidad and TobagoThe Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying northeast of the South American country of Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. It shares maritime boundaries with other nations including Barbados to the northeast, Guyana to the...
(1). |
| Africa |
5 titles won by South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
(2), IsraelIsrael officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
, EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
and NigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Capital Territory. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger...
(1). |
Continental Queens of Beauty
The following is a list of Continental Queens of Beauty winners since the format was changed in 2005.
| Year |
Americas |
Africa |
Asia-Pacific |
Caribbean |
Northern Europe |
Southern Europe |
2005Miss World 2005, the 55th Miss World pageant was held at the Crown of Beauty Theatre in Sanya, People's Republic of China on December 102005. Nine former Miss World titleholders and chairwoman of Miss World Organization Julia Morley judged the pageant. Miss World 2004 María Julia Mantilla of Peru...
|
Mexico
Dafne MolinaDafne Molina Lona is a Mexican model who represented her country in the 55th Miss World Pageant, held in Sanya, China on December 10 2005.-Biography:...
|
Tanzania
Nancy SumariNancy Abraham Sumari was selected as Miss Tanzania 2005 and Miss World Africa for 2005.She was born in Arusha, Tanzania, in 1986 to Abraham Simango Sumari....
|
South Korea
Oh Eun-young |
Puerto Rico
Ingrid Marie Rivera |
Iceland
Unnur Birna VilhjálmsdóttirUnnur Birna Vilhjálmsdóttir is a former winner of the Miss Iceland pageant. She was crowned Miss World 2005 on December 10, 2005 in the Beauty Crown Theatre located in the Chinese beach city of Sanya, by the reigning beauty queen, 2004's Miss Peru Maju Mantilla.Mexico and Puerto Rico were the...
|
Italy
Sofia Bruscoli |
2006Miss World 2006, the 56th Miss World pageant was held at Sala Kongresowa, the main 2,897-seat auditorium at the Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw, Poland on the September 30, 2006. It was the first time ever that the pageant was held in a European city other than London, United Kingdom, having...
|
Brazil
Jane Borges |
Angola
Stiviandra OliveiraStiviandra Oliveira is an Angolan model and winner of Miss Angola 2006. She was also crowned Miss World Africa at the 2006 Miss World competition....
|
Australia
Sabrina HoussamiSabrina Houssami is a former Miss World Australia, as well as Miss World Asia Pacific and second 2nd runner up to Miss World 2006. She gained the national title although she did not officially win the national competition...
|
Jamaica
Sara LawrenceSara Lawrence was the representative for Jamaica in the Miss World 2006 beauty pageant. In March 2007, she relinquished the Miss Jamaica World title upon announcing her pregnancy, becoming the first winner in the Jamaican contest's 23-year-history to do so....
|
Czech Republic
Taťána KuchařováTaťána Kuchařová won the title of Miss Czech Republic and Miss World 2006. In doing so, she became the first woman from the Czech Republic to win the title at the final event of the Miss World competition, held on September 30, 2006, in Warsaw, Poland.- Miss World experience :Kuchařová beat 103...
|
Romania
Ioana Boitor |
2007Miss World 2007, the 57th Miss World pageant was held at the Crown of Beauty Theatre, Sanya, People's Republic of China on December 1, 2007. It was hosted by Fernando Allende and Angela Chow. Zhang Zilin of the People's Republic of China won the crown and succeeded Miss World 2006, Taťána Kuchařová...
|
Mexico
Carolina MoránCarolina Morán Gordillo is a Mexican model who represented her country in the 57th Miss World pageant, which took place on December 1 2007 in Sanya, China, where she placed as the second runner-up....
|
Angola
Micaela ReisMicaela Patrícia Reis is an Angolan model. She was born to an Angolan mother.Micaela's father died before her birth, she was raised by her mother and older siblings. She won the 2007 Miss Angola contest in December 2006 representing Angolans in Portugal.She finished in the top 10 at the 2007 Miss...
