For some locations around the world, the celebrations are over and it’s now 2025.
There are time zones around the world to reflect the Earth’s rotation around the sun. Those world zones even have an effect on Santa’s route around the world on Dec. 24.
Kiritimati Island, also known as Christmas Island in Kiribati, is the first to ring in 2025 due to its time zone, at 5 am EST; 3:30 pm in IST.
Kiribati straddles the equator and is located in the central Pacific Ocean, roughly halfway between Hawaii and Australia, northeast of the Solomon Islands.
It’s made up of 33 islands that stretch across about 2,400 miles of the Pacific. Twenty islands are inhabited, according to the The Commonwealth.
As of 8:15 a.m. ET, Kiribati, along with New Zealand, the Solomon Islands, Micronesia, the far eastern areas of Russia and Sydney, Australia, have celebrated New Year’s Eve and flipped their calendars to 2025.
Shortly after, New Zealand’s Chatham will join in the celebrations at 5:15 am EST; 3:45 pm IST, blending traditional practices with dazzling fireworks displays.
The international date line marks the “line of demarcation” which separates two consecutive calendar dates. West of the line and you’ve moved forward a day.
Established in 1884, the line actually has no legal international status and countries are free to choose the dates to observe, according to NOAA.
What places will be last to enter 2025?
Baker Island and Howland Island in the Pacific Ocean will be the last locations on Earth to enter 2025, according to TimeandDate.com.
Baker Island and Howland Island are in the central Pacific Ocean about halfway between Hawaii and Australia. Because of how the international date line zigs and zags, the islands actually are west of Kiribati.
Both islands are an unincorporated, unorganised territory of the United States, forming part of the Phoenix Islands. For statistical purposes, Howland is grouped as one of the United States Minor Outlying Islands, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Culled from franktalknow.com