The Continental Queens of Beauty were established in 1981 to bring greater recognition to each "type" of beauty. Though obviously one specific type of beauty is not restricted to one continent, it gave the opportunity to showcase especially black and East Asian beauty. It was rumoured that these prizes were first awarded to stem mounting claims that the contest was racist and behind-the-times. Regardless, the awards have been a great success and the Continental Queens of Beauty were announced just prior to the final result of the Miss World contest for several years.
AFRICA'S QUEENS OF BEAUTY
1981: Juliet Nyathi—Zimbabwe
1982: Caroline Murinda—Zimbabwe
1983: Annie Braderick—Liberia
1984: Khadija Adam Ismall—Kenya
1985: Kayonga Mureka Tete—Zaire
1986: Illana Faye Lapidos—Swaziland
1987: Mary Ngazi Bienoseh—Nigeria
1988: Dianna Naylor—Kenya
1989: Jeanne-Francoise Clement—Mauritius
1990: Aisha Wawira Lieberg—Kenya
1991: Diana Tilden-Davis—South Africa
1992: Amy Kleinhans—South Africa
1993: Palesa Jacqueline Mofokeng—South Africa
1994: Basetsane Julia Makgalemene—South Africa
1995: Bernelee Daniel—South Africa
1996: Peggy-Sue Khumalo—South Africa
1997: Jessica Motaung—South Africa
1998: Kerishnie Naicker—South Africa
1999: Sonia Raciti—South Africa
2000: Yolanda Masinde—Kenya
2001: Agbani Darego—Nigeria
2002: Chinenya Ochuba—Nigeria
2003: Sayat Ahmed Mohammed—Ethiopia
2004: Anita Queen Uwagbale—Nigeria
AMERICAS' QUEENS OF BEAUTY
1981: Carmen Josefina Leon Crespo—Venezuela
1982: Mariasela Alvarez Lebron—Dominican Republic
1983: Rocio Isabel Luna Florez—Colombia
1984: Astrid Carolina Herrera Irrazabal—Venezuela
1985: Brenda Denton—U.S.A.
1986: Giselle Jeanne-Marie Laronde—Trinidad & Tobago
1987: Albani Josefina Lozada Jimenez—Venezuela
1988: Emma Rabbe Ramirez—Venezuela
1989: Leanne Caputo—Canada
1990: Gina Marie Tolleson—U.S.A.
1991: Ninibeth Beatriz Leal Jimenez—Venezuela
1992: Francis del Valle Gago Aponte—Venezuela
1993: Monica Lei Scaccia—Venezuela
1994: Irene Esther Ferreira Izquierdo—Venezuela
1995: Jacqueline Maria Aguilera Marcano—Venezuela
1996: Carolina Arongo Corrales—Colombia
1997: Sallie Toussaint—U.S.A.
1998: Daniella Andrea Campos Lathrop—Chile
1999: Martina Thorogood Heemsen—Venezuela
2000: Katja Alexandra Thomsen Grien—Uruguay
2001: Ligia Cristina Argüello Roa—Nicaragua
2002: Natalia Peralta Castro—Colombia
2003: Nazanin Afshin-Jam—Canada
2004: María Julia Mantilla García—Peru
ASIA'S QUEENS OF BEAUTY
1981: Naomi Kishi—Japan
1982: Sarah Jane Areza—Philippines
1983: Ifat Schechter—Israel
1984: Iris Louk—Israel
1985: Maya Wachtenheim—Israel
1986: Sherry Rose Byrne—Philippines
1987: Pauline Yeung Bo-Ling—Hong Kong
1988: Choi Yeon-Hee—Korea
1989: Prathumrat Woramali—Thailand
ASIA AND OCEANIA'S QUEENS OF BEAUTY
1990: Adele Valerie Kenny—New Zealand
1991: Leanne Buckle—Australia
1992: Metinee Kingpayome—Thailand
1993: Sharmaine Gutierrez—Philippines
1994: Aishwarya Rai—India
1995: Yun Yon Choe—Korea
1996: Rani Joan Jeyraj—India
1997: Diana Hayden—India
1998: Lina Teoh Pick Lim—Malaysia
1999: Yukta Mookhey—India
2000: Priyanka Mini Chopra—India
2001: Bing Li—People’s Republic of China
2002: Wu Ying-Na—People’s Republic of China
2003: Guan Qi—People’s Republic of China
2004: Maria Karla Rabanal Bautista—Philippines
CARIBBEAN'S QUEENS OF BEAUTY
1989: Vania Thomas—American Virgin Islands
1990: Erica Aquard—Jamaica
1991: Sandra Foster—Jamaica
1992: Jody Barbara Weech—Bahamas
1993: Lisa Hanna—Jamaica
1994: Anita Lilly Bush—Cayman Islands
1995: Michelle Khan—Trinidad & Tobago
1996: Afranina Henriquez—Aruba
1997: Michell Moodie—Jamaica
1998: Christine Renee Straw—Jamaica
1999: Desiree DePass—Jamaica
2000: Joziane Marianella Wall—Curacao
2001: Zerelda Candice Wai-Yien “Zizi” Lee—Aruba
2002: Rachelle Oduber—Aruba
2003: Jade Marisa Fulford—Jamaica
2004: Claudia Julissa Cruz Rodríguez—Dominican Republic
EUROPE'S QUEENS OF BEAUTY
1981: Michelle Donnelly—United Kingdom
1982: Sari Kaarina Aspholm—Finland
1983: Sarah-Jane Hutt—United Kingdom
1984: Vivienne Mary Rooke—United Kingdom
1985: Holmfriour Karlsdottir—Iceland
1986: Pia Rosenberg Larsen—Denmark
1987: Ulla Weigerstorfer—Austria
1988: Linda Petursdottir—Iceland
1989: Aneta-Beata Kreglicka—Poland
1990: Siobhan McClafferty—Ireland
1991: Dilek Aslihan Koruyan—Turkey
1992: Julia Alexandrovna Kourotchkina—Russia
1993: Fani Capalija—Croatia
1994: Branka Bebic—Croatia
1995: Anica Martinovic—Croatia
1996: Irene Skliva—Greece
1997: Cagla Sikel—Turkey
1998: Linor Abargil—Israel
1999: Genny Chervoney—Israel
2000: Giorgia Palmas—Italy
2001: Juliet-Jane Horne—Scotland
2002: Azra Akin—Turkey
2003: Rosanna Diana Davison—Ireland
2004: Katarzyna Weronika Borowicz—Poland
OCEANIA'S QUEENS OF BEAUTY
1981: Melissa Hanna—Australia
1982: Catherine Anne Morris—Australia
1983: Tanya Bowe—Australia
1984: Lou-Anne Caroline Ronchi—Australia
1985: Sheri Anastasia Le Fleming Burrow—New Zealand
1986: Lynda Marie McManus—New Zealand
1987: Francel Maribel Manibog Caracol—Guam
1988: Catherine Bushell—Australia
1989: Natalie Tania McCurry—Australia