Selection of participants for Miss Universe 1997 saw notable replacements and shifts in representation. Hetu'u Rapu, winner of Miss Universo Chile 1997, was replaced by Claudia Delpín, her 1st runner-up, as Rapu fell short of the age requirement by a mere seventeen days. Similarly, Nadine Schmidt, the winner of Miss Deutschland 1997, opted out of the competition. Her position was filled by Agathe Neunen, the 3rd runner-up, as the other runners-up failed to meet the minimum age requirement of 18. Interestingly, Schmidt later pursued success in Miss Baltic Sea 1997, clinching the crown.
In terms of debuts, returns, and withdrawals, Miss Nicaragua 1996, Luz Maria Sanchez Herdocia, faced a setback as the bankruptcy of the television station managing Miss Nicaragua prevented her participation due to unmet entry fee obligations. Additionally, Maryjane McKibben of Western Samoa withdrew from the pageant after just two days of participation.
Results
Miss Universe 1997: Brook Lee (United States)
- 1st Runner-up: Marena Bencomo (Venezuela)
- 2nd Runner-up: Margot Bourgeois (Trinidad and Tobago)
- Top 6:
- Curaçao: Verna Vasquez
- Italy: Denny Méndez
- Panama: Lía Borrero
- Top 10:
- Estonia: Kristiina Heinmets
- India: Nafisa Joseph †
- Puerto Rico: Ana Rosa Brito Suarez
- Sweden: Victoria Lagerström
Contestants
Countries and territories which sent delegates and results for Miss Universe 1997. Seventy-four contestants competed for the title.
| Country/Territory | Contestant | Age | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Nazarena Vanesa González | 22 | Buenos Aires |
| Aruba | Karen-Ann Peterson | 20 | Piedra Plat |
| Australia | Laura Csortan | 20 | Brisbane |
| Bahamas | Nestaea Sealy | 18 | Nassau |
| Belgium | Laurence Borremans | 19 | Wavre |
| Belize | Sharon Dominguez | 22 | Orange Walk |
| Bermuda | Naomi Darrell | 20 | Warwick Parish |
| Bolivia | Helga Bauer | 19 | Santa Cruz de la Sierra |
| Bonaire | Jhane-Louise Landwier | 18 | Kralendijk |
| Brazil | Nayla Micherif | 21 | Ubá |
| British Virgin Islands | Melinda Penn | – | Tortola |
| Bulgaria | Krassmira Todorova | – | Varna |
| Canada | Carmen Kempt | 18 | Red Deer |
| Chile | Claudia Delpín | 18 | Iquique |
| Colombia | Claudia Elena Vásquez | 22 | Medellin |
| Costa Rica | Gabriela Aguilar | 19 | Santa Ana |
| Croatia | Kristina Cherina | 18 | Split |
| Curaçao | Verna Vasquez | 23 | Willemstad |
| Cyprus | Korina Nikolaou | 18 | Larnaca |
| Czech Republic | Petra Minářová | 19 | Prague |
| Dominican Republic | Cesarina Mejía | 20 | Azua |
| Ecuador | María José López | 19 | Quito |
| Egypt | Eiman Abdallah Thakeb | – | Cairo |
| El Salvador | Carmen Carrillo | 19 | San Salvador |
| Estonia | Kristiina Heinmets | 18 | Tallinn |
| Finland | Karita Tuomola | 20 | Kuopio |
| France | Patricia Spéhar | 21 | Paris |
| Germany | Agathe Neuner | 22 | Munich |
| Greece | Elina Zisi | 21 | Athens |
| Guatemala | Carol Aquino | 19 | Chiquimula |
| Honduras | Joselina García | 18 | La Ceiba |
| Hong Kong | Lee San-san | 19 | Hong Kong |
| Hungary | Ildikó Kecan | 19 | Debrecen |
| Iceland | Solveig Lilja Guðmundsdóttir | 20 | Reykjavík |
| India | Nafisa Joseph † | 19 | Bangalore |
| Ireland | Fiona Mullally | 24 | Limerick |
| Israel | Dikla Hamdy | – | Beersheba |
| Italy | Denny Méndez | 18 | Florence |
| Jamaica | Nadine Julian Thomas | 21 | Saint Catherine Parish |
| Lebanon | Dalida Chammai | 23 | Beirut |
| Malaysia | Trincy Low | 21 | George Town |
| Malta | Claire Grech | 21 | San Ġwann |
| Mauritius | Cindy Cesar | 20 | Central de Flacq |
| Mexico | Rebeca Tamez | 21 | Ciudad Victoria |
| Namibia | Sheya Shipanga | 22 | Windhoek |
| New Zealand | Marina McCartney | 20 | Auckland |
| Northern Mariana Islands | Melanie Sibetang | 20 | Saipan |
| Panama | Lía Borrero | 20 | Las Tablas |
| Paraguay | Rosanna Jiménez | – | Encarnación |
| Peru | Claudia Maria Dopf | 20 | Lima |
| Philippines | Abbygale Arenas | 22 | Angeles City |
| Poland | Agnieszka Zielińska | 21 | Poznań |
| Portugal | Lara Antunes | 19 | Lisbon |
| Puerto Rico | Ana Rosa Brito | 26 | San Juan |
| Romania | Diana Maria Urd |
