Island states are the first to usher in 2022 | Abroad

The Pacific Ocean also offers the unique opportunity to ring in the new year twice. To do this, you only have to fly 164 kilometers east from Samoa to the American part of the archipelago, where the inhabitants are the very last in the world to uncork the champagne.

After the island states, New Zealand and Australia follow. The first countries in Asia, including Japan, South Korea and China, start the new year when it is still noon in the Netherlands. North and South America are the last continents where old and new is celebrated.

Fireworks in Sydney.

Ⓒ EPA

Just like a year ago, festivities in many places are again canceled or only in a slimmed-down form. Paris, for example, doesn’t have a big fireworks show. There are also countries where the usually large-scale celebrations with less crowds will take place. This is the case, for example, at the world-famous festivities in Sydney and New York.