MISS EARTH: TANZANIA IN THE WAY OF BECOMING AN AFRICAN POWER

November 9, Manila, PHILIPPINES - Unfortunately Tanzania scored 19 points in the Miss Earth pageant, instead of 20 as it deserved. Nonetheless, this eastern African nation gave the most significant jump in the Grand Slam ranking after a very busy weekend: up 6, now 37th. It is now 4th in Africa, very close to Nigeria (2nd) and Angola (3rd).

Puerto Rico, which has not been represented in Miss Earth for the last two years, lost a very important position to Spain (4th), falling to the 5th position.

If one day earlier China had switched places with Mexico, after Miss Earth things went back to where they were: Mexico in 6th, and China in 7th place.

Russia's top 16 ME placement was enough to take it back to the 'top 10', kicking out Canada. Meanwhile, Brazil is back in the top 15 (15th, +1), and Japan is now 16th.

Poland had a phenomenal weekend, and after Miss Earth's conclusion, it went one more notch up, stopping at rank #18.

Finally we have Romania, from which it was expected more, although a top 16 placement represented its entrance in the 'top 50' for the first time in history (up 5, 50th). Malaysia leaves this select group for the first time in a long, long time.

There were no changes from 52nd to 115th places.

Colombia remains the "Country of the Year", in an exciting dispute which will be decided after Miss World. Venezuela, Spain, Czech Republic and Mexico follow it from a very close distance.

As a matter of fact, the Czech Republic is now the only country to have placed in all 4 concluded Grand Slam pageants so far.

Next stop: MISS WORLD, on December 13.

MISS INTERNATIONAL: COLOMBIA IS 2ND AGAIN AND NOW LEADS THE 2008 RANKING

November 8, Macau, MACAU - Once again Colombia was expected to win a Grand Slam title (Miss International), and once again it finished in 2nd place (just like in Miss Universe, 4 months ago). The good news for Colombia is: at this point, it is the "Country of the Year".

Miss International did not present any surprises this year, perhaps with the exception of Ecuador in the semi-finals, the biggest GS ranking mover after the conclusion of the pageant (up 5, now in 44th place).

After a MI 3rd runner-up placement, China exchange places with Mexico, who failed to advance to the semi-finals, and is now 6th. Spain (photo, left), the winner, remains in a solid 5th position.

Poland (2nd runner-up) is now back in the top 20 (up 2, 19th place). MI results were also good for Lebanon, up 3, now in 40th place.

Panama (38th) went two notches down, Finland (41st) is down 3, while Bolivia (45th) lost 5 precious positions.

The FYRO Macedonia suffered the biggest loss: by having its 1998 points discarded, it went back to zero points, losing 13 positions and joining dozens of other scoreless countries and regions, in 115th place.

In 2008, Japan and Czech Republic are the only two countries to have placed in all Grand Slam pageants so far.

Tomorrow there will be a new update, right after Miss Earth's conclusion!

MISS UNIVERSE: KOSOVO MOVES 32 NOTCHES UP

July 14, Nha Trang, VIETNAM - With the conclusion of the Miss Universe pageant, one of the two most important events of the year (worth 40 points for the winner), the Grand Slam ranking suffered some considerable changes. Kosovo's 6th place in Vietnam (photo), for instance, pushed it all the way up to the 80th position (formerly in 112th place, up 32 notches). It was a great result for the world's youngest independent nation.

On the top of the list, Spain recovered ground and is now in the 'top 5', in 5th place. Mexico has jumped from 12th to 6th, and Colombia is now in 8th place, tied with the Philippines (down 2).

The Dominican Republic 14th (+2), occupied Brazil's spot in the 'top 15' (16th, down 3).

Vietnam (up 9 notches), is now in 46th place, its all-time best GSR placement. Surprising Hungary, up 17, is now in the 62nd position.

The biggest fall in the Grand Slam Ranking after Miss Universe 2008 was Ireland's: from 46th to 66th place, down 20, after not being able to defend the points its 1998 representative earned for her country.

Venezuela, winner of a 5th Miss Universe title, is so far the Country of the Year.

See the full updated ranking HERE.

Next update will happen on October 5th, after the conclusion of the Miss World pageant.

MISS TOURISM QUEEN INTERNATIONAL: CHINA'S 2ND PLACE PUSHES IT UP TO THE 'TOP 5'

April 12, Zhangzhou, CHINA - A few countries have good reasons to celebrate their achievements in the first Grand Slam pageant of the year, Miss Tourism Queen International.

First, there's China. After less than 7 years competing in the planet's main beauty competitions, the giant of the East is now among the Top 5 forces of international pageantry. Its 2nd place position at MTQI 2008 pushed it up to the 5th place.

Many are the pageant observers who believe it won't take more than a couple of years for China to take the leading position in the Grand Slam Ranking.

Canada's 3rd place at MTQI 2008 helped it moving into the Top 10, at 8th place.

Rwanda (photo, left) debuted beautifully in MTQI, and in the Grand Slam, with a honorable 10th place. It enters our ranking in the 105th position.

Bali is the other debutante, at the 114th position.

In its second year of existance as an independent national, Montenegro also scored hight: 17 points and the 95th position in the G.S. Ranking.

Belarus, on the other hand, kicks off the 2008 season as the mover of the year: it jumped from the 92nd to the 77th position with Miss Belarus' surprising 8th place at Miss Tourism Queen International 2008.

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Below you will find the current standings for the Top 10 countries in 2008:

Links to previous years:

2007

2006

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