LIST: Meet the Miss Universe 2024 contestants, including 4 Filipinas

MANILA, Philippines – Anticipation is growing as the 73rd edition of the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico approaches.

Philippines representative Chelsea Manalo, the country's first Filipino-Black American delegate, is one of nearly 130 beauty queens hoping to succeed reigning Miss Universe Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua.

Chelsea is hoping to surpass her predecessor Michelle Dee's top 10 finish last year and hope to bring home the Philippines' fifth Miss Universe crown.

She is not the only Filipino participant. There are also three other half-Pinay participants: New Zealand's Victoria Velasquez Vincent, Britain's Christina Dela Cruz Chalk and Bahrain's Shereen Ahmed.

All delegates are already in Mexico preparing for the preliminary competition on November 14th (15th in the Philippines). The main competition and coronation will take place on November 16th (17th in the Philippines).

Related: Where to watch Miss Universe 2024?

Meet the Miss Universe 2024 contestants:

Albania – Franceska Rustem (19 years old)

Angola – Nelma Ferreira (26)

Argentina – Magali Benejam (29)

Armenia – Emma Avanesyan (32)
The country is returning to Miss Universe after missing last year's edition.

Aruba – Anouk Eman (32)

Australia – Zoe Creed (23)

Bahamas – Selvinique Wright (32)

Bahrain – Shereen Ahmed (30)
One of the four Filipinos competing in Miss Universe this year.

Bangladesh – Aniqa Alam (32)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2018.

Belarus – Eleanora Kachalovskaya (24)*

Belgium – Kenza Ameloot (22)

Belize – Halima Hoy (30)
The country is returning to Miss Universe after missing last year's edition.

Bolivia – Juliana Barrientos (27)

Bonaire – Ruby Pouchet (29)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1999.

Botswana – Thanolo Keutwile (28)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2013.

Brazil – Luana Cavalcante (25)

British Virgin Islands – Deyounce Lowenfield (20)

Bulgaria – Elena Vian (38)

Cambodia – Davin Prasath (33)

Cameroon – Noura Njikam (25)

Canada – Ashley Callingbull (35)

Cayman Islands – Raegan Rutty (22)

Chile – Emilia Dides (25)

China – Jia Qi (26)
The country is returning to Miss Universe after missing last year's edition.

Colombia – Daniela Toloza (30)

Costa Rica – Elena Hidalgo (32)

Ivory Coast – Marie-Emmanuelle Diamala (20)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1986.

Croatia – Zrinka Coric (23)

Cuba – Marianela Ancheta (31)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1967.

Curacao – Kimberly de Boer (19)

Cyprus – Katerina Dimitriou (29)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2012.

Czech Republic – Marie Danci (28)

Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo) – Ilda Amani (26)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1986, when it competed as Zaire.

Denmark – Victoria Kjaer Theilvig (21)
Victoria visited Mexico City weeks ahead of the official arrival dates, leading netizens to believe she was the chosen one.

Dominican Republic – Celinee Santos (24)

Ecuador – Mara Theme (30)

Egypt – Logina Salah (34)
Logina suffers from vitiligo (psoriasis), but her skin condition will not affect her chances of placing in the competition.

El Salvador – Florence Garcia (26)

Equatorial Guinea – Diana Angono Mouhafo (25)

Eritrea – Snit Tewoldemedhin (25)*

Estonia – Valeria Vasilieva (22)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2013.

Fiji – Manshika Prasad (24)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1981.

Finland – Matilda Wirtavuori (24)

France – Indira Ampiot (20)
France's 2024 winner, who presents the most glamorous national final every year, is one to keep an eye on.

Germany – Pia Theissen (26)

Gibraltar – Shyanne McIntosh (25)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1990.

Great Britain – Christina Dela Cruz Chalk (31)
One of the four Filipinos competing in Miss Universe this year.

Greece – Christianna Katsieri (22)

Guadeloupe – Coraly Desplan (20)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1984.

Guatemala – Ana Gabriela Villanueva (22)

Guinea – Saran Bah (29)*

Guyana – Ariana Blaize (26)

Honduras – Stephanie Cam (32)

Hong Kong – Joanne Rhodes (24)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2000.

Hungary – Nora Kenez (28)

Iceland – Sóldís Vala Ívarsdóttir (18)
At 18, Sóldís is one of the youngest candidates at this year's Miss Universe alongside the Russian Valentina Alekseeva.

India – Rhea Singha (19)

Indonesia – Clara Shafira Cancer (22)

Iran (Persia) – Ava Vahneshan (26)*

Ireland – Sofia Labus (21)

Israel – Ofir Korsia (23)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2021.

Italy – Glelany Cavalcante (30)

Jamaica – Rachel Silvera (25)

Japan – Kaya Chakrabortty (23)

Kazakhstan – Madina Almukhanova (24)

Kenya – Irene Ng'endo (26)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2021.

