The Miss Iceland () is a national beauty pageant in Iceland. Beginning in 2023, the winner represents Iceland at Miss Universe pageant.
History The competition has been carried out since 1950; in the first year, it was called Miss Reykjavík (Ungfrú Reykjavík). Since 1955, the contest has taken place under the current name Miss Iceland.Here comes Iceland's first Miss Earth delegate In the past, there were six regional preliminary contests in each of the five rural regions and in the capital Reykjavík. 20 to 24 candidates, three to four from each region, take part in the finals.
Iceland is one of the most successful countries at the Miss World pageant with three victories, a record for a nation with a population of less than half million people.
In 2023, Jorge Esteban and Manuela Ósk Harðardóttir took the brand of Ungfrú Ísland in Iceland after the original organizers abandoned the brand back in 2018 in order to adopt a new format for Miss World in Miss World Iceland.
2013 applicants Rafn Rafnsson, the new chief executive of the Miss Iceland contest, "in hopes of diversifying the field of contestants beyond the statuesque blonde with striking blue eyes that has become the Icelandic stereotype", said "There is no Miss Iceland stereotype..." One week later, in response to Rafnsson's statement, 1,300 people applied to become Miss Iceland, including several nontraditional candidates, such as:
Sigríður Guðmarsdóttir, 48, a female governmental minister in Reykjavík Reynir Sigurðbjörnsson, 47, a male electrician Ása Richardsdóttir, a 49-year-old female producer in the fine arts industry Matthildur Helgadóttir-Jónudóttir, a female event manager also in her 40s Brynhildur Heiðardóttir Ómarsdóttir, a female literary critic Sigríður Ingibjörg Ingadóttir, a female Member of Parliament for the Social Democratic Alliance Guðrún Jónsdóttir, a spokesperson for Stígamót (organization that fights sexual abuse against women) Hildur Lillendahl, a feminist in Iceland Björk Vilhelmsdóttir, a city councilor of Reykjavík and feminist Þórdís Elva Þorvaldsdóttir, a writer and actress
In response to the increase of nontraditional applicants, Rafnsson said, "We have to follow the rules set by the international contest." This "means rejecting any applicants younger than 18 or older than 24. In addition to the age limits, contestants must be unmarried, childless and, of course, female." Íris Telma Jonsdóttir, Iceland's 2012 Miss World contestant, "has the unfortunate job of sifting through applications for the coming Miss Iceland contest and the publicity stirred by feminists has even sparked an abnormally high influx of legitimate hopefuls. That means she has a lot more reading to do before selecting the field of 25 women who will actually compete for a chance to move on to Miss World."
Miss Universe Iceland In 2016, Jorge Esteban (President of PageantSmart Interview Consulting) and Manuela Osk Hardardottir (former Miss Iceland 2002) were awarded the franchise for Miss Universe Iceland by the Miss Universe Organization. The 2020 Miss Universe Iceland competition was held on Friday, October 23, 2020, at Gamla Bio in downtown Reykjavík. The winner was 21 year old Elísabet Hulda Snorradóttir, a second year student at the University of Iceland, majoring in Chinese Studies. She represented Iceland at the Miss Universe 2020 competition. She succeeds Birta Abiba Þórhallsdóttir, Miss Universe Iceland 2019, who placed in the Top 10 at Miss Universe 2019, the highest placement for Iceland since 1962. The Miss Universe Iceland 2021 competition will be held in Reykjavík on September 29, 2021. The winner will go on to compete at the 70th Miss Universe competition in Eilat, Israel scheduled for December 2021. Previously the Miss Iceland (Ungfru Island) pageant would select the representative to Miss Universe.
Began 2023 the Miss Universe Iceland became the main title of Ungfrú Ísland titleholder after the organizers took over the defunct brand.
2023 applicants In 2023, Ungfrú Ísland introduced revised eligibility rules under directors Manuela Osk Harðardóttir and Jorge Esteban. The competition was open to women aged 18 to 27 as of 1 January 2023, including contestants who were married, previously married, pregnant or had children.
