Kiribati is among the first inhabited countries to welcome the New Year because Kiritimati uses UTC+14.
Kiritimati, also called Christmas Island, is part of the Pacific island nation of Kiribati. Its time zone, Line Islands Time, is UTC+14, the world's furthest-ahead civil time zone. As a result, midnight arrives there before it does in most other inhabited locations.
Kiribati moved the International Date Line eastward for its eastern islands in 1994. Before that change, the country was divided across different calendar dates, making government administration and communication difficult. The adjustment placed the Line Islands on the same calendar day as the rest of Kiribati.
Being first to enter a new calendar date does not mean every part of Kiribati celebrates simultaneously: the country spans several time zones. Kiritimati is the best-known early New Year location, while other Kiribati islands reach midnight later.