Miss World is the oldest existing international

beauty pageant A beauty pageant is a competition that has traditionally focused on judging and ranking the physical attributes of the contestants. Pageants have now evolved to include inner beauty, with criteria covering judging of personality, intelligence, ...

. It was created in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

Eric Morley Eric Douglas Morley (26 September 1918 – 9 November 2000) was a British TV host and the founder of the Miss World pageant and ''Come Dancing'' TV programme. His wife, Julia Morley, is now head of the pageant and his son Steve Douglas is one o ...

in 1951. Since his death in 2000, Morley's widow,

Julia Morley Julia Evelyn Morley (née Pritchard; born 25 October 1939) is a British businesswoman, charity worker, and former model. She is the chairman and CEO of the Miss World Organization, which organizes the Miss World and Mister World. She is the wi ...

, has co-chaired the pageant. Along with

Miss Universe Miss Universe is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by a United States and Thailand based Miss Universe Organization.Natalie Tadena (July 2, 2015"Donald Trump's Miss USA Pageant Lands on Reelz Cable Channel". ''The Wall St ...

Miss International Miss International (''Miss International Beauty'' or ''The International Beauty Pageant'') is a Japan-based international beauty pageant organized by the International Culture Association. First held in 1960, it is the fourth largest pageant i ...

, and

Miss Earth Miss Earth is an annual international major beauty pageant based in the Philippines that advocates for environmental awareness, conservation and social responsibility. Along with Miss World, Miss Universe, and Miss International, it is on ...

, it is one of the Big Four international beauty pageants. The current Miss World is

Karolina Bielawska Karolina Bielawska (born 11 April 1999) is a Polish model, television presenter, and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World 2021. She became the second titleholder from Poland, the first one being Aneta Kręglicka who won the pageant in 1989. ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

, who was crowned by

Toni-Ann Singh Toni-Ann Singh (born February 1996) is a Jamaican beauty queen who won Miss World 2019. She was previously crowned Miss Jamaica World 2019 and is the fourth woman from Jamaica to win Miss World. She is also the longest-reigning Miss World in th ...

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispa ...

on March 16, 2022, in

San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John, may refer to: Places Argentina * San Juan Province, Argentina * San Juan, Argentina, the capital of that province * San Juan, Salta, a village in Iruya, Salta Province * San Juan (Buenos Aires Underground), ...

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...

History

20th century

In 1951,

organised a bikini contest as part of the

Festival of Britain The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition and fair that reached millions of visitors throughout the United Kingdom in the summer of 1951. Historian Kenneth O. Morgan says the Festival was a "triumphant success" during which people: ...

celebrations that he called the Festival Bikini Contest. The event was popular with the press, which dubbed it "Miss World". The swimsuit competition was intended as a promotion for the bikini, which had only recently been introduced to the market and was still widely regarded as immodest. When the 1951 Miss World pageant winner, Kerstin "Kiki" Hakansson from

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...

, was crowned in a bikini, it added to the controversy. The pageant was originally planned as a Pageant for the Festival of Britain, but Morley decided to make the Miss World pageant annual. He registered the "Miss World" name as a trademark, and all future pageants were held under that name. But because of the controversy arising from Håkansson's crowning in a bikini, countries with religious traditions threatened not to send delegates to future events, and the bikini was condemned by

the Pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

. Objection to the bikini led to its replacement in all future pageants with more modest swimwear, and from 1976 swimsuits were replaced by evening gowns for the crowning. Håkansson remains the only Miss World crowned in a bikini. In Miss World 2013 all participants wore a one-piece swimsuit plus a traditional

sarong A sarong or sarung () is a large tube or length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist, worn in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Western Asia, Northern Africa, East Africa, West Africa, and on many Pacific islands. The fabric often has woven plaid ...

below the waist as a compromise with local culture. Morley announced the Miss World winners in the order No. 3, No. 2 and No. 1. This was intended to keep the tension up, and avoid the anticlimax if Nos. 2 and 3 are announced after the winner. In 1959, the BBC began to broadcast the pageant. Its popularity grew with the advent of television. During the 1960s and 1970s, Miss World was among the most watched programs of the year on British television. In 1970, the contest in London was disrupted by women's liberation protesters armed with flour bombs, stink bombs, and water pistols loaded with ink. The 1970 contest was also controversial when

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...

sent two contestants (one black and one white). Henceforth, South Africa was banned from the contest until

apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

was abolished. More than 18 million people watched the pageant at its peak during the late 1970s and early 1980s. In the 1980s, the pageant repositioned itself with the slogan "Beauty With a Purpose", with added tests of

intelligence Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. More generally, it can ...

and

personality Personality is the characteristic sets of behaviors, cognitions, and emotional patterns that are formed from biological and environmental factors, and which change over time. While there is no generally agreed-upon definition of personality, ...

