| "> | | | | a photo of her wearing an "ocelot coat" was published |
| History | | | | in London. Unfortunately, the ocelot is an endangered |
| 1951 Under the leadership of Eric Morley, the United | | | | animal on Earth, including Bolivia. |
| Kingdom was home to the Miss World Pageant, one | | | | 1985 The United States won the Miss Americas title |
| of the most important beauty contests on the planet. | | | | for the first time other than Venezuela, Colombia and |
| 1952 The Second Annual Miss World Competition was | | | | the Dominican Republic. Miss USA World, Brenda |
| held in London. Sweden 's perfomance at MissWorld | | | | Denton, defeated Jamaica's Alison Jane Barnett, the |
| started out very well! This Scandinavian country won | | | | heavy press favorite in the British capital. In addition to |
| the award two yearsin succession. | | | | her continental prize, Denton was second runner-up in |
| 1953 Manel Illangakoon,MissCeylon -- Asia's best hope | | | | Miss World. |
| in the UK -- was third runner-up to Miss World Contest. | | | | 1986 Five out of seventy-seven entries at Miss World |
| In the early 1950s, Ceylon was one of three Asian | | | | were from Oceania: Australia, Guam, New Zealand, |
| nations to have compete in the beauty pageants on | | | | Tonga, and Western Samoa. |
| the planet. This Island became Sri Lanka on 22 May | | | | 1987 For the first time in several years, Miss United |
| 1972 and has since competed under that name. | | | | Kingdom, host country, failed to make into the |
| 1954 Egypt's Antigone Constanda became the first | | | | semi-finals. However, Hong Kong became the only |
| non-European representative to be crowned Miss | | | | British colony in the second round of the Miss World |
| World. America's delegate Karin Hultman was first | | | | Competition. In addition to making the top 12, Miss Hong |
| runner-up to Miss World, ahead of Efi Mela ( Grece ), | | | | Kong, Pauline Yeung, now a famous actress in Asian |
| Claudine Bleuse ( France ), Franke Waither ( Germany | | | | film industry, became "Miss Asia". |
| ) and Grete Hoffenbland ( Denmark ). | | | | 1988 California's Diana Magaña, 1st runner-up to |
| 1955 Margaret Haywood, a "huge favorite", became | | | | Miss USA 1988, made the top ten. |
| the second American woman to be named finalist in | | | | 1989 Moscow,USSR. Iceland's Linda Petursdottir was |
| the British capital. | | | | the first Miss World to visit USSR /Soviet Union ( |
| 1956 The United States placed second for the third | | | | present-day Russia ). |
| time in a row. | | | | 1990 The Miss World title went toGina Marie Tolleson ( |
| 1957 Japan's entrant qualified for the finalstwo years in | | | | America ). Tolleson, who placed as first runner-up in |
| succession. | | | | Miss USA 1990, became the second U.S. delegate to |
| 1958 Five out of six finalists at Miss World were from | | | | win that title since the British event first began in the |
| Europe: Claudina Auger ( France ), Vinne Ingemann ( | | | | 1950s. |
| Denmark ), Gun Harriette Margareta Wagstrom ( | | | | 1991 France made the top ten for the first time since |
| Sweden ), Lucien Struve ( Holland ), and Eileen | | | | 1980, when Patricia Barzyk was second runner-up. |
| Sheridan ( UK ). | | | | 1992 For the first time in its history,Russia, a Marxist |
| 1959 Miss Rhodesia, Vivien Lendin, and Miss South | | | | country 14 months ago, captured the Briton award. |
| Africa, Moya Meaker were semi-finalists. Rhodesia -- | | | | Meanwhile, Miss America, Sharon Belden, was called |
| Zimbabwe since 1980 -- was not semi-finalist again until | | | | among the semi-finalists. |
| 1965. | | | | 1993 The Miss World Pageant went toJamaica -- |
| 1960 South Korea's contestant Young-hee Lee made | | | | which is slightly larger than the Commonwealth of |
| the top 15 for the first time. Korea's qualification for the | | | | Puerto Rico. Since it became a sovereign country, a |
| semi-finals was one of a number of surprises. | | | | former British dependency, in 1962, the Caribbean |
| 1961 Miss Spain Carmen Cervera was the first | | | | Island has won three Miss World titles. |
| Spaniard to make the semi-finals. She also became | | | | 1994 The new star of India, Aishwarya Rai, was |
| the only Hispanic beauty queen to place among the | | | | crowned Miss World and years later she became a |
| finalists in 1961. | | | | famous actress. Aishwarya Rai has appeared on |
| 1962 Miss Japan, Teruko Ikeda, was fourth runner-up | | | | screen with some of the biggest names in Hollywood |
| to Miss World Contest. Ikeda was one of the first | | | | and Bollywood, including Nandita Das, Martin |
| Japanese delegates to be elected finalist. | | | | Henderson, and Ben Kingsley.Some pageant experts |
| 1963 Liberia, a nation of ex-slaves, made the top 15 for | | | | believe that she is "one of the most beautiful girls of |
| the first time. | | | | the world". |
| 1964 The United Kingdom, the host country, was the | | | | 1995 With gubernamental help, among them Nelson |
| winner for the second time. Apart from that, Helen | | | | Mandela, and the enthusiastic support of the South |
| Joseph became Montserrat's first and only semi-finalist. | | | | African people, Sun City hosted the pageant. For the |
| Montserrat is a tiny Island on the Caribbean Sea. | | | | first time in several years, the States was eliminated in |
| 1965 Eight out of fifteen semi-finalists at Miss World | | | | the preliminaries. |
| were from Europe :Lesley Langley ( UK /winner ), | | | | 1996 Bangalore, India. Nine countries and one |
| Gladys Waller ( Ireland ), Ingrid Kopetzky ( Austria ), | | | | dependency qualified for the award: Greece ( winner ), |
| Yvonn Ekman ( Denmark ), Faija Marja Salminen ( | | | | Colombia ( 1st runner-up ), Brazil ( 2nd runner-up ), |
| Finland ), Christine Sibellin ( France ), Karin Schutz ( | | | | Venezuela ( finalist ), India ( finalist ), Dominican Republic, |
| Germany ), and Britt Marie Lindblad ( Sweden ). | | | | Aruba, Mexico, South Africa, and Belgium. Surprisingly, |
| 1966 Miss Yugoslavia, Nikica Marinovic, was allowed to | | | | the States did not advance past the first round. |
| compete at Miss World, where she almost pulled off a | | | | 1997 Miss World was held in Seychelles ( Africa ). It |
| major shock. Nikica was first runner-up! What could | | | | was indeed an opportunity for the entries to visit one |
| have happened if Yugoslavia -- a Communist nation -- | | | | of the world's most stunning and beautiful beaches. |
| had won this contest? During Cold War, Yugoslavia | | | | The elimination of Latin America, from Argentina to |
| was one of only four Communist nations to compete | | | | Venezuela and the American Virgin Islands, from the |
| in London, along with Czechoslovakia ( 1967, 1969, 1989 | | | | second round shocked many pageant experts. |
| ), Bulgaria (1988), and Poland (1983-89 ). | | | | 1998 Miss Israel, Linor Abargil, captured the international |
| 1967 Peru's Miss World Madeleine Hartog-Bell, once a | | | | award -- she won the country's only Miss World title |
| fashion model in Paris, went on a peace mission to | | | | that decade and century. In addition to this title, Israel |
| South Vietnam, alongside other names like Bob Hope ( | | | | has had several semi-finalists and finalists: 1956 ( 2nd |
| actor ), Barbara McNair ( performer ) and Raquel | | | | runner-up ), 1957 ( semi-finalist ), 1959 ( 2nd runner-up ), |
| Welch Tejada ( actress ). | | | | 1960 ( 1st runner-up ), 1962, 1967 ( 3rd runner-up ), 1968 |
| 1968 For the first time, Miss USA did not advance past | | | | ( 2nd runner-up / favorite ), 1969, 1970 ( 2nd runner-up ), |
| the first round. | | | | 1972 ( 2nd runner-up ), 1973 ( 3rd runner-up ), 1974 ( |
| 1969 Marcela Britanarova was allowed to leave | | | | fourth runner-up ), 1976, 1980 ( 2nd runner up / favorite |
| Czechoslovakia, a Communist nation, for a trip to | | | | ), 1983, 1984, 1985, 1992, and 1995 ( 3rd runner-up ). |
| London, where competed for the Miss World title. In | | | | 1999The 49th Annual Miss World Contest was held in |
| Britain, shequalified for the second round. | | | | London ( finals ) and the Maldives Islands ( swimsuit |
| 1970 Breaking with the tradition of the previous two | | | | photo shoot ). Miss India was the winner; it has had |
| decades, a black representative, exactly Jennifer | | | | two titleholders from 1965 to 1994. |
| Hosten ( Grenada's contestant ), won the global trophy. | | | | 2000 There were several surprises: Kazajstan's |
| The victory set off a frenzy of celebrations on | | | | representative Margarita Kravtsova and Uruguay's |
| Grenada, one of the world's ten smallest nations. | | | | entrant Katja Tomsen had qualified for the second |
| 1971 Guyana, Britain's last colony on the South | | | | round. Tomsen, who speaks English, Spanish and Italian, |
| American mainland, made the top 15 for six years in | | | | was also crowned Miss Americas. |
| succession. | | | | 2001 The Indian dynasty in Miss World, with three |
| 1972 Mexico's representative Gloria Gutierrez became | | | | global awards from 1997 to 2000, ended this year |
| the only Latin American beauty queen to place among | | | | after it failed to qualify for the second round.The |
| the semi-finalists. | | | | People's Republic of China was represented for the |
| 1973 Two out of five finalists at Miss World were | | | | first time at a Miss World Contest; China's delegate |
| from Asia: Miss Philippines, Evangeline Pascual ( 1st | | | | finished fifth.Astonishingly, Carrie Ann Stroup did not |
| runner-up ) and Miss Israel ( 3rd runner-up ). Apart from | | | | even make the semis in South Africa. According to |
| that, Sylvia Ohannesian was the first Lebanese | | | | Ladbrokes, Stroup, Miss America, was a "huge |
| woman to be a semi-finalist at Miss World. | | | | favorite" to win the international crown, ahead of |
| 1974 America's entrant Terry Ann Browning finished | | | | Christianne Balmelli ( Chile ), Sara Corner ( India ), and |
| fifth. | | | | Andreina Prieto ( Venezuela ). The USA had won the |
| 1975 Yugoslavia, the only "Communist competitor" in | | | | award twice, in 1973 and 1990. |
| London, qualified for the second round and then placed | | | | 2002 Turkey's beauty queen was elected Miss World. |
| seventh. | | | | She brought home her country's first ever Miss World. |
| 1976 Jamaica's entrant Cindy Breakspeare won the | | | | For the first time, there were 20 semi-finalists: Nigeria, |
| British award. For political reasons, many countries | | | | Holland, Colombia ( 1st runner-up ), Puerto Rico, China, |
| boycotted the 1976 Miss World. The explanation given | | | | Yugoslavia, Russia, Peru ( 2nd runner-up ), Norway, |
| by these countries, among them Yugoslavia and India, | | | | Vietnam, India, Curacao, Aruba, Australia, Philippines, |
| was that they objected to South Africa's participation | | | | Bosnia Herzegovina, Italy, Venezuela and the United |
| in England. | | | | States. |
| 1977 Once again, politics played a major role in this | | | | 2003 Miss World, Rosanna Davison was hand-picked |
| international contest. Surprisingly, Jamaica did not | | | | by a top-class international jury, including Candace |
| defend its Miss World title. Why? It boycotted this | | | | Bushnell ( author ), Jackie Chan ( actor ), Pradeep |
| event to protest the inclusion of South Africa.The | | | | Guha ( journalist ), and Gustavo Gianetti ( model ). |
| country's Head of Government Michael Manley, an | | | | Davidson was a big favorite after the preliminaries. |
| admirer of Cuba's dictator Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz, | | | | Prior to Ireland 's victory, it did not advance past the |
| refused to allow Jamaica to compete in Britain.The | | | | second round since 1990. |
| Island was joined by India, Indonesia, Liberia, Malaysia, | | | | 2004 Miss USA, Nancy Randall, made the top Three. In |
| Mauritius, Philippines, Singapore, Swaziland, and | | | | China, Randall became the second black American to |
| Yugoslavia. | | | | be named semi-finalist in Miss World. She hails from |
| 1978 Was Argentina the heavy-favorite for the Miss | | | | Brazil. |
| World title? No, it wasn't. But, Silvana Suarez, | | | | 2005 Iceland - the most sparsely populated country on |
| Argentina's representative, won the crown. Apart from | | | | the continent of Europe - won its third global title. |
| that, South Africa was banned from competition | | | | Curiously it has more MW awards than any country |
| because of its goverment's racist policies. However, | | | | aside from India ( 5 ), Venezuela ( 5 ) and the United |
| Jamaica returned to London after participating in the | | | | Kingdom ( 4 ). "Miss World went to Unnur Birna |
| African-led boycott of the Miss World Pageant. | | | | Vilhjalmsdottir " was the headline in newspapers in |
| 1979 Seven out of fifteen semi-finalists at Miss World | | | | Iceland, an Island in the North Atlantic near the Arctic |
| were from Latin America / Caribbean:Gina Swaisson ( | | | | Circle. |
| Bermuda ), Debbie Campbell ( Jamaica ), Lea Silva Dall | | | | 2006 Was Miss Venezuela, Federica Guzman |
| Acqua ( Brazil ), Roselina Rosas ( Mexico ), Lorlei de la | | | | Diamante, the heavy favorite for the Miss World |
| Ossa ( Panama ), Marlene Coggins ( Trinidad & | | | | trophy? Yes, she was. But, unfortunately, Venezuela |
| Tobago ) and Laura Rodriguez ( Uruguay ). | | | | did not win the international pageant. Guzman |
| 1980 Was Israel the big favorite for the Miss World | | | | Diamante -- a television hostess - failed to make into |
| trophy? Yes, it was. But, Miss Israel, Anat Zimmerman, | | | | the finals. Despite its historical success in countless |
| did not win the award. Apart from that, Bermuda, | | | | contests, Venezuela has not won a MW award since |
| which won the global pageant in the previous year, | | | | 1995. |
| made the top 15 in the British capital. | | | | 2007 In fairness to thePeople's Republic of China, the |
| 1981 Venezuela's Miss World, Pilin Leon, the tallest | | | | birthplace of the beauty contests on Earth, Zhang Zi-lin |
| delegate at MW '81 , visited Caracas, where she ,a | | | | , a native of Beijing, became Miss World 2007. Miss |
| former volleyball player, was given heroine's welcome. | | | | China was also the second beauty queen from a |
| 1982 Miss Trinidad & Tobago, Aretha Ingrind | | | | Communist nation -- after Poland in 1989 -- to win the |
| Rocke, was labeled as the"Cleopatra of the | | | | European prize. Zhang, an ex hurdler, was the number |
| Caribbean" by the press for public comments about | | | | one favorite for the crown, alongside other names like |
| her exotic face. She -- the country's most beautiful | | | | Ada Aimee de la Cruz, Miss Dominican Republic, and |
| women since Janelle Penny Commissiong -- was a | | | | Jugita Jurkute, Miss Lithuania.For the fourth time, the |
| "huge favorite" to win the international award in 1982. | | | | event was held in a Marxist country. China -- with one |
| 1983 Welcome to England.Miss Malaysia Michelle Yeoh | | | | of the most fervent beauty contests followers in Asia |
| --today one of Asia's most famous actresses -- did | | | | -- became the 33rd country to win the global award. |
| not even make the semi-finals, but she saw this global | | | | 2008 Johannesburg ( South Africa ). The new star of |
| contest as a great learning experience. | | | | Russia, Kseniya Vladimirovna Sukhinova, was chosen |
| 1984 Perhaps the most notable "Miss World anecdote" | | | | Miss World. Miss Russia beat 109 other entries in the |
| for Bolivia wasprovided by Erika Wyesse, a | | | | pageant. She, the heavy press favorite, became the |
| spectacular blonde. Bolivia's beauty queen Erika | | | | first Russian woman to win Miss World since Yulia |
| Wyesse was criticized by animal rights activists, when | | | | Kurochkina in 1992. |