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, talent, character, and charitable involvement, through private interviews with judges and answers to public on-stage questions. The term beauty pageant refers originally to the Big Four international beauty pageants.
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by a United States and Thailand based Miss Universe Organization. It is one of the most watched pageants in the world with an estimated audience of over 500 million viewers in over 190 territories. Along with Miss World, Miss International, and Miss Earth, Miss Universe is one of the Big Four international 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 international beauty pageants.
Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 17 and 25. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is now judged on competitors' talent performances and interviews. As of 2018, there is no longer a swimsuit portion to the contest, or consideration of physical appearance. Miss America travels about 20,000 miles a month, changing her location every 24 to 48 hours, touring the nation and promoting her particular platform of interest. The winner is crowned by the previous year's titleholder.
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 international beauty pageants.
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant that run since 1983 by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. Unlike its sister pageants Miss Universe, which currently broadcasts on Fox and Miss USA, this pageant is webcast on the Miss Teen USA website and simulcast on mobile devices and video game consoles. The Miss Universe Organization previously operated Miss Teen USA, as well as Miss USA, until 2020 when the rights to produce both pageants were licensed to Miss USA 2008 Crystle Stewart. The parent company of all three pageants and the Miss Universe organization remains the same under the licensing agreement: JKN Metaverse Inc., a subsidiary of JKN Global Group.
Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria – often abbreviated as MBGN – is a pageant organised by Silverbird Group with the main purpose of sending representatives to international competitions. Originally known as Miss Universe Nigeria, it was renamed Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria after news publishers Daily Times lost their license to send delegates from rival contest Miss Nigeria to Miss World. Since 2005, the pageant has produced multiple representatives, but the MBGN World recipient is considered the overall winner.
Miss Teen International is the name of independently operated annual beauty pageants currently being held in the United States, India, and Ecuador.
Miss England is a national beauty pageant in England.
Miss Nigeria is an annual pageant showcasing positive attributes of Nigerian women and awarding university scholarships. The winner portrays exemplary qualities and serves as a role model for young women in the country. The pageant is currently organised by Daily Times.
Isabella Agbor Ayuk is a Nigerian ex-beauty queen, serial entrepreneur, actress and philanthropist. She is renowned for winning the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 2012.
The Big Four or the Big League Pageants refers to the four major international beauty pageants for women – Miss World, Miss Universe, Miss International and Miss Earth. The group was first described by the China Daily newspaper in 2004 as "the world's four major beauty contests". In April 2008, the South China Morning Post described them as "four of the world's top beauty pageants"; the same description was also used by South Korea's leading newspaper, Chosun Ilbo in 2010. In 2017, the Latin Times considered the group as the "most important pageants in the world". In 2018, NBC News referred to them as the "four biggest international pageants", while Agencia EFE delineated them in 2019 as the "four most influential beauty pageants in the world".
Manushi Chhillar 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 representative from India to be crowned Miss World. She made her acting debut with the role of Sanyogita in the historical drama Samrat Prithviraj (2022).
Alma Andrea Meza Carmona is a Mexican model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe 2020. Since winning the title, she became the third Mexican woman to be crowned Miss Universe. Meza holds the record of the shortest completed reign in Miss Universe history to date.
Miss University Africa 2017, the 5th edition of the Miss University Africa pageant, was held on 2 December 2017 at Obi Wali International Conference Center in Port Harcourt. Contestants from 54 African countries competed for the crown. The winner, Lorriane Nadal of Mauritius succeeded Rorisang Molefe of Lesotho, as the reigning Miss University Africa Queen. She was crowned by First Lady of Rivers State, Eberechi Wike at the end of the event.
Roshanara Ebrahim is a Kenyan model, author, television presenter, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Kenya 2021. As Miss Universe Kenya, she represented Kenya at Miss Universe 2021. Ebrahim had previously been crowned Mr. and Mrs. Universities 2014, Miss World Kenya 2016 and Miss Supermodel International Kenya 2018.
Miss Polo International is an international beauty pageant with a focus on the sport of polo. It was created in Nigeria by Ibife Alufohai in 2018. It was established help give participants a platform that seeks to bring people from around the world together to promote the participation of women in global activities and improve educational opportunities.
Miss Polo International 2018 was the 1st edition of Miss Polo International pageant, held on 28 August 2018 at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria.
