Discovering the Complexity of Time Zones: Who Rings in the New Year First and Last?
The arrival of the New Year is a momentous occasion celebrated across the globe But have you ever wondered which countries have the honor of being the first and last to welcome the New Year The answer is not as straightforward as you might think as it is influenced by time zones the international date line and individual country preferences The international date line established in serves as the official starting and ending point of each day It roughly follows the th meridian running through the Pacific Ocean However countries have the freedom to choose which side of the date line they want to be on resulting in a zigzagging line between the North and South Poles The first country to celebrate the New Year is Kiritimati Island part of the Republic of Kiribati Located in the central Pacific Ocean it is followed by a string of mostly uninhabited atolls
