Kiribati Becomes the First Country to Celebrate New Year’s Day

As the world eagerly prepares to welcome the New Year, celebrations have already commenced in some parts of the globe. According to time zones, Kiribati, a small island nation in the Pacific Ocean, is the first to celebrate New Year’s Day, starting its festivities at 3:30 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).

Kiribati’s geographical position ensures that it experiences the first sunrise of the New Year. When the clock strikes midnight in Kiribati, it is still mid-afternoon in India. Following Kiribati, countries in the South Pacific, including Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji, mark the arrival of the New Year within the next hour.

Larger nations such as New Zealand and Australia are among the first major countries to embrace the New Year. Cities like Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand and Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra in Australia host some of the world’s earliest and most vibrant celebrations.

At the other end of the spectrum, Baker and Howland Islands will be the last to greet the New Year. Located at the farthest time zone, these islands will celebrate the New Year at 5:30 PM IST on January 1.

This sequence is driven by the Earth’s rotation around the Sun, with regions in the Pacific Ocean receiving the first light of the New Year.