Happy New Year 2019: Photos of Celebrations Around the World

2019 has officially begun. The tiny Pacific island nations of Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati were the first to welcome the new year.

Interestingly, Samoa used to be one of the last places to greet the new year, but in 2011 the International Date Line was redrawn to align Samoa more with its main trading partners Australia and New Zealand.

Speaking of New Zealand, fireworks lit up the night sky over Auckland, the world’s first major city to welcome 2019. Fireworks erupted from the 1,076-feet Sky Tower, while a light display danced across the harbor bridge.

And so on to Australia and Sydney Harbor, whose stunning location is traditionally the site of one of the most spectacular new year celebrations in the world. So spectacular, in fact, they do it twice—once at the family-friendly time of 9pm and then again at midnight.

This year, however, Nature threatened to put on a display that would rival the city’s famous fireworks, with lightning bolts crackling in the dark skies over the city. The storm couldn’t keep thousands of revelers from the waterside promenade, even if they did have to see in the new year wearing plastic rain ponchos.

The midnight fireworks display, watched by millions of people around the world, was reliably spectacular, with fountains of color erupting from the landmark Harbor Bridge and from barges moored in the harbor.

Another city with a stunning harbor seemingly designed to show off spectacular fireworks displays is Singapore. Skies over the city state were a riot of colour as pyrotechnics exploded over the futuristic buildings and towering high-tech artificial trees surrounding Marina Bay.

In South Korea, thousands of young people gathered at Seoul’s Bosingak pavilion for a hectic new year’s party, while Buddhists lit candles at the city’s Jogyesa temple, in a more sedate celebration.

Paying visits to temples and shrines over new year is also a tradition in Japan. Millions of Japanese people are expected to make such visits to pray for the well-being of their families during the first three days of 2019.

Over in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, fireworks illuminate the city’s skyline.

Children in Sri Lanka hold sparklers during a New Year’s celebration.

Fireworks explode over the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia.

Berlin’s landmark Brandenburg Gate is lit up by fireworks to usher in the New Year.

‘Yellow vest’ protestors celebrate the New Year in a makeshift shelter. Others face police officers during a protest on the Champs-Elysees during the New Year’s celebrations in Paris.

The London skies are lit by fireworks, from Westminster Abbey and all along the River Thames.

People watch fireworks from the water on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Rainy weather didn’t stop New Yorkers from heading to Times Square for Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest, which featured a performance from Christina Aguilera and, of course, the annual ball drop.

This article will be updated as more information comes in about New Year’s celebrations in other countries around the world.