As the world prepares to bid farewell to 2025, the island nation of Kiribati has officially become the first country on the planet to welcome the New Year 2026. Located in the central Pacific Ocean and positioned near the International Date Line, Kiribati once again led the global celebrations, stepping into the new year while much of the world is still observing December 31, 2025.
Visuals emerging from the island nation show vibrant New Year celebrations, with fireworks lighting up the night sky and locals coming together to welcome the year with joy and enthusiasm. Social media platforms were soon flooded with celebratory messages, photos, and videos from Kiribati, capturing the festive spirit.
The early arrival of the New Year in Kiribati is due to its unique geographical placement and time zone, making it the earliest point on Earth to enter a new calendar year. While several countries were still waking up to the final day of 2025, Kiribati had already begun festivities to mark the arrival of 2026.
Following Kiribati, New Zealand is next in line to welcome 2026. Major cities like Auckland and Wellington typically join the celebrations around 90 minutes later.
On the other end of the spectrum, American Samoa and the uninhabited Howland and Baker Islands are among the last places in the world to bid farewell to 2025, officially concluding the worldwide New Year transition.
