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In Pictures: New Year 2025 celebrations from around the world

The world has been saying goodbye to 2024 and welcoming 2025 with fireworks, light shows and prayers. Here's how people in different countries celebrated the new year.

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As the clock struck midnight in New Zealand, Auckland welcomed the arrival of 2025 with its traditional fireworks display at the iconic Sky Tower.

Fireworks display at the iconic Sky Tower, Auckland, New Zealand — As the clock struck midnight in New Zealand, Auckland welcomed the arrival of 2025 with its traditional fireworks display at the iconic Sky Tower.

Dancers performed the dance of releasing the sun 2024, welcoming the sun 2025, a New Year's Eve celebration in Bali, Indonesia.

SONNY TUMBELAKA/AFP Balinese traditional dancers perform during the dance of releasing the sun 2024, welcoming the sun 2025 a New Year's Eve celebration in Denpasar on Indonesia's resort island of Bali on December 31, 2024. — Dancers performed the dance of releasing the sun 2024, welcoming the sun 2025, a New Year's Eve celebration in Bali, Indonesia.

A "family fireworks" display lit up the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, three hours before midnight.

Bianca De Marchi/AAP Image via REUTERS The 9pm fireworks explode during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Sydney, Australia, December 31, 2024. Pink fireworks can bee seen exploding above Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. — A "family fireworks" display lit up the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, three hours before midnight.

Revellers set up camp by the water, at Mrs. Macquarie's Point, to ensure a good view of the main display.

Bianca De Marchi/AAP Image via REUTERS Revellers gather at Mrs. Macquarie's Point ahead of the New Year's Eve celebrations in Sydney, Australia, 31 December 2024. A man in a brown t-shirt and a woman in an orange dress and grey shirt, both wearing hats, sit on the ground in a crown and wave to the camera — Revellers set up camp by the water, at Mrs. Macquarie's Point, to ensure a good view of the main display.

The patient crowd was rewarded as huge display lit up the midnight sky over the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

SAEED KHAN/AFP Fireworks light up the midnight sky over Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House during 2025 New Year's Day celebrations in Sydney on January 1, 2025. — The patient crowd was rewarded as huge display lit up the midnight sky over the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

In the minutes before, a countdown was projected onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge, with thousands joining in for the final 10 seconds, before the sky was illuminated over the famous opera house.

Brook Mitchell/Getty Images he Sydney NYE fireworks seen from the Sydney Opera House on January 01, 2025 in Sydney, Australia. — In the minutes before, a countdown was projected onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge, with thousands joining in for the final 10 seconds, before the sky was illuminated over the famous opera house.

In Melbourne music boomed across the city and fireworks were set off.

Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images A general view of new years fireworks and light-show looking towards the central business district on January 01, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. — In Melbourne music boomed across the city and fireworks were set off.

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech ahead of the celebrations in Beijing.

ADEK BERRY/AFP A large screen shows Chinese President Xi Jinping delivering a speech ahead of the New Year's eve celebrations in Beijing on December 31, — Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech ahead of the celebrations in Beijing.

Fireworks lit up the sky over the Songhua River during a firework show to welcome 2025 in Jilin City, China.

VCG via Getty Images Fireworks light up the sky over the Songhua River during a firework show to welcome New Year 2025 on New Year's Eve on December 31, 2024 in Jilin City, Jilin Province of China. — Fireworks lit up the sky over the Songhua River during a firework show to welcome 2025 in Jilin City, China.

Revellers turned out in large numbers at the Jiefangbei Monument in Chongqing to celebrate.

Cheng Xin/Getty Images An aerial view of Jiefangbei Monument surrounded by thousands of revellers and illuminated billboards during New Year’s Eve celebrations on December 31, 2024, in Chongqing, China. Revellers turned out in large numbers to celebrate the new year in Chongqing. — Revellers turned out in large numbers at the Jiefangbei Monument in Chongqing to celebrate.

Calligraphy enthusiasts in Binzhou, Shandong Province, made banners emblazoned with the Chinese character Fu - meaning good luck.

Bao Kangxuan/VCG via Getty Images Calligraphy enthusiasts write Chinese character 'Fu', meaning good luck, to usher in New Year 2025 on December 31, 2024 in Jinhua, Zhejiang Province, China. — Calligraphy enthusiasts in Binzhou, Shandong Province, made banners emblazoned with the Chinese character Fu - meaning good luck.

