Miss Universe 2021: 5 things you didn’t know about the beauty pageant

Miss Universe 1953, Armi Kuusela (Miss Finland) surrounding by her vice misses: (from left to right) Miss Hong-Kong Judy Dan, Miss Hawai Elsa Edsman, Miss Germany Renata Hoy and Miss Greece Daisy Mavraki, in Long Beach, California, on June 29, 1952.

The United States is the country that has won the contest the most times with a total of eight Miss Universe crowns in its possession. The first time the USA won was in 1954 thanks to Miriam Jacqueline Stevenson, while the most recent was in 2012 with Olivia Frances Culpo.

The Miss Universe 2018 edition will go down in history for being the first to include a transsexual woman. It was Ángela Ponce who represented Spain in the contest. Despite being one of the favorites, Ponce lost the crown to Catriona Gray, representative of the Philippines.

Donald Trump used to own the pageant – one of the “big four” international beauty competitions – he sold it to WME/IMG in 2015. Trump sold the Miss Universe Organization, which includes Miss USA and Miss Teen USA.

Only three countries have competed in every single Miss Universe pageant since 1952: Germany, France, and Canada.