Botswana beauty is Miss Universe

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad -- Mpule Kwelagobe, the 19-year-old Miss Botswana, won the Miss Universe 1999 title -- one of the few black women ever to do so.

Kwelagobe took the title late on Wednesday, the first time her country entered the pageant, which has been running since 1952.

The first runner-up in the competition was Miss Philippines, Miriam Quiambo, while in third place was Miss Spain, Diana Nogueria.

The new Miss Universe is a musician who says she enjoys sports, especially swimming and athletics. Her future plans include becoming a surgeon.

Kwelagobe was one of 10 finalists chosen from a field of 84 contestants and was crowned by last year's Miss Universe, Wendy Fitzwilliam, from Trinidad and Tobago.

During the final round of the competition Kwelagobe was asked a rather unusual question: should a Miss Universe be allowed to continue her reign if she became pregnant?

"Yes," Kwelagobe replied. A titleholder should be allowed to express her "femininity", she said.

After her coronation Kwelagobe told reporters that having children was a celebration of womanhood for all females -- including beauty queens.

The question was likely prompted by the withdrawal of Miss Guam last week under suspicion that she was pregnant, an allegation pageant organisers have so far denied.

Kwelagobe told reporters that she plans to make the fight against Aids her main cause during her reign.

The new beauty queen said she is especially interested in working with children with Aids, and will also push for more education in rural Botswana.

Kwelagobe's homeland has a population of about 1,6 million and one of the highest numbers per capita of Aids cases in the world. Kwelagobe, whose first name means "one who brings the rain", said she was "born a beauty queen."

She represented Botswana two years ago at the Miss World Pageant in Seychelles, where she was voted one of the 10 most popular girls.

Trinidad and Tobago, rich in oil and natural gas, spent close to R100 million to prepare for the pageant. Prime Minister Basdeo Panday said he hopes the attention will draw more investors and tourism to the Caribbean nation. The southernmost islands in the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago have a population of about 1,3 million. -- Sapa-AFP