Miss Universe 2012 is the 61st Miss Universe pageant, and will be held on December 19, 2012 in PH Live at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Leila Lopes from Angola will crown her successor at the end of the event. Over 89 countries and territories will participate in this year.

Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers.  The first use of the title "Miss Universe" was as part of International Pageant of Pulchritude which began in 1926. These events, the first international contests, lasted until 1935 when the Great Depression and other events preceding World War II led to their demise. This pageant had no direct relationship with the modern event.