|
China
Zhang ZilinZhang Zilin , is the Miss World 2007 title holder, representing the People's Republic of China as Miss China World 2007. She is the first Miss World of East Asian origin.- Biography :...
|
Trinidad and Tobago
Valene MaharajValene Maharaj was the Miss Trinidad and Tobago World 2007 title holder, and Miss World of the Caribbean for 2007. She has been active in the fashion business since she was sixteen years old. Her modelling career started when she won the Caribbean Model Search, which took her to Jamaica in 2003...
|
Sweden
Annie OlivAnnie Oliv, born in October 12, 1987, in Jönköping, Sweden, is a Swedish beauty queen and model that was a Top 5 Finalist, alongside Angola, China, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago in the 57th Miss World 2007 edition, held in Sanya, People's Republic of China....
(as Europe) |
| 2008 Miss World 2008, the 58th Miss World pageant was held at Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa on December 13, 2008. Originally, the pageant was going to take place in Kiev, Ukraine, but because of the ongoing crisis between Georgia and Russia in neighboring South Ossetia, the...
|
Venezuela
Hannelly QuinteroHannelly Zulami Quintero Ledezma is a Venezuelan Fashion model, TV Host and former Miss World Venezuela 2007 and Miss Intercontinental 2009. She competed in the Miss World 2008 beauty pageant, in December 13 in Johannesburg, South Africa, and classified in Top 15 semifinalists. Quintero also won...
|
Angola
Brigith dos SantosBrigith da Conceição Francisco dos Santos is a beauty queen who is representing Angola in Miss World 2008 in South Africa. She just finished highschool and she is going to study Petroleum Engineering.-External links:* *...
|
India
Parvathy OmanakuttanParvathy Omanakuttan was crowned Miss India World in 2008 and later became first Runner-Up at the Miss World 2008 competition.-Biography:Parvathy was born on 13 March 1987 at Kottayam, Kerala as the first child of Mr. Omanakkuttan....
|
Trinidad and Tobago
Gabrielle WalcottGabrielle “Gabby” Walcott was the winner of the Miss Trinidad and Tobago World 2008 and placed as the 2nd runner-up at the 2008 Miss World pageant. On Monday, September 28th, 2009 Gabrielle crowned her successor Ashanna Arthur as Miss Trinidad and Tobago World 2009, at Queens Hall, Port of Spain...
|
Russia
Ksenia SukhinovaKsenia Vladimirovna Sukhinova is a Russian beauty queen who won the Miss Russia 2007 and Miss World 2008 pageants. She also appeared in all of the postcards that introduced every participating song in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest....
(as Europe) |
Queens of Beauty Titles
As of 2008:
| Continent |
Best Performance |
| Queens of Beauty Northern Europe |
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
(3) |
| Queens of Beauty Southern Europe |
CroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a country in southeast Europe, at the crossroads of the Pannonian Plain, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean Sea. Its capital is Zagreb...
and TurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia and Thrace in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe...
(3) |
| Queens of Beauty Americas |
VenezuelaVenezuela , officially titled Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It is a continental mainland with numerous islands located off its coastline in the Caribbean Sea...
(11) |
| Queens of Beauty Asia-Pacific |
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
(8) or IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
(6) |
| Queens of Beauty Caribbean |
JamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width, amounting to 11,100 km 2. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harboring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
(8) |
| Queens of Beauty Africa |
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
(9) |
Remark: 6 in 8 titles of Australia as
Oceania (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1988, 1989) and only 2 latest titles as Asia Pacific (2006) or Asia & Oceania (1991). Read
this article for more details about the disputes between Australia and India.
