Grand Slam Ranking and Country of the Year
11-Denmark; 12-Israel; 13-Japan; 14-South Africa; 15-Colombia; 16-Italy; 17-Peru; 18-Iceland; 19-Venezuela; 20-Austria; 21-India; 22-Philippines; 23-Korea; 24-Norway; 25-Taiwan; 26-Australia; 27-Jamaica; 28-Canada; 29-New Zealand; 30-Ireland; 31-Spain; 32-Thailand; 33-Egypt; 34-Ceylon; 35-Switzerland; 36-Uruguay; 37-Cuba; 38-Hawaii; 39-Panama; 40-Belgium; 41-Hong Kong; 42-Mexico; 43-Rhodesia; 44-Tahiti; 45-Poland; 46-Chile; 47-Turkey; 48-Paraguay; 49-Malaysia; 50-Wales; 51-El Salvador; 52-Yugoslavia; 53-Tunisia; 54-Costa Rica; 55-Liberia; 56-Bolivia, Morocco; 58-Lebanon; 59-Scotland; 60-Guyana, Suriname; 62-Dominican Republic; 63-Alaska, Guatemala, Honduras; 66-Cyprus; 67-Haiti, Kenya, Montserrat; 70-Ecuador; 71-Puerto Rico; 72-Singapore; 73-Luxembourg; 74-Jordan; 75-Nicaragua; 76-Portugal; 77-West Indies; 78-Aruba, Bahamas, Burma, Curaçao; 81-Gibraltar, Madagascar, Okinawa, Trinidad & Tobago; 86-Guam; 87-Bermuda, Gambia, Malta, Monaco, Nigeria, Syria, US Virgin Islands; 94-Dahomey, Borneo, Ghana, Grenada, Indonesia, Martinique, Saint Vincent, South Pacific, Tanzania.
1966: ISRAEL TAKES THE LEAD IN ASIA FOR THE FIRST TIME
The good performance of Israeli beauties in Grand Slam pageants came to its highest point this far in 1966, when it overtook Japan as Asia´s leading power. India, after a Miss World victory and a 4th place in Miss Universe, moved 19 notches up, going from 40th to 19th place in the Grand Slam Ranking. Yugoslavia debuted in 52nd place, after a great 2nd place in Miss World. Guyana (60th) and the Dominican Republic (62th) also made significant moves (+13 each), after landing in Miss World´s Top 15.
Miss World Ranking in 1966 (Top 10): 1-UK; 2-France; 3-Sweden; 4-United States; 5-Denmark; 6-Germany; 7-South Africa; 8-Finland; 9-Netherlands; 10-Argentina.
Miss Universe Ranking in 1966 (Top 10): 1-United States; 2-Sweden; 3-Brazil; 4-Germany; 5-Finland; 6-Greece; 7-England / UK; 8-Argentina; 9-Japan; 10-Peru.
Miss International Ranking in 1966 (Top 10): 1-Iceland; 2-Germany; 3-United States; 4-Netherlands; 5-England; 6-Philippines; 7-Brazil; 8-Australia and Colombia; 10-Israel.
INDIA IS THE COUNTRY OF THE YEAR 1966!
The extraordinary success of the representatives of India in the leading International pageants in 1966, was a prelude to what would become "commonplace" three decades later. Reita Faria, a student of Medicine from Matunga, became India's first Miss World winner. Previous to her, no other Indian woman had been a finalist in the pageant (two of them were semi-finalists, in 1960 and in 1962). She was the first Asian woman to be elected Miss World. Another student of Medical Science, Yasmin Daji, born in New York of Indian parents, competed in Miss Universe and was the 3rd runner-up in Miami Beach. India had not placed at all in Miss Universe before that! Both became well-accomplished physicians
Sweden came 2nd that year, with a Miss Universe victory by the very stunning Margareta Arvidsson, followed by Finland in 3rd place, 2nd in Miss Universe.
PS: Miss International was not held in 1966.