. In 1984,

BBC1 BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...

controller Michael Grade announced that the corporation would cease to broadcast beauty pageants the next January, after it had shown

Miss Great Britain Miss Great Britain is Britain's longest running beauty contest held annually in Britain since 1945. Owner and CEO John Singh made history crowning his first winner and to this date only the first black Miss Great Britain 1996. Singer and dancer A ...

, saying, "I believe these contests no longer merit national air time." He added, "They are an anachronism in this day and age of equality and verging on the offensive.'' Thames Television broadcast Miss World between 1980 and 1988, when ITV dropped it. During the early 1990s, mainstream television broadcasts of the event declined in popularity after it became "increasingly unfashionable" in the late 1980s. The pageant returned on satellite channel Sky One in 1997, before moving to Channel 5 for three years (1998–2000). Eric Morley died in 2000, and his wife, Julia, succeeded him as chair of the Miss World organisation.

21st century

The first black African Miss World winner,

Agbani Darego Chief Ibiagbanidokibubo Asenite 'Agbani' Darego, MFR (born 22 December 1982) is a Nigerian model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World in 2001. She was the first black African to win Miss World. Early life Abonnema-native Darego was bor ...

of Nigeria, was crowned in 2001. As part of its marketing strategy, Miss World came up with a "Vote For Me" television special during that edition, featuring the delegates behind the scenes and on the beach, and allowing viewers to phone in or vote online for their favourites. It also sells broadcasters its Talent, Beach Beauty and Sports events as television specials. ITV broadcast the 2001 pageant from South Africa on digital channel ITV2, with the special airing a week earlier on the main ITV channel. In 2002, the pageant was slated to host its final in

Abuja Abuja () is the capital and eighth most populous city of Nigeria. Situated at the centre of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is a planned city built mainly in the 1980s based on a master plan by International Plan ...

, Nigeria. This choice was controversial, as a northern Nigerian woman, Amina Lawal, was awaiting death by stoning for

adultery Adultery (from Latin ''adulterium'') is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal ...

under Sharia law there, but Miss World used the publicity surrounding its presence to bring greater global awareness and action to Lawal's plight. No British channel agreed to broadcast the event, and there were objections to the contest. Former Miss World Aishwarya Rai attended the

Miss World 2014 Miss World 2014, the 64th edition of the Miss World pageant, was held on 14 December 2014 at the ExCeL London in London, United Kingdom. 121 contestants competed for the crown. Megan Young of the Philippines crowned her successor Rolene Strau ...

ceremony with her husband

Abhishek Bachchan Abhishek Bachchan (born 5 February 1976) is an Indian actor and film producer known for his work in Hindi films. Part of the Bachchan family, he is the son of actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan and the grandson of poet Harivansh Rai Bach ...

, daughter Aaradhya and mother Brinda Rai. The pageant has been broadcast on local TV channel London Live since 2014.

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 organisation has raised more than £1 billion for children's charities that help disabled and underprivileged children. Miss World is

franchised Franchise may refer to: Business and law * Franchising, a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business to franchisees * Franchise, a privilege to operate a type of business such as a cable television ...

in more than 100 countries.

1970s–1990s

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 The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...

, momentarily alarming the host,

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with ...

. * The

1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: ...

winner,

Marjorie Wallace Marjorie Wallace (born January 23, 1954) is an American actress, television host, model and beauty queen. In 1973, she made history as the first woman from the United States to be crowned Miss World, but just 104 days later, pageant officials a ...

, was stripped of her title on 8 March 1974 because she had failed to fulfill the basic requirements of the job. Miss World's organizers did not elect someone to serve in her place. * In

1976 Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 ...

, several countries boycotted the pageant because it included both a Caucasian and an African contestant from South Africa. South Africa competed for the last time in 1977, before returning in 1991 as

disintegrated. * The

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC. * January 9 – In ...

winner,

Gabriella Brum Gabriella Brum (born 1962) is a German-British former model and beauty queen who won the 1980 Miss World and resigned 18 hours later, initially claiming her boyfriend disapproved. She stated that this was because of the pressure from the news me ...