Hosts and Invited Artists
-
- The following is a list of finals hosts and invited artists of the previous ten years. See List of Miss World hosts and invited artists for the full list of hosts and invited artists.
| Year |
Hosts |
Invited Artists |
2007Miss World 2007, the 57th Miss World pageant was held at the Crown of Beauty Theatre, Sanya, People's Republic of China on December 1, 2007. It was hosted by Fernando Allende and Angela Chow. Zhang Zilin of the People's Republic of China won the crown and succeeded Miss World 2006, Taťána Kuchařová...
|
Angela ChowAngela Chow is a Canadian-raised ethnic Chinese actress and presenter known for hosting Miss World 2003 until Miss World 2008 as well as currently having her own talk shows Good Morning China and Du Bao Magazine Critique....
and Fernando AllendeFernando Allende is a Mexican singer, actor, painter, film producer, and film director. Allende began singing in 1959, at the age of seven.-Private life:...
|
Duncan James Duncan Matthew James Inglis is an English singer, actor and television presenter, of the popular UK boy band Blue.-Biography:...
, Haikou Artistic GroupHaikou , situated at the north of Hainan island, is the capital of Hainan Province of the People's Republic of China and has an estimated population of 830,192 , therefore by far the largest city on the island....
& The South African Mvezo ChoirMvezo is a small village on the banks of the Mbashe river in the District of Umtata, the capital of the Transkei, an area in the South Eastern area of South Africa. Former South African president Nelson Mandela was born here. This area is not very big and is very dangerous....
|
2006Miss World 2006, the 56th Miss World pageant was held at Sala Kongresowa, the main 2,897-seat auditorium at the Palace of Culture and Science, Warsaw, Poland on the September 30, 2006. It was the first time ever that the pageant was held in a European city other than London, United Kingdom, having...
|
Tim Vincent Tim Vincent is a Welsh actor and television presenter who was a presenter on the popular children's programme Blue Peter between 1993 and 1997...
, Angela Chow, and Grażyna Torbicka |
Westlife Westlife is an Irish boy band formed on July 3, 1998.The group's original lineup comprised Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan and Brian McFadden...
, Robin GibbRobin Hugh Gibb CBE is a singer and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the singing/songwriting trio the Bee Gees, cofounded with his twin brother Maurice Gibb , and elder brother Barry....
, and AmiciAmici may refer to:*The plural of "amicus" in Latin and is the plural of "amico" in Italian.*Amicus curiae.*"Amici Principis", another term for cohors amicorum....
|
2005Miss World 2005, the 55th Miss World pageant was held at the Crown of Beauty Theatre in Sanya, People's Republic of China on December 102005. Nine former Miss World titleholders and chairwoman of Miss World Organization Julia Morley judged the pageant. Miss World 2004 María Julia Mantilla of Peru...
|
Tim Vincent and Angela Chow |
Alexander O’Neal |
2004Miss World 2004, the 54th Miss World pageant was held at the Crown of Beauty Theatre, Sanya, People's Republic of China on December 6, 2004. The 2004 pageant marks the second straight year that Sanya played host of the pageant. Miss World 2003, Rosanna Davison of Ireland crowned her successor María...
|
Troy McClain, Angela Chow and Lisa Snowdon Lisa Snowdon is an English model and television personality. She has been the host of the reality television show Britain's Next Top Model, since 2006, and is known for having dated George Clooney. She has also worked as a radio host, presenting the breakfast show on the London station 95.8...
|
Lionel Richie Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, record producer who has sold more than 100 million records.- Early years :...
and Il DivoIl Divo, is a multinational operatic pop vocal group created by music manager, executive, and reality TV star Simon Cowell. Formed in the United Kingdom, they are also signed to Cowell's record label, Syco music...
|
2003Miss World 2003, the 53rd Miss World pageant was held at Crown of Beauty Theatre, Sanya, People's Republic of China on 6 December 2003. The pageant was presented by Phil Keoghan, Amanda Byram and Angela Chow. The contestants also visited Beijing, the national capital of People's Republic of China,...
|
Phil Keoghan Philip John "Phil" Keoghan is a New Zealand-born television personality, best known for hosting the US version of The Amazing Race on CBS, since its 2001 debut....
