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.
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.
Venezuela has produced the most Miss Worlds, with six winners, while India and Britain claim five titles each.
In 2002, the pageant was moved from Nigeria to Britain after more than 200 people died in clashes sparked when a newspaper suggested the Prophet Mohammed would have chosen a wife from among the contestants had he been alive.
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