The 69th edition of Miss Universe is getting closer and closer and we can’t wait to watch it! We want to witness 74 beautiful women from different countries compete to win the most famous beauty crown in the world. This year’s winner will become the successor to the South African beauty queen, Zozibini Tunzi.
If you don’t want to miss it, Miss Universe will take place next Sunday, May 16 at 8pm ET / 7C at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida and you can watch it on Telemundo. Now, as we wait for the big day to arrive, it might be a good idea to get to know the contestants, and some interesting facts about the competition, such as which countries have won the most crowns in this iconic pageant that’s been around since 1952.
© GettyImagesUnited States of America
The U.S. has the title of being the country with the highest number of crowns, with a total of eight. The winners of the pageant were:
- Miriam Jacqueline Stevenson (1954)
- Carol Ann Laverne Morris (1956)
- Linda Jeanne Bement (1960)
- Sylvia Louise Hitchcock (1967)
- Shawn Nichols Weatherly (1980)
- Chelsi Mariam-Pearl Smith (1995)
- Brook Antoniette Mahealani Lee (1997)
- Olivia Frances Culpo (2012)
In this photo Brook Antoniette Mahealani Lee, the Miss Universe winner in 1997 is standing with the other two finalists, Miss Venezuela and Miss Trinidad and Tobago
© GettyImagesThe last crown the U.S. won was 9 years ago
The last time the United States took the Miss Universe crown was in 2012, when Olivia Culpo was named the most beautiful in the world.
© GettyImagesVenezuela has won 7 crowns
Venezuela has won seven crowns, making it the second country with the most Miss Universe titles. In addition, Venezuela has a Guinness Record, because in 2009, Stefanía Fernández Krupij became the first and only queen to be crowned by a compatriot, that is, it was a successive triumph. Here are the names of the Venezuelan queens:
- Maritza Salayero Fernández (1979)
- Irene Lailín Sáez Conde (1981)
- Bárbara Pérez Hernández (1986)
- Yoseph Alicia Machado (1996)
- Dayana Sabrina Mendoza Moncada (2008)
- Stefanía Fernández Krupij (2009)
- María Gabriela de Jesús Isler (2013)
© GettyImagesVenezuela has been seeking another crown since 2013
In 2013, María Gabriela de Jesús Isler was crowned Miss Universe and her reign was the second longest reign of all time, after Zozibini Tunzi Miss Universe 2019.
© GettyImagesPuerto Rico has won 5 crowns
Puerto Rico is the third on the list with a total of five winners. In the image, Dayanara Torres can be seen being crowned in 1993. Here is a list of the beauties that have represented the ‘Isla del Encanto’ with pride:
- Marisol Malaret Contreras (1970)
- Deborah Fátima Carthy Deu (1985)
- Dayanara Torres Delgado (1993)
- Denise Marie Quiñones (2001)
- Zuleyka Jerris Rivera (2006)
© GettyImagesPuerto Rico in search of their 6th crown
The last time Puerto Rico won a crown was in 2006 with the beautiful Zuleyka Rivera. 15 years later, Puerto Ricans are looking for their sixth title.
© GettyImagesPhilippines with four crowns
After Puerto Rico, the Philippines has won four crowns. Thanks to these beauty queens:
- Gloria Maria Aspillera Diaz (1969)
- Maria Margarita Roxas Moran (1973)
- Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach (2015)
- Catriona Eliza Magnayon Gray (2018)
© GettyImagesSweden with three crowns
Sweden has also distinguished itself by being one of the countries that has repeated winners on this competition.
The European country has so far three crowns thanks:
- Hillevi Rombin (1955)
- Margareta Ingrid Arvidsson (1966)
- Yvonne Agneta Ryding (1984), who appears in the image.
© GettyImagesSouth Africa with three crowns
The African country has won three Miss Universe crowns.
- Margaret Gardiner (1978)
- Demi- Leigh Nel-Peters (2017)
- Zozibini Tunzi (2019)
© GettyImagesOther countries that have won crowns
India, Mexico, Colombia, France, Japan, Canada, Finland, are among other countries have two Miss Universe crowns.