, Amanda ByramAmanda Byram is an Irish television personality, originally from Castleknock in Dublin, Ireland.Formerly a model, she started her career on television in 1999 presenting the TV3 morning show Ireland AM with Mark Cagney, during which time she met her then boyfriend comedian Patrick Kielty.Soon...
and Angela ChowAngela Chow is a Canadian-raised ethnic Chinese actress and presenter known for hosting Miss World 2003 until Miss World 2008 as well as currently having her own talk shows Good Morning China and Du Bao Magazine Critique....
|
Luis Fonsi Luis Alfonso Rodríguez López-Cepero, more commonly known as Luis Fonsi, is a Puerto Rican singer, composer and soap opera actor.- Biography:...
and Bryan FerryBryan Ferry is an English singer, musician, songwriter and occasional actor known for a suave visual and vocal style, earning him the epithet 'The Electric Lounge Lizard'...
|
2002Miss World 2002, the 52nd Miss World pageant was held on December 7, 2002 at Alexandra Palace, London, United Kingdom. The pageant was initially slated for Abuja, Nigeria but due to conflict in the city of Kaduna arising from a publication of an article in a Lagos based newspaper the pageant was...
|
Sean KananSean Kanan is the stage name of Sean Perelman , an American actor.-Early life:He was born in Cleveland, Ohio and was raised in New Castle, Pennsylvania before attending Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania, Boston University and UCLA where he earned a degree in political science.-Career:Kanan...
and Claire Elizabeth SmithClaire Elizabeth Smith was Miss United Kingdom in 1992. She went on to the 1992 Miss World pageant in Sun City, South Africa, but lost by one point to Miss Russia, Julia Kourotchkina. A subsequent television documentary called 'Whicker's Miss World' revealed that none of the judges understood why...
|
ChayanneElmer Figueroa Arce , best known under the stage name Chayanne, is a Puerto Rican Latin pop singer.-Early life:Elmer Figueroa Arce was born in Rio Piedras, a suburb of San Juan, to Quintino Figueroa, a sales manager, and Irma Luz Arce, a teacher. When he was still a baby, his family moved to San...
and BBMakBBMak were an English pop group consisting of Mark Barry, Christian Burns and Stephen McNally. Together they sold nearly three million albums and spawned six Top 10 and Top 40 singles worldwide between 1999 when the group was formed and 2003 when they eventually disbanded...
|
2001Miss World 2001, the 51st Miss World pageant was held at the Super Bowl, in Sun City Entertainment Centre, Sun City, South Africa on November 16, 2001. Agbani Darego from Nigeria won the pageant, she became the first black African to win the Miss World crown. 93 contestants from all over the world...
|
Jerry SpringerGerald Norman "Jerry" Springer is an English/American television personality, best known as host of the tabloid talk show The Jerry Springer Show since its debut in 1991. He is a former Democratic mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, and a musician.-Early life:Springer was born in Highgate tube station in...
and Claire Elizabeth Smith |
Umoja Umoja may refer to:* Umoja, Nairobi, a Suburb in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya* Umoja, Kenya, an all-female village founded on the principles of women's rights.* The MV Umoja, a ferry on Lake Victoria, East Africa...
|
2000Miss World 2000, the 50th Miss World pageant, was held on 30 November, 2000 at the Millennium Dome in London, United Kingdom. The pageant's swimsuit segment was filmed in the Maldives....
|
Jerry Springer and Rebecca de Alba Rebeca de Alba is a Mexican model and TV presenter. She dated Mexican actor Guillermo Capetillo and Mexican singer Leonardo de Lozanne.Latin Superstar Luis Miguel...
|
Bond Bond is an Australian/British string quartet that specialises in classical crossover music...
