{{short description|21st Miss Universe pageant}} {{Infobox beauty pageant | photo= Kerry Anne Wells, Miss Universe 1972 (cropped).jpg | caption = Kerry Anne Wells | winner = [[Kerry Anne Wells]] | represented = Australia | date = 29 July 1972 | presenters = [[Bob Barker]] | venue = Cerromar Beach Hotel, [[Dorado, Puerto Rico|Dorado]], Puerto Rico | broadcaster = [[CBS]] (international)<br>[[WKAQ-TV|Telemundo]] (official broadcaster) | entrants = 61 | placements = 12 | debuts = {{Hlist|Iraq}} | withdraws = {{Hlist|Lebanon|Nicaragua|Panama|Trinidad and Tobago|Tunisia}} | returns = {{Hlist|Chile|Denmark|El Salvador|Hong Kong|Paraguay}} | congeniality = Ombayi Mukuta (Zaire) | best national costume =Carmen Ampuero (Peru) | photogenic= | before = [[Miss Universe 1971|1971]] | next = [[Miss Universe 1973|1973]] }}
'''Miss Universe 1972''' was the 21st [[Miss Universe]] pageant, held at the Cerromar Beach Hotel in [[Dorado, Puerto Rico|Dorado]], Puerto Rico on 29 July 1972.<ref name="Star-Telegram" /> It was the first edition to be held outside the [[continental United States]].
At the conclusion of the event, [[Miss Universe 1970]], [[Marisol Malaret]], crowned [[Kerry Anne Wells]] of Australia as Miss Universe 1972.<ref name="Star-Telegram">{{cite news |title=Weather Girl, 20, Wins Beauty Title |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/648792782/ |access-date=4 September 2023 |work=[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=30 Jul 1972 |page=6 |language=en}}</ref> It is the first victory of Australia in the pageant's history. Miss Universe 1971, [[Georgina Rizk]] of Lebanon, was not able to crown her successor due to government restrictions because of fears of a terrorist attack.<ref>{{Cite news|date=14 July 1972|title=A 'no' for sake of safety|language=en|pages=3|work=New Nation|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/newnation19720714-1.2.33|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[National Library Board]]}}</ref>
Contestants from sixty-one countries and territories participated in this year's pageant. The pageant was hosted by [[Bob Barker]] in his sixth consecutive year, while Helen O'Connell provided commentary and analysis throughout the event.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kleiner|first=Dick|date=27 November 1972|title=Bob Barker busier than ever|language=en|pages=27|work=Dayton Daily News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49004078/19721118daytondailynewsbobbarker/|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
== Background ==
=== Location and date === On 3 August 1971, the Miss Universe Organization and the Government Economic Development Administrator of Puerto Rico signed a contract to bring both Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants to San Juan for the next five years.<ref>{{Cite news|date=6 August 1971|title=PR gets Miss Universe contest for five years|language=en|pages=1, 15|work=The Virgin Islands Daily News|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SyQwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pkQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2614%2C2960258|access-date=10 October 2025|via=Google News Archive}}</ref> Additionally, instead of Miami, Georgina Rizk, Miss Universe 1971, will reside in the designated territory as per the signed contract. Harold Glasser, president of the Miss Universe Organization, stated that the competition was relocated to Puerto Rico due to the positive impression that Miss Universe 1970, Marisol Malaret, made during her reign.<ref>{{Cite news|date=12 July 1972|title=Pageant's security tightened|language=en|pages=45|work=Fort Lauderdale News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10861016/fort-lauderdale-news/|access-date=10 October 2025|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
=== Selection of participants === Contestants from sixty-one countries and territories were selected to compete in the pageant. One candidate is appointed to the position after being runner-up in their national pageant.<ref name=":42">{{Cite web|date=13 December 2022|title="Mi mamá era una mujer muy trabajadora... Cuando ganó Miss Chile tenía 17 años, muy chiquitita. Murió a los 37 de leucemia", recuerda Paloma Moreno, quien perdió a su madre a los nueve años|url=https://glamorama.latercera.com/noticias/2022/12/mi-mama-era-una-mujer-muy-trabajadora-cuando-gano-miss-chile-tenia-17-anos-muy-chiquitita-murio-a-los-37-de-leucemia-recuerda-paloma-moreno-quien-perdio-a-su-madre-a-los-nueve-anos.shtml/|access-date=10 October 2025|website=La Tercera|language=es}}</ref>
==== Debuts, returns, and, withdrawals ==== This edition saw the debut of Iraq<ref>{{Cite news|date=21 December 2015|title=Iraq: Historic beauty contest finally held|url=https://www.africanews.com/2015/12/21/iraq-historic-beauty-contest-finally-held//|access-date=17 June 2025|website=[[africanews]]|language=en|archive-date=14 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240414070807/https://www.africanews.com/2015/12/21/iraq-historic-beauty-contest-finally-held//|url-status=live}}</ref> and the returns of El Salvador, which last competed in [[Miss Universe 1955|1955]]; and Chile, Denmark, Hong Kong and Paraguay which last competed in [[Miss Universe 1970|1970]].
