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Since 1971

About Miss Intercontinental

Since 1971, young, ambitious women from every continent have dreamed of wearing this crown. What began as a tourism event on Aruba has grown into an international show of beauty, success and diversity.

  • 54editions
  • 54queens
  • 28crowned nations
Miss Intercontinental titleholders through the decades

Our story

From Aruba to the world

  1. 1971

    Aruba

    A tourism event becomes a pageant

    Miss Intercontinental began as a promotion for tourism on the island of Aruba. Thirty-five women in red one-piece swimsuits competed for the crown in Oranjestad — after two weeks of the island’s beaches, its food and a taste of the jet set. It started as a teen pageant, and strong television ratings made it an annual event.

  2. Late 1970s

    Around the world

    The crown starts to travel

    At the end of the 1970s the pageant left Aruba for exotic places all over the world — among them Cartagena in Colombia, Berlin, Huangshan in China, Mahé in the Seychelles, Minsk and Nassau in the Bahamas.

  3. 2022

    50th anniversary

    Half a century of Miss Intercontinental

    In 2022 Miss Intercontinental celebrated its 50th edition. The world has changed a lot since 1971 — and the pageant has changed with it.

  4. Today

    The UN of glamour

    Over eighty women, one crown

    Every year more than eighty women from every continent compete for what is known as the most expensive crown in pageantry — a showcase of the world’s most poised women and a celebration of the beauty of diversity.

Host places

Where the crown has travelled

  • OranjestadAruba · 1971
  • CartagenaColombia
  • BerlinGermany
  • HuangshanChina
  • MahéSeychelles
  • MinskBelarus
  • NassauBahamas
  • ManilaPhilippines · 2018
  • Red SeaEgypt · 2017 – 2026

The titleholders

Women of power and grace

Miss Intercontinental titleholders have gone on to high-profile careers in government, business, finance, film and fashion — women of commitment and intelligence, of style and substance.

All 54 queens