Pago Pago [American Samoa], January 1 (ANI): With every country in the world already ushering in the new calendar year, American Samoa and Niue Island became the last inhabited regions in the world to welcome the new year as they officially entered 2026.

As of 4:30 PM (IST), both regions in the South Pacific entered the new year, becoming the last inhabited locations worldwide to transition into 2026.

American Samoa observes Samoa Standard Time (UTC-11), while Niue Island operates on the same time zone.

Meanwhile, it is already January 2nd in some regions of the Pacific Nation of Kiribati, which is also the first country to enter 2026 and operates in three time zones.

The New Year dawned first in Kiribati, where midnight marked the start of 2026 on Kiritimati Island at 3:30 PM (IST).

Countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas celebrated the New Year hours earlier; the arrival of 2026 in American Samoa and Niue Island concluded worldwide New Year celebrations.

According to the Australian Government's country profile, the island of Niue is located in Polynesia, east of Tonga and northeast of New Zealand.

Niue is a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand, an arrangement dating from October 1974.

Meanwhile, American Samoa is a self-governing territory of the US and comprises five islands and two atolls. American Samoa is located approximately halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii.

Earlier, New Zealand rang in 2026 with dazzling fireworks and cultural performances, with fireworks lighting up the Auckland sky.

Thousands of revellers gathered around New Zealand's tallest structure, the Sky Tower, to watch a spectacular downtown light show as New Year celebrations began.

The London sky was also lit up with a dazzling fireworks display, drawing thousands of revellers to major tourist landmarks, including the London Eye, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey, as it entered the new year.

Across India, the New Year 2026 was welcomed with fireworks, prayers and public gatherings. Cities, hill towns and religious centres witnessed celebrations as people marked the occasion with family and friends. (ANI)