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 had posed naked for a magazine.

Nigeria 2002

In the year leading up the finals in Nigeria, several European title holders lobbied their governments and the EU parliament to support Amina Lawal's cause. A number of contestants followed the lead of Kathrine Sørland of Norway in boycotting the contest (despite the controversy, Sørland became a semifinalist in both the Miss World and Miss Universe contests), while others, such as Costa Rica, were instructed by their national governments and parliaments not to attend. Among the other boycotting nations were Denmark, Spain, Switzerland, Panama, Belgium and Kenya. There was further controversy over the possibly suspended participation of France and South Africa, which might or might not have been due to the boycott. 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 Sweden 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 proceeded in Nigeria after being rescheduled to avoid taking place during Ramadan, with many prominent nations sending delegates. Osmel Sousa of Venezuela, one of the world's most influential national directors, said, "there is no question about it he participation of Miss Venezuela in the contest" But the trouble did not end there. A ''ThisDay'' (

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...

, Nigeria) newspaper editorial suggesting that

Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mon ...

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 22 November in which over 200 people were killed in the city of

Kaduna Kaduna is the capital city of Kaduna State, and the former political capital of Northern Nigeria. It is located in north-western Nigeria, on the Kaduna River. It is a trade Centre and a major transportation hub as the gateway to northern Nige ...

and many houses of worship were burned by religious zealots. Because of these riots, the 2002 pageant was moved to London, following widely circulated reports that Canada's and Korea's representatives had withdrawn from the contest and returned to their respective countries out of safety concerns. A

fatwa A fatwā ( ; ar, فتوى; plural ''fatāwā'' ) is a legal ruling on a point of Islamic law (''sharia'') given by a qualified '' Faqih'' (Islamic jurist) in response to a question posed by a private individual, judge or government. A jurist ...

urging the beheading of the woman who wrote the offending words,

Isioma Daniel Isioma Nkemdilim Nkiruka Daniel (born 1981) is a Nigerian journalist whose 2002 newspaper article comment involving the Islamic prophet Muhammad sparked the Miss World riots and caused a fatwa to be issued on her life. She ultimately had to flee t ...

, was issued in Nigeria, but was declared null and void by the relevant Saudi Arabian authorities. Upon the pageant's return to Britain, many of the boycotting contestants chose to attend, including Miss Norway, Kathrine Sørland, who was ironically tipped in the last few days as the favourite for the crown she had previously boycotted. The eventual winner of the pageant was

Azra Akın Azra Akın (born 8 December 1981) is a Turkish-Dutch actress, dancer, model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World 2002 in London on December 7, 2002. Biography Akın was born in Almelo, Netherlands, to Turkish parents. Her father (Nazı ...

of Turkey, the first predominantly Muslim country to hold the title since Egypt in 1954.

Indonesia 2013

In Miss World 2013, protests by Islamic groups began a few weeks before the contest began, resulting in the pageant's finale and all pre-pageant activities being isolated to Hindu-majority

Bali Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and ...

China 2015

Anastasia Lin Anastasia Lin (born January 1, 1990) is a Chinese-Canadian actress, model, beauty pageant titleholder, human rights advocate, and Falun Gong practitioner. Lin won the Miss World Canada title in 2015 and was to represent Canada at Miss World ...

Miss World Canada The Miss World Canada contest is a Beauty pageant held annually in different incarnations since 1957 to select Canada's representative to the Miss World contest. In 2017 MTC-W Inc. obtained the exclusive rights to send the Canadian representati ...

, was not given a visa to travel in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...

and hence missed the official deadline of 20 November 2015 for entry to the 2015 pageant, and was declared ''

persona non grata In diplomacy, a ' (Latin: "person not welcome", plural: ') is a status applied by a host country to foreign diplomats to remove their protection of diplomatic immunity from arrest and other types of prosecution. Diplomacy Under Article 9 of the ...

'' by the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa for openly criticizing China's human rights violations. The Miss World Organization later allowed her to compete at Miss World 2016.

Thailand 2020 and cancellation

After the 2019 pageant, the organization chose Thailand as the host country of Miss World 2020, to be held in

Phuket Phuket (; th, ภูเก็ต, , ms, Bukit or ''Tongkah''; Hokkien:普吉; ) is one of the southern provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. It consists of the island of Phuket, the country's largest island, and another 32 smaller islands o ...

