Riyo Mori is Miss Universe 2007

Miss Japan, Riyo Mori, became the new Miss Universe late Monday at a gala held at the National Auditorium as Miss India Puja Gupta finished among the top 10 beautiful women in the contest, informs AP.

Riyo Mori, 20, received the crown adorned with 800 diamonds and 120 pearls - valued at 250,000 dollars - from Miss Universe 2006, Puerto Rican Zuleyka Rivera.

Miss Brazil Natalia Guimaraes was the first runner-up while another Latin American, Venezuelan Ly Jonaitis, took the third place.

The remaining finalists were South Korean Honey Lee and American Rachel Smith, despite the fact that the latter fell to the ground on stage during the evening gown competition.

China's Ningning Zhang was chosen Miss Congeniality and Filipino Anna Theresa Licaros was named Miss Photogenic.

India's Gupta shared her place among the top 10 beauties with Miss Angola Micaela Reis, Miss Tanzania Flaviana Matata, Miss Nicaragua Xiomara Blandino and Miss Mexico Rosa Maria Ojeda Cuen.

This was Japan's second Miss Universe title after Akiko Kojima's in 1959.

The US holds the most Miss Universe titles in history, with a total of seven.