Titleholders 1955-2017 Winning International Title Miss Universe Iceland Miss World Iceland Miss International Iceland Miss Europe Iceland
YearUngfrú Ísland 1955 Arna Hjörleifsdóttir 1956 Ágústa Guðmundsdóttir 1957 Bryndís Schram 1958 1959 Sigríður Geirsdóttir † 1960 Sigrún Ragnarsdóttir 1961 María Guðmundsdóttir 1962 Miss International 1963 1963 Thelma IngvarsdóttirMiss Scandinavia 1963 1964 Pálína Jónmundsdóttir 1965 Sigrún Vignisdóttir 1966 Kolbrún Einarsdóttir 1967 Guðrún Pétursdóttir 1968 Jónína Konráðsdóttir 1969 María Baldursdóttir 1970 Erna Jóhannesdóttir 1971 Guðrún Valgarðsdóttir 1972 Þórunn Símonardóttir 1973 Katrín Gisladóttir 1974 Anna Björnsdóttir 1975 Helga Eldon Jónsdóttir 1976 Guðmunda Jóhannesdóttir 1977 Kristjana ÞráinsdóttirDethroned Anna Eðvarðsdóttir 1978 Halldóra Jónsdóttir 1979 Kristín Bernharðsdóttir 1980 Elisabet Traustadóttir 1982 Guðrún Möller 1983 Unnur Steinsson 1984 Berglind Johansen 1985 Halla Bryndis Jonsdóttir 1986 Gígja Birgisdóttir 1987 Anna Margrét Jónsdóttir 1988 Linda PétursdóttirMiss World 1988 1989 Hugrún Linda Guðmundsdóttir 1990 Ásta Sigríður Einarsdóttir 1991 Svava Haraldsdóttir 1992 María Rún Hafliðadóttir 1993 Svala Björk Arnardóttir 1994 1995 Hrafnhildur Hafsteinsdóttir 1996 Sólveig Guðmundsdóttir 1997 Harpa Harðardóttir 1998 Guðbjörg Hermannsdóttir 1999 Katrín Baldursdóttir 2000 Elín Magnúsdóttir 2001 Ragnheiður Guðnadóttir 2002 Manuela Ósk HarðardóttirPresident of Ungfru Island 2003 Ragnhildur Steinunn Jónsdóttir 2004 Hugrún Harðardóttir 2005 Unnur Birna VilhjálmsdóttirMiss World 2005 2006 Sif Aradóttir 2007 2008 Alexandra Ívarsdóttir 2009 Guðrún Dögg Rúnarsdóttir 2010 Fanney Ingvarsdóttir 2011 2013 Tanja Ástþórsdóttir 2015 Arna Ýr Jónsdóttir 2016 Anna Lára Orlowska 2017 Ólafía Ósk Finnsdóttir
2016-present Winning International Title
directly Miss Universe Iceland organization began sending a winner to Miss Universe in 2016 but before Miss Universe Iceland, Miss Iceland (Ungfru Island) Organization franchised the Miss Universe franchise and the main winner went to Miss Universe starting in 1956. In 2016, a brand new of Miss Universe Iceland organized by separate competition which officially selected a national winning title to Miss Universe. Began 2023 On occasion, when the winner does not qualify (due to age) for either contest, a runner-up is sent.
YearMiss Universe Iceland2nd Placed3rd Placed4th Placed5th Placed 2016 Hildur María LeifsdóttirGlacier Lagoon Sigrún Eva ÁrmannsdóttirAkranes Andrea SigurðardóttirKópavogur Elísa Gróa SteinþórsdóttirBreiðholt Thoranna ThorarinsWestman Islands 2017 Arna Ýr JónsdóttirNorthern Lights Ester Elísabet GunnarsdóttirHafnarfjörður Elísa Gróa SteinþórsdóttirGarðabær Hulda Margrét SigurðardóttirSouthern Iceland Dagbjört RúriksdóttirEast Reykjavík 2018 Katrín Lea ElenudóttirMidnight Sun Móeiður Svala MagnúsdóttirNorthern Lights Sunneva Sif Jónsdóttir Northern IcelandQueen Beauty Universe 2019 Aníta Ösp IngólfsdóttirCrystal Beach Hulda Vigdísardóttir101 DistrictYearMiss Universe IcelandSupranational IcelandQueen Beauty Iceland4th Placed5th Placed 2019 Birta Abiba ÞórhallsdóttirGeysir Hugrún Birta EgilsdóttirGarðabær Hulda Vigdísardóttir101 Reykjavík Elísabet Hulda SnorradóttirNorthern Lights Kolfinna Mist AustfjordAkureyriYearMiss Universe IcelandSupranational Iceland3rd Placed4th Placed5th Placed 2020 Elísabet Hulda SnorradóttirGlacier Lagoon Disa Dungal101 Reykjavík Sunneva HalldórsdóttirAkureyri Kamilla Kristrúnardóttir HancockBreiðholt Díana Iva GunnarsdóttirVestmannaeyjar 2021 Elísa Gróa SteinþórsdóttirGarðabær Íris Freyja Salguero KristínardóttirCrystal Beach Hulda Vigdísardóttir101 Reykjavík Elva Björk JónsdóttirGullfoss Elin StelludóttirBreiðholt 2022 Hrafnhildur HaraldsdóttirEast Reykjavík Ísabella ÞorvallsdóttirNorthern Lights Alexandra TómasdóttirNorthern Iceland Þorbjörg KristinsdóttirGrafarholt Elva Björk JónsdóttirGullfossYearUngfrú ÍslandSupranational Iceland3rd Placed4th Placed5th Placed 2023 Lilja PétursdóttirCapital Region Helena Hafthórsdóttir O'ConnorReykjavík Kolfinna Mist AustfjörðurHúsavík Dagny Osk GarðarsdottirMidnight Sun Borghildur Birta EinarsdottirNorthern Lights 2024 Soldis Vala IvarsdottirÁrbær Emilia Pora OlafsdottirGrindavík Valerija RjabchukReykjavík Erika Lif KaradottirKópavogur Harpa Ros JonsdottirÞingvellirYearUngfrú Ísland2nd Placed3rd Placed4th Placed5th Placed 2025 Helena Hafþórsdóttir O'ConnorReykjavík Guðrún Eva HauksdóttirEsja Kamilla Guðrún LowenHafnarfjörður Kristín Anna JónasdóttirReykjavík Dimmey Rós LúðvíksdóttirDigranes 2026 Sigríður Ósk HrafnkelsdóttirHafravatn Aníta Mist DavíðsdóttirEsja Elínborg HrannarsdóttirReykjavík Nadía Líf PálsdóttirNjarðvík Soffía Ellín Stella GísladóttirMiðbær
Titleholders under Ungfrú Ísland org. Miss Universe Iceland
Ungfrú Ísland winners between 1956 and 2009 competed at Miss Universe pageant. Between 2016 and 2022 the main winner of Miss Universe Iceland went to Miss Universe. Began 2023 the organization of Ungfrú Ísland is official foundation to select the winner to Miss Universe competition under Jorge Esteban and Manuela Ósk Harðardóttir directorship.