A small island in the Pacific had already welcomed the new year while the majority of the world was still celebrating its final day.

Kiritimati, or Christmas Island, officially greeted 2026 at around 3:30 PM Indian Standard Time, making it the first place on the planet to do so.

Kiritimati is part of Kiribati, a nation in the Pacific Ocean situated south of Hawaii and northeast of Australia.

This nation is able to celebrate the New Year almost a full day ahead of many others.

With a population of about 116,000, the nation separated from the United Kingdom in 1979.

New Year, Second Stop

Auckland, New Zealand, was among the first major cities to ring in the new year shortly after.

New Year Begins In Australia

Australia is up next, with Sydney
getting ready for its yearly fireworks at the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.

Celebrating the beginning of another year across various time zones and cultures.

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