Miss Universe 2002, the 51st edition of the Miss Universe pageant, was held in Coliseo Roberto Clemente, San Juan, Puerto Rico on May 29, 2002. There were 75 delegates from around the world who competed for the title Miss Universe 2002. Oxana Fedorova of Russia was crowned Miss Universe 2002 by Miss Universe 2001, Denise Quiñones of Puerto Rico. Fedorova was dethroned four months later[1] and first runner-up Justine Pasek of Panama took over the Miss Universe title. This was the last Miss Universe show to be aired on CBS before being transferred to NBC.
The Parade of Nations was conducted outdoors in the streets of Old San Juan for the first time and the delegates all wore their national costumes. This format of the parade would continue until 2005, although from 2003-2005, the delegates did not wear their national costumes during the parade.
Albania and the People's Republic of China debuted at this year's pageant, and both also made it to the semi-finals for the first time.
Cyprus placed in the semi-finals for the first time.
Russia, Venezuela, and India also placed in the semi-finals in 2001.
Germany last placed in the semi-finals in 1989, Panama in 1997, and both South Africa and Canada in 2000.
Vania Millan Miras of Spain won the Miss Spain 2002 title, but was a replacement of Lorena Van Heerde Ayala, the winner of the Miss Spain 2001 pageant.
Seven delegates withdrew from the Miss Universe 2002 pageant. They were: Karen Russell (Belize), Angelina Sondakh (Indonesia), Christina Sawaya (Lebanon), Loredana Zammit (Malta), María Gabriela Riquelme Escuna (Paraguay), Bernice Gumbs (St. Maarten) and Euwonka Selver (Turks and Caicos). Sawaya of Lebanon would go on and claim the Miss International crown in the latter part of the year.
Sarah Davies of Australia went on to compete in Miss World 2004 in Sanya, China. She finished as 5th runner up in Miss World 2004.
Christina Sawaya from Lebanon withdrew because she did not want to compete in the same pageant with Miss Israel
For the third time in the history of Miss Universe, Miss USA failed to place.
These are some of the networks outside the United States (telecasted on CBS at the time) that showed the 2002 Miss Universe pageant live (or recorded earlier) in their respective countries and territories: