The countries that celebrate the New Year first – 2026

The first people in the world celebrate New Year in a country called Kiribati. This is an unusual country that is located in all hemispheres of the Earth at the same time, the New Year is celebrated here at 13:00 Moscow time. Samoa and Tonga are also among the first to celebrate the holiday. For more information, see the Izvestia article.

Kiribati (Line Islands)

The inhabitants of the eastern islands of Kiribati are traditionally the first to celebrate the New Year. The Line Islands have the earliest time zone on the planet, UTC+14. Thanks to this, the fireworks and the countdown of the last seconds come here earlier than anywhere else. Locals spend the night on the beaches, and tourists come specially to see the "very first" celebration of the year.

Samoa

Kiribati is followed in 2026 by Samoa, which is located in the UTC+13 zone. This country changed its time zone in 2011 to strengthen economic ties with New Zealand and Australia, and has been one of the first countries to celebrate the New Year since then. The celebrations here are held in the traditional style — with dances, songs and processions by the ocean.

Tonga

The Kingdom of Tonga, located in the same UTC+13 time zone, also welcomes the New Year earlier than most countries in the world. In the capital of Nuku'alofa, folk festivals are held, and locals decorate houses and churches in honor of the coming year.

Happy Santa Claus: a severe cold snap will come to Russia with the New Year holidays

In the European part of the country, the temperature will be below normal, and in Siberia — from an abnormal -49 to a thaw.

New Zealand, including the Chatham Islands

Next, the offensive of 2026 is celebrated by New Zealanders. The main territory of the country is located in the UTC+13 (summer time) zone, and the Chatham Islands are at UTC+13:45, which makes them unique in terms of holiday meeting time. Auckland and Wellington traditionally host large fireworks displays, which are attended by tens of thousands of people.

Fiji and other Oceania States

The countries of the Oceania region — Fiji, Tuvalu, Nauru and Wallis and Futuna — are also among the first to celebrate the New Year, being in the UTC+12 and UTC+13 time zones. Here, festive events take place by the water, and traditional dances and treats become part of the New Year's Eve.

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