Miss Lebanon 1972, Christiane Accaoui, withdrew due to government restrictions because of fears of a terrorist attack.<ref name=":02">{{Cite news|date=20 July 1972|title=Guards out as world beauties fly in|language=en|pages=7|work=New Nation|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/newnation19720720-1.2.55|access-date=10 October 2025|via=National Library Board}}</ref> Elicia Irish of Trinidad and Tobago and Souad Keneari of Tunisia withdrew for undisclosed reasons.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Ben Khalifa|first=Lotfi|date=14 February 2019|title=Voyage avec les nymphes tunisiennes|language=fr|work=Le Temps|url=https://www.pressreader.com/tunisia/le-temps-tunisia/20190214/281801400224502|access-date=10 October 2025|via=PressReader}}</ref> Nicaragua and Panama withdrew from the competition after their respective organizations failed to hold a national competition or appoint a delegate.
Both Maria Koutrouza of Cyprus and Roya Rouhani Moghaddam of Iran are set to compete this year, but withdrew for undisclosed reasons.<ref name=":02" /> Daniela Krajcinovic of Yugoslavia withdrew for health problems.<ref>{{Cite news|date=20 July 1972|title=Miss Universe contestants arriving at Cerromar Hotel|language=en|pages=8|work=The Virgin Islands Daily News|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LHVSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=F64DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6380%2C1597729|access-date=10 October 2025|via=Google News Archive}}</ref>
=== Incidents during the competition === During the Miss USA 1972 pageant, two months before the competition, two bombs exploded inside the Cerromar Beach Hotel, damaging four rooms and four cars in the hotel. The explosions were suspected to be the work of activists opposing the United States' rule in Puerto Rico.<ref>{{Cite news|date=22 May 1972|title=Pageant bombing probed|language=en|pages=12|work=The Journal Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115501923/the-journal-herald/|access-date=10 October 2025|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=21 May 1972|title=Explosions rock beauty contest site|language=en|pages=1|work=Toledo Blade|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pFwxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6wEEAAAAIBAJ&dq=tanya-wilson&pg=3574%2C3071884|access-date=10 October 2025|via=[[Google News Archive]]}}</ref> As a result, security at the Cerromar Beach Hotel has been tightened during the competition. Only individuals with connections to the hotel, the government, and the competition are permitted inside the competition location. If the damage to the competition persists, the competition in Puerto Rico will not proceed.<ref>{{Cite news|date=12 July 1972|title=Pageant's security tightened|language=en|pages=45|work=Fort Lauderdale News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10861016/fort-lauderdale-news/|access-date=10 October 2025|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
On 14 July 1972, Salibe Tartak, the Lebanese Consul in San Juan, announced that the Lebanese government had denied permission for Miss Universe 1971, Georgina Rizk, and the Lebanese candidate for Miss Universe 1972, Christiane Accoui, to travel. Rizk stated that she chose not to fly to Puerto Rico due to fears of reprisals related to the Tel Aviv Airport massacre that occurred on 30 May 1972, which resulted in the deaths of sixteen Puerto Ricans. The massacre was carried out by three Japanese men who had been recruited by Palestinian guerrilla groups.<ref>{{Cite news|date=15 July 1972|title=Miss Universe forfeits title before pageant|language=en|pages=6|work=The Kansas City Star|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115177709/the-kansas-city-star/|access-date=10 October 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=18 July 1972|title=Miss Universe won't be allowed to leave Lebanon|language=en|pages=7|work=Tucson Daily Citizen|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10861235/tucson-daily-citizen/|access-date=10 October 2025|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> According to Tartak, instead of being afraid of the massacre on May 30, Rizk was afraid of possible terrorist activities by terrorist groups on the island at Miss Universe, just like the bombings that occurred during Miss USA 1972.<ref>{{Cite news|date=15 July 1972|title=A Security Rizk|language=en|pages=2|work=Philadelphia Daily News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115504890/philadelphia-daily-news/|access-date=10 October 2025|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
On the night of the final competition, 400 members of the Puerto Rican Socialist Party gathered to protest along the highway in front of the hotel. The demonstrators chanted, "Working women work, and bourgeois women model." According to Juan Mari Bras, the secretary-general of the Socialist Party, the heavy police presence at the hotel caused a traffic jam on the highway where they were picketing. During the announcement of the winner of the competition, members of the Puerto Rican Socialist Party managed to disconnect the cables of the cameras broadcasting the event. The connection was only restored as Kerry Anne Wells was making her first walk as Miss Universe 1972.<ref>{{Cite news|date=30 July 1972|title=Miss Universe title goes to Australian|language=en|pages=1|work=The Indianapolis Star|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10862615/the-indianapolis-star/|access-date=10 October 2025|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
==Results== [[File:Miss Universe 1972 Map.PNG|thumb|250px|Miss Universe 1972 participating countries and territories.]]
