Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati and New Zealand are the first countries in the world to welcome the new year 2025 (at 6:00 p.m. on December 31, Vietnam time).
These island nations in Oceania are located in the GMT+13 time zone.
The most anticipated New Year's Eve 2025 fireworks display will take place in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. This year, the land of kangaroos will hold two fireworks displays on New Year's Eve. The first will be at 9:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. Vietnam time) and the second will be at New Year's Eve (8:00 p.m. Vietnam time).
Sydney hosts fireworks displays from barges at Port Jackson, the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. An estimated one million people gather in the area to watch the New Year's Eve fireworks.
Different parts of Australia observe different time zones. New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania observe daylight saving time, which means clocks are set forward one hour to make the most of daylight in the afternoon (usually from October to April each year).
As a result, these places will welcome New Year's Eve 1 hour earlier. Meanwhile, the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia do not apply this rule.
Before Vietnam, Asian and world countries including Japan, South Korea, North Korea, some eastern and central regions of Russia... have entered the new year.
This year, South Korea canceled fireworks and New Year's Eve parties after a plane crash killed 179 people on December 29. Many places scaled back or canceled New Year's bell-ringing ceremonies.
Instead, South Koreans laid white chrysanthemums at memorial sites. Many large buildings were lit up in white to commemorate the unfortunate victims.
In Japan, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building puts on a spectacular light show. Many people visit temples and Shinto shrines to pray for peace and prosperity in the new year.
China and Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei... welcome the new year in turn.
On New Year's Eve, about 380,000 people flocked to Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (China) to watch fireworks light up the night sky.
Millions of people and tourists across Vietnam welcomed the joyful New Year's Eve moment.
Singaporeans welcomed 2025 with fireworks, drone displays and even a K-pop event at 23 locations across the island nation.
Tens of thousands of people flocked to Marina Bay and the Kallang Basin to watch fireworks light up the sky on December 31, 2024. Meanwhile, many opted for locations closer to home, at 17 countdown events.
Other countries around the world are also happily welcoming the new year 2025. So far, people in continents such as Africa and America have celebrated the new year.
