As December 31 draws to a close, people worldwide gear up to celebrate the arrival of 2025. The new year will be welcomed across various time zones, with festivities sweeping from the Pacific’s remote islands to bustling urban centers around the globe.
Here’s a glimpse of how the world will embrace the transition to 2025.
The First to Welcome 2025: Christmas Island and Samoa
Christmas Island (Kiritimati) in Kiribati will be the earliest location to greet 2025, doing so at 5 a.m. EST (3:30 p.m. IST). Shortly after, New Zealand’s Chatham Islands will follow at 5:15 a.m. EST (3:45 p.m. IST). Cities like Auckland and Wellington will celebrate an hour later at 6 a.m. EST (4:30 p.m. IST).
New Zealand rings in the new year! pic.twitter.com/LLQYPDieGs
— RT (@RT_com) December 31, 2024
Festivities Across the Pacific: Tonga, Fiji, and Samoa
Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji will follow closely behind New Zealand in welcoming the new year. These celebrations will then extend to major Australian cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra, where iconic fireworks displays will light up the skies. Smaller Australian towns like Adelaide and Broken Hill will join the revelry slightly later, with Queensland and the Northern Territory marking the occasion afterward.
Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Fiji: 7:30 p.m. IST
Queensland, Northern Territory: 8 p.m. IST
Moving East: Celebrations in Japan, Korea, and China
As the clock advances, Japan, South Korea, and North Korea will welcome 2025 at 10 a.m. EST (8:30 p.m. IST). Perth, in Western Australia, will also join the celebration at 10:15 a.m. EST (8:45 p.m. IST). Midnight will bring vibrant festivities to China, Singapore, and the Philippines, featuring fireworks, lanterns, and a jubilant atmosphere.
Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent
Countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, and Myanmar will follow suit, leading up to Bangladesh and Nepal’s celebrations. India and Sri Lanka will mark the occasion at 1:30 p.m. EST (11 p.m. IST), with Pakistan and Afghanistan soon after.
The Last to See 2025: Baker and Howland Islands
The final places on Earth to bid farewell to 2024 are the uninhabited Baker and Howland Islands, located near Hawaii. They will officially usher in 2025 at 5:30 p.m. IST on January 1, concluding the global wave of celebrations.
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