Leila Lopes made history for her country yesterday, after becoming the very first Miss Angola to be crowned Miss Universe.

The 25-year-old laughed and smiled as she hugged runner-up Miss Ukraine, Olesia Stefanko, before having her crown firmly placed on her head at the pageant held in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The business student from Angola’s seaside city of Beguela, dazzled the panel of judges with both her beauty and brains.

When she had been asked earlier what she might change about her physical characteristics, Leila replied that she was satisfied with who she was.

‘I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty,’ she told the judges and the audience.

‘I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family, and I plan to follow those through the rest of my life.’

Her down-to-earth nature was complemented with immense outer beauty too though, which she showed off in a bright yellow bikini during the swimsuit parade.

Top ten: The finalists making the top ten were Miss Australia, Miss Costa Rica, Miss France, Miss Ukraine, Miss Portugal, Miss Panama, Miss Philippines, Miss China and Miss Brazil