Countries With The Most Miss World Winners

Miss World is one of four major international beauty pageants.
Miss World is one of four major international beauty pageants.

Eric Morley founded the Miss World competition in 1951, making it the oldest running beauty pageant in the world. Miss World, Miss Earth, Miss International, and Miss Universe are the four major international beauty pageants. Since the Miss World competitions began, 36 countries have won the title, some more than once. India and Venezuela have won the coveted title six times each.

Miss World Winners From India

India first won the Miss World title in 1966 when Reita Faria Powell (born in 1943) won the crown. In the competition that took place at the Lyceum Theater, UK, she also had the best evening wear. Powell was the first Asian woman to hold the title and she also became the first winner to become a medical doctor.

India got their second title in 1994 through Aishwarya Rai (born in 1973) at the Sun City Entertainment Center in South Africa. Rai doubles as an actress and as one of the most influential Indian celebrities to date.

India won their third title in 1997 when Diana Hayden (born in 1973) won the pageant at Plantation Club in Seychelles. In the same competition, Hayden became the first ever contestant to win three other subtitles, namely Continental Queen of Asia and Oceania, Miss Photogenic, and Spectacular Swimwear.

In 1999 and 2000, India won two consecutive titles through Yukta Mookhey (born 1979) and Priyanka Chopra (born in 1982). Mookhey also won the Continental Queen of Asia and Oceania subtitle during the same event. She is currently a leading Bollywood actress. Chopra on the other end is a leading actress in both Bollywood and Hollywood and was a lead cast in the ABC series of Quantico.

India won their last title in 2017 when Manushi Chhillar (born 1997) received the crown in China. Times Magazine named Chhillar as one of the Most Desirable Women in India 2017.

Miss World Winners From Venezuela

In 1955, Carmen Susana Duijm Zubillaga (1936 – 2016) was the first Venezuelan and Latin American to win Miss World title. The competition occurred at the Lyceum Theatre. In the same year, she was top 15 in the Miss Universe competition.

Pilín León (born Carmen Josefina León Crespo, 1963) became the second Venezuelan to win the title in 1981 at the Royal Albert Hall, UK. She is currently a writer.

Venezuela got another title in 1984 through Astrid Carolina Herrera (born in 1963). After this title, Herrera went on to win many awards as an actress in Mexico and Venezuela.

Venezuela’s fourth title went to Ninibeth Beatriz Leal Jiménez (born in 1971) at the Georgia World Congress Center in the US in 1991.

Another Venezuelan, Jacqueline María Aguilera Marcano (born in 1976) won the title in 1995. The same year, Aguilera also won the Top Model of the World title.

Ivian Sarcos (born in 1989) won the last Miss World title for Venezuela in 2011 in London. Sarcos also won the Miss Amazonas and the Most Beautiful Face in 2010 and Miss World Americas in 2011.

Other Countries with Multiple Titles

The UK has a total of five titles won in 1961, 1964, 1965, 1974, and 1983. South Africa has three titles won in 1958, 1974, and in 2014. The US, Iceland, Jamaica, and Sweden have won the titles three times each whereas Puerto Rico and China won it two times each. There are several other countries with two wins and others with single wins.

Countries With The Most Miss World Winners

RankCountry/TerritoryTitlesYear(s)
1 India61966, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2017
2 Venezuela61955, 1981, 1984, 1991, 1995, 2011
3 United Kingdom51961, 1964, 1965, 1974, 1983
4 South Africa31958, 1974, 2014
5 United States31973, 1990, 2010
6 Iceland31985, 1988, 2005
7 Jamaica31963, 1976, 1993
8 Sweden31951, 1952, 1977
9 Puerto Rico21975, 2016
10 China22007, 2012
11 Russia21992, 2008
12 Peru21967, 2004
13 Austria21969, 1987
14 Germany21956, 1980
15 Argentina21960, 1978
16 Australia21968, 1972
17 Netherlands21959, 1962
18 Spain12015
19 Philippines12013
20 Gibraltar12009
21 Czech Republic12006
22 Ireland12003
23 Turkey12002
24 Nigeria12001
25 Israel11998
26 Greece11996
27 Poland11989
28 Trinidad and Tobago11986
29 Dominican Republic11982
30 Guam11980
31 Bermuda11979
32 Brazil11971
33 Grenada11970
34 Finland11957
35 Egypt11954
36 France11953
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