Kiribati First to Welcome 2026; American Samoa, Baker Island Last to Ring in New Year

• Kiribati, specifically Kiritimati island, is the first nation globally to usher in New Year 2026 as clocks strike midnight.
• This remote Pacific nation, straddling the equator and International Date Line, has villages like Banana, Paris, Poland, and London celebrating first.
• Millennium Island, Kiribati's easternmost point, is known as the first place in the world to witness the sunrise daily.
• Following Kiribati, New Zealand, Australia, and Asia will celebrate the New Year with fireworks.
• American Samoa will be the last inhabited place to ring in 2026, with Baker Island and Howland Island being the absolute final spots.

Why It Matters: Kiribati leads 2026 celebrations, while remote US territories Baker and Howland Islands finish last.