2026 Kicks Off: Kiribati Becomes 1st Place In The World To Enter New Year

Tarawa: While much of the world were still counting down the final hours of 2025, a tiny island nation in the central Pacific became the first place on Earth to step into 2026.

The Republic of Kiribati officially entered the New Year at 10 am GMT (3.30 pm Indian Standard Time) on December 31. Kiribati’s earliest celebrations began in its easternmost islands, particularly the Line Islands group, which includes Kiritimati (Christmas Island). These islands operate on UTC+14, the earliest time zone on the planet, placing them a full 14 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and a day ahead of many parts of the world.

Kiribati entered 2026 eight hours and thirty minutes before India.

Kiribati is one of the world’s most geographically unusual countries. It is made up of 33 low-lying coral atolls and reef islands, spread across a massive stretch of the Pacific Ocean, an area larger than the Indian subcontinent. Despite this vast maritime footprint, the country has a population of only about 1.3 lakh people, making it one of the least populated nations on Earth.

Which Place Will Be The Last To Celebrate New Year?

Baker and Howland Islands, the two uninhabited U.S. territories located in the central Pacific, will be the last to celebrate New Year. These islands lie in UTC-12. They will be the final places on Earth to enter 2026, doing so nearly 26 hours after Kiribati’s Line Islands.

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