PTC News Desk: As much of the world was still counting down the final moments of 2025, a small island nation in the central Pacific became the first to welcome 2026.

The Republic of Kiribati rang in the New Year at 10 am GMT (3.30 pm IST) on December 31. Celebrations began earliest in its easternmost territories, especially the Line Islands group, which includes Kiritimati (Christmas Island). These islands follow UTC 14, the world’s earliest time zone, placing them 14 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and nearly a full day ahead of many regions globally.

Kiribati entered 2026 eight hours and 30 minutes before India. The country is among the most geographically distinctive in the world, comprising 33 low-lying coral atolls and reef islands scattered across a vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean—an area larger than the Indian subcontinent. Despite its enormous ocean spread, Kiribati has a population of only around 1.3 lakh, making it one of the least populous nations worldwide.

At the other end of the timeline, the uninhabited Baker and Howland Islands, U.S. territories in the central Pacific, will be the last places to usher in the New Year. Located in the UTC-12 time zone, they will enter 2026 nearly 26 hours after Kiribati’s Line Islands.