. But due to the spread of

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...

, most national organizations and the Miss World organization agreed to cancel the 2020 pageant to assure the delegates' safety.

Puerto Rico 2021 and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

The edition was originally scheduled for the end of 2020 but postponed indefinitely due to the global

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

. On March 8, 2021, the date was set for December 16, 2021. The threat of the Omicron variant had already been detected in some parts of the world during the pre-pageant activities, as the disease started swept across the island. On December 14, Miss World Indonesia Carla Yules tested positive for COVID-19. As a precaution, her roommate Miss World India Manasa Varanasi and five others were classified as suspected cases. Miss World Organization chair

confirmed that the delegates were isolated and quarantined and would not be onstage for the final show if they did not produce a negative PCR test. On December 15, the

Puerto Rico Department of Health The Puerto Rico Department of Health (PRDOH) is one of the Cabinet-level agencies directly created by Article 4, Section 6 of the Constitution of Puerto Rico. It is headed by a Secretary of Health, appointed by the Governor of Puerto Rico and req ...

confirmed 17 positive cases for COVID-19 related to the Miss World pageant activities, including contestants and technical personnel. On December 16, it was announced that Miss World Malaysia Lavanya Sivaji had tested positive for COVID-19. She was required to be isolated for 10 days and not permitted onstage during the finals. The finale, originally slated for December 16, was postponed. During a December 16 Puerto Rico Department of Health press conference, epidemiologist Melissa Marzán confirmed 15 staff and 23 contestant positive cases associated with Miss World. She added that pageant organizers, not the island's authorities, decided to postpone. The rescheduled 70th Miss World pageant took place on March 16, 2022, at

José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum The Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot (English: ''José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum of Puerto Rico'') is the biggest indoor arena in Puerto Rico dedicated to entertainment. It is located at the Golden Mile of San Juan, the island capital ...

Recent titleholders

Winners gallery

Karolina Bielawska P3202042 (52230263929).jpg, Miss World 2021

File:Toni Ann-Singh Miss World 2019.jpg, Miss World 2019

File:Miss Mexico, Vanessa Ponce in 2018.jpg, Miss World 2018

Vanessa Ponce Silvia Vanessa Ponce de León Sánchez (born 7 March 1992), known simply as Vanessa Ponce, is a Mexican model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World 2018. She is the first Mexican to be crowned as Miss World. In the history of the Miss Wor ...

File:Manushi Chhillar at a press conference, 2017.jpg, Miss World 2017

Manushi Chhillar Manushi Chhillar (born 14 May 1997) is an Indian actress and model, who was the winner of the Miss World 2017 pageant. She represented her state of Haryana at the Femina Miss India 2017 pageant, which she won, and went on to become the sixth r ...

File:Miss World 2016 (cropped).jpg, Miss World 2016

Stephanie Del Valle Stephanie Del Valle Díaz (born December 30, 1996) is a Puerto Rican musician, model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World 2016. She is the second woman from Puerto Rico to win the Miss World title, after Wilnelia Merced in 1975. She pr ...

File:Mireia Lalaguna (48520628511) (cropped).jpg, Miss World 2015

Mireia Lalaguna Mireia Lalaguna Royo (born 21 November 1992) is a Spanish model, actress and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World 2015. She was previously crowned Miss World Spain 2015, becoming the first woman from Spain to win Miss World. Early life and ...

File:Rolene Strauss at the annual Citron Polo event, 2018.jpg, Miss World 2014
Rolene Strauss
File:Miss World 2013 Megan Young (cropped).jpg, Miss World 2013

Megan Young Megan Lynne Young (born February 27, 1990) is a Filipino-American actress, model, television presenter and beauty queen who won the Miss World Philippines 2013 title and was later crowned as Miss World 2013. She is the first Filipina to win t ...

File:Yu Wenxia in Mumbai Airport.jpg, Miss World 2012
Yu Wenxia
File:Ivian sar. (cropped).jpg, Miss World 2011
Ivian Sarcos
File:Alexandria Mills at Robley Rex VAMC.jpg, Miss World 2010

Alexandria Mills Alexandria Nichole Mills (born February 26, 1992) is an American model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World 2010 on October 30, 2010, in Sanya, China. Mills is the third woman from the United States to win Miss World. Early life Mills, ...

