When the ball drops in New York City’s Times Square to herald the start of 2025, it’ll actually be late to the party as dozens of countries around the world will already have welcomed the new year.

Celebrate New Year 2025 with worldwide festivities! From Sydney's dazzling fireworks to Tokyo's cherished customs, explore how cities embrace the new year with happiness and optimism.

Dancers performed the dance of releasing the sun 2024, welcoming the sun 2025, a New Year's Eve celebration in Bali, Indonesia A "family fireworks" display lit up the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, three hours before midnight.

The Pacific island nation of Kiribati was the first country to ring in 2025, its 133,500 citizens celebrating the new year at 5 a.m. ET on Tuesday.

New Year's Eve celebrations and fireworks around the world are ringing in 2025, as New York City's Times Square gears up for the traditional ball drop at midnight before an estimated one million revelers.

As Americans prepared to celebrate New Year's Eve on Tuesday, millions of people around the world were ringing in 2025. The big picture: Countries in the Asia-Pacific region were the first to see New Year's Day.

New Zealand and Australia were among the first countries in the world to kick off its New Year's Eve celebrations. | ITV National News

Many countries around the world celebrate New Year's Eve ahead of India. Continue reading to find out more about them.