BREAKING NEWS: 31 COUNTRIES ARE ALREADY IN 2016 !

New Years Eve is just a few hours away and while you’re reading this, do you know some countries are already celebrating the New Year? Well, 2015 is officially over and 2016 already in! You still have to wait a few hours but then hey, that’s not a very long wait as it’s merely hours. Each New Year brings with it a whole lot of joys and hopes and expectations and while the New Year is often a mixed bag of good and bad, there’s always the wish that the coming year be better and even more happy than the present one or the one gone by. People also make a whole list of resolutions they believe they will keep throughout the New Year. So, who do you think is the first country to make its New Year resolutions? Take a wild guess!
1. 31st Dec, 3.30 PM – Samoa and Christmas Island/Kiribati

If you said Australia, you’re wrong. Christmas is first celebrated in Samoa and Christmas Island/Kiribati! It will only be 3.30PM on the 31st December in India when people here are already on their countdown and enjoying!
2. 31st Dec, 3.45 PM - Chatham Islands/New Zealand
Next on the list comes New Zealand, though not all of it, only parts. It’s 3.45PM on the 31st December in India at that time. Yes, you’ll still be office while in New Zealand glasses are already clinking.
3. 31st Dec, 4.30 PM - New Zealand with exceptions, Fiji, some regions of Antarctica, Tonga, Phoenix Islands/Kiribati and Tokelau
Many of the cities in the Southern Hemisphere celebrate New Years earlier. The time in India then is 4.30PM on the 31st of December.
4. 31st Dec, 5.30 PM – Small region of Russia, regions of Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Wallis and Futuna, Nauru, regions of US Minor Outlying Islands and Tuvalu
After New Zealand come the small independent islands littered around and parts of Russia. They celebrate New Years while Indians are busy checking their watch and noting it’s 5.30PM on the 31st of December.
5. 31st Dec, 6.30PM to 8.00 PM- Much of Australia, Sakha (Yakutia)/Russia, Vanuatu, some regions of Antarctica, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia and Norfolk Island, Regions of Micronesia, Northern Mariana Islands and Guam
Australia is 5th on the list! When theie countdown ends, you have just begun to get into the celebration mode as it’s 6.30PM on 31st December and you’re packing your bags to leave work. However, different regions in Australia celebrate at different times and some of them ring in the New Year as late as 8.00PM in India.
6. 31st Dec, 8.30 PM - Japan, South Korea, Sakha (Yakutia)/Russia, small region of Indonesia, Timor-Leste and Palau
The land of the rising sun celebrates New Year 6th on the list and at that time, it is 8.30PM on the 31st December in India.
7. 31st Dec, 9.00 PM - North Korea
Almost 30mins after South Korea, North Korea celebrates New Year at 9PM on the 31st on December in India.
8. 31st Dec, 9.30 PM - China, Philippines, regions of Indonesia, Western Australia/Australia, Malaysia, most of Mongolia, Taiwan, small region of Russia, Brunei, Hong Kong, Singapore and Macau
The cluster of countries on the South East Asian border ring in the New Year pretty close to the Indian New Year, when it is 9.30PM in India on the 31st of December.
9. 31st Dec, 10.30 PM – Much of Indonesia, Thailand, Krasnoyarsk/Russia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, some regions of Mongolia, small region of Antarctica and Christmas Island
The smaller regions, India’s favourite honeymooning destinations, celebrates New Year while it is 10.30PM in India on the 31st of December.
10. 31st Dec, 11.00 PM - Myanmar and Cocos Islands
Next come Myanmar and Cocos Islands who celebrate New Years at 11.00PM in India on the 31st December 2015.
11. 31st Dec, 11.30 to 11.45 PM - Bangladesh, much of Kazakhstan, small region of Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Bhutan, British Indian Ocean Territory, small region of Antarctica and Nepal
The two countries bordering India celebrate New Year before India, between 11.30PM and 11.45PM according to Indian Standard Time on the 31st December 2015.
12. 00.00 AM – India and Sri Lanka
And here we are finally! Open the champagne and let the countdown begin!
13. 00.30 AM - Pakistan, some regions of Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, regions of Kazakhstan, Maldives, Tajikistan, French Southern Territories and small region of Antarctica
Half an hour after India, the sworn step-sibling Pakistan rings in the New Year. It is already 1st January 2016 and 12.30AM in India at that time.
14. 1.00 AM – Afghanistan
After Pakistan, Afghanistan celebrates New Year at 1.00AM in India on the 1st of January 2016.
15. 1.30 AM - Azerbaijan, United Arab Emirates, Armenia, Oman, small region of Russia, much of Georgia, Reunion (French), Mauritius and Seychelles
At 1.30AM in India on 1st January 2016, UAE and Azerbaijan  ring in their New Year 2016.
16. 2.00 AM – Iran
At 2.00AM in India, Iranians ring in their New Year 2016.
