Who is the first to celebrate the New Year in Russia and in the world?
As you know, there are 24 hours in a day, during this time the planet makes a complete revolution around its own axis. The territory of the globe is huge, as are the time zones. Surely it will be informative for you to find out in which corner of the world the main holiday of the year is celebrated first, and where - the very last, and how many times this holiday is celebrated in our country.
Where does the holiday come earlier in Russia?
The very first glasses with sparkling champagne are raised by the residents of Chukotka - this is the easternmost place of our country. Its beginning is the Ratmanov Island. It is a small piece of land with an area of only 29 square meters, located in the Bering Strait. It is called differently: in Chukotka - Imelin, and the Eskimos - Imaklik.
At this point, many borders are crossed. Here Eurasia and the American continent, Russia and the United States, the eastern and western hemispheres converge, the island separates the Arctic and Pacific oceans.
The date line runs very close, so the time border lies here. By the way, this is what led to the emergence of another of its unofficial name - the island of Tomorrow. Just think: only 4 km and a whole day separate it from the nearest land in North America, the island of Kruzenshtern.
There is no permanent population on Ratmanov Island - only a border outpost on the territory of the former settlement of Kunga. It is the border guards who are the first to celebrate the New Year in the entire Russian Federation. However, they do not raise glasses of wine, since the strictest prohibition applies here.
It is a harsh rock, blown by the winds from all sides. There is not even a berth here to moor a ship - only a helicopter arrives two or three times a year, which delivers the necessary provisions. The island is surrounded by ice for 300 days a year, summer lasts only a couple of months. But even at this time, the territory is covered with thick fogs.
However, it is not at all necessary to come to a remote desert place in order to be the very first in the territory of the Russian Federation to celebrate the new year. The time zone also passes through some other lands of Kamchatka and Chukotka. The most eastern among all inhabited settlements is Cape Uelen, it rises above the Chukchi Sea. On it is the village of the same name, which is recognized as the easternmost settlement in all of Eurasia.
On the one hand, the cape is surrounded by a lagoon with icy water, on the other - by the water area of the Chukchi Sea. The climate here is harsh, subarctic. Even in summer, the temperature does not rise above +7 degrees. There are only three streets in the village: Naberezhnaya, Lenina and Dezhneva, all of them stretched along a narrow pebble spit. Currently, the place is home to about 600 residents. Their main occupations are fishing and hunting for sea animals. Bone carving craft has become widespread - Uelen products made of whale bone and sea walrus tusk are known far beyond the borders of our country.
Territory with developed infrastructure. There is a kindergarten, a school, medical institutions, a post office and even a House of Creativity.
Electricity and gas are connected. Since 2011, cellular communication has been operating here.
The most comfortable conditions for those who want to celebrate the arrival of the New Year before everyone else is offered by Anadyr, the easternmost city in the country. It is located on the territory of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug in the permafrost region. Its population is over 15 thousand people. They are mainly engaged in fishing, hunting, mining, gold mining, as well as reindeer herding. The infrastructure and mobile communications are well developed here.
There is a very beautiful New Year's tradition in Anadyr - all the townspeople on New Year's Eve go to the central square to see the tree. For this, a 10-meter artificial spruce is installed here.
Several years ago, the structure was damaged under the influence of the wind, and before the holiday the tree tilted heavily, so now it is fixed with cables.
The tree is decorated with LED garlands. But the decision was made to abandon the use of toys, since they crack in the cold.
Where is the world's first celebrated?
If we talk about our entire planet as a whole, then the very first to meet the new year are the inhabitants of the tiny island of Christmas, belonging to the Republic of Kiribati. Its population is only 5.5 thousand people. Tourists call Kiribati “the end of the earth”. In this region, the time coincides with the Hawaiian one, but at the same time it is shifted one day ahead. And the difference with small islands in Oceania reaches 25 hours.
Then the New Year's “hour procession” gets to Chatham Island (+0.15), then “goes” to the southernmost point of the planet in Antarctica (+1) and to the shores of New Zealand. And in an hour, the holiday comes to the inhabitants of a small island of Fiji (+2), from where the holiday goes straight to the Australians (+3).
The inhabitants of this country are very fond of the New Year, they greet it with a large-scale concert and light show and magnificent fireworks. The climate in this country is mild and warm, so festive events are held outside.
Exactly at midnight, in all the settlements of Australia, the sounds of music die down and there is a loud hum of car sirens, as well as joyful shouts and a cheerful whistle. - this is how Australians welcome the coming year and express their belief that it will bring many good things.
When the hands of the clock in the Russian capital will be showing as early as 6 am on January 1, be sure to tell your family "Akemashite omedeto!", which means "Happy New Year" in Japanese.Do not forget to present them with a symbolic rake so that they can rake in a new portion of happiness. This is exactly how the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun act at this hour.
+6 - the year changes in China. But there this date is no different from any other throughout the year. According to tradition, the holiday is celebrated according to its own separate calendar, the celebration there falls on the last days of January - the first half of February. At this time, it is customary to forgive past grievances and put up with others.
