There are still a few hours left until we enter a brand new year. However, due to geographical boundaries (and imaginary timelines), each country celebrates this moment at a different time.
While the Earth takes a full 365 days and a few hours to revolve around the Sun, thus completing a solar year, the planet's rotation time around its axis – 24 hours – is what makes all the difference.
The Sun's rays of daylight first hit the Pacific, and then the rotating planet ensures that other parts of the world gradually experience the pleasure of morning, the Telegraph reports.
The first countries to welcome the new year are those located west of the "International Date Line" (IDL).
The "Line Islands", which are part of the Republic of Kiribati, became the first to celebrate the New Year since 1995, when this island state moved east of the IDL.
For your information, this oceanic country is the only country in the world that has territory in all four hemispheres. After Kiribati, other island nations in the Pacific are quickly following, including Samoa, Tonga, Tokelau, and New Zealand.
Next come Russia, Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Nauru and Wallis & Futuna. Next are Tuvalu, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Guam, Micronesia and the Northern Mariana Islands.
In Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Japan and North Korea are among the first to embrace the solar warmth of the new year. /Telegraph/
Samoa → 11:00, December 31 – 12:00 noon in Kosovo
Tonga → 11:00, December 31 – 12:00 noon in Kosovo
Tokelau → 11:00, December 31 – 12:00 noon in Kosovo
New Zealand → 10:45, December 31 – 11:45 am in Kosovo
Russia (East) → 10:00, December 31 – 11:00 am in Kosovo
Fiji → 10:00 – 11:00 am in Kosovo
Marshall Islands → 10:00 – 11:00 am in Kosovo
Nauru → 10:00 – 11:00 am in Kosovo
Wallis & Futuna → 10:00 – 11:00 am in Kosovo
Tuvalu → 10:00 – 11:00 am in Kosovo
Australia → 09:30 – 10:30 am in Kosovo
Papua New Guinea → 09:00 – 10:00 am in Kosovo
Guam → 09:00 – 10:00 am in Kosovo
Micronesia → 09:00 – 10:00 am in Kosovo
Northern Mariana Islands → 09:00 – 10:00 am in Kosovo
Indonesia → 07:00 – 08:00 am in Kosovo
Japan → 07:00 – 08:00 am in Kosovo
South Korea → 07:00 – 08:00 am in Kosovo
North Korea → 07:00 – 08:00 am in Kosovo
Timor-Leste → 07:00 – 08:00 am in Kosovo
Palau → 07:00 – 08:00 am in Kosovo
China → 06:00 – 07:00 am in Kosovo
Philippines → 06:00 – 07:00 AM in Kosovo
Malaysia → 06:00 – 07:00 am in Kosovo
Taiwan → 06:00 – 07:00 AM in Kosovo
Hong Kong → 06:00 – 07:00 am in Kosovo
Singapore → 06:00 – 07:00 am in Kosovo
Mongolia → 06:00 – 07:00 am in Kosovo
Macau → 06:00 – 07:00 am in Kosovo
Brunei → 06:00 – 07:00 am in Kosovo
Vietnam → 05:00 – 06:00 am in Kosovo
Thailand → 05:00 – 06:00 AM in Kosovo
Cambodia → 05:00 – 06:00 am in Kosovo
Laos → 05:00 – 06:00 am in Kosovo
Myanmar → 04:30 – 05:30 am in Kosovo
Bangladesh → 04:00 – 05:00 am in Kosovo
Kazakhstan → 04:00 – 05:00 am in Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan → 04:00 – 05:00 am in Kosovo
Bhutan → 04:00 – 05:00 am in Kosovo
Nepal → 03:45 – 04:45 am in Kosovo
India → 03:30 – 04:30 am in Kosovo. /Telegraph/