17. 2.30 AM - Moscow/Russia, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Belarus, Somalia, Madagascar, Tanzania, Eritrea, Uganda, regions of Ukraine, Djibouti, Sudan, Yemen, Kenya, South Sudan, Qatar, Comoros, Bahrain, regions of Georgia, small region of South Africa, Kuwait and Mayotte
Almost 30 mins after Iran, Russia and surrounding nations ring in the New Year 2016 at 2.30AM in India.
18. 3.30 AM - Greece, South Africa with exceptions, Finland, Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Kyiv/Ukraine, Botswana, Bulgaria, Romania, Estonia, Palestinian Territories, Syria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Latvia, much of Dem. Rep. Congo, Libya, Jordan, Burundi, Cyprus, Rwanda, Malawi, Namibia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mozambique, Lesotho, Moldova, Swaziland and small region of Russia
A total of 31 countries will ring in the New Year 2016 when it is 3.30AM in India! The gap keeps increasing!
19. 4.30 AM - Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Austria, France, Poland, Italy, Barcelona/Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Nigeria, Denmark, Belgium, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Algeria, Tunisia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Angola, Chad, Central African Republic, Hungary, Benin, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Albania, Serbia, regions of Dem. Rep. Congo, Slovenia, Niger, Congo, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Republic of, Kosovo, Montenegro, Gabon, San Marino, Malta, Liechtenstein, Vatican City State, Gibraltar, Monaco and Andorra
43 nations (the maximum on this list) will be celebrating New Year’s Eve 2016 when it is nearing dawn in India, at 4,30AM.
19. 5.30 AM - United Kingdom, Portugal with exceptions, Ireland, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Morocco, Iceland, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Liberia, Mauritania, Western Sahara, Guinea, Mali, some regions of Spain, Guinea-Bissau, Saint Helena, Gambia, Ghana, Guernsey, some regions of Antarctica, Isle of Man, small region of Greenland, Faroe Islands, Sao Tome and Principe and Jersey
A total of 27 nations will be right on their countdown when party revelers in India will start to head home at 5.30AM!
20. 6.30 AM - Cabo Verde, Azores/Portugal and small region of Greenland
The temple goers are already chanting bhajans and parts of the nation stirring when these 3 regions will clink their glasses to celebrate 2016.
21. 7.30 AM – Regions of Brazil and South Georgia/Sandwich Islands
The sun has risen and the morning is bright but here the night sky with the crackers will be bright!
22. 8.30 AM - Argentina, regions of Brazil, Chile with exceptions, Uruguay, most of Greenland, regions of Antarctica, Paraguay, French Guiana, Suriname, Falkland Islands and Saint Pierre and Miquelon
11 Regions on the globe will finally end their New Years countdown as the crackers burst while in India, smells of breakfast will waft from kitchens.
23. 9.00 AM - Newfoundland and Labrador/Canada
Just 30 minutes after Argentina and group, when the clock strikes 9AM in India, these 2 regions will celebrate.
24. 9.30 AM – Some regions of Canada, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Amazonas/Brazil, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, US Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Guyana, Caribbean Netherlands, Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, British Virgin Islands, small region of Greenland, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Bermuda, Anguilla, Dominica, Montserrat, Sint Maarten, Barbados, Saint Martin, Grenada, Saint Barthélemy, Curaçao, Aruba and Martinique
A long list of nations and regions will pop the champagne when it’s 9.30AM in India.
25. 10.00 AM - Venezuela
The lone ranger Venezuela will celebrate New Year 2016 when it’s 10AM in India.
26. 10.30 AM to 1.30 PM – U.S.A., Canada, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Cuba, Panama, small region of Brazil, small region of Mexico, Haiti, Jamaica, Bahamas, small region of Chile and Cayman Islands, Federal District/Mexico, Honduras, Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Baja California/Mexico and Pitcairn Islands
Now considering how huge USA is, each region of USA rings in the New Year at different times! So while some will be ringing in 2016 as early as 10.30AM in India, others will be celebrating around lunch-time at 1.30PM! The other countries follow the timing respectively – Colombia beginning at 10.30AM and Pitcairn Islands beginning at 1.30PM.
27. 2.30 PM - Alaska/U.S.A. and regions of French Polynesia
When it’s 2.30 in the afternoon in India, one the the coldest and one the most beautiful places on Earth both will finally celebrate New Year’s Eve.
28. 3.00 PM - Marquesas Islands/French Polynesia
This stunningly beautiful volcanic island will be celebrating when the sun is shining bright in India – at 3.00PM!
29. 3.30 PM – Small region of U.S.A., Tahiti/French Polynesia and Cook Islands
OMG, USA just doesn’t seem to end! Quite late in the day and some parts of USA have just begun celebrating at 3.30 PM along with Tahiti and Cook Islands.
30. 4.30 PM - American Samoa, regions of US Minor Outlying Islands and Niue
Some of the last places on Earth to  ring in the New Year 2016.
31. 5.30 PM - Much of US Minor Outlying Islands
The last to ring in New Year 2016 will be islands like Baker Island and Howard Island – at a time when it is evening in India and Day 1 of the New Year is already over for many nations!
RUTU LADAGE