Usually, a Chinese family gathers together at a large holiday table. On the streets of cities and towns, solemn processions-carnivals take place. People are holding burning torches in their hands, and thousands of Chinese lanterns are launched into the sky - the Chinese believe that in this way they light the way for the New Year.
+7 - residents of Indonesia take over the festive relay. + 8 - New Year passes through Sri Lanka. According to local traditions, the inhabitants of this island organize New Year's events in the spring, however, on the night of December 31 to January 1, they hold fun beach parties and release colorful fireworks for numerous tourists. For dinner, it is customary to cook shrimps and lobsters here.
Further, the celebration goes to Pakistan (+9), and from there straight to Armenia and Azerbaijan (+10). By the way, in Armenia this holiday is celebrated three times: on January 1, and then on March 21 (Amanor) and the last time - on August 11 (Navasard). These days it is customary to present presents to your relatives and friends. The whole family gathers together at a large table, fortune-telling parties are arranged.
In the +12 zone, the New Year's "watch procession" crosses the cities of Romania, Finland and Greece. At this hour, the people of Israel and Turkey make their cherished wishes. An hour later, he gets to Sweden and Italy, from there - to Belgium and France. + 14 - Holiday fireworks are issued in Portugal and the United Kingdom. After another 2 hours, the celebration begins in Brazil. In the period + 17.00–20.30, the meeting of the coming year takes place in various cities of the USA and Canada. + 23 is the time of celebration in Alaska.
You've probably heard that in many countries the New Year's celebration is held not at midnight from December 31 to January 1, but in accordance with the lunar cycle, or rather, with the lunar-solar cycle. These dates include:
- Tet is Vietnamese New Year;
- Rosh Hashanah - on the territory of Israel;
- Tsagar Sar - in Korea;
- Losar is in Tibet.
According to the heavenly bodies, the inhabitants of China celebrate the Spring Festival.
By the way, this New Year is recognized as the longest and most celebrated holiday in all states of East Asia.
The Muslim holiday is also not celebrated according to the calendar, and it is not considered a solemn day in the overwhelming majority of Islamic states.
Where are they greeted last?
All fans of the movie "Yolki" have well understood for themselves that if you have the opportunity to quickly move from city to city, then you can celebrate the coming of the New Year more than once. In accordance with the Federal Law of Russia "On the Calculation of Time", 11 time zones are recorded on the territory of our state, according to international numbering, this corresponds to 2-12 zones. Therefore, if desired, in our country, you can hear the President's New Year address more than 10 times.
As we said, the very first to see off the Old and celebrate the New Year are the settlements of Kamchatka. This happens at 15:00 Moscow time.
An hour later - at 16 o'clock - the celebration comes to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. At the same moment he is expected in Magadan.
At 17 o'clock, residents of Khabarovsk can burn a note with a secret desire and drink the ashes along with a glass of sparkling wine. Residents of Vladivostok and Ussuriysk exchange congratulations also at this hour.
At 18 o'clock congratulations are received in Blagoveshchensk and Amursk. At the same time, the spirit of winter Chyskhaan begins to fulfill the cherished wishes of kids in Yakutia and Transbaikalia. In order for him to give them a gift, you just need to touch the fabulous staff with your hands and whisper what you have conceived.
At 19 o'clock fireworks are released in Buryatia, Irkutsk. Then the celebration begins in Ulan-Ude.
At 20 o'clock, residents of Kemerovo, Novosibirsk and Tomsk begin to exchange gifts. At this hour, solemn speeches are made in the Krasnoyarsk and Altai regions, as well as on the territory of Tyva.
At 21 o'clock, you can celebrate with a loud chime with the residents of Omsk and Sverdlovsk.
At 22 o'clock glasses are raised in Perm, Tyumen and Chelyabinsk. At the same hour, people from Bashkortostan begin to celebrate.
At 23 o'clock the New Year is approaching Samara and Udmurtia. A little more - and he will be in Moscow.
At 24 o'clock, the celebration begins in the capital of our Motherland. At this hour, fireworks are launched and the chimes are struck on Red Square, and mass celebrations begin. However, the holiday does not stop - it continues its triumphant march across the country.
At 1:00 am he arrives in Kaliningrad. This is the last point in our country where you can celebrate the New Year. True, it will not be so easy to get to it - Kaliningrad is geographically isolated from Russia. The region is washed by the waters of the Baltic Sea, as well as by its bays. It shares borders with Lithuania and Poland. It is the westernmost point of the Russian Federation.
As for the entire globe, residents of the western states of America, as well as Canada and Mexico, congratulate each other on their new happiness next to last. At the same time, celebrations begin in Hawaii and Tahiti. And finally, later than the rest, the holiday is celebrated by residents on the territory of the small island country of Samoa. By the way, the next year is already marching on Christmas Island at this hour - there is the second day of the year on the calendar.
All states of the world celebrate the holiday at different times and according to different traditions. However, for everyone, without exception, this is a special and magical day. He carries the hope that when the New Year comes, all bad things will remain in the past, and the future will be filled only with happiness and bright hopes.
