Kiribati, first country to ring in 2024

The Pacific island nation of Kiribati, also known as Christmas Island became the first country to ring in the New Year. Kiribati is uniquely positioned on the easternmost edge of the international date line, making it the first inhabited location to enter the New Year. 

While the archipelago nation took the lead in welcoming the New Year, with its unique global position, the torch of New Year celebrations passed on to Tonga and Samoa, New Zealand, Australia, Japan and South Korea joining in, becoming the first countries to welcome the year 2024.