Miss Universe 1981

{{Short description|30th Miss Universe pageant}}

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{{Infobox beauty pageant

| photo = File:Irene Sáez portrait in 1997 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Irene Sáez Conde

| congeniality = Linda Smith
{{flagicon|BAH}} Bahamas

| best national costume = Adriana Alves de Oliveira
{{flagicon|BRA}} Brazil

| photogenic = Tina Brandstrup
{{flagicon|DEN}} Denmark

| date = 20 July 1981

| winner = Irene Sáez

| represented = {{flagicon|VEN}} Venezuela

| presenters = Bob Barker, Elke Sommer

| acts = {{Hlist|Peter Allen|Cast of 42nd Street|US Naval Choir}}

| venue = Minskoff Theatre, New York City, New York, United States

| broadcaster = {{Hlist|CBS (WCBS-TV)}}

| entrants = 76

| placements = 12

| debuts = {{Hlist|Gibraltar|Namibia|Western Samoa}}

| withdraws = {{Hlist|Indonesia|Mauritius|Papua New Guinea|Sint Maarten}}

| returns = {{Hlist|Cyprus|Fiji|Martinique|Portugal|South Africa|Saint Kitts|Transkei}}

| before = 1980

| next = 1982

}}

Miss Universe 1981 was the 30th anniversary of the Miss Universe pageant, held on 20 July 1981 at the Minskoff Theatre in New York City, New York. Irene Sáez of Venezuela was crowned by Shawn Weatherly of the United States. There were 77 contestants competing for the crown, but Miss Mauritius got homesick and withdrew. The pageant originally was scheduled to be held in Guatemala City, Guatemala. However, for financial and political reasons, Miss Universe was moved to New York City.