Sydney greeted the year with its traditional fireworks, one of the shows that traditionally open the holidays to welcome the new year, but without the participation of the public.
The inhabitants of Kiribati and Samoa, island nations located in the South Pacific, were the first to say goodbye to 2020 and receive 2021.
These tropical archipelagos, with a combined population of just over 300,000, welcomed the New Year at 10.00 GMT and thus entered on 1 January.
The next to receive the year 2021 are the inhabitants of Chatham Island in New Zealand, located about 680 kilometers southeast of the main islands of that country.
The rest of New Zealand’s population and the population of Fiji and Tonga begin later this year.
You may also be interested in: The 15 best phrases to say goodbye to 2020 and wish you a happy 2021
New Zealand, one of the countries that best manages the coronavirus pandemic, keeps its traditional fireworks in the city of Auckland to ring in the new year.
New Year’s Eve fireworks explode over the iconic Sydney Bridge and Sydney Opera House (L) during the January 1, 2021 fireworks show. AFP
Australia, which welcomes the New Year at 13:00 GMT in much of the country, maintains the famous fireworks in Sydney, one of the shows that traditionally open the holidays to greet the new year, but without public participation. massive on the restrictions imposed by a covid-19 outbreak.
Also: The 10 series you should not miss in 2021
After Japan and South Korea, Southeast Asian countries have the last minutes of 2020 with restrictions due to the pandemic that includes the cancellation of crowds and fireworks in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.
Although Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam receive their New Year on different dates, they also celebrate New Year’s Eve according to the Gregorian calendar, especially in the big cities.