Miss Universe 2012

Miss Universe 2012 was the 61st Miss Universe pageant, held at the PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States on 19 December 2012.

At the end of the event, Leila Lopes of Angola crowned Olivia Culpo of the United States as Miss Universe 2012. It was the United States' first victory in fifteen years, and the eighth victory of the country in the pageant.

Contestants from eighty-nine countries and territories competed in this year's pageant, surpassing the previous record of eighty-six contestants in Miss Universe 2006. The pageant was hosted by Andy Cohen and Giuliana Rancic, with Jeannie Mai as backstage correspondent. American rock band Train and Australian musician Tim Omaji performed in this year's pageant.

Location and date
In March 2012, the Miss Universe Organization announced that the pageant was postponed to mid-December as broadcaster, NBC, was unable to broadcast the pageant at the same time as the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2012 United States presidential election. In April 2012, it was announced that Bangladesh would host the pageant on 13 December 2012. However, in July, the Bangladeshi president announced that they will not host the pageant because of financial constraints.

In August 2012, the Dominican government received a proposal from the Miss Universe Organization to host the competition on 11 December 2012. The Dominican Republic had previously hosted Miss Universe 1977 in Santo Domingo. The organization was considering hosting the final night at the Hard Rock Resort and Casino in Punta Cana. However, the government said that the country was not able to provide any kind of financial assistance to the pageant, and so was not granted the hosting rights.

The organization moved the pageant to Las Vegas, Nevada in December changing from the customary mid-year scheduling. On 27 September 2012, the organization confirmed that the 2012 pageant would be held at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on 19 December 2012.

Selection of participants
Contestants from eighty-nine countries and territories were selected to compete in the competition. Seven of these delegates were appointees to their positions after being a runner-up of their national pageant or being selected through a casting process, while nine were selected to replace the original dethroned winner.

Adwoa Yamoah, the first runner-up of Miss Universe Canada 2012, was appointed to represent Canada after Sahar Biniaz, Miss Universe Canada 2012, withdrew for personal reasons. Ioánna Yiannakoú, the runner-up of Star Cyprus 2012, was appointed to represent Cyprus after Ntaniella Kefala, Star Cyprus 2012, withdrew for undisclosed reasons. Carola Durán, Miss Dominican Republic 2012, was due to compete, but was dethroned after it was discovered that she was previously married and is divorced. She was replaced by, Dulcita Lieggi, the first runner-up. Natalie Korneitsik, the first runner-up of Miss Estonia 2012, was appointed to represent Estonia after the winner Kätlin Valdmets, withdrew due to lack of sponsorship. Marie Payet, the first runner-up of Miss France 2012, was appointed to represent France due to a potential date conflict between Miss Universe 2012 and Miss France 2013, at which Delphine Wespiser, Miss France 2012, was contractually obligated to be present.

Channa Divouvi, the first runner-up of Miss Gabon 2012, was appointed to represent Gabon due to a potential date conflict between Miss Universe 2012 and Miss Gabon 2013, at which winner Marie-Noëlle Ada, was contractually obligated to be present. Shilpa Singh, the first runner-up of I Am She 2012, was appointed to represent India after Urvashi Rautela, Miss Universe India 2012, withdrew due as she was underage and also the reigning Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International at that time. Avianca Böhm, Miss Universe New Zealand 2012, was replaced by her first runner-up, Talia Bennett, due to citizenship issues. Isabella Ayuk, Most Beautigul Girl in Nigeria 2012, switched pageants with Damiete Charles Granville, Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Universe 2012, due to being overage at Miss World.

Andrea Huisgen, Miss Spain 2011, was unable to participate as the Miss Spain organization was bankrupt, and the license was awarded to a new organization called Miss Universe Spain. Although the rights had changed, Huisgen was allowed to compete having changed contracts.

This edition saw the debuts of Gabon and Lithuania, and the returns of Bulgaria, Ethiopia, Namibia, and Norway. Bulgaria, Ethiopia, and Namibia last competed in Miss Universe 2009, while Norway last competed in Miss Universe 2010. Egypt, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Slovenia, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands withdrew. Aĭnur Tolyeuova of Kazakhstan withdrew as she was underage. Egypt, Portugal, Slovenia, Turks and Caicos, and the U.S. Virgin Islands withdrew after their respective organizations failed to hold a national competition or appoint a delegate.

Transgender women allowed to compete
Beginning with Miss Universe 2013, the Miss Universe Organization allowed transgender women to compete in the competition following the consultation with the GLAAD Organization. The changes in the rules came after Jenna Talackova, a transgender woman competing at Miss Universe Canada 2012, was reinstated, having been removed from the pageant. Her removal was because she "did not meet the requirements to compete". A month after her removal, the organization allowed Talackova to compete provided that "she meets the legal gender recognition requirements of Canada, and the standards established by other international competitions." Talackova eventually placed in the top 12, and was one of the four contestants to win the Miss Congeniality award.

Six years after the pageant rules were changed, Ángela Ponce of Spain made history in Miss Universe 2018 as the first transgender contestant competing at Miss Universe.

Format
Same with 2011, fifteen semifinalists were chosen through the preliminary competition— composed of the swimsuit and evening gown competitions and closed-door interviews. The internet voting is still being implemented, with fans being able to vote for another delegate to advance into the semifinals, making the number of semifinalists sixteen. However, the winner of the fan vote was not revealed during the final telecast. The sixteen semifinalists competed in the swimsuit competition and were narrowed down to ten afterward. The ten semifinalists competed in the evening gown competition and were narrowed down to five afterward. The five finalists competed in the question and answer round and the final look. 

Preliminary competition

 * Carlos Anaya – Host for My Lifestyle Extra
 * Beverly Frank – Executive Vice-president for Business Affairs for 19 Entertainment
 * Duane Gazi – International scout with the Trump Model Management
 * Michael Greenwald – Vice-President of Talent at Don Buchwald & Associates
 * Jimmy Nguyen – Prominent entertainment and new media lawyer
 * Corinne Nicolas – President of the Trump Model Management
 * Amy Sadowsky – Senior Vice-President of Public Relations for Planet Holywood International
 * Crystle Stewart – Miss USA 2008 from Texas

Final telecast

 * Nigel Barker – Fashion photographer and the host of The Face
 * Diego Boneta – Singer, actor and songwriter from Mexico
 * Scott Disick – Businessman, entrepreneur and reality star of Keeping Up With the Kardashians
 * Brad Goreski – Fashion stylist and reality star of It's a Brad, Brad World
 * Masaharu Morimoto – Chef and star of Iron Chef and Iron Chef America from Japan
 * Ximena Navarrete – Miss Universe 2010 from Mexico
 * Pablo Sandoval – Professional baseball player from Venezuela
 * Lisa Vanderpump – Reality star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
 * Kerri Walsh Jennings – Professional beach volleyball player and triple gold medalist in Summer Olympics

Contestants
Eighty-nine contestants competed for the title.