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 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.
Miss Nepal is a national beauty pageant in Nepal. The winners are sent to Miss World, Miss Earth, Miss International.
Miss Venezuela is a Venezuelan beauty pageant operated by the Cisneros Group. Founded in 1952, it currently selects Venezuelan representatives to Miss Universe, Miss World, and Miss International. The current national director of Miss Venezuela is Miss Universe 2013 Gabriela Isler.
Miss Universe Canada or The Beauties of Canada is an annual national beauty pageant that selects Canada's official representative to Miss Universe—one of the Big Four beauty pageants
Miss Europe is a beauty pageant for women from all over Europe. It was established in February 1927 by Fanamet, the European distributor of Paramount, as a one-off event where the winner was to star in a film directed by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau. After the initial twelve-person jury couldn't decide between 10 contestants, a runoff election was held where Murnau chose the winner. Murnau ended up choosing Štefica Vidačić of Yugoslavia as the winner and the first ever Miss Europe. Miss Europe was later re-established in December 1928 by French journalist Maurice de Waleffe (1874–1946), who also created, in 1920, what by 1927 had become the Miss France pageant. Miss Europe, under de Waleffe, was first held at the Paris Opera with participants from 18 countries. The first contest under de Waleffe did not occur until February 1929.
Miss United Kingdom is a title held by the highest-ranked contestant from the UK in the Miss World pageant. The winner sometimes competes at Miss International and Miss Supranational the following year under the Britain, England or United Kingdom banner. From 1958 to 1999, Miss United Kingdom was a national beauty pageant held to choose a representative for the Miss World Pageant. In 1999, Scotland and Wales had their own contestants at Miss World, and in 2000, England and Northern Ireland sent their own representatives. The existing organization now runs the Miss England competition.
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.
The Miss Curaçao is a national beauty pageant in Curaçao. This pageant is unrelated to the Señorita Curaçao or Miss International Curaçao pageant.
Miss World 2007 was the 57th edition of the Miss World pageant, held at the Crown of Beauty Theatre in Sanya, China, on December 1, 2007.
Miss Universe 1958 was the seventh Miss Universe pageant, held at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California, United States on 25 July 1958.
Miss Scotland is a national beauty pageant in Scotland. Entrants must hold a British passport to enter. The contest, whose title is owned by the Miss World organisation, is organised each year by Janis Sue Smith Director of The Catwalk Academy
New Zealand has contested 46 Miss World pageants since that pageant's inception in 1951. No New Zealander has won the Miss World title, although two have placed first runner-up.
Miss World 2009 was the 59th edition of the Miss World pageant, held at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 12 December 2009.
Miss Israel was a national beauty pageant in Israel. The pageant was founded in 1950, where the winners were sent to Miss Universe.
Miss World 2015 was the 65th edition of the Miss World pageant, held at the Crown of Beauty Theatre in Sanya, Hainan, China, on 19 December 2015.
Miss World 2018 was the 68th edition of the Miss World pageant, held at the Sanya City Arena in Sanya, China, on 8 December 2018.
Miss International 2019 was the 59th Miss International pageant, held on November 12, 2019, at Tokyo Dome City Hall in the Bunkyo district of Tokyo, Japan. Mariem Velazco of Venezuela crowned her successor, Sireethorn Leearamwat of Thailand, at the end of the event.
