The Economic Times News

This small Pacific nation with just 1 lakh population welcomes the New year 2026 hours before the rest of the world

New Year 2026 does not arrive everywhere at the same time. Due to global time zones and the International Date Line, the first celebrations take place in Kiritimati Island in Kiribati, while the last inhabited region to welcome the new year is American Samoa, nearly 25 hours later.