Miss Universe 1974

{{short description| 23rd Miss Universe pageant}}

{{Infobox beauty pageant

| photo = File:Amparo Muñoz Miss Universe 1974.jpg

| caption = Amparo Muñoz

| winner = † Amparo Muñoz

| represented = Spain

| congeniality = Anna Bjorn (Iceland)

| photogenic = Johanna Raunio (Finland)

| best national costume = Kim Jae-kyu (South Korea)

| date = 21 July 1974{{efn|name=Philippine date|The event was held at 8:00 am Philippine Standard Time (UTC+08:00); for the Americas, this was July 20 in their local times.}}

| presenters = Bob Barker, Helen O'Connell

| venue = Folk Arts Theater, Manila, Philippines

| broadcaster = CBS (international)
KBS (DZKB-TV) (official broadcaster)

| entrants = 65

| placements = 12

| debuts = {{Hlist|Indonesia|Liberia|Senegal}}

| withdraws = {{Hlist|Denmark|Norway}}

| returns = {{Hlist|Bahamas|Iceland|Yugoslavia}}

| before = 1973

| next = 1975

}}

Miss Universe 1974 was the 23rd Miss Universe pageant, held on 21 July 1974{{efn|name=Philippine date}}{{cite news|title=Miss Universe|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19740722&id=Ux9OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RO0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=811,1107501&hl=ja|newspaper=The Spokesman-Review|date=22 July 1974|access-date=1 December 2018}} at the Folk Arts Theater in the Pasay, Philippines. It was the first Miss Universe pageant to ever be held in the Philippines, and in extension, Asia.{{cite news|last1=Requintina|first1=Robert|title=PH eyes MOA or Philippine Arena as venue for Miss Universe 2016|url=http://tempo.com.ph/2016/08/02/ph-eyes-moa-or-philippine-arena-as-venue-for-miss-universe-2016/|newspaper=Tempo|access-date=2 August 2016|language=en, fil|date=2 August 2016}} Margarita Moran of the Philippines crowned her successor Amparo Muñoz of Spain at the end of the event, marking the first and so far only time Spain has ever won a Miss Universe competition.

There were 65 delegates from around the world who competed for the 1974 title. Six months later, Amparo Muñoz, after refusing a planned travel to Japan, decided to relinquish her title.{{Cite web |date=2021-02-27 |title=Amparo Muñoz, la mujer más guapa del mundo: por qué renunció a MissUniverso y el rumor que destrozó su carrera |url=https://www.cope.es/actualidad/cultura/noticias/amparo-munoz-mujer-mas-guapa-del-mundo-por-que-renuncio-miss-mundo-rumor-que-destrozo-carrera-20210227_1154130 |access-date=2023-04-24 |website=COPE |language=es}} Helen Morgan, the first runner-up, was unable to assume the title and fulfill the duties of Miss Universe 1974, because she went on to win Miss World 1974,[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19741124&id=Vp0pAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CuUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5878,7461331&hl=en The Sydney Morning Herald] although a controversy would force her to resign 4 days later.{{Cite news |date=2004-07-23 |title=Search for 'missing' Miss World |language=en-GB |work=BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/3917175.stm |access-date=2023-04-24}} The title of Miss Universe 1974 was not offered to any of the runners-up and Amparo Muñoz still remained as the official titleholder for that year.{{Cite web |last=Gomez |first=Shirley |date=2025-01-10 |title=Miss Universe controversies: Beauty queens who lost their crowns |url= https://www.hola.com/us/celebrities/20250110740454/miss-universes-who-had-their-titles-taken-away/ |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=Hola! |language=en}}