AUSTRALIA
BELGIUM
CANADA
CZECH REP
DOMINCAN REP
ETHIOPIA
FRANCE
GHANA
HONDURAS
PHILIPPINES
PUERTO RICO
RUSSIA
SOUTH AFRICA
U S A
VENEZUELA
MISS AUSTRALIA - Rachael Finch
We ignored Rachel in the beginning but all of that changed after we saw her at the preliminary competition. She's got grace, a body that women would die for and she came across very confident. Some of her photos don't do her justice but she is pretty amazing.
Australia has produced two Miss Universe, most recently in 2004, Jennifer Hawkins, who is now a very sought-after model in Australia. Before that, Kerri Anne Wells won the title in 1972. Australia made the semi finals 12 times; 1953, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1992, 1993, 2004 and 2008.
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Chance of Winning Miss Universe: 70% chance
Placement Prediction: Top 10
Best Possible Placement: Top 10
MISS BELGIUM - Zeynep Sever
Here's another contestant we ignored until the presentation show. This girl has an amazing stage presence and very confident. She's probably the best Belgian contender since Anke van Dermeersch in 1992.
Belgium has made the semi finals 7 times but has failed to produce a winner yet. They made the semi finals in 1955, 1956, 1959, 1972, 1978, 1981 and 1992.
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Chance of Winning Miss Universe: 60% chance
Placement Prediction: Top 15
Best possible placement: Top 15
MISS CANADA - Mariana Valente
Here's another surprise addition to our list of top 15. Mariana did really well in the preliminary competition. We were hoping she would use a different evening gown than what is shown in the picture above...and amazingly, she did! She also has that perfect hour-glass figure. She's been a favorite feature in a lof of the videos online and she's got a very bubbly personality.
Canada has been very successful in this pageant, producing two winners; Natalie Glevoba in 2005 and Karen Baldwin in 1982. They have made the semi finals 15 times; 1953, 1955, 1957, 1962, 1965, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006.
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Chance of Winning Miss Universe: 60% chance
Placement Prediction: Top 15
Best Possible Placement: Top 15
MISS CZECH REPUBLIC - Iveta Lutovska
This choice is pretty obvious from the beginning. She reminds us so much of Miss Switzerland 2006, Lauriane Giliéron. The preliminary competition just sealed the deal for her because if we're talking about swimsuit and evening gown, we think she knocked those competitions out of the ballpark. It would be nice to see a European win the crown. The last one was Miss Russia, Oxana Federova, who ended up being dethroned a few months after the pageant because she was unable to fulfill her duties.
Czech Republic has made the semi-finals 4 times; 1993, 2003, 2007 and 2008.
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Chance of Winning Miss Universe: 85% chance
Placement Prediction: Top 5
Best Possible Placement: Winner or 1st Runner Up
CLICK ON PHOTOS TO SEE OUR FULL REVIEW OF EACH OF OUR TOP 16
MISS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - Ada Dela Cruz
Where do we begin? This lady has it all! She's got the height, the body, gorgeous face and most importantly, international pageant experience. She represented her country at Miss World in 2007 and placed at top 16. Ada could very well be Dominican Republic's 2nd Miss Universe. Her preliminary performance was flawless! She's got the "x" factor.
Dominican Republic has produced one Miss Universe, Amelia Vega in 2003 and has made the semi finals a total of 6 times; 1977, 1988, 1995, 2003, 2005 and 2008.
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Chance of Winning Miss Universe: 95% chance
Placement Prediction: Top 5
Best Possible Placement: Winner or 1st Runner Up
MISS ETHIOPIA - Melat Yante
Melat has been our favorite from the very beginning. She's got a beautiful face, great figure and the camera loves her. We were hoping she would use a different gown for the preliminary competition but it's okay. We think she garnered enough points to make top 15.
Ethiopia is very new to Miss Universe. They've only been represented 6 times. Dina Fekadu made history in 2006 as the very first Ethiopian woman to ever make the Miss Universe semi finals. We think Melat can repreat that feat this year.