=== Placements === {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%;" |- ! Placement !! Contestant |- | Miss Universe 1972 | * {{flagu|Australia}} – [[Kerry Anne Wells]]<ref>{{Cite news|date=30 July 1972|title=Miss Australia Named As 1972 Miss Universe|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/07/30/archives/miss-australia-named-as-1972-miss-universe.html|access-date=7 October 2025|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> |- | 1st Runner-Up | * {{flagu|Brazil|1968}} – Rejane Costa<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|date=30 July 1972|title=Australia new Miss Universe|language=en|pages=7|work=Democrat and Chronicle|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10862646/democrat-and-chronicle/|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> |- | 2nd Runner-Up | * {{flagu|Venezuela|1954}} – [[María Antonieta Cámpoli]]<ref name=":2" /> |- |3rd Runner-Up | * {{flagu|Israel}} – Ilana Goren<ref name=":2" /> |- |4th Runner-Up | * {{flagu|England}} - Jennifer McAdam<ref name=":2" /> |- | Top 12<ref name=":2" /> | * {{flagu|Belgium}} – Anne-Marie Roger * {{flagu|India}} – Roopa Satyan * {{flagu|Japan|1870}} – Harumi Maeda * {{flagu|Peru}} – Carmen Amelia Ampuero * {{flagu|Philippines|1936}} – Armi Crespo * {{flagu|United States}} – [[Tanya Wilson]] * {{flagu|West Germany}} – Heidemarie Weber |}
=== Special awards === {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;" ! Award !! Contestant |- |Miss Amity | * {{flagu|Zaire}} – Ombayi Mukuta<ref name=":6" /> |- |Best National Costume | * {{flagu|Peru}} – Carmen Amelia Ampuero'''<ref name=":2" />''' |}
== Pageant == === Format === Same with [[Miss Universe 1971|1971]], twelve semi-finalists were chosen at the preliminary competition that consists of the swimsuit and evening gown competition. The twelve semi-finalists participated in the casual interview, swimsuit, and evening gown competitions. From twelve, five finalists were shortlisted to advance to the final interview.<ref>{{Cite news|date=16 July 1972|title=Miss Universe: 1 in 60,000|language=en|pages=44|work=The Kingston Daily Freeman|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10861171/the-kingston-daily-freeman/|access-date=10 October 2025|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=24 July 1972|title=Universe pageant plays down curves|language=en|pages=16|work=The Times|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10862082/the-times/|access-date=10 October 2025|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
=== Selection committee ===
* [[Mapita Cortés]] – Puerto Rican actress<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |date=29 July 1972 |title=Pick judges for pageant |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5nchAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Miss+Universe%22+%22Edilson+Cid+Varela%22&pg=PA20 |access-date=10 October 2025 |website=Schenectady Gazette |page=20 |language=en |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}</ref> * Kiyoshi Hara – President of the [[Asahi Broadcasting Corporation]] in Japan<ref name=":7" /> * [[Sylvia Hitchcock]] – [[Miss Universe 1967]] from the United States<ref name=":7" /> * [[Curd Jürgens|Curt Jurgens]] – German-Austrian stage and film actor<ref name=":7" /> * Jean-Louis Lindekens – Belgian columnist<ref name=":7" /> * [[Lynn Redgrave]] – British-American actress<ref name=":7" /> * [[Line Renaud]] – French actress and singer<ref name=":7" /> * [[Arnold Scaasi]] – Canadian fashion designer<ref name=":7" /> * Edilson Cid Varela – Brazilian journalist<ref name=":7" /> * [[Fred Williamson]] – American actor and former football player<ref name=":7" /> * [[Earl Wilson (columnist)|Earl Wilson]] – American columnist and journalist<ref name=":7" />
