Chile, Ceylon, Czechoslovakia, Denmark (due to feminist action), Hong Kong, Paraguay, and Yugoslavia withdrew from the competition.
This was the first time that the total number of finalists was reduced from 15 to 12 and that the traditional crowning mantle was eliminated.
Georgina Rizk was the first woman from the Middle East, the fourth woman from Asia overall and the first from West Asia to win the title. In the pageant, Rizk made a memorable fashion statement by wearing a very revealing top and hotpants.
After more than a decade, this was the last time that the Pageant was hosted in Miami Beach. Starting in 1972, the competition would be held in different countries every year, mainly in Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia.