Oceania and much of Asia has welcomed 2024 with a bang as they become the first to herald the arrival of a new year with typical bombastic flair.
Countries across the furthest reaches of the eastern hemisphere have marked the dawn of a new era with huge firework displays, including in Auckland in New Zealand, Sydney in Australia and the sprawling Chinese metropolis of Chongqing.
Pacific nations such as Kiribati were among the first countries to see in the new year, hailing its arrival at 10am UK time, while New Zealand began its celebrations an hour later.
Eastern parts of Australia rang in 2024 at 1pm UK time – with fireworks erupting from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House in an awe-inspiring pyrotechnics show lasting more than 10 minutes after the clock struck midnight.
Further displays then followed in the likes of Seoul in South Korea – but not in the packed out Shibuya ward of Tokyo, Japan, where countdown events were cancelled for the fourth year running amid concerns about overcrowding.
