Kiribati, a remote Pacific island nation, was the first country to welcome the New Year 2026. Its unique geographical location near the International Date Line and its UTC+14 time zone mean Kiritimati Island experiences midnight hours before most of the world. This early celebration is due to a 1995 time zone adjustment to unify the country. Following Kiribati, nations like New Zealand and Australia begin their celebrations, while American Samoa and uninhabited U.S. territories are among the last to welcome the new year.