LIST: Meet the Miss Universe 2023 candidates

MANILA, Philippines — Excitement grows each day as Miss Universe 2023, the pageant's 72nd edition, to be held in El Salvador draws near.

The pageant will begin with the preliminary competition on November 15 (November 16, 8 a.m. in the Philippines) and the national costume competition on November 16 (November 17, 9 a.m. in the Philippines), before the main coronation event on November 18 (November 19, 9 a.m. in the Philippines).

The Philippines' own Michelle Dee is one of 86 beauty queens hoping to succeed Filipino-American and reigning Miss Universe R'Bonney Gabriel.

At the very least, Michelle is hoping to bring the Philippines back into the semifinal round after last year's pageant marked the country's first early exit in 12 years.

This edition of Miss Universe is already historical as it has the first-ever married woman and mother competing, as well as two transgender contestants.

Related:  Where to watch Miss Universe 2023

Meet the Miss Universe 2023 candidates:

Miss Albania Endi Demneri comes from a family of fashion designers and beauty queens and is a professional model herself, having participated in the Milan Fashion Show last year.

A post shared by Endi Demneri (@endidemneri)

As of 2022, Albania has only reached as far as the Top 10 since first joining Miss Universe (their inaugural candidate Anisa Kospiri was one of two national delegates to reach that mark), and Endi is considered one of this year's stronger candidates for the crown.

Miss Angola Ana Coimbra is an Economics graduate, model, and project manager whose advocacies include breast cancer awareness and family agriculture importance.

A post shared by Miss Angola Universo (@missangolauniverso)

Angola has been crowned Miss Universe only once before, Leila Lopes in 2011, and Ana is just Angola's second candidate since 2019.

Miss Argentina Yamile Dajud has a Social Communication degree specializing in public opinion and political marketing from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia, her parents' home country, and is currently studying law.

A post shared by Yamile Dajud (@yamiledajud)

Because of her parents' heritage, she competed in Miss Colombia 2021 and finished as