Miss World 2003


Miss World 2003 was the 53rd edition of the Miss World pageant, held at the Crown of Beauty Theatre in Sanya, China, on December 6, 2003. It was the first time that the Miss World pageant held in China.
Azra Akın of Turkey crowned Rosanna Davison of Ireland as her successor at the end of the event. It is Ireland's first victory in the history of the pageant.
106 contestants competed in this year's pageant, surpassing the previous record of 95 contestants in 2000. The pageant was hosted by Phil Keoghan, Amanda Byram, and Angela Chow. Luis Fonsi and Bryan Ferry performed in this year's pageant.

Debuts, returns, and, withdrawals

This edition saw the debut of Andorra, Ethiopia, Georgia, Guadeloupe and Northern Mariana Islands, and the return of Belarus, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Iceland, Lesotho, Mauritius, Moldova, Nepal, Paraguay, Portugal, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Switzerland and Zambia; Lesotho, which last competed in 1981, Mauritius in 1998, Zambia in 1999, Belarus, Denmark, Guatemala, Moldova, Nepal, Paraguay and Sri Lanka in 2000 and Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Iceland, Portugal, South Korea and Switzerland in 2001.
Algeria, French Polynesia, Ghana, and the United States Virgin Islands, withdrew from the competition.

Results

Placements

Continental Queens of Beauty

Judges

Miss World 2003 had nine judges.
106 contestants competed for the title.
Country/TerritoryContestantAgeHometown
'''Albania

Did not compete

  • ' – Lusine Tovmasyan - She withdrew due to financial problems.
  • ' – Aishwarya Sukhdeo - She withdrew at the last minute for unknown reasons. however, she competed in Miss World a year later.

    No Shows

  • ' – Mounia Achlaf
  • ' – Miss Austria 2003, Tanja Duhovich did not compete due to not meeting the age requirements, she was just 17. Then the Miss Austria corporation decided to appoint the Miss Austria 2003 second runner up, Bianca Zudrell at the last minute with no time to prepare her visa.
  • ' – No contest
  • ' - No Contest
  • ' – Mable Pulu
  • ' - Heitiare Tribondeau
  • '- No contest
  • ' – Did not compete because of a shift in the Miss Ghana calendar. Organizers held the national final, Miss Ghana 2003, on the same day Miss World 2003 was held. This is the reason Ghanaian delegates to Miss World have their titles dating back by a year.
  • – Alexandrya Evans. She competed at Miss Universe 2011 8 years later.

    Replacements

  • ' – Agnese Eiduka
  • ' – Isabelle Jonsson - She was the first runner up of Fröken Sverige 2003, but the organization just lost the MW licence that year to the newly Miss World Sweden contest.
  • – Amara Barroeta Seijas.

    Country Changes

  • Yugoslavia changed its name to Serbia and Montenegro.

    Other notes

  • Northern Mariana Islands was originally crowned for the Miss Universe pageant but was sent to Miss World instead.