Miss China wins Miss World 2012

Miss China, Yu Wenxia, won the Miss World crown for 2012 on Saturday, defeating more than 100 other hopefuls at a glittering ceremony in a Chinese mining city on the edge of the Gobi desert.

Last year's Miss World Ivian Sarcos of Venezuela handed over her crown in the futuristic Dongsheng stadium in the northeastern city of Ordos.

A total of 116 contestants -- the highest number ever -- took to the stage after a dance by a troupe dressed as Mongolian warriors at the start of the contest, watched annually by about a billion people around the globe.

This year it took place on the arid and sparsely populated steppes of Inner Mongolia, where Ordos, around 700 kilometres (440 miles) from the nearest beach, makes an unusual venue for the world's biggest beauty pageant.

The futuristic Dongsheng stadium is surrounded by swathes of empty or unfinished apartment blocks.

Earlier, contestants made last minute preparations to their hair and make-up before the contest started. The smell of perfume permeated the red carpeted area, where an excited Miss Nicaragua was seen in a red ball gown, her high-heels making thudding sounds on the carpet.

Besides the traditional swimsuits and evening gowns, participants were also scheduled to don outlandish costumes, with some dressed as belly dancers and one, Miss Fiji, set to appear in an owl get-up.

The beauty queens have been in China rehearsing for nearly a month, soaking up traditional Mongolian culture by churning yoghurt in a nomad's yurt and donning local attire to climb a sand dune.



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