Miss Universe contestants

Carolina Dementiev is New Miss Panama Universe 2008

Carolina Dementiev Justavino (19) was crowned 'Realmente Bella 2008' during the conclusion of a reality TV show that lasted 8 weeks. Carolina, who stands 1.73 m tall, is a professional model, swimmer, TV host and law student. She will now represent Panama at the at Miss Universe 2008.

Miss Universe 2008, the 57th Miss Universe beauty pageant, will be held at the Diamond Bay Resort in Nha Trang, Vietnam on July 14, 2008.

Miss Universe Hungary 2008 in the swimsuit competition

Miss Universe, Miss USA & Miss Teen USA

Photos: Seth Browarnik/WireImage

Miss Universe 2007 dress up

Miss USA

The contestants in the Miss Universe competition have been showing off some bizarre dresses
designed to reflect their country's culture.
Thousands of spectators packed the Reforma Avenue in Mexico City to watch the striking, beautiful and in some cases strange costumes, worn by the hopefuls to win the beauty pageant, which will be held in the Mexican capital on May 28.
The loudest cheer was unsurprisingly for Miss Mexico, or Rosa Maria Ojeda, whose dress was decorated with images of Mexican food, including corn on the cob and tropical fruit, alongside symbols of ancient Indian cultures.
Miss USA, or Rachel Smith, showed the United States' love for rock and roll, dressing in an Elvis Presley-style white suit and holding an electric guitar.
A dreadlocked Miss Jamaica, or Zahra Redwood, the first Rastafarian to compete for the beauty prize, went for a reggae theme with a T-shirt of singer Bob Marley.
There was some protests, with one group of women wearing white dresses covered in fake blood trying to draw attention to towns or states in Mexico where women have been raped or killed, in some cases with alleged involvement by police or soldiers.

Miss Spain

Miss Switzerland

Miss Tanzania

Miss Thailand

Miss Ukraine

Miss Norway

Miss Poland

Miss Puerto Rico

Miss Russia

Miss Serbia

Miss Italy

Miss Jamaica

Miss Korea

Miss Mexico

Miss New Zealand

Miss Finland

Miss France

Miss Germany

Miss Greece

Miss Honduras

Miss Colombia

Miss Croatia

Miss Czech Republic

Miss Dominicana RepublicMiss Estonia

Miss Albania

Miss Angola

Miss Antigua and Barbuda

Miss Aruba


Miss Canada

Miss Mexico's pageant dress raises eyebrows

Miss Mexico will tone down the dress she wears to compete in the Miss Universe Pageant. The dress has caused outrage. The designers are headed back to the drawing board. KPBS Reporter Amy Isackson has more.
The floor length dress shows Catholic rebels hanging from posts. There's a man facing a firing squad. The gown is adorned with a bullet studded belt. The scene is based on a bloody religious war between Catholic rebels and the Mexican government in the 1920s. The designers who selected the dress say it represents the nation's culture and history.

photo: © AP/Scanpix