Miss Universe 1979 was the 28th Miss Universe pageant, held on 19 July 1979 at the Perth Entertainment Centre in Perth, Australia. Margaret Gardiner of South Africa crowned her successor Maritza Sayalero of Venezuela. This marks as the first time a woman from Venezuela won the pageant. It was the first time in the pageant's history that the event was held in Australia.
| Miss Universe 1979 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Date | 19 July 1979 |
| Presenters | |
| Entertainment | Donny Osmond |
| Venue | Perth Entertainment Centre, Perth, Australia |
| Broadcaster | CBS (international) Seven Network (TVW) (official broadcaster) |
| Entrants | 75 |
| Placements | 12 |
| Debuts | |
| Withdrawals | |
| Returns | |
| Winner | Maritza Sayalero  Venezuela |
| Congeniality | Yurika Kuroda  Japan |
| Best National Costume | Elizabeth Busti  Uruguay |
| Photogenic | Carolyn Seaward  England |
Results
Placements
| Placement | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Miss Universe 1979 | |
| 1st runner-up | |
| 2nd runner-up | |
| 3rd runner-up |
|
| 4th runner-up |
|
| Top 12 |
|