15 Finalist Miss Universe 2010

15 Finalist Miss Universe 2010 ; From Albania to Zambia, 83 beauty queens from around the world took to the stage in hopes of winning the 2010 Miss Universe crown. The contestants were introduced Monday night wearing over-the-top costumes celebrating their homelands. They then strutted on stage in short silver and black dresses at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

Only 15 contestants remained in the running to replace Miss Universe 2009 Stefania Fernandez after the opening number. The final 15 are:

* Miss Albania Angela Martini
* Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell
* Miss Belgium Cilou Annys
* Miss Colombia Natalia Navarro
* Miss Czech Republic Jitka Valkova
* Miss France Malika Menard
* Miss Guatemala Jessica Scheel
* Miss Ireland Rozanna Purcell
* Miss Jamaica Yendi Phillipps
* Miss Mexico Jimena Navarrete
* Miss Puerto Rico Mariana Paola Vicente
* Miss Philippines Venus Raj
* Miss Russia Irina Antonenko
* Miss South Africa Nicole Flint
* Miss Ukraine Anna Poslavska

A panel of celebrities is judging the women on how they look in swimsuits and evening gowns, as well as how well they answer an interview question.

The winner will replace Miss Universe 2009 Stefania Fernandez, who gave Venezuela a second consecutive win by taking the title at age 18 last year. The South American country has won six titles since the pageant started in 1952. Fernandez says it's clear in her mind who is contending in this year's contest — but she won't give her picks until after the telecast.