Stefania Fernandez

Stefania Fernandez was crowned the Miss Universe 2009 last night at a ceremony in the Bahamas. The gala was broadcast by NBC to a global audience estimated at 1 billion people.

Stefania Fernandez is the sixth Venezuelan to win the title in the 59 years of its history and the second in a row.

Fernandez won the Miss Venezuela title in September 2008, just as she turned 18: before that she had been Miss Trujillo.