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Australia - Sydney is one of the first major cities to welcome in the new year, and its pyrotechnic welcome is one of the most jaw-dropping of them all. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY 2.0)

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Thailand - Bangkok's Central World Square near the riverside is where to gather to watch the Thai capital bring in the new year.

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England - The Thames Embankment is where to admire the biggest New Year's Eve fireworks display in the UK, with the London Eye providing a suitably dramatic backdrop.

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Portugal - Funchal, the capital of the Atlantic island of Madeira, hosts one of the world's largest and most elaborate New Year's Eve firework displays.

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China - Another fabulous New Year's Eve party location, Hong Kong's skyline simply dazzles, more so when Victoria Harbor glows under the rainbow colors of its huge fireworks show.

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USA - New York City's famous Times Square Ball Drop is the nation's most famous New Year's Eve celebration event. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Taiwan - At midnight, Taipei 101, the iconic super tall skyscraper looming over the Taiwanese capital like a giant bamboo stick, becomes a colorful fireworks launchpad. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0)

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Greece - Fireworks cascade over the Acropolis of Athens as the Greek capital greets the new year.

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Russia - The onion domes of Moscow's St. Basil's Cathedral glow under a shimmering pyrotechnic sky.

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Scotland - Scotland's Hogmanay ("last day of the year") celebrations actually last for three days until January 2. The party in Edinburgh is especially raucous.

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Chile - At midnight, fireworks erupt from barges moored in the harbor facing the city of  Valparaíso. The 20-minute display is world famous.

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USA - It doesn't get much more spellbinding than the Magic Kingdom Park at Disney World, near Orlando, Florida. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Iceland - Fireworks soar upwards to meet the landmark spire of Reykjavik's Hallgrímskirkja church during a New Year's Eve extravaganza.

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Slovakia - Bratislava's historic castle lends a spectacular perspective to the city's New Year's Eve fireworks display.

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Austria - Crowds throng near Vienna's beautiful late-19th century City Hall as they greet the new year.

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United Arab Emirates - One of the world's great New Year's Eve celebrations takes place in Dubai, with the 180-m (2,723-ft) Burj Khalifa seemingly sprouting plumes of fire.

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USA - As midnight chimes, the Reunion Tower in Dallas, Texas is the focus of a dazzling New Year's Eve show. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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Brazil - Where else in Rio de Janeiro than the city's iconic Copacabana Beach to welcome in the new year? Remember to wear white and bring along flowers to toss into the ocean.

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Netherlands - Rembrandtplein, Nieuwmarkt, Museumplein, and Dam Square all serve as great party locations. Numerous firework displays can be viewed from the city's picturesque bridges.

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Germany - Berlin's hugely symbolic Brandenburg Gate provides a suitably historic location for the city's biggest "Silvester" party.

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France - The Champs-Élysées in Paris groans under the weight of revelers as the entire city, it seems, gathers in front of the Arc de Triomphe for the countdown to midnight.

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Bahamas - No snow, but who cares? Bringing in the new year in this part of the world is hot, noisy, and colorful, and the cocktails flow. Witness the Junkanoo Parade in Nassau and forget about winter. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0)

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USA - Las Vegas is the city that never sleeps, and on New Year's Eve there is no place in town without a party. (Photo: Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0)

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Japan - Tokyo's Meiji Shrine is visited by thousands of people during the first three days of January, and many also ring in the new year here. Sake is sold by the glass from colorfully labeled barrels of sake, in what is generally a low-key celebration.

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Finland -

Helsinki starts bringing in the new year early on December 31, with many private firework parties lighting up the sky. Midnight sees the city's main display reflected in the icy waters of the harbor.

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Russia - The skies above St. Petersburg explode in color as the country's cultural city celebrates the new year in impressive style.

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Australia - Melbourne's Paul's Cathedral and Princes Bridge are illuminated by the city's fireworks spectacular as the old year gives way to the new year.

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Czech Republic - Prague's Bohemian splendor is spectacularly illuminated with impromptu firework displays across the city. The "official" fireworks show actually takes place on New Year's Day—except in 2020, with City Hall opting for videomapping instead.

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USA -

In Miami, you can catch a South American new-year vibe without leaving the US. Head for Bayfront Park on Miami Beach.

See also: The oddest New Year traditions from around the world.

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