It is that time of the year again. The air is crisp, the streets are lit, the carols and songs are blasting around and people are gathered together to bid goodbye to another fruitful year and welcome New Year 2025! The celebration of New Year is a grand commemoration for people across the world, as it gives us a chance to begin anew, reflect on the year that has gone by and help us to plan on a way to be better and do better in the coming times. As we enter New Year 2025, people are sure to be curious on which country enters New Year 2025 first and what is the last country to enter the New Year! Well, here's everything you need to know about this!

First Country to Enter New Year 2025

We know that the celebration of New year usually begins in the islands of Australia and Oceania. However, New Year 2025 will first be experienced in the tiny island nation of Kiribati in the Pacific Oceans. The country will enter the New Year on December 31, 01.30 PM according to IST (Indian Standard Time). The countries to follow suit are Tonga and Samoa, and finally New Year 2025 will be celebrated in New Zealand, Australia, Japan and South Korea. List of Long Weekends in 2025 in India: Check Out the New Year Calendar for the Holiday Dates To Plan Vacations and Weekend Getaways. 

Last country to enter New Year 2025

The celebration of New Year rings across the world following its beginning and goes on well through New Year’s Day. However, the last country to enter 2025 will be Baker Island and Howland Island, two uninhabited territories in the Pacific Ocean. Both these Islands are 26 hours behind Kirbit and will enter the New Year last. At midnight, it will already be 05:30 PM on January 1 in India.

First and Last Countries To Enter New Year According to IST

  • Kiribati's Line Islands: 03:30 PM IST, December 31

  • Tonga and Samoa: 04:30 PM IST, December 31

  • New Zealand: 03:30 PM IST, December 31

  • Russia and Fiji: 05:30 PM IST, December 31

  • Australia: 06:30 PM IST, December 31

  • Papua New Guinea: 7:30 PM IST, December 31

  • India: 12:00 AM IST, December 31

  • American Samoa: 11:00 AM IST, January 1

  • Howland Island and Baker Island: 05:30 PM IST, January 1

A key reason that the celebration of New Year adds to the charm, happiness and excitement for New Year 2025 is the fact that it is one of the few events that is celebrated and experienced in real time by people across the world. Irrespective of their culture, religion and beliefs, the celebration of New Year can bring us all together. And we hope that New Year 2025 brings with it love, light and happiness for one and all.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 30, 2024 08:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).