File:Freedom of the City - Kaiane Aldorino - September 2011 (cropped).jpg, Miss World 2009

Kaiane Aldorino Kaiane Loise Aldorino Lopez, GMH (née Aldorino; born 8 July 1986) is a Gibraltarian politician, former Mayor of Gibraltar and beauty queen who won Miss World 2009. From 2017 to 2019, she held the ceremonial position of Mayor of Gibraltar, af ...

File:MissWorld 2008 (cropped).jpg, Miss World 2008

Ksenia Sukhinova Ksenia Vladimirovna Sukhinova (russian: Ксе́ния Влади́мировна Сухи́нова; born 26 August 1987) is a Russian model, television host and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World 2008. She was the second Russian woman to ...

File:Miss World 2007 - Zhang Zilin (3243539382) (cropped).jpg, Miss World 2007
Zhang Zilin
File:Taťána Gregor Brzobohatá (2018).jpg, Miss World 2006

Taťána Kuchařová Taťána Kuchařová (; born 23 December 1987) is a Czech dancer, model and beauty queen who won the title of Miss Czech Republic and Miss World 2006. In doing so, she made history to become the first woman from the Czech Republic ever to win t ...

File:MajuMantillaHuanchaco (cropped).jpg, Miss World 2004

María Julia Mantilla María Julia "Maju" Mantilla García (born 10 July 1984) is a Peruvian actress, dancer, model, teacher and beauty queen who won Miss World 2004 in China. Early life Born in Trujillo, Mantilla is the younger of two daughters of Olmedo Lucio Ma ...

File:2016-02-01 Rosanna Davison.jpg, Miss World 2003

Rosanna Davison Rosanna Diane Davison (born 17 April 1984) is an Irish actress, singer, writer, model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World 2003. She is the daughter of musician Chris de Burgh, and the song "For Rosanna" was written by her father for hi ...

File:Azra Akın (2004).jpg, Miss World 2002
Azra Akin
File:Agbani Darego Miss World 2001.jpg, Miss World 2001

File:Priyanka At Nikon Camera Launch.jpg, Miss World 2000

Priyanka Chopra Priyanka Chopra Jonas (; ; born 18 July 1982) is an Indian actress and producer. The winner of the Miss World 2000 pageant, Chopra is one of India's highest-paid actresses and has received numerous accolades, including two National Film Awar ...

File:Yukta at an event in Mangiamo restaurant, Mumbai (cropped).jpg, Miss World 1999

Yukta Mookhey Yukta Inderlal Mookhey is an Indian civic activist and the winner of Miss World 1999. She is the fourth Indian woman to win Miss World and was previously crowned as Femina Miss India World in 1999. She is a former model and actress, and has wo ...

,
File:Linor (cropped).jpg, Miss World 1998

Linor Abargil Linor Abargil ( he, לינור אברג'יל, sometimes spelled ''Linor Aberjil''; born February 17, 1980) is an Israeli lawyer, actress, model and beauty queen who won the Miss World beauty pageant in 1998, shortly after being raped. Since the ...

,
File:Diana Hayden at Nature's Basket Store Launch (2).jpg, Miss World 1997

Diana Hayden Diana Hayden (born 1 May 1973) is an Indian actress, television host, model and the winner of Miss World 1997 pageant. She is the third Indian woman to win the title of Miss World. She also won three subtitles during the pageant and is the o ...

,
File:Miss Mundo 1995, Jacqueline Aguilera.jpg, Miss World 1995

Jacqueline Aguilera Jacqueline María Aguilera Marcano (born 17 November 1976 in Valencia, Carabobo) is a Venezuelan model and beauty queen who became the fifth woman from Venezuela to capture the Miss World crown. Former Miss World 1994 Aishwarya Rai handed over ...

,
File:Rai Aishwarya.jpg, Miss World 1994
Aishwarya Rai,
File:Lisa Hanna (cropped).jpg, Miss World 1993
Lisa Hanna,
File:Silvana Suárez.jpg, Miss World 1978

Silvana Suárez Silvana Rosa Suárez Clarence (; 29 September 1958 – 21 October 2022) was an Argentine model and beauty queen who won the Miss World 1978 contest, representing Argentina. The pageant was held in London, United Kingdom. Suárez became the sec ...

