a) First time winners from each continent are – Armi Kuusela (Finland, Europe) Miss Universe 1952, Miriam Stevenson (Unites States, North America) Miss Universe 1954, Gladys Zender (Peru, South America) Miss Universe 1957, Akiko Kojima (Japan, Asia) Miss Universe 1959, Kerry Anne Wells (Australia, Oceania) Miss Universe 1972, and Margaret Gardiner (South Africa, Africa) Miss Universe 1978.
b) Armi Kuusela from Finland, the first-ever Miss Universe in 1952, gave up her title, though not officially, to get married, shortly before her year was completed.
c) USA has so far won the maximum number of Miss Universe titles (8), followed by Venezuela (7), Puerto Rico (5) and the Philippines (4).
d) Continent-wise, beauties from Africa have won Miss Universe title 6 times, Asia has won 12 titles, Europe has won 12 titles (excluding dethronement), North America has won 21 titles (including replacement of dethroned winner), Oceania has won 3 titles, and South America has won 14 titles. North American beauties (including Central American countries) lead the tally of Miss Universe wins.
e) Miss Universe 2002, Oxana Fedorova of Russia, became the first ever (and till date only) titleholder to be dethroned. She was stripped of her title due to ‘failing to function’ in her responsibilities as Miss Universe. Her responsibilities were assumed by the first runner-up Justine Pasek of Panama after her official dethronement on 23rd September 2002, four months after being crowned. Rumours were that she was secretly married and was pregnant, and was dethroned because of that.
f) Leila Lopes of Angola enjoyed the longest reign period of 464 days (12th September 2011 – 18th December 2012).
g) Excluding the year of dethronement, the shortest completed reign as Miss Universe is that of Iris Mittenaere of France for 300 days (30th January 2017 to 25th November 2017)
