Kiribati First to Welcome New Year! See How Many Hours Ahead Other Nations Celebrate

• Kiribati, a small island nation, was the first to celebrate the New Year, approximately 8.5 hours before India.
• In 1994, Kiribati adjusted its time zone across the International Date Line for consistency among its 33 atolls.
• Pacific island nations Samoa, Tonga, and Tokelau also welcomed 2026 early, followed by New Zealand with fireworks in Auckland.
• New Zealand celebrates ~6.5 hours before India, Australia ~5.5 hours, Japan ~3.5 hours, and Thailand ~1.5 hours.
• Bangladesh is half an hour ahead, and Nepal 15 minutes ahead of India in New Year celebrations.

Why It Matters: Kiribati leads global New Year celebrations, followed by other Pacific nations and New Zealand.