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Chance of Winning Miss Universe: 55% chance
Placement Prediction: Top 15
Best Possible Placement: Top 15
MISS FRANCE - Chloe Mortaud
Chloe is one of our top favorites to win the crown! She nailed both competition during the preliminary and the press loves her. Her pictures have been all over the place and she photographs really well. She's sophisticated, exotic and very polished contestant.
France has produced one Miss Universe, Christiane Martel Magnani in 1953 but hasn't had any luck since then. They've made the semi finals 12 times; 1953, 1954, 1956, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1968, 1971, 1991, 2000 and 2001.
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Chance of Winning Miss Universe: 90% chance
Placement Prediction: Top 5
Best Possible Placement: Winner or 1st Runner Up
MISS GHANA - Jennifer Koranteng
Jennifer has got to be the biggest surprise for us. After watching her performance in the preliminary competition, this girl definitely made us change our mind. It's funny how she never seem to have been noticed by other sites and forums but she made a huge impression on us and that's why we picked Jennifer. This African goddess has great stage presence, knew exactly what looks good on her and she just performed flawlessly under the radar.
Ghana has made the semi finals once in 1999. Incidentally, that pageant was also held in the Caribbean. They have won Miss Congeniality twice, in 1993 and 2006.
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Chance of Winning Miss Universe: 60% chance
Placement Prediction: Top 10
Best Possible Placement: Top 10
MISS HONDURAS - Belgica Nathaly Suarez
Belgica is a definite front runner. She is tall, dark and very exotic. Among this year's Latin delegates, Belgica is one of the very few that stood out. One thing we like about Belgica is she is very natural...not too much make up. It will be an amazing feat for Belgica to make the top 15 because Honduras has not placed in the semi-finals since 1955. Her country will probably go crazy if she makes the top 15. Well, we are rooting for her and we think she will make history.
Honduras has made the semi-finals 1 time, 1955 and has won the Miss Congeniality Award in 1987.
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Chance of Winning Miss Universe: 65% chance
Placement Prediction: Top 10
Best Possible Placement: Top 10
MISS PHILIPPINES - Pamela Bianca Manalo
The only Asian on our list, Bianca have been full of surprises since she arrived in Atlantis. This lady has non-stop style and has been a crowd favorite. Bianca promised to deliver in the preliminary and did she ever. Her flawless performance gave her loudly-cheering countrymen hope for victory.
The Philippines have produced two Miss Universe winners; Gloria Diaz in 1969 and Margarita Moran in 1973. They have made the semi finals 14 times; 1954, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1980, 1984, 1987, 1994 and 1999.
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Chance of Winning Miss Universe: 70% chance
Placement Prediction: Top 5
Best Possible Placement: 3rd or 4th Runner Up
MISS PUERTO RICO - Mayra Matos Perez
Myra is as cute as a button. Who can miss this latin beauty? She did really well in the preliminary competition. She was amazing in both swimsuit and evening gown. We're sure that this is great relief for the thousands of Puerto Rican pageant fanatics after the disappointing performance of their delegate last year, Ingrid Rivera, who failed to place in the top 15.
Puerto Rico is one of the countries that have produced the most Miss Universe winners. To date, they have won 5 times. They have been in the semi finals 16 times; 1970, 1971, 1974, 1980, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
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Chance of Winning Miss Universe: 75% chance
Placement Prediction: Top 5
Best Possible Placement: 1st or 2nd Runner Up
MISS RUSSIA - Sofia Rudyeva
We waited until the preliminary competition before we added Russia to our top 15 list. We were just not quite sure in the beginning. But after the presentation show, it's official...she is a definite front runner. Sofia is gorgeous and very photogenic. People commented that she seemed too timid and moved very slow during the competition but that's actually what we liked about her, very soft, femine and not too flashy.
Russia has done well in this pageant. They have one winner and have made the semi finals 6 times; 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2006 and 2008.
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Chance of Winning Miss Universe: 75% chance
Placement Prediction: Top 5
Best Possible Placement: 2nd or 3rd Runner Up
MISS USA - Kristen Dalton
Kristen is another easy pick for us. She is gorgeous, great bod and a true competitor. Just like we mentioned at Miss USA, beauty runs in her family. Her mother, Jeannie Boger, was 1982 Miss North Carolina USA and her sister, Julia Dalton was 2nd Runner Up at last year's Miss Teen USA Pageant, representing their home state of North Carolina.
