Edit

Countries That Celebrate New Year's First: A Global Countdown

The arrival of New Year’s 2025 will be celebrated across the globe, starting with the Pacific island nations and moving westward as the clock strikes midnight in each time zone. The very first to welcome 2025 will be Kiribati, specifically Christmas Island (Kiritimati), at 5:00 am EST (3:30 pm IST). This remote island, located in the Pacific Ocean, enjoys the honor of being the first in the world to celebrate the new year.

Following Kiribati, the Chatham Islands of New Zealand will usher in the new year at 5:15 am EST (3:45 pm IST), followed by the major cities of Auckland and Wellington at 6:00 am EST (4:30 pm IST). These cities are known for their lively celebrations and fireworks displays that light up the sky, marking the occasion with grandeur.

Next, Australia will join in the festivities, with cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra welcoming 2025 at 7:30 pm IST. Sydney’s iconic fireworks over the Harbour Bridge and Opera House are among the most watched celebrations globally. Other parts of Australia, such as Queensland and Northern Australia, will celebrate at 8:00 pm IST.

In East Asia, countries like Japan, South Korea, and North Korea will ring in the new year at 10:00 am EST (8:30 pm IST). These nations mark the occasion with unique traditions—Japan, for instance, rings temple bells 108 times to cleanse the soul and welcome the year with purity.

As the celebrations move westward, India and Sri Lanka will join the global festivities at 1:30 pm EST (11:00 pm IST), marking the start of 2025 with cultural events, family gatherings, and prayers for prosperity and peace.

Finally, the last places to welcome the new year will be the uninhabited Baker and Howland Islands, southwest of Hawaii. These islands will greet 2025 at 5:30 pm IST on January 1, closing the global wave of celebrations.

 

 

From the first spark of fireworks in the Pacific to the final cheers on Baker and Howland Islands, the transition into 2025 highlights the diversity of traditions and the shared joy of welcoming a new beginning across the world.

AD