== Contestants == Sixty-one contestants competed for the title. {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%" !Country/Territory !Contestant !Age{{efn|Ages at the time of the pageant}} !Hometown |- |{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Miss Argentina|Argentina]] |Norma Dudik<ref>{{Cite news|date=23 July 1972|title=Pigeon park|language=en|pages=39|work=The Lawton Constitution And Morning Press|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10861979/the-lawton-constitution-and-morning/|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> |22 |[[Buenos Aires Province|Buenos Aires]] |- |{{flagicon|Netherlands Antilles|1959}} [[Miss Aruba|Aruba]] |Ivonne Dirksz<ref>{{Cite news|date=14 July 1972|title=Yvonne Dirksz elected Miss Aruba at Holiday Inn Hotel July 1|pages=4–5|work=Aruba Esso News|url=https://dloc.com/CA03400001/00852/images|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[Digital Library of the Caribbean]]}}</ref> |18 |[[Oranjestad, Aruba|Oranjestad]] |- |{{flagicon|Australia}} [[Miss Australia|Australia]] |[[Kerry Anne Wells]]<ref>{{Cite news|date=13 September 1971|title=She's Miss Dream Girl|language=en|pages=5|work=New Nation|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/newnation19710913-1.2.52|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[National Library Board]]}}</ref> |20 |[[Perth]] |- |{{flagicon|Austria}} [[Miss Austria|Austria]] |Uschi Pacher<ref>{{Cite news|date=24 July 1972|title=Nederlands mooiste in Amerika|language=nl|pages=1|work=Trouw|url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010824573:mpeg21:p001|access-date=7 October 2025|via=Delpher|trans-title=Dutch most beautiful in America}}</ref> |21 |[[Carinthia]] |- |{{flagicon|Bahamas|1953}} [[Miss Bahamas|Bahamas]] |Deborah Taylor<ref>{{Cite news|date=26 July 1972|title=A graca das Caraibas|language=pt|pages=13|work=Jornal do Brasil|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=R_gZAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UwwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5148%2C2954295|access-date=7 October 2025|trans-title=The grace of the Caribbean|via=[[Google News Archive]]}}</ref> |22 |[[Bimini]] |- |{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Miss Belgium|Belgium]] |Anne-Marie Roger<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|date=19 July 1972|title=Vying for title|language=en|pages=6|work=Evening Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10861407/evening-herald/|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> |24 |[[Brussels]] |- |{{flagicon|Bermuda}} [[Miss Bermuda|Bermuda]] |Helen Brown<ref>{{Cite news|date=22 July 1972|title=Beauty queens off to represent Bermuda|language=en|pages=1|work=The Bermuda Recorder|url=https://bnl.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15212coll1/id/16057/rec/1|access-date=7 October 2025|via=Bermuda National Library}}</ref> |18 |[[St. George's, Bermuda|St. George's]] |- |{{flagicon|Bolivia}} [[Miss Bolivia|Bolivia]] |María Alicia Vargas<ref>{{Cite news|date=27 July 1972|title=Miss Bolivia's hairdresser: aunt from Brevard|language=en|pages=45|work=The Orlando Sentinel|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58538252/alicia-villarroel-miss-bolivia/|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> |19 |[[Santa Cruz de la Sierra]] |- |{{flagicon|Brazil|1968}} [[Miss Brazil|Brazil]] |Rejane Costa<ref>{{Cite web|date=28 December 2013|title=Morre a ex-miss Brasil e atriz Rejane Goulart|url=https://oglobo.globo.com/ela/gente/morre-ex-miss-brasil-atriz-rejane-goulart-16951567|access-date=7 October 2025|website=O Globo|language=pt-BR|trans-title=Former Miss Brazil and actress Rejane Goulart dies}}</ref> |18 |[[Cachoeira do Sul]] |- |{{flagicon|Canada}} [[Miss Dominion of Canada|Canada]] |Bonny Brady<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 July 1972 |title=Winner and friends |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EOxUAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Bonny+Brady%22&pg=PA7 |access-date=7 October 2025 |work=The Leader-Post |pages=7 |via=Google Books}}</ref> |18 |[[Perth, Ontario|Perth]] |- |{{flag|Chile}} |Consuelo