From Pacific Island to Nigeria: How countries welcomed new year

The transition to the new year (2025) unfolded with a spectacular wave of celebration, with countries across each region marking the occasion at different times due to the earth’s rotation and diverse time zones.

As the euphoria continued to build and countries worldwide prepared to welcome the new year, some countries celebrated the dawn of the year with funfair ahead of others.

From small islands in the Pacific, which first ushered the year as early as 11:00 am Nigerian time on December 31, 2024, to uninhabited Islands in the southwest of Hawaii, which would ring in the year later today at about 1:00 pm Nigeria time on January 1, 2025, here’s a look at how the world ushered in the new year.

First stop: Christmas Island and Samoa

The first place to usher in 2025 was Christmas Island (Kiritimati) in the Republic of Kiribati. A small island in the Pacific Ocean, was the first to see the new year at 5 am EST, 11:00 am Nigeria time (West Africa Time, WAT) on December 31.

The Chatham Islands of New Zealand followed suit shortly afterwards at 5.15 am EST (11:15am WAT), followed by New Zealand’s major cities of Auckland and Wellington, that marked the occasion with fire works at 6 am EST (12:00 pm WAT, December 31).

Auckland was the first major city to celebrate, as thousands thronged downtown or climbed the city’s ring of volcanic peaks for a fireworks vantage point.

Across the Pacific: Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji

In the Pacific, the celebration continued to spread as Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji joined the excitement.

These countries marked the new year just moments after New Zealand. Cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra in Australia, where fireworks lit up the sky followed shortly after Auckland and Wellington. The celebrations then move through smaller Australian cities such as Adelaide, Broken Hill, and Ceduna, with Queensland and Northern Australia ringing in 2025 later.

Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Fiji welcome the year at 10:30 EST (3:00 pm WAT), while Queensland, Northern Australia followed at 3:30 pm WAT. Fireworks blasted off the Sydney Harbour Bridge and across the bay in the celebration of the new year. More than a million Australians and others gathered at iconic Sydney Harbour for the celebration. British pop star Robbie Williams led a singalong with the crowd.

The celebration also featured Indigenous ceremonies and performances that acknowledged the land’s first people.

The East: Japan, Korea, and China join the revelry

As the clock ticks forward, Japan, South Korea, and North Korea began their celebrations at 10 am EST (4:00pm WAT on December 31). Western Australia followed soon after, with major cities like Perth leading the charge at 10.15 am EST (4:15 pm WAT).

Southeast Asia

Indonesia, Thailand, and Myanmar will also celebrate as the clock moves forward, followed by Bangladesh and Nepal. India and Sri Lanka will mark the occasion at 1.30 pm EST (7:30 pm WAT), as celebrations continue across the region, with Pakistan and Afghanistan next in line.

West Africa

By the time midnight strikes on December 31 in West African countries like Ghana, Senegal, The Gambia, Guines, Guinea-Bisau, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, Niger, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, and Nigeria, at exactly 6:00 pm EST, Nigerians will be gathered in different places of worship to welcome the new year, while the streets will be alive with fireworks, bangers, and the joyous spirit of the new year.

Last Stop: Baker and Howland Islands

The final places on earth to greet the new year today will be the uninhabited islands of Baker and Howland, located southwest of Hawaii. As the last to see 2025, these remote islands will mark the final moment in the global celebration at 8.30 pm EST, that is 1:00 pm on January 1, 2025.