and S Club 7 |
1999The 49th Miss World pageant was held on 4 December 1999 at London's Olympia Hall. The pageant was hosted by Ulrika Jonsson and model Melanie Sykes. The 1999 pageant attracted 94 delegates from all over the world. The 1999 pageant also marked the first time that Scotland and Wales fielded their...
|
Ulrika Jonsson Eva Ulrika Jonsson is a Swedish born television presenter, who became famous as the presenter of 'Gladiators' and as part of the show 'Shooting Stars' which returned for a new series in August 2009 on BBC 2.-Early life:...
and Melanie SykesMelanie Sykes is an English television presenter and model.-Career:Melanie Sykes was born to an English father, and an Anglo-Indian Mother....
|
Westlife, Robert Palmer and Enrique IglesiasEnrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler , better known as Enrique Iglesias, is a Spanish singer, songwriter and actor....
|
Pageant Controversies
The Miss World pageant has been the target of many controversies since its inception.
- In 1970, feminist protesters threw flour bombs during the live event at London's Royal Albert Hall, momentarily scaring the host, Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG was an American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO tours entertaining American military personnel...
.
- In 1973, Marjorie Wallace
Marjorie Wallace was a United States model later turned television presenter, and the first American to win the Miss World contest.Wallace was born in Indianapolis, Indiana...
, the first American to win the title was forced to relinquish the title 104 days into her reign. Pageant officials stated that Ms. Wallace "had failed to fulfill the basic requirements of the job." The responsibilities and duties not the title have been offered to the 1st runner-up and was turned down by Evangeline Pascual of the Philippines.
- The 1974 winner Helen Morgan
Helen Morgan , is a Welsh model, and the 1974 winner of the Miss United Kingdom and Miss World pageants. Morgan became the first winner to resign, and the second not to finish her reign as Miss World.-Biography:...
representing the United Kingdom was forced to resign four days later after it was discovered she was a single motherA single parent is a parent who cares for one or more children without the assistance of another parent in the home. "Single parenthood" may vary according to the local laws of different nations or regions....
.
- In 1976, several countries went on a boycott
A boycott is a form of consumer activism involving the act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons.-Etymology:...
, because the pageant included both a Caucasian and African representative for South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
. In yet another shut-out for the nation for its apartheid policy, South Africa competed for the last time in 1977, before it was welcomed back in 1991 as that policy disintegrated.
- The 1980 winner Gabriella Brum
Gabriella Brum won the 1980 Miss World beauty pageant and resigned one day later. She stated that this was because of the pressure from the news media though there were also allegations that she had posed nude in a magazine. She later posed in Playboy and modeled in Los Angeles for a few years....
of Germany resigned one day after winning, initially claiming her boyfriend disapproved. A few days later it emerged that she had been forced to resign after it was discovered that she posed naked for a magazine.
- In 1996, wide-scale protests took place in Bangalore
Bangalore , also known as Bengaḷūru , is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and fifth-most populous urban agglomeration.Though historical references to the city predate 900...
, India over the hosting of the beauty contest. The swimsuit shootings were moved to Seychelles, and heavy security was placed. Despite the chaos, the pageant's live telecast went on smoothly.
- Just days after her 1998 crowning, Israel's Linor Abargil
Linor Abargil is an Israeli model, who was the winner of the Miss World beauty pageant in 1998, after she had been crowned Miss Israel....
revealed that she had been raped only two months before the pageant. The man accused of raping her was later convicted.
The 2002 Nigeria Contest
In the year leading up the finals in Nigeria, several European title holders lobbied their governments and the EU parliament to support
AminaAmina Lawal Kurami is a Nigerian woman. In March 2002, an Islamic Sharia court sentenced her to death by stoning for adultery for conceiving a child out of wedlock. The father of the child was not prosecuted for lack of evidence.Her conviction was overturned and she has since remarried...