American women do well at Miss Universe. They have placed in the semi finals 53 times. The last time Miss USA failed to place in the top 10 was in 2002. But it's been a while since the USA have taken home the crown. The last winner from the USA is Brooke Lee in 1997.
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Chance of Winning Miss Universe: 85% chance
Placement Prediction: Top 5
Best Possible Placement: 3rd or 4th Runner Up
MISS SOUTH AFRICA - Tatum Keshwar
Tatum made it really hard for us. Sometimes she's on our list, sometimes she's not. But her performance in the preliminary competition made her a permanent part of our list. Tatum exuded confidence. She knew how to work the audience and tell them "look at me, look at me", without overdoing it. She is a strong contender but just really depends of what the judges are looking for during the finals.
South Africa did well in the early years of Miss Universe and have produced one winner, Margaret Gardiner in 1978. They stopped sending delegates to the pageant from 1985 to 1994. They made the semi finals 17 times.
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Chance of Winning Miss Universe: 70% chance
Placement Prediction: Top 10
Best Possible Placement: Top 10
MISS VENEZUELA - Stefania Fernandez
Stefania was a last minute addition to our list. As beautiful as she is, she is lacking the certain "umph" that previous Miss Venezuelas had. But Stefania did well in the preliminary competition and that's how she ended up on our list.
Venezuela produced 5 Miss Universe winners and made the semi finals 35 times...probably the most of any nation except the United States. The current Miss Universe, Dayana Mendoza is from Venezuela.
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Chance of Winning Miss Universe: 60% chance
Placement Prediction: Top 10
Best Possible Placement: Top 10
VIEWER'S CHOICE
MEXICO
COMMENTS
There were so many others that just missed our list by a narrow margin and we thought that they are all worth mentioning. We consider them our dark horses.
MISS NICARAGUA - great performance, could pull some surprises!
MISS SPAIN - Great evening gown! Estibaliz is a crowd favorite and did really well in the preliminaries. Her score just missed our list by a few hundredths of a point.
MISS KOSOVO - She probably scored 3rd or 4th highest in the evening gown but there is something about her that's lacking. We wouldn't be surprise if she makes top 15.
MISS JAMAICA - Where did this girl come from? She was quiet, under the radar...and then comes the preliminaries and in comes this goddess! She scored high but not high enough to be on our list but we're still rooting for her!
MISS GUATEMALA - Perfect performance! Why she didn't make our list is beyond explanation. But we love her!
MISS INDONESIA - Love this girl! She had it in the swimsuit and then she came out with that boring blue gown. It just didn't match her and her personality. She has great stage presence and she knew how to work the crowd...too bad.
MISS PANAMA - This lady is sophisticated, elegant and very regal. Something is missing though...not quite sure what it is.
MISS NETHERLANDS - Our biggest disappointment. We were expecting never-ending style, attitude and drama...didn't happen. But we still love her exotic look. She can definitely work her way into the top 15.
MISS IRELAND - Pleasantly surprised about her. She's pretty and a crowd favorite but it's not quite enough to make our top 15.
MISS VIETNAM - Another candidate that's over hyped, over done. But she did well in the preliminaries. If she makes top 15, that would be two in a row for Vietnam!
MISS GUAM - She's adorable! If she would have been a little taller, I think she would have been noticed a lot more.
VIEWER'S CHOICE
MISS MEXICO - Karla Carrillo
Congratulations to Carla for winning the Viewer's Choice. Mexico always send great candidates to the Miss Universe and Karla is no exception. Karla came very well prepared and there are thousands of fans back home rooting for her. She did well in the preliminaries but like we mentioned before, we were a bit disappointed with her evening gown and hair overall performance was good.
Mexico has only one Miss Universe so far, Lupita Jones, who won in 1991. But Mexico has made the semi finals 15 times; 1952, 1953, 1956, 1978, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.
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Chance of Winning Miss Universe: 55% chance
Placement Prediction: Top 15
Best Possible Placement: Top 10
