First Ten Countries To Celebrate New Year 2022

Punch

As Nigerians wait to celebrate the new year, some countries around the world are already in 2022.

The different time zones across the globe mean that some countries around the world will get into the new year hours before others.

While many might think countries like Australia and New Zealand would be the first to celebrate the new year, smaller island nations are the first to welcome the new year.

Here is a list of some countries that celebrated 2022 before the rest of the world and the time equivalent in Nigeria;

Christmas Island
At 11 am Nigerian time Christmas Island, part the Republic of Kiribati is the first place to welcome 2022 before any other part of the world.

New Zealand
While it would be hot in Nigeria at 12 Noon, New Zealand would be in the year 2022 with celebrations.
Samoa

Samoa is also an island nation close that celebrates the new year same time as New Zealand since they are in the same time zone.

Tonga
Tonga, a Polynesian kingdom of which consists of more than 170 South Pacific islands, lined in white beaches and coral reefs and covered with tropical rainforest also gets into 2022 same time as New Zealand and Samoa.

Fiji
One of the more popular island nations in the South Pacific, Fiji celebrates the new year at 1 pm Nigerian time.

Russia
The vastness of the Russian Federation puts a part of it in the new year before the rest of the country. Russia’s Far East celebrates the new year at the same time as Fiji.

Australia

Between 1:30 pm and 2 pm, Nigerian time, places like Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, and the eastern regions of Australia would be celebrating the new year.
Papua New Guinea
At 2 pm in the southwestern Pacific, Papua New Guinea celebrates the new year.

Guam (US)
Before any part of the mainland of the United States of America sees the new year, Guam celebrates the same as Papua New Guinea. Guam is a US island territory in Micronesia, in the Western Pacific.

Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Indonesia
When it is 4 pm in Nigeria, countries in East Asia and Oceania such as Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Indonesia celebrate the new year.