(CNN) – I would make a great “Jeopardy” answer: The Pacific island groups of Samoa and Kiribati share this first annual First World Distinction.
And the right question would be: Where is the New Year first celebrated?
What is the international date?
You have to start a new day somewhere first, right? And that’s what the international date does to us.
It follows a line of 180 degrees (those that run north-south across the globe versus the lines of latitude that run east-west).
As NOAA explains, “When you cross the date, you become a kind of time traveler! You cross to the west and it’s a day later; you believe back and you’ve ‘gone back in time.'”
The line is drawn from the north pole to the south pole, but it is not a uniform, uniform line. It revolves and revolves around political borders such as the eastern tip of Russia and the Aleutian Islands of Alaska – and islands further south in the Pacific.
How do Samoa and Kiribati claim “first” status?
What about Kiribati?
Sailing is a popular tourist activity in Kiribati.
courtesy of international conservation
“Now, the date line makes a massive detour of more than 2,400 kilometers (1,500 miles) around the easternmost islands of Kiribati, so the whole nation is on the same calendar day.”
What is the story of Samoa and its close neighbor?
A beautiful aerial shot of Savai’i Island, Somoan, which is the largest in the country.
Photos of Kirkland
This is where a line, history and money intersect to give us a very interesting division today.
Samoa and American Samoa are separated by only 163 kilometers (101 miles) and for an entire year for an entire day.
Wait a minute, how can it be?
Until 2011, the entire Samoan archipelago was on the same side of the international date line, to the east. So it was the last place in the world to welcome every new year.
But that turned out to be a real headache for independent Samoans when it comes to doing business with their most valuable trading partners, New Zealand and Australia. The line for Samoa was redrawn to facilitate trade. American Samoa, with its economic interests more closely linked to the United States, remained on its traditional side.
This explains why Samoa will see 2021 a full day ahead of American Samoa, even though they are always so close to each other.
New year apart, why should I travel there?
Afu Aau Waterfall is an impressive natural attraction.
courtesy of Samoa Tourism Authority
Yes, it would be a novelty to be on these islands to sound in a new year. But there are many more things that last all year.
The Samoan archipelago is the South Pacific of your dreams: with beaches, colorful coral reefs, rainforests and waterfalls.
And Samoa tends to remain unpopulated compared to some of its other South Pacific neighbors.