First and Last Countries To Enter New Year 2025: Which Is the First Country To Ring in Happy New Year? Know When January 1 Begins Around the World at Different Time Zones
As 2024 comes to a close, many people are preparing to say goodbye to the year and welcome 2025 with open arms. New Year’s celebrations are filled with spectacular fireworks, countdowns, family gatherings, parties with friends, delicious food and drinks, and lively music. As the clock strikes midnight on December 31, billions will have already said goodbye to the previous year and raised a toast to the New Year, but others will just be entering theirs. Why is that? Because of the fascinating way in which time zones work. They create a global race to greet the New Year. Due to the time differences, different countries celebrate the New Year at different moments. While it may already be January 1, 2025 in some countries, in some places it is still December 31, 2024. So, which countries will usher in the New Year first, and which ones will be the last to celebrate? Lucky Fruits for New Year 2025: From Pomegranate to Papaya, 10 Fruits in Feng Shui That Symbolises Good Luck, Health and Prosperity in the Coming Year.
The first to celebrate the New Year will be the cluster of islands known as Kiribati. The islands are a whole 24 hours ahead of New York, and the centre of Kiribati is 6 hours and 30 minutes ahead of the centre of India. At 12:00 AM on January 1, 2025, in Kiribati, it will be 03:30 PM on December 31, 2024, in India.
The next countries to welcome the New Year will be Tonga and Samoa, also located in the South Pacific. They will ring in the New Year just one hour after Kiribati. Following closely are New Zealand and Australia. Next in line are countries like Japan, South Korea, and China, which will celebrate an hour later. Countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka will soon follow.
These are followed by countries like Turkey, Iran, Greece, the UAE, Hungary, South Africa, Germany, the UK, and France. The latecomers to the celebrations include countries like the US, Canada, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Alaska, Hawaii, and the Cook Islands.
The final locations to greet the New Year are Baker Island and Howland Island, which are a full 26 hours behind Kiribati. At midnight on January 1, 2025 in Howland Island, it will be January 1, 05:30 PM in India. Happy New Year 2025! From Eating 12 Grapes for 12 Months to Wearing Red Underwear, Unique New Year’s Eve Traditions From Around the World for Good Luck.
As one part of the world celebrates, let’s not forget to share videos and spread the excitement and anticipation for those still waiting to ring in the New Year 2025. This global race will only remind us of just how connected we all are, irrespective of the time zones. Here’s to a happy and prosperous New Year 2025 to everyone!
(The above story first appeared on Today News 24 on Dec 16, 2024 01:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website todaynews24.top).