,
File:Mary Stavin.jpg, Miss World 1977
Mary Stävin,
File:AK STUDIO 14 03 19 1037, portret.jpg, Miss World 1974

Anneline Kriel Anneline Kriel (born 28 July 1955) is a South African actress, model, and beauty queen. She won Miss South Africa and Miss World in 1974 after the UK's Helen Morgan resigned only four days after her victory. Kriel is the second South African ...

,
File:Jennifer Hosted, Miss Grenada as Miss World 1970.jpg, Miss World 1970
Jennifer Hosten,
File:Bob Hope with Eva Rueber-Staier during USO tour on USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 1969 (cropped).jpg, Miss World 1969

Eva Rueber-Staier Eva Rueber-Staier (born 20 February 1951) is an Austrian actress, TV host, model and beauty queen who won Miss World 1969. Biography Rueber-Staier was born in 1951 in Bruck an der Mur, Styria. She won the title of Miss Austria and participated ...

,
File:Penelope Plummer (cropped).jpg, Miss World 1968
Penelope Plummer,
File:Madeleine Hartog Bel (cropped).jpg, Miss World 1967

Madeline Hartog-Bel Madeleine Hartog-Bel (born January, 11 1946) is a Peruvian model and beauty queen who won the 1967 Miss World contest, representing Peru.

,
File:Ann Sidney 1965.jpg, Miss World 1964

Ann Sidney Ann Sidney (born 27 March 1944) is a British actress, TV Host and beauty queen who won the 1964 Miss World contest representing the United Kingdom. Early life Sidney moved to Poole when very young. She went to Martin Road School in Parkstone a ...

,
File:Rina Lodders (1963).jpg, Miss World 1962

Catharina Lodders Catharina Johanna Lodders, now Catharina EvansChubby Checker visits ...

,
File:Norma Cappagli in Argentina (cropped).jpg, Miss World 1960
†

Norma Cappagli Norma Gladys Cappagli (20 September 1939 – 22 December 2020) was an Argentine model and beauty queen who won the 1960 Miss World contest, after being crowned Miss Argentina World 1960. She was the first model from Argentina to win the title. ...

(1939–2020),
File:Corine Rottschäfer (miss World 1959).jpg, Miss World 1959
†

Corine Rottschäfer Corine Spier-Rottschäfer (8 May 1938 – 24 September 2020) was a Dutch model and beauty queen who won the 1959 Miss World contest, representing the Netherlands.. missworld.com She was the first woman from her country to win the title. The pag ...

(1938–2020),
File:Penelope Anne Coelen, Miss South Africa.jpg, Miss World 1958

Penelope Coelen Penelope Anne Coelen (born 15 April 1940) is a retired South African actress, model and beauty queen who was Miss World 1958. She was the first major international titleholder to come from Africa. Early life Penelope Anne Coelen was from D ...

,
File:Marita Lindahl, Miss Suomi 1957 (2) (cropped).jpg, Miss World 1957
†

Marita Lindahl Marita Lindahl (17 October 1938 – 21 March 2017) was a Finnish model and beauty queen who won the 1957 Miss World beauty pageant, after being crowned Miss Finland 1957 by Miss Finland 1956, Sirpa Helena Koivu. She became the first woman from ...

(1938–2017),
File:Petra Schürmann 5179.jpg, Miss World 1956
†

Petra Schürmann Petra Schürmann-Freund (; 15 September 1933 – 14 January 2010) was a German actress, model, TV announcer and beauty queen who won Miss World 1956. Biography Schürmann won the Miss World 1956, 1956 Miss World contest, representing W ...

(1933–2010),
File:Miss Venezuela 1955 titleholder, Susana Duijm.jpg, Miss World 1955
†

Susana Duijm Carmen Susana Duijm Zubillaga (August 11, 1936 – June 18, 2016) was a Venezuelan actress, television host, model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss Venezuela 1955 and competed at Miss Universe 1955, placing in the top 15. She then went to c ...

(1936–2016),
File:Miss World 1954, Antigone Costanda (close up).jpg, Miss World 1954

Antigone Costanda Antigone Costanda ( ar, أنتيجون كوستان) ( el, Αντιγόνη Κωνσταντά, born c. 1934 in Alexandria) is an Egyptian designer, model and beauty queen who won Miss World 1954. The pageant took place on October 18, 1954, in ...

