Who celebrates New Year first, and who rings it in last? Country-wise details here
The world prepares to welcome 2025 with celebrations across various time zones. Christmas Island kicks off festivities, followed by New Zealand and Australia.
As the clock ticks closer to midnight on December 31, millions of people across the globe are preparing to welcome the dawn of a new year. The transition to 2025 will unfold in a spectacular wave of celebrations, with each region marking the occasion at different times due to the Earth’s rotation and diverse time zones. From small islands in the Pacific to bustling cities across continents, here's a look at how the world will ring in the new year.
First stop: Christmas Island and Samoa
The first place to usher in 2025 will be Christmas Island (Kiritimati) in the Republic of Kiribati. A small island in the Pacific Ocean, it will be the first to see the new year at 5 am EST (3.30 pm IST). Shortly afterward, the Chatham Islands of New Zealand will follow suit at 5.15 am EST (3.45 pm IST), followed by New Zealand’s major cities of Auckland and Wellington, who will mark the occasion at 6 am EST (4.30 pm IST).
Also read: Top 50 Happy New Year images, greetings, for your best people
Across the Pacific: Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji
In the Pacific, the celebration continues to spread as Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji join the excitement. These countries will mark the new year just moments after New Zealand, and cities like Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand will be followed by Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra in Australia, where fireworks will light up the sky. The celebrations will then move through smaller Australian cities such as Adelaide, Broken Hill, and Ceduna, with Queensland and Northern Australia ringing in 2025 later.
Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Fiji: 7.30 pm IST
Queensland, Northern Australia: 8 pm IST
The East: Japan, Korea, and China join the revelry
As the clock ticks forward, Japan, South Korea, and North Korea will begin their celebrations at 10 am EST (8.30 pm IST). Western Australia follows soon after, with major cities like Perth leading the charge at 10.15 am IST (8.45 pm IST). By the time midnight strikes in China, the Philippines, and Singapore, the streets will be alive with fireworks, lanterns, and the joyous spirit of the new year.
Southeast Asia
Indonesia, Thailand, and Myanmar will also celebrate as the clock moves forward, followed by Bangladesh and Nepal. India and Sri Lanka will mark the occasion at 1.30 pm EST (11 pm IST), as celebrations continue across the region, with Pakistan and Afghanistan next in line.
Last Stop: Baker and Howland Islands
The final places on Earth to greet the new year will be the uninhabited islands of Baker and Howland, located southwest of Hawaii. As the last to see 2025, these remote islands will mark the final moment in the global celebration at 5.30 pm IST on January 1.