A Thai Buddhist devotee offered prayers to a Buddha statue during a merit-making ceremony to mark the New Year at the City Pillar Shrine in Bangkok, Thailand.

RUNGROJ YONGRIT/EPA A Thai Buddhist devotee offers prayers to a Buddha statue during a merit-making ceremony to mark the New Year at the City Pillar Shrine in Bangkok, Thailand, 31 December 2024. — A Thai Buddhist devotee offered prayers to a Buddha statue during a merit-making ceremony to mark the New Year at the City Pillar Shrine in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Buddhist practice is believed to bring good fortune, spiritual benefits, and blessings for the year ahead.

RUNGROJ YONGRIT/EPA Thai Buddhists gather to mark the New Year at the City Pillar Shrine in Bangkok, Thailand, 31 December 2024. — The Buddhist practice is believed to bring good fortune, spiritual benefits, and blessings for the year ahead.

A person takes photos of the crowd gathered prior to the firework display at Taiwan's Taipei 101 tower.

RITCHIE B TONGO/EPA A person takes photos of crowds attending New Year's Eve celebrations prior to the Taipei 101 firework display, in Taipei, Taiwan, 31 December 2024. — A person takes photos of the crowd gathered prior to the firework display at Taiwan's Taipei 101 tower.

People waved their smartphones lights during the countdown celebration outside Taipei 101.

Daniel Ceng/Anadolu via Getty Images People wave their smartphones' flashlights during a New Year's Eve countdown celebration, as the island sets to welcome the year 2025, outside Taipei 101, in Taipei, Taiwan, on 31 December, 2024. — People waved their smartphones lights during the countdown celebration outside Taipei 101.

The display enveloped the the 508-m tall building.

Gene Wang/Getty Images Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Year's Eve celebrations on January 01, 2025 in Taipei, Taiwan. — The display enveloped the the 508-m tall building.

1 January is a major national holiday in Japan - homes and temples are cleaned on New Year's Eve in preparation for the change of year. Projections were displayed on the Metropolitan Government building during the ''Happy New Year Tokyo 2025'' countdown event.

Rodrigo Reyes Marin/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock A projection mapping is displayed on the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building during the ''Happy New Year Tokyo 2025'' countdown event in Tokyo. 31 Dec 2024 — 1 January is a major national holiday in Japan - homes and temples are cleaned on New Year's Eve in preparation for the change of year. Projections were displayed on the Metropolitan Government building during the ''Happy New Year Tokyo 2025'' countdown event.

After midnight, participants rang a bell at Seoul's Bosingak pavilion. South Korea's New Year celebrations were subdued following the deadly December 29 Jeju Air crash, and the bell-ringing ceremony was held without performances.

Jung Yeon-je/AFP Participants hit a huge bell to welcome the 2025 New Year's Day, during celebrations post midnight at the Bosingak pavilion in central Seoul on January 1, 2025. — After midnight, participants rang a bell at Seoul's Bosingak pavilion. South Korea's New Year celebrations were subdued following the deadly December 29 Jeju Air crash, and the bell-ringing ceremony was held without performances.

Children lit firecrackers during celebrations in a street in Mandaluyong City, Manila, Philippines.

Eloisa Lopez/REUTERS Children light firecrackers during New Year celebrations at a street in Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, Philippines, December 31, 2024. — Children lit firecrackers during celebrations in a street in Mandaluyong City, Manila, Philippines.

A firework display also took place in Manila's city centre.

Eloisa Lopez/REUTERS Fireworks explode over Rockwell Center in celebration of the New Year in Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, Philippines, January 1, 2025. — A firework display also took place in Manila's city centre.

Midnight has struck in several countries in Asia with firework displays taking place from Beijing to Kuala Lumpur. This photo, made with a fish eye lens, captured the display over Marina Bay, Singapore.

Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images Fireworks light up the sky to usher in the new year on January 01, 2025 in Singapore, Singapore. — Midnight has struck in several countries in Asia with firework displays taking place from Beijing to Kuala Lumpur. This photo, made with a fish eye lens, captured the display over Marina Bay, Singapore.

Fireworks explode over the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand.

Athit Perawongmetha/REUTERS Fireworks explode over the Grand Palace during the New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, January 1, 2025. — Fireworks explode over the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand.