A beauty pageant is a competition in which the contestants are judged and ranked based on various physical and mental attributes. Per its name, beauty pageants traditionally focus on judging the contestants' physical attractiveness, sometimes solely so, but most modern beauty pageants have since expanded to also judge contestants based on "inner beauty"—their individual traits and characteristics, including personality, intelligence, aptitude, moral character, and charity. Though typically perceived as a female-oriented competition, male beauty pageants also exist, as do child beauty pageants for youth.
Miss Universe is an annual international major beauty pageant that is run by a Thailand and Mexican-based Miss Universe Organization. Along with Miss World, Miss International, and Miss Earth, it is one of the Big Four beauty pageants.
Miss World is the oldest existing international beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951. Since his death in 2000, Morley's widow, Julia Morley, has co-chaired the pageant. Along with Miss Universe, Miss International, and Miss Earth, it is one of the Big Four beauty pageants.
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 one of the Big Four beauty pageants.
Miss India, also known as Femina Miss India, is a national beauty pageant in India that selects representatives to compete in the Miss World competition, one of the Big Four international beauty pageants. It is organized by Femina, a women's magazine published by The Times Group.
Barbara Elaine Peterson Burwell is an American philanthropist and beauty pageant titleholder. After being crowned Miss Minnesota USA 1976, she competed at Miss USA 1976, becoming the first woman from Minnesota to win the title. Afterwards, she represented the United States at Miss Universe 1976, where she was unplaced.
Miss World 2005, the 55th edition of the Miss World pageant, was held on 10 December 2005 at the Crown of Beauty Theatre in Sanya, China. María Julia Mantilla of Peru crowned her successor Unnur Birna Vilhjálmsdóttir of Iceland. 102 contestants from all over the world competed for the crown. All contestants competed in three "fast track" events, Beach Beauty, Miss Talent, and Beauty With a Purpose contests. The winner of each competition immediately became one of the fifteen pageant semi-finalists. She became the third Icelandic woman to win Miss World.
Miss South Africa is a national beauty pageant in South Africa that selects South African representatives to compete in one of the Big Four international beauty pageants Miss Universe, and also selects another representative to participate in Sub-major international pageant Miss Supranational. The Miss South Africa organisation resorted to a contemporary format in selecting representatives which was inaugurated in 2018. Following their newer method, both a Miss World South Africa and a Miss Universe South Africa were selected as representatives. From 2021 onwards, the winner of Miss South Africa will be competing in Miss Universe, and Miss Supranational. The current Miss South Africa 2024 is Mia le Roux. On May 11, 2023, the Miss South Africa Organisation has lost its license as a Miss World licensee holder to Carol Bouwer Productions, which has taken over the license of Miss World South Africa pageant.
Miss U.S. International is the official United States preliminary to the Miss International Beauty Pageant. The United States has sent a representative to the Miss International pageant since its inception in 1960. The only year a representative was not sent was in 2006.
Melinda Bam is a South African TV host, model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss South Africa 2011, becoming the official representative of her country to Miss Universe 2012. She has a swimwear line called Bambshell, for which she worked with South African swimwear brand.
Miss World 2013 was the 63rd edition of the Miss World pageant, held at the Bali International Convention Center in Bali, South Kuta, Indonesia, on 28 September 2013.
Marilyn Ramos is a South African designer, model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss South Africa 2012, becoming the official representative of her country to Miss Universe 2013 and Miss World 2013. Ramos represented South Africa at Miss World 2013 and Miss Universe 2013, failing to place in both competitions. She entered the pageant twice before she emerged the winner. She also held the title for the longest in SA pageant history- 16 months until she has crowned Rolene Strauss on 30 March 2014 as her successor.
Miss World 2014 was the 64th edition of the Miss World pageant, held at the ExCeL London in London, United Kingdom, on 14 December 2014.
The 51st edition of the Femina Miss India beauty pageant was held on April 5, 2014 in Mumbai, India. Finalists had been selected in a previous round held in Bangalore in January 2014, with 24 women competing for the title of Miss India World. Koyal Rana from Delhi was crowned Femina Miss India 2014 by the previous year's winner Navneet Kaur Dhillon, while Jhataleka Malhotra and Gail Nicole Da Silva were crowned 1st and 2nd Runners Up respectively.
Miss India Worldwide is a beauty pageant which draws contestants from India and from among members of the Indian diaspora residing in other countries. It is conducted by India Festival Committee (IFC), first founded and headed by Dharmatma Saran in New York City, USA.
Miss India Worldwide 2016 was the 25th edition of the Miss India Worldwide pageant, held on 8 October 2017. The event was held at Royal Albert’s Palace in New Jersey, United States.
Miss India Worldwide 2017 was the 26th edition of the Miss India Worldwide pageant, held on 8 October 2017. The event was held at Royal Albert's Palace in New Jersey, United States.
Miss Supranational is an annual international beauty pageant, started in 2009, and with most contests held in Poland. A parallel male contest, Mister Supranational, was launched in 2016, also in Poland.
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