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 India or Femina Miss India is a national beauty pageant in India that annually selects representatives to compete in Miss World, one of the Big Four international beauty pageants. It is organised by Femina, a women's magazine published by The Times Group.
Miss Bangladesh is a national beauty pageant in Bangladesh that annually selectes representatives to compete in Miss World (1994-2001), one of the Big Four international beauty pageants.
The 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 Universe Nigeria was reestablished in 2023, breaking away from MBGN and operating as an entirely different pageant.
Sophie Sonia Perin is a French model and beauty queen who was the first Miss International winner from her country.
Joyce Marie Giraud Mojica, also known as Joyce Giraud de Ohoven, is a Puerto Rican actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder. In 1994, she competed at Miss World 1994 but failed to place in the semifinals. In 1998, Giraud was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico 1998 and represented Puerto Rico at Miss Universe 1998 where she finished as 2nd Runner-Up. She has since appeared in acting roles in television and film, and beginning in 2013 was a housewife on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for its fourth season.
Dora Mwima, also Dorah Mwima is a Ugandan model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Uganda 2008 at the age of 18. She represented Uganda in Miss World 2008 in South Africa.
Chloé Mortaud is a French model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss France 2009. She had previously been crowned Miss Albigeois Midi-Pyrénées 2008, becoming the first and only woman from Midi-Pyrénées to be crowned Miss France.
Anaïs Veerapatren is a Mauritian former model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Mauritius 2009, and came third in the Miss East Africa competition the same year. Veerapatren represented Mauritius at the Miss Universe 2009 pageant in the Bahamas on August 23, 2009. She ended up among the 10 Best Top Models and Top 3 Interviews. She participated in Miss World 2009 pageant in South Africa and made it among the finalists of the Talent Competition for singing. Anais competed in Miss International 2010 in Chengdu, China where she received the award of Miss International Goodwill Ambassador. She also participated in other pageants like Top Model of the World in 2014.
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.
Aurore Mutesi Kayibanda is a Rwandan model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Rwanda 2012.
Scholastique Mukasonga is a French-Rwandan author born in the former Gikongoro province of Rwanda. In 2012, She won the prix Renaudot and the prix Ahmadou-Kourouma for her book Our Lady of the Nile. In addition to being a finalist for the International Dublin Literary Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Mukasonga was rewarded in 2014 with the Seligmann Prize against racism and intolerance and in 2015 with the prize Société des gens de lettres. She currently resides in Normandy, France.
Arna Ýr Jónsdóttir is an Icelandic model, beauty pageant titleholder, and pole vaulter. She was crowned Miss Iceland 2015, and represented her country at Miss World 2015. Arna later won Miss Universe Iceland 2017 and represented Iceland at Miss Universe 2017.
Miss Rwanda 2009, the 2nd edition of the Miss Rwanda pageant, was held on December 19, 2009 at Gikondo Expo Grounds in Kigali.
Irakoze Erica, professionally known as Miss Erica, was a Burundian Singer-songwriter.
Miss Burgundy is a French beauty pageant which selects a representative for the Miss France national competition from the region of Burgundy. The first Miss Burgundy was crowned in 1963, although the title was not used regularly until 1993.
