Which Country Celebrates New Year First?

Did you know that while most of us are still in 2024, some parts of the world have already rung in 2025? This is all thanks to the quirky time zones and the International Date Line, which splits the world into different calendar days.

The International Date Line is an imaginary line running through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, about 180 degrees from the Prime Meridian in Greenwich, England. It separates two consecutive days—if you’re west of the line, you’ve already moved into the next day.

Because of this, remote Pacific islands like Kiribati, Samoa, and Tonga are the first to greet the New Year. Kiribati’s Line Islands, in particular, lead the global countdown, thanks to their UTC+14 time zone. Their New Year’s celebrations are full of traditional dances, fireworks, and family gatherings. Following them, Samoa, Tonga, New Zealand, Fiji, and Australia join in with their own unique traditions, adding to the worldwide festivities.

These early New Year destinations attract thousands of travellers eager to experience how time zones impact culture and tourism.

And as the New Year moves west, Baker Island and Howland Island—two uninhabited U.S. territories—will be the last places to welcome 2025. This is due to their position near the International Date Line.