New Year's Eve: Watch celebrations as they happen around the world

Samoa, Kiribati and some areas of Russia are first to welcome in 2019

New Year’s Eve celebrations are kicking off around the world.

The Pacific island nations of Samoa and Kiribati and some areas of Russia were the first to welcome in 2019, followed closely by New Zealand and Australia.

Then Japan, South Korea, China, India, Moscow, Cairo, and most of Europe before the clock strikes midnight in the UK.

In London, around 100,000 spectators will gather along the Thames to watch the city’s famous fireworks, which this year will celebrate its relationship with Europe.

Rio de Janeiro will be next, followed by Buenos Aires, New York, Mexico City, Chicago, Calgary, Los Angeles, San Francisco, French Polynesia and Honolulu.