Fernández<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|date=13 December 2022|title="Mi mamá era una mujer muy trabajadora... Cuando ganó Miss Chile tenía 17 años, muy chiquitita. Murió a los 37 de leucemia", recuerda Paloma Moreno, quien perdió a su madre a los nueve años|url=https://glamorama.latercera.com/noticias/2022/12/mi-mama-era-una-mujer-muy-trabajadora-cuando-gano-miss-chile-tenia-17-anos-muy-chiquitita-murio-a-los-37-de-leucemia-recuerda-paloma-moreno-quien-perdio-a-su-madre-a-los-nueve-anos.shtml/|access-date=7 October 2025|website=La Tercera|language=es|trans-title="My mother was a very hard-working woman... When she won Miss Chile, she was 17 years old, very young. She died at 37 of leukemia," recalls Paloma Moreno, who lost her mother at age nine.}}</ref> |18 |[[Santiago]] |- |{{flagicon|Colombia}} [[Señorita Colombia|Colombia]] |María Luisa Lignarolo<ref>{{Cite news|last=Castellanos|first=Gonzalo|date=15 November 1971|title=Llego la hora del despegue de la mujer|language=es|pages=1; 24-A|work=El Tiempo|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=8vwjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tWYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4297%2C2749764|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[Google News Archive]]}}</ref> |19 |[[Atlántico Department|Atlántico]] |- |{{flagicon|Costa Rica}} [[Miss Costa Rica|Costa Rica]] |Vicki Ross<ref>{{Cite news|date=24 July 1972|title=Stuck surfside|language=en|pages=8|work=Pensacola News Journal|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10862170/pensacola-news-journal/|access-date=7 October 2025|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> |22 |[[San José, Costa Rica|San José]] |- |{{flagicon|Netherlands Antilles}} [[Miss Curaçao|Curaçao]] |Ingrid Prade<ref>{{Cite news|date=12 July 1972|title=Ingrid Prade, Miss Curacao-1972|language=nl|pages=6|work=Vrije Stem|url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011188331:mpeg21:p006|access-date=7 October 2025|via=Delpher}}</ref> |19 |[[Willemstad]] |- |{{flag|Denmark}} |Marianne Schmidt<ref name=":5">{{Cite news|date=25 July 1972|title=Ekki rigning hjá henni Maríu!|language=is|pages=1|work=Vísir|url=https://timarit.is/page/3244170?iabr=on|access-date=7 October 2025|via=[[Tímarit.is]]|trans-title=No rain for Maria!}}</ref> |18 |[[Copenhagen]] |- |{{flag|Dominican Republic}} |Ivonne Butler<ref>{{Cite news|last=Gomez|first=Shirley|date=11 August 2025|title=Victoria Kjaer crowns Jennifer Ventura as Miss Dominican Republic Universe 2025: What happened to Celinee Santos?|trans-title=Victoria Kjaer crowns Jennifer Ventura as Miss Dominican Republic Universe 2025: What happened to Celinee Santos?|url=https://www.hola.com/us/celebrities/20250811849552/victoria-kjaer-crowns-jennifer-ventura-miss-dominican-republic-universe-2025/|access-date=14 August 2025|website=[[¡Hola!|Hola!]]|language=en|archive-date=14 August 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250814091458/https://www.hola.com/us/celebrities/20250811849552/victoria-kjaer-crowns-jennifer-ventura-miss-dominican-republic-universe-2025/|url-status=live}}</ref> |19 |[[La Romana, Dominican Republic|La Romana]] |- |{{flag|Ecuador|1900}} |Susana Castro<ref>{{Cite news|date=23 July 1972|title=Latinoamericanas a "Miss Universo"|language=es|pages=7|work=El Tiempo|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kT41AAAAIBAJ&sjid=xGYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3417%2C4410969|access-date=7 October 2025|trans-title=Latin Americans to "Miss Universe"|via=[[Google News Archive]]}}</ref> |19 |[[Quito]] |- |{{flag|El Salvador}} |Ruth Eugenia Romero |22 |[[San Salvador]] |- |{{flag|England}} |Jennifer McAdam<ref>{{Cite news|date=30 July 1972|title=Miss England comes up for air|language=en|pages=2|work=The Charlotte Observer|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90810062/the-charlotte-observer/|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> |24 |[[London]] |- |{{flag|Finland}} |[[Maj-Len Grönholm|Maj-Len Eriksson]]<ref>{{Cite web|date=26 June 2009|title=Entinen Miss Suomi, poliitikko Maj-Len Grönholm on kuollut|url=https://yle.fi/a/3-5273572|access-date=7 October 2025|website=Yle Uutiset|language=fi|trans-title=Former Miss Finland, politician Maj-Len Grönholm has died}}</ref> |19 |[[Helsinki]] |- |{{flag|France|dark}} |[[Claudine Cassereau]]<ref>{{Cite news|date=18 July 1972|title=Miss Universe contestants|language=en|pages=1|work=The Daily Republic|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10861205/the-daily-republic/|access-date=7 October 2025|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> |19 |[[Poitou]] |- |{{flag|Greece|1970}} |Nansy Kapetanaki<ref>{{Cite web|date=2 December 2018|title=Ελευθερία Κογκάκη: Αυτή είναι η πρώτη Miss Κρήτη!|url=https://www.neakriti.gr/article/kriti/1528730/eleutheria-kogaki-auti-einai-i-proti-miss-kriti/|access-date=7 October 2025|website=Νea Kriti|language=el|trans-title=Eleftheria Kogaki: This is the first Miss Crete!}}</ref> |19 |[[Athens]] |- |{{flag|Guam}} |Patricia Alvarez |18 |[[Yigo]] |- |{{flag|Holland}} |Jenny Ten Wolde<ref>{{Cite news|date=8 May 1972|title=Haagse 'Miss Holland'|language=nl|pages=2|work=Trouw|url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010818184:mpeg21:p002|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[Delpher]]}}</ref> |25 |[[The Hague]] |- |{{flag|Honduras|1949}} |Doris Alicia Roca<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gámez |first=Sabino |date=25 April 2008 |title=El Miss Honduras, una historia que contar |trans-title=Miss Honduras, a story to tell |url=https://www.laprensa.hn/espectaculos/el-miss-honduras-una-historia-que-contar-ATLP695720 |access-date=4 October 2025 |website=La Prensa |language=es-HN}}</ref> |19 |[[Cortés Department|Cortés]] |- |{{flag|British Hong Kong|name=Hong Kong}} |Rita Leung |19 |Hong Kong |- |{{flag|Iceland}} |María Kristín Jóhannesdóttir<ref>{{Cite news|date=8 June 1972|title=Verður hún ungfrú Evrópa 1972?|language=is|pages=3|work=Vísir|url=https://timarit.is/page/3243424?iabr=on|access-date=7 October 2025|via=[[Tímarit.is]]|trans-title=Will she be Miss Europe 1972?}}</ref> |19 |[[Reykjavík]] |- |{{flag|India}} |Roopa Satyan<ref>{{Cite web|date=25 March 2013|title=50 years of Miss India: Winners through the years|url=https://photogallery.indiatimes.com/beauty-pageants/miss-india/50-years-of-miss-india-winners-through-the-years/winners-through-the-years/articleshow/19188085.cms|access-date=7 October 2025|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref> |18 |[[Bangalore]] |- |{{flag|Iraq|1963}} |Wijdan Burhan El-Deen Sulyman<ref>{{Cite news|date=18 July 1972|title=Pageant entries|language=en|pages=5|work=The Sedalia Democrat|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10861285/the-sedalia-democrat/|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> |18 |[[Baghdad]] |- |{{flag|Ireland}} |Maree McGlinchey |22 |[[County Donegal|Donegal]] |- |{{flag|Israel}} |Ilana Goren<ref>{{Cite news|date=14 July 1972|title=Time for top girls|language=en|pages=1|work=The Australian Jewish News|url=https://www.nli.org.il/en/newspapers/ajnm/1972/07/14/01/article/5/?srpos=7&e=------197-en-20--1--img-txIN%7ctxTI-%22Miss+Israel%22----1972---------1|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[National Library of Israel]]}}</ref> |19 |[[Kiryat Motzkin]] |- |{{flag|Italy}} |Isabela Specia |20 |[[Milan]] |- |{{flag|Jamaica}} |Grace Marilyn Wright<ref>{{Cite news|date=28 July 1972|title=It's not all glamour|language=en|pages=4|work=The Morning Call|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10862388/the-morning-call/|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> |20 |[[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]] |- |{{flag|Japan|1870}} |Harumi Maeda<ref>{{Cite news|date=25 July 1972|title=Puerto Rico viel mee|language=nl|pages=3|work=Het vrije