Grand Slam Ranking and Country of the Year 1963
11-Denmark; 12-South Africa; 13-Israel; 14-Colombia; 15-Greece; 16-Iceland; 17-Peru; 18-Austria; 19-Venezuela; 20-Italy; 21-Australia; 22-Korea; 23-Egypt; 24-Jamaica; 25-Norway; 26-Taiwan; 27-Ireland; 28-Canada; 29-Spain; 30-Ceylon; 31-Switzerland; 32-New Zealand; 33-Uruguay; 34-Cuba; 35-Hawaii; 36-Panama; 37-Philippines; 38-Belgium; 39-India; 40-Hong Kong; 41-Mexico; 42-Poland; 43-Chile; 44-Turkey; 45-Wales; 46-El Salvador; 47-South Rhodesia; 48-Tunisia; 49-Malaya; 50-Paraguay; 51-Morocco; 52-Lebanon; 53-Costa Rica; 54-Alaska; 54-Guatemala; 56-Scotland; 57-Suriname; 58-Cyprus; 58-Honduras; 60-Liberia; 61-Haiti, Kenya; 63-Ecuador; 64-Puerto Rico; 65-Singapore; 66-Luxembourg; 67-Bolivia; 68-Jordan; 69-British Guyana, Nicaragua, Portugal, Tahiti; 73-Dominican Republic, Burma; West Indies; 76-Madagascar; 77-Monaco, Thailand, US Virgin Islands; 80-Bahamas, Dahomey, Borneo, Curaçao, Ghana, Gibraltar, Indonesia, Martinique, Nigeria, Okinawa, South Pacific, Tanganyika, Trinidad & Tobago.
WITH MISS UNIVERSE VICTORY, BRAZIL TAKES THE LEAD IN LATIN AMERICA
Ever since Brazil started competing in Grand Slam pageants, in 1954, this South American country came very close to winning major beauty titles on several occasions, what finally happened in 1963, when Ieda Maria Vargas became Miss Universe. Now Brazil, up 6 notches, is in 6th place in the Grand Slam Ranking, and #1 among the Latin American nations, though very close to Argentina (8th).
After winning Miss International, with Gudrun Bjarnadóttir, Iceland not only reached the 16th position in the Grand Slam Ranking, but it also became the #1 country in the Miss International Ranking, something really extraordinary for a country with a population of 180.000 (back then).
Jamaica, one of the youngest independent nations in 1963, won Miss World with Carol Joan Crawford and entered the beauty world map! It was the beginning of a history of success for Jamaica in Miss World and in the Grand Slam in general. Jamaica was also the best mover of the year, up 21 notches, going from 45th to 24th place.
Nigeria, Trinidad & Tobado, and Okinawa, debuted in the Grand Slam in 1963.
Miss World Ranking in 1963 (Top 10): 1-France; 2-Sweden; 3-Denmark; 4-UK; 5-United States; 6-South Africa; 7-Germany; 8-Netherlands; 9-Finland; 10-Israel.
Miss Universe Ranking in 1963 (Top 10): 1-United States; 2-Germany; 3-Brazil; 4-Sweden; 5-Japan; 6-Argentina; 7-England / UK; 8-France; 9-Peru; 10-Colombia.
Miss International Ranking in 1963 (Top 10): 1-Iceland; 2-Netherlands; 3-Australia and Colombia; 5-United States; 6-England; 7-Germany; 8-Brazil; 9-Austria; 10-Panama.
COUNTRY OF THE YEAR 1963: BRAZIL, AT LAST!
When Martha Rocha, the most celebrated Miss Brazil of all times, placed 2nd in Miss Universe 1954, a result Brazilians probably will never understand, a passion for beauty pageants was born in this South American country, and the quest for a Grand Slam title became a national obsession! After Martha, Brazil was 2nd in Miss Universe two more times, in 1957 and 1958, in addition to the 2nd place in Miss International 1961. The first title finally came in 1963, when Ieda Maria Vargas triumphed in Miami Beach, becoming Brazil's first Miss Universe. In the same year, Vera Lúcia Ferreira Maia made it to the Top 15 in Miss World, and Tânia Mara Franco de Souza did the same in Miss International, which was enough for Brazil to be proclaimed "Country of the Year"! It was out of season carnival time for Brazilians!
Jamaica, a nation that had just gained its independence from Britain, won the Miss World title with Carol Joan Crawford, placing 2nd in the 1963 beauty Ranking.
Iceland, population 182.000 back then, beat all the odds to win the Miss International title, with Gudrun Bjarnadóttir. The Icelandic claimed bronze in 1963, as the third most successful nation in beauty pageants that year.