Turning our attention to uninhabited lands, Baker Island and Howland Island in the United States hold a unique position.
As the world celebrates the start of a new year, the journey into 2024 unfolds across different time zones. While many have already stepped into the new year, there remain a few remote corners where the arrival of 2024 is yet to unfold, echoing a tale that spans through history.
The story of New Year celebrations dates back to ancient times, when the Romans marked the start of a new year in March. But it was Julius Caesar who changed the game, making January 1 the widely accepted New Year's Day. This tradition crossed oceans and centuries, shaping the global New Year's Eve celebrations we know today.
In this grand play of time zones, the first whispers of 2024 surfaced in Kiribati, a charming nation in Oceania. On Kiritimati Island, also known as Christmas Island, the clock struck 10 am GMT or 3:30 pm IST on December 31, 2023, kicking off the joyful beginning of the New Year.
Following Kiribati’s lead, neighboring Tonga and Samoa joined in, welcoming 2024 at 11 am GMT. The celebration then passed through New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and South Korea, painting the skies with colorful displays and lively gatherings to mark the start of a hopeful year.
Amidst these global celebrations, there are corners where time holds a bit longer, savoring the final moments of the departing year. American Samoa, nestled in the heart of the South Pacific, stands as the last inhabited haven to bid farewell to 2023 and embrace the arrival of 2024.
Turning our attention to uninhabited lands, Baker Island and Howland Island in the United States hold a unique position. At 12 pm GMT on January 1, or 5:30 pm IST on January 1, these tranquil, unpopulated places witness the closing of 2023, paving the way for the dawn of a brand-new year.
As time ticks forward, the essence of hope and unity binds the world together in shared aspirations. From the first light on Kiritimati Island to the final moments on these distant islands, the journey into 2024 signifies humanity’s pursuit of fresh starts and new beginnings.
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 "These are last places in world to welcome New Year 2024")
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