When New Year arrives around the world
Midnight takes 26 hours to travel around the planet. Here’s when January 1, 2027 begins in major places, in your own time.
| Place | Time zone | Midnight arrives (your time) |
|---|---|---|
| Kiritimati, Kiribati (Line Islands) · First place on Earth | UTC+14 | Dec 31, 10:00 AM |
| Chatham Islands, New Zealand | UTC+13:45 | Dec 31, 10:15 AM |
| Auckland, New Zealand & Samoa | UTC+13 | Dec 31, 11:00 AM |
| Sydney, Australia | UTC+11 | Dec 31, 1:00 PM |
| Tokyo, Japan | UTC+9 | Dec 31, 3:00 PM |
| Beijing, China & Hong Kong | UTC+8 | Dec 31, 4:00 PM |
| Mumbai & New Delhi, India | UTC+5:30 | Dec 31, 6:30 PM |
| Dubai, United Arab Emirates | UTC+4 | Dec 31, 8:00 PM |
| Moscow, Russia | UTC+3 | Dec 31, 9:00 PM |
| Paris, Berlin & Rome | UTC+1 | Dec 31, 11:00 PM |
| London, United Kingdom | UTC | Jan 1, 12:00 AM |
| Rio de Janeiro & São Paulo, Brazil | UTC−3 | Jan 1, 3:00 AM |
| New York & Toronto (Eastern) | UTC−5 | Jan 1, 5:00 AM |
| Chicago & Mexico City (Central) | UTC−6 | Jan 1, 6:00 AM |
| Denver (Mountain) | UTC−7 | Jan 1, 7:00 AM |
| Los Angeles & Vancouver (Pacific) | UTC−8 | Jan 1, 8:00 AM |
| Anchorage, Alaska | UTC−9 | Jan 1, 9:00 AM |
| Honolulu, Hawaii | UTC−10 | Jan 1, 10:00 AM |
| Pago Pago, American Samoa · Last inhabited place | UTC−11 | Jan 1, 11:00 AM |
| Baker & Howland Islands (uninhabited) · Very last | UTC−12 | Jan 1, 12:00 PM |
Sydney and Auckland are on daylight saving time at New Year.
New Year’s Day in future years
When January 1 falls on a Saturday, U.S. federal workers get Friday, December 31 off; when it falls on a Sunday, they get Monday, January 2.
| Year | January 1 | U.S. federal day off | Days in year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Friday | Same day | 365 |
| 2028 | Saturday | Friday, Dec 31, 2027 | 366 (leap) |
| 2029 | Monday | Same day | 365 |
| 2030 | Tuesday | Same day | 365 |
| 2031 | Wednesday | Same day | 365 |
| 2032 | Thursday | Same day | 366 (leap) |
| 2033 | Saturday | Friday, Dec 31, 2032 | 365 |
| 2034 | Sunday | Monday, Jan 2, 2034 | 365 |
| 2035 | Monday | Same day | 365 |
| 2036 | Tuesday | Same day | 366 (leap) |
How the countdown is counted
It runs to midnight on January 1 by your device’s clock, so it reaches zero at your local midnight wherever you are. On October 29, 2026, New Year’s Day is 64 days away: 2 days left in October, 30 in November, 31 in December, plus the day itself. At 8:00 PM the timer shows 63 days 4 hours, or an hour more in most of the U.S., where clocks go back on November 1.
Frequently asked questions
Where does New Year arrive first?
Kiritimati, in Kiribati’s Line Islands (UTC+14), at 10:00 AM UTC on December 31. New Zealand’s Chatham Islands follow 15 minutes later, then New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga. The last inhabited place is American Samoa (UTC−11).
Why does the year start on January 1?
Because of the Romans. Julius Caesar’s calendar made January 1 the start of the year from 45 BC, and the Gregorian calendar kept it. Much of medieval Europe started the year on March 25 instead; England only moved back to January 1 in 1752.
How many days are in 2027?
365. The next leap year is 2028, with 366 days.