,
File:Miss World 1953, Denise Perrier, Frankrijk.jpg, Miss World 1953

Denise Perrier Denise Perrier (born February 13, 1935 in Ambérieu-en-Bugey)

,
File:May Louise Flodin a (cropped).jpg, Miss World 1952
†

May-Louise Flodin May-Louise Flodin (5 September 1934 – 4 February 2011) was a Swedish model and beauty queen who won the Miss World contest in 1952, representing of Sweden. She was the second winner, and was crowned by her predecessor, Kiki Håkansson Kersti ...

(1934–2011),
File:Kiki Håkansson in 1950.jpg, Miss World 1951
†

Kiki Håkansson Kerstin Margareta "Kiki" Håkansson (17 June 1929 – 11 November 2011) was a Swedish model and beauty queen who was the first winner of the Miss World beauty pageant after being crowned Miss Sweden World in 1951. Miss World 1951 Originally th ...

(1929–2011),

Fast-track events

The winners of the "fast-track" competitions automatically make it to the quarter- or semifinals. The fast-track categories are Miss World Beach Beauty, Beauty With a Purpose, Sports Challenge, Talent and Top Model. Miss World Beach Beauty, replacing Miss World Best in Swimsuit, and Miss World Sports were added in 2003. Miss World Top Model was added in 2004. Miss World Multimedia was added in 2012.

Miss World Beauty With a Purpose

The Beauty with a Purpose is an event established in 1972 that is celebrated before 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 quarterfinals. Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar is the first and only Beauty With a Purpose recipient to win Miss World.

Miss World Talent

Miss World Talent is a talent or fast-track competition in which contestants show their abilities in singing, dancing, poetry, etc. Introduced in

Miss World 1978 Miss World 1978, the 28th edition of the Miss World pageant, was held on 16 November 1978 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK. The winner was Silvana Suárez from Argentina. She was crowned by Miss World 1977, Mary Stävin of Sweden. First ...

, the winner of the event automatically makes it into the semifinals starting 2003. The award returned at

Miss World 2001 Miss World 2001, the 51st edition of the Miss World pageant, was held on 16 November 2001 at the Super Bowl of Sun City Entertainment Centre in Sun City, South Africa. 93 contestants from all over the world competed for the title. Priyanka Ch ...

Miss World Top Model

The Miss World Top Model is a modeling fast-track competition. It was first held in 2004, but not in 2005–2006. It has been held since 2007; the winner of the competition automatically qualifies for the semifinals.

Miss World Sports Challenge

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 automatic entry into the semifinals. In 2005, there was no Miss Sports winner because it was held as a continental team competition. Starting in 2006, the individual competition returned.

Multimedia Award (''Social Media Award'')

Miss World Multimedia or Social Media Award is a title and award given to the winner of a Multimedia Challenge. It is a fast-track or preliminary event, giving the winner automatic entry into the semifinals. The score is based on the contestant's likes on Mobstar and Facebook.

Miss World Beach Beauty (''Discontinued Event'')

Miss World Beach Beauty was a

swimsuit A swimsuit is an item of clothing designed to be worn by people engaging in a water-based activity or water sports, such as swimming, diving and surfing, or sun-orientated activities, such as sun bathing. Different types may be worn by men, ...

or fast-track competition. The Beach Beauty event started in 2003, when the Miss World Organization first held fast-track events to automatically give a semifinal spot to some of the delegates. This event allowed the Miss World delegates (over 100) to have a chance to be in the semifinals. The winner made the semifinals automatically. The Beach Beauty event showcased different swimsuits designed by

Miss World 1975 Miss World 1975, the 25th edition of the Miss World pageant, was held on 20 November 1975 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK. 67 contestants took part in the pageant won by Wilnelia Merced of Puerto Rico. She was crowned by Anneline Kriel ...

Wilnelia Merced Wilnelia, Lady Forsyth-Johnson (''née'' Merced; born 12 October 1957) is a Puerto Rican former actress, model and beauty queen. She won Miss World 1975, and was married to entertainer Sir Bruce Forsyth from 1983 until his death in August 2017 ...

. In

2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the April ...

, the organisation eliminated the swimsuit competition from the pageant.

Miss World hosts and artists

The following is a list Miss World

hosts A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it. Host may also refer to: Places * Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County People *Jim Host (born 1937), American businessman *Michel Host ...

and invited artists through the years.

Notes

References

External links

* {{Authority control International beauty pageants Recurring events established in 1951 1951 establishments in England