Withdraws

 Aruba
 Cuba
 Georgia
 Hawaii
 Kyrgyzstan
 Martinique
 Netherlands
 Romania
 Tanzania^[72]
 Trinidad & Tobago
 Vietnam
 Zimbabwe

Debuts

 Cameroon
 Gibraltar
 Haiti
 Namibia
 Virgin Islands

Returning countries and territories

Last competed in:
1961:

 Myanmar (as Burma)
1996:
 Fiji
2005:
 Israel
2007:
 Nigeria
2008:
 Suriname

2009:

 Argentina
 Ethiopia
 Gabon

2010:
 Canada
 Lithuania
 Mauritius
 Nicaragua
 Sri Lanka
 United Kingdom

Crossovers

Contestants who previously competed or will compete at other beauty pageants:
Miss Universe
2011:  Haiti : Anedie Azael
2011:  Poland: Rozalia Mancewicz
2012:  Mauritius : Ameeksha Dilchand (TBA)
Miss World
2010:  Macau: Cherry Ng
2011:  Paraguay: Nicole Huber (Top 30)
2011:  United Kingdom: Alize Lily Mounter (Top 7)2012:
 Ethiopia: Melkam Endale

 England's representative

Miss Earth
2011:  Belgium: Aline Decock
2011:  Estonia: Xenia Likhaceva
2011:  Macau: Cherry Ng
2011:  Paraguay: Nicole Huber (Top 16)
Miss Tourism Queen International
2005:  Poland: Rozalia Mancewicz (3rd runner-up)
2008:  USA: Amanda Renee Delgado2011:
 South Africa: Donique Leonard (Top 20)

 Hawaii's representative

Miss Intercontinental
2009:  Ethiopia: Melkam Endale
Miss Asia Pacific World
2011:  Panama: Karen Jordán Beitia
Miss Tourism  International
2011:  Costa Rica: Natasha Sibaja
Miss Model of the World
2010:  USA: Amanda Renee Delgado (Winner)
Reinado Internacional del Café
2010:  USA: Amanda Renee Delgado
Reina Hispanoamericana
2009:  Dominican Republic: Melody Mir (2nd runner-up)

 Spain's representative

Reina Mundial del Banano
2008:  USA: Amanda Renee Delgado (Winner)