The Miss world competition was started as part of the Festival of Britain celebrations in 1951. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley. The first Miss World, Sweden’s Kiki Haakonson. Opposition to the wearing of bikinis led to their replacement with more modest swimwear after the first contest. In 1959, the BBC started broadcasting the competition. The pageant’s popularity grew with the advent of television. During the 1960s and 1970s, Miss World would normally be the highest rated programme of the year on British television. In the 1980s, the pageant repositioned itself with the slogan “Beauty With a Purpose”, with added tests of intelligence and personality. Miss World is franchised in more than 120 countries and has raised over 500 million for children charities around the globe.
- In 1966, India enjoyed its first success and Reita Feria proved to be a popular winner.
List of Winners
winner 1951 – Kiki Haakonson, Sweden
winner 1952 – May Louise Flodin, Sweden
winner 1953 – Denise Perrier, France
winner 1954 – Antigone Costanda, Egypt
winner 1955 – Carmen Zubillaga, Venezuela
winner 1956 – Petra Schurmann, Germany
winner 1957 – Marita Lindahl, Finland
winner 1958 – Penelope Coelen, South Africa
winner 1959 – Corine Rottschafer, Holland
winner 1960 – Norma Cappagli, Argentina
winner 1961 – Rosemarie Frankland, United Kingdom
winner 1962 – Catharine Lodders, Holland
winner 1963 – Carole Crawford, Jamaica
winner 1964 – Ann Sidney, United Kingdom
winner 1965 – Lesley Langley, United Kingdom
winner 1966 – Reita Faria, India
winner 1967 – Madeiline Hartog Bel, Peru
winner 1968 – Penelope Plummer, Australia
winner 1969 – Eva Reuber Staier, Austria
winner 1970 – Jennifer Hosten, Grenada
winner 1971 – Lucia Petterle, Brazil
winner 1972 – Belina Green, Australia
winner 1973 – Marjorie Wallace, USA
winner 1974 – Anneline Kriel, South Africa
winner 1975 – Winelia Merced, Puerto Rico
winner 1976 – Cindy Breakspeare, Jamaica
winner 1977 – Mary Stavin, Sweden
winner 1978 – Silvana Suarez, Argentina
winner 1979 – Gina Swainson, Bermuda
winner 1980 – Kimberly Santos, Guam
winner 1981 – Pilin Leon, Venezuela
winner 1982 – Mariasela Lebron, Dominican Republic
winner 1983 – Sarah Jane Hutt, United Kingdom
winner 1984 – Astrid Herrera, Venezuela
winner 1985 – Hofi Karlsdottir, Iceland
winner 1986 – Giselle Laronde, Trinidad
winner 1987 – Ulla Weigerstorfer, Austria
winner 1988 – Linda Petursdottir, Iceland
winner 1989 – Andeta Kreglicka, Poland
winner 1990 – Gina Marie Tolleson, USA
winner 1991 – Ninebeth Jiminez, Venezuela
winner 1992 – Julia Kourotchkina, Russia
winner 1993 – Lisa Hanna, Jamaica
winner 1994 – Aishwariya Rai, India
winner 1995 – Jacqueline Aquilera, Venezuela
winner 1996 – Irene Skliva ,Greece
winner 1997 – Diana Hayden, India
winner 1998 – Linor Abargil, Israel
winner 1999 – Yukta Mookhey, India
winner 2000 – Priyanka Chopra, India
winner 2001 – Ibiagbanidokibubo Asenite Darego—Nigeria
winner 2002 – Azra Akin—Turkey
winner 2003 – Rosanna Davidson, Ireland
winner 2004 – Maria Julia Mantilla Garcia, Peru
winner 2005 – Unnur Birna Vilhjalmsdottir, Iceland
winner 2006 – Tat’ana Kucharova, Czech Republic
winner 2007 – Zhang Zhi Li, China PR
winner 2008 – Ksenia Sukhinova, Russia
winner 2009 – Kaiane Aldorino, Gibraltar
winner 2010 – Alexandria Mills, USA
winner 2011 – Ivian Sarcos, Venezuela
winner 2012 – Wen Xia Yu, China PR