Miss USA, Olivia Culpo, waves after being crowned Miss Universe.
Miss USA has been crowned Miss Universe for the first time in 15 years.
Olivia Culpo, a 20-year-old beauty queen from Rhode Island, took the crown from Leila Lopes of Angola at the Planet Hollywood casino in Las Vegas, the Associated Press reported.
Culpo beat 88 other women during the televised competition on Wednesday night.
Miss Philippines, Janine Tugonon, was runner-up in the global beauty pageant.
Miss Venezuela, Irene Sofia Esser Quintero, placed third.
Lopes tweeted her congratulations to Culpo, who has become the first American to win the Miss Universe title since Brook Lee in 1997.