volk|url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010957907:mpeg21:p003|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[Delpher]]}}</ref> |21 |[[Tokyo]] |- |{{flag|Luxembourg}} |Anita Heck<ref>{{Cite web|date=20 August 2020|title=A hark back to 1972: And a Luxembourg entry to Miss Universe|url=https://today.rtl.lu/entertainment/news/a/1565670.html|access-date=7 October 2025|website=RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg|language=en}}</ref> |18 |[[Esch-sur-Alzette]] |- |{{flag|Malaysia}} |Helen Looi<ref>{{Cite news|date=16 July 1972|title=Last minute dress fitting for beauty queens|language=en|pages=18|work=The Straits Times|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19720716-1.2.89|access-date=7 October 2025|via=National Library Board}}</ref> |22 |[[Georgetown, Malaysia|Georgetown]] |- |{{flag|Malta}} |Doris Abdilla<ref name=":1" /> |21 |[[Birżebbuġa]] |- |{{flag|Mexico}} |María del Carmen Orozco<ref>{{Cite news|date=24 July 1972|title=19 anos de Miss Bolivia|language=es|pages=12|work=El Tiempo|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kj41AAAAIBAJ&sjid=xGYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2317%2C4684069|access-date=7 October 2025|via=[[Google News Archive]]}}</ref> |18 |[[Chihuahua (state)|Chihuahua]] |- |{{flag|New Zealand}} |Kristine Allan<ref>{{cite news |title=‘Miss N.Z.’ off to choose wardrobe |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/press/1972/06/09/5 |work=[[The Press]] |page=5 |access-date=28 January 2026 |date=9 June 1972 |location=[[Christchurch]], New Zealand |via=[[National Library of New Zealand#Papers Past|Papers Past]]}}</ref> |19 |[[Auckland]] |- |{{flag|Norway}} |Liv Olsen<ref name=":5" /> |22 |[[Oslo]] |- |{{flag|Paraguay|1954}} |María Stela Volpe<ref>{{Cite web|date=17 December 2021|title="Nadia tenía que ser Miss Universo, fue una injusta calificación del jurado", dijo la exreina María Stella Volpe|url=https://www.lanacion.com.py/lnpop/2021/12/17/nadia-tenia-que-ser-miss-universo-fue-una-injusta-calificacion-del-jurado-dijo-la-exreina-maria-stella-volpe/|access-date=7 October 2025|website=La Nación|language=es|trans-title="Nadia had to be Miss Universe, it was an unfair decision by the jury," said former queen María Stella Volpe.}}</ref> |19 |[[Asunción]] |- |{{flag|Peru}} |Carmen Ampuero<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=23 May 2019|title=Reinas de belleza en acto benéfico|url=https://larepublica.pe/sociedad/492116-reinas-de-belleza-en-acto-benefico/|access-date=9 November 2023|website=[[La República (Peru)|La República]]|language=es|archive-date=31 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221231235029/https://larepublica.pe/sociedad/492116-reinas-de-belleza-en-acto-benefico/|url-status=dead}}</ref> |18 |[[Lima]] |- |{{flag|Philippines|1936}} |Armi Crespo<ref>{{Cite web|last=Tayag|first=Voltaire|date=6 June 2019|title=The Binibining Pilipinas legacy through the years|url=https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/pageants/232209-legacy-through-the-decades/|access-date=9 November 2023|website=[[Rappler]]|language=en-US}}</ref> |18 |[[Manila]] |- |{{flag|Portugal}} |Iris dos Santos |18 |[[Portuguese Mozambique]] |- |{{flag|Puerto Rico|1952}} |Bárbara Torres<ref name=":0" /> |18 |[[Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico|Santurce]] |- |{{flag|Scotland}} |Elizabeth Stevely |20 |[[Glasgow]] |- |{{flag|Singapore}} |Jacqueline Han<ref>{{Cite news|date=7 August 1972|title=Jacqueline pulang ka-tanah ayer|language=ms|pages=1|work=Berita Harian|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/beritaharian19720807-1.2.7|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[National Library Board]]|trans-title=Jacqueline went home to Tanah Ayer}}</ref> |21 |Singapore |- |{{flag|South Korea|1948}} |Yeon-joo Park |20 |[[Seoul]] |- |{{flag|Francoist Spain|1945|name=Spain}} |María del Carmen Muñoz<ref>{{Cite news|date=25 July 1972|title="Maku" en Puerto Rico|language=es|pages=22|work=El Tiempo|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kz41AAAAIBAJ&sjid=xGYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1781%2C5010289|access-date=9 November 2023|trans-title="Maku" in Puerto Rico|via=[[Google News Archive]]}}</ref> |18 |[[Madrid]] |- |{{flag|Suriname (Kingdom of the Netherlands)|name=Suriname}} |Carmen Muntslag<ref>{{Cite news|date=12 June 1972|title=Carmen Muntslag Miss Suriname '72|language=nl|pages=29 Marso 2023|work=Vrije Stem|url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011188308:mpeg21:p001|access-date=7 October 2025|via=Delpher}}</ref> |18 |[[Paramaribo]] |- |{{flag|Sweden}} |Britt Marie Johansson<ref name=":5" /> |19 |[[Trångsund]] |- |{{flag|Switzerland}} |Anneliese Weber |– |[[Zürich]] |- |{{flag|Thailand}} |[[Nipapat Sudsiri]]<ref>{{Cite news|date=24 July 1972|title=Miss Thailand|language=en|pages=28|work=The Ithaca Journal|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10862135/the-ithaca-journal/|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> |21 |[[Kanchanaburi]] |- |{{flag|Turkey}} |Neslihan Sunay |18 |[[Eskişehir]] |- |{{flag|United States}} |[[Tanya Wilson]]<ref name="crowned">{{cite news |date=22 May 1972 |title=Hawaii Lass Crowned Miss USA Saturday |publisher=Lodi News-Sentinel |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3eUzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qTIHAAAAIBAJ&pg=5157,3904788&dq=tanya-wilson&hl=en |access-date=9 November 2023 |via=[[Google News Archive]]}}</ref> |22 |[[Honolulu]] |- |{{flag|United States Virgin Islands}} |Carol Krieger<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|date=25 June 1972|title=Miss Virgin Islands|language=en|pages=8|work=[[The Virgin Islands Daily News]]|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MHVSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=F64DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6558%2C2043726|access-date=9 November 2023|via=[[Google News Archive]]}}</ref> |18 |[[Saint Croix]] |- |{{flag|Uruguay}} |Christina Moller<ref>{{Cite news|date=27 July 1972|title=Las reinas tambien son feas|language=es|pages=7|work=El Tiempo|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lD41AAAAIBAJ&sjid=xGYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2587%2C5175708|access-date=7 October 2025|trans-title=Queens are ugly too|via=[[Google News Archive]]}}</ref> |20 |[[Montevideo]] |- |{{flag|Venezuela|1954}} |[[María Antonieta Cámpoli]]<ref>{{Cite news|date=31 July 1972|title=Miss Universe and her court|language=en|pages=12|work=The Cincinnati Enquirer|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10862798/the-cincinnati-enquirer/|access-date=7 October 2025|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> |18 |[[Nueva Esparta]] |- |{{flag|Wales}} |Eileen Darroch<ref>{{Cite news|date=30 July 1972|title=Untitled|language=es|pages=6|work=El Tiempo|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lz41AAAAIBAJ&sjid=xGYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1060%2C5728836|access-date=7 October 2025|via=[[Google News Archive]]}}</ref> |21 |[[Caerwys]] |- |{{flag|West Germany}} |Heidemarie Weber<ref name=":1" /> |24 |[[Brandenburg]] |- |{{flag|Zaire}} |Ombayi Mukuta<ref name=":6">{{Cite news|date=20 July 1972|title=Lass from Australia new Miss Universe|language=en|pages=24|work=The Tennessean|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10862682/the-tennessean/|access-date=7 October 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> |18 |[[Kinshasa]] |}
== Notes == <references group="lower-alpha" responsive="1"></references>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.missuniverse.com/ Miss Universe official website]
{{Miss Universe}} {{Miss Universe 1972 delegates}}
[[Category:Miss Universe by year|1972]] [[Category:1972 in Puerto Rico]] [[Category:1972 beauty pageants]] [[Category:Beauty pageants in Puerto Rico]] [[Category:Dorado, Puerto Rico]] [[Category:July 1972 in North America]]