Kosovo – Edona Bajrami (37)

Kyrgyzstan – Maya Turdalieva (25)
The country is returning to Miss Universe after missing last year's edition.

Laos – Phiranya Thipphomvong (28)

Latvia – Maria Vicinska (26)

Lebanon – Nada Koussa (26)

Macau – Cassandra Chiu (23)*

Malaysia – Sandra Lim (23)

Maldives – Mariyam Shaina (21)*

Malta – Beatrice Njoya (40)
A mother of three, Beatrice will compete in Miss Universe 2024 as the oldest contestant in the beauty pageant's history.

Martinique – Catherine Edouard (25)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1984.

Mauritius – Tania Rene (27)

Mexico – Maria Fernanda Beltran (24)
Not only are they hosting, they want to win the crown, just like Denise Quiñones did in 2001 – when Puerto Rico won the home game.

Moldova – Djulieta Calalb (20)*

Mongolia – Nominzul Zandangiin (19)

Montenegro – Rumina Ivezaj (20)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2015.

Myanmar – Thet San Andersen (27)

Namibia – Prisca Anyolo (24)

Nepal – Sampada Ghimire (23)

Netherlands – Faith Landman (28)

New Zealand – Victoria Velasquez Vincent (29)
One of the four Filipinos competing in Miss Universe this year. New Zealand returns to Miss Universe for the first time since 2019.

Nicaragua – Geyssell Garcia (29)

Nigeria – Chidimma Adetshina (23)

North Macedonia – Tea Gjorgievska (21)*

Norway – Lilly Sodal (21)

Pakistan – Noor Xarmina (29)

Paraguay – Naomi Mendez (32)

Peru – Tatiana Calmell (30)
Her compatriots believe that Janick Maceta was deprived of the crown in 2020 (which went to the Mexican Andrea Meza). Filipinos also have their eye on Tatiana because her roommate is Filipino Chelsea Manalo.

Philippines – Chelsea Manalo (25)
The first Filipino contestant of African-American descent, a highlight in Philippine beauty pageant history. The beautiful Bulakeña, known for her sunny disposition, has her sights set on the country's fifth crown after Gloria Diaz, Margie Moran, Pia Wurtzbach and Catriona Gray.

Poland – Kasandra Zawal (29)

Portugal – Andreia Correia (26)

Puerto Rico – Jennifer Colin (36)
Gloria Diaz of the Philippines crowned her first winner, Marasol Malaret, in 1970. After a near-victory in 2019 with Madison Anderson, this Bermuda Triangle state is seeking its sixth title.

Romania – Loredana Salanta (32)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2021.

Russia – Valentina Alekseeva (18)
At 18, Valentina is one of the two youngest candidates at this year's Miss Universe alongside the Icelandic Sóldís Vala Ívarsdóttir.

Saint Lucia – Skye Faucher (26)

Samoa – Haylani Kuruppu (26)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1986, when it competed as Western Samoa.

Senegal – Fatou Bintou Gueye (23)

The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1987.

Serbia – Ivana Trisic (30)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2015.

Singapore – Charlotte Chia (26)

Slovakia – Petra Sivakova (24)

Somalia – Khadija Omar (23)*

South Africa – Mia le Roux (29)
Mia is the first deaf winner in South African history and the first deaf contestant in the main Miss Universe competition. She competes against many other “firsts” in this Mexico edition.

South Korea – Ariel Han (22)

Spain – Michelle Jimenez (21)

Sri Lanka – Melloney Dassanayake (25)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2018.

Suriname – Pooja Chotkan (23)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1999.

Switzerland – Laura Bircher (24)

Tanzania – Judith Ngusa (26)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2019.

Thailand – Opal Suchata Chuangsri (21)
According to rumors, Opal Suchata Chuangsri, like her predecessor Anntonia Porsild, is considered the favorite among pageant organizers.

Trinidad and Tobago – Jenelle Thongs (32)

Türkiye – Ayliz Duman (20)
The country is returning to Miss Universe after missing last year's edition.

Turks and Caicos Islands – Raynae Myers (23)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2014.

Ukraine – Alina Ponomarenko (21)

United Arab Emirates – Emilia Dobreva (27)*

United States – Alma Cooper (22)

US Virgin Islands – Stephany Andujar (28)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2019.

Uruguay – Yanina Lucas (28)
The country is returning to Miss Universe after missing last year's edition.

Uzbekistan – Nigina Fakhriddinova (25)*

Venezuela – Ileana Marquez (28)
After the USA, Venezuela has the most wins with seven. Like all power countries, they are aiming for their eighth Miss Universe title.

Vietnam – Ky Duyen Nguyen (28)

Zambia – Brandina Lubuli (28)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2018.

Zimbabwe – Sakhile Dube (28)

* – The country makes its Miss Universe debut

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