's cause. A number of contestants followed the lead of
Kathrine SørlandKathrine Sørland is a Norwegian fashion model, TV presenter and beauty queen who has competed in the Miss World and Miss Universe beauty pageants.-Beauty pageants:...
of
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
in boycotting the contest (despite the controversy Sørland would go on to become a semifinalist in both the Miss World and Miss Universe contest), while others such as
Costa RicaCosta Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the east and south, the Pacific Ocean to the west and south and the Caribbean Sea to the east.Costa Rica, which translates literally as "Rich Coast", constitutionally...
were instructed by their national governments and parliaments not to attend the contest. Among the other boycotting nations were
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
,
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
,
SwitzerlandSwitzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 states named cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities...
,
PanamaPanama, officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of both Central America and, in turn, North America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the...
,
BelgiumThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
and
KenyaThe Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean, at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Ethiopia , Somalia , Tanzania , Uganda plus Lake Victoria , and Sudan . The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya spans an area about 85% the size of France or Texas...
. There was further controversy over the possibly suspended participation of
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
and
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
, which may or may not have been due to the boycott. For her part, Lawal asked that contestants not suspend their participation in the contest, saying that it was for the good of her country and that they could, as the representative of
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
had earlier remarked, make a much stronger case for her on the ground in Nigeria.
Despite the increasing international profile the boycott was garnering in the world press, the contest went ahead in Nigeria after being rescheduled to avoid taking place during Ramadan, with many prominent nations sending delegates. Osmel Sousa of
VenezuelaVenezuela , officially titled Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It is a continental mainland with numerous islands located off its coastline in the Caribbean Sea...
, one of the world's most influential national directors, famously said "there is no question about it (the participation of Miss Venezuela in the contest). "The trouble did not end there, however. A
ThisDay (
Lagos Lagos is the most populous conurbation in Nigeria with 7,937,932 inhabitants at the 2006 census...
,
NigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Capital Territory. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger...
) newspaper editorial suggesting that
MuhammadMuhammad ibn ‘Abdullāh , is the founder of the religion of Islam [ إِسْلامْ ] and is regarded by Muslims as a messenger and prophet of , the last and the greatest law-bearer in a series of Islamic prophets as taught by the...
, would probably have chosen one of his wives from among the contestants had he been alive to see it, resulted in inter-religious riots that started on November 22 in which over 200 people were killed in the city of Kaduna, along with many houses of worship being burned by religious zealots. Because of these riots, the 2002 pageant was moved to
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, following widely circulated reports that the representatives of
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and
KoreaKorea is a civilization and formerly unified nation currently divided into two states. Located on the Korean Peninsula, it borders China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the east by the Korea Strait....
had withdrawn from the contest and returned to their respective countries out of safety concerns. A
fatwaA fatwā , in the Islamic faith is a religious opinion concerning Islamic law issued by an Islamic scholar. In Sunni Islam any fatwa is non-binding, whereas in Shia Islam it could be binding, depending on the status of the scholar...
urging the beheading of the woman who wrote the offending words,
Isioma DanielIsioma Nkemdilim Nkiruka Daniel is a Nigerian journalist whose 2002 newspaper article comment involving the Islamic prophet Muhammad sparked major religious riots and caused a fatwa to be issued on her life.-The 2002 Nigeria riots:...
, was issued in Nigeria, but was declared null and void by the relevant Saudi Arabian authorities. Upon the pageant's return to England, many of the boycotting contestants chose to attend, including Miss Norway, Kathrine Sørland, who was ironically tipped in the last few days as the number one favorite for the crown she had previously boycotted.
The eventual winner of the pageant was
Azra AkınAzra Akın is a Turkish model, who was crowned Miss World 2002 at the annual pageant held on December 7 2002 at Alexandra Palace in London, England, representing Turkey.- Biography :Azra Akin is a Turkish model....
of
TurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey
, is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia and Thrace in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe...
, the first predominantly Muslim country to hold the title since
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
in 1954..
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