Goodbye 2023: Who Welcomed 2024 First, Which Nation Will Be Last To Usher In New Year?

New Delhi: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

Here in India, we are still about three hours away from the final countdown to bid goodbye to 2023.

However, some countries on planet Earth have already welcomed 2024. And many others will enter the new year well after India does.

Because of the International Date Line, and varying geographical locations of different hemispheres, some countries welcome the new year even 24 hours apart.

The first country to have welcomed 2024 was Kiribati, situated to the east of International Date Line. A small island country located in Oceania, in central Pacific Ocean, Kiribati entered the new year at 3.30 pm (IST) on Sunday.

New Zealand’s capital Auckland stepped into the new year at 4.30 pm (IST).

Samoa, on the other hand, will ring in the new year at 4.30 pm (IST) on Monday.

SEQUENCE OF NEW YEAR ARRIVAL

New Zealand – December 31, 11 am GMT (4.30 pm IST)

Australia – December 31, 1 pm GMT (6.30 pm IST)

Japan, South & North Korea – December 31, 3 pm GMT (8.30 pm IST)

China, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines – December 31, 4 pm GMT (9.30 pm IST)

Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia – December 31, 5 pm GMT (10.30 pm IST)

UAE, Oman, Azerbaijan – December 31, 8 pm GMT (January 1, 1.30 am IST)

Greece, South Africa, Cyprus, Egypt, Namibia – December 31, 10 pm GMT (January 1, 3.30 am)

Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Morocco, Congo, Malta – December 31, 11 pm GMT (January 1, 4.30 am IST)

UK, Ireland, Portugal – January 1, 12 midnight GMT (5.30 am IST)

Brazil, Argentina, Chile – January 1, 3 am GMT (8.30 am IST)

Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Venezuela, US Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands – January 1, 4 am GMT (9.30 am IST)

US East Coast (New York, Washington DC, etc), Peru, Cuba, Bahamas – January 1, 5 am (10.30 am IST)

Mexico, parts of Canada and the US – January 1, 6 am GMT (11.30 am IST)

US West Coast (Los Angeles, San Francisco, etc) – January 1, 8 am GMT (1.30 pm IST)

Hawaii, French Polynesia – January 1, 10 am GMT (3.30 pm IST)

Samoa – January 1, 11 am GMT (4.30 pm IST)

Baker Island, Howland Island – January 1, 12 pm GMT (5.30 pm IST).