Overview
- Kiribati, including Kiritimati in the Line Islands, reaches midnight first at UTC+14 for the start of 2026.
- After Kiribati, midnight moves west across the Pacific through the Chatham Islands (UTC+13:45), New Zealand’s main islands (UTC+13), Fiji and Tonga (UTC+13), and other nearby territories.
- The last places by date are the uninhabited U.S.-administered Baker and Howland Islands at UTC−12, a full 24 hours behind Kiribati.
- Among inhabited locations, American Samoa and Niue are among the final communities to mark the New Year.
- Kiribati sits 17 hours ahead of Peru, underscoring the near one-day spread in New Year arrivals worldwide.