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Miss Japan, Riyo Mori, became the new Miss Universe late Monday at a gala held at the National Auditorium as Miss India Puja Gupta finished among the top 10 beautiful women in the contest.
Mori, 20, received the crown adorned with 800 diamonds and 120 pearls - valued at 250,000 dollars - from Miss Universe 2006, Puerto Rican Zuleyka Rivera.
Miss Brazil Natalia Guimaraes was the first runner-up while another Latin American, Venezuelan Ly Jonaitis, took the third place.
The remaining finalists were South Korean Honey Lee and American Rachel Smith, despite the fact that the latter fell to the ground on stage during the evening gown competition.
China's Ningning Zhang was chosen Miss Congeniality and Filipino Anna Theresa Licaros was named Miss Photogenic.
India's Gupta shared her place among the top 10 beauties with Miss Angola Micaela Reis, Miss Tanzania Flaviana Matata, Miss Nicaragua Xiomara Blandino and Miss Mexico Rosa Maria Ojeda Cuen.
This was Japan's second Miss Universe title after Akiko Kojima's in 1959.
Among many other benefits as the most beautiful woman in the world, Mori is to receive a year-long salary, the use of a New York City apartment during her reign and a personal wardrobe, as well as a two-year scholarship from The NY Film Academy valued at up to 100,000 dollars.
In return, she will be required to remain single and not to have children throughout her reign.
The Miss Universe gala was broadcast to some 1 billion people, according to the event's organizers. Mexico City's National Auditorium has a capacity of 10,000.
The Miss Universe Organization, which produces Miss Universe, is a Donald J Trump and NBC broadcaster partnership, and aims among other things to promote global awareness of illnesses like AIDS and breast and ovarian cancer.
"The titleholders of the Miss Universe Organization personify the combination of beauty and intelligence that defines the 21st Century," the organisation says in its website.
The US holds the most Miss Universe titles in history, with a total of seven. Puerto Rico follows, with five, while Venezuela has four.
DPA
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