Miss Universe 2000
Miss Universe 2000, the 49th Miss Universe pageant, was held on 12 May 2000 at the Eleftheria Indoor Hall in Nicosia, Cyprus. Lara Dutta of India was crowned by Mpule Kwelagobe of Botswana as her successor at the end of the event. 79 contestants competed for the title. It was the second time that India has won the title (the first being in 1994 by Sushmita Sen). Results. Selection committee. Final Telecast judges: Notes. Returns. Last competed in 1982 Last competed in 1996 Last competed in 1998 Crossovers. Miss Intercontinental 1997: - Lara Dutta (Winner) Host city. Nicosia  was announced as host city of the pageant on 1 July 1999. The country invested $3.5 million in the event, in the hope that the publicity would increase tourism, the island's main industry. Conservative Cypriot church leaders protested the decision to hold the pageant on the island, claiming that millennium celebrations of the birth of Christ were more important and that the event was scandalous and would promote female nudity.