The island of Kiritimati in Kiribati became the first place in the world to welcome 2026, kicking off global New Year celebrations.
Part of the Pacific nation of Kiribati, located south of Hawaii and northeast of Australia, Kiritimati is made up of several atolls—ring-shaped coral reefs—and spans nearly 4,000 km from east to west.
The archipelago, home to about 116,000 people, became independent from the United Kingdom in 1979 and hosts the South Pacific’s largest marine reserve.
Many of its low-lying atolls are vulnerable to rising sea levels caused by global warming.
Following Kiritimati, several Pacific nations, including New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, and Tokelau, welcomed 2026 as the clocks struck midnight local time (11:00 GMT).
Later, cities across Australia, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Bougainville, and parts of Russia joined the celebrations, meaning dozens of countries worldwide have now ushered in the New Year with fireworks, music, and festivities.
