In Auckland, the iconic Sky Tower lit up in vibrant colours, surrounded by fireworks as the Kiwis ushered in the new year.

Auckland in New Zealand and Sydney in Australia have become the first major Western cities to welcome 2025, with hundreds of thousands of revellers marvelling at spectacular fireworks and waving goodbye to a year marked by turmoil in the Middle East and Ukraine,

New Year's celebrations occur at different times around the world due to varying time zones. Some countries, especially those in the Pacific Ocean region, ring in the New Year earlier than others. Here are seven countries where New Year's is celebrated ahead of most other nations New Year's celebrations happen at different times worldwide,