Cities around the world welcomed 2007 with massive fireworks over their skylines as millions of revellers hit the streets to celebrate.
In New York, a record-breaking crowd of more than a million people was expected in Times Square, and an unprecedented 3.5 tonnes of confetti was dumped on the sea of people gathered from around the world at the landmark site.
The crowd screamed as John Lennon's Imagine played before the flashing ball dropped to close the year that passed.
Three stages were set up for more than a dozen acts performing for the city's New Year's Eve bash.
Crowds packed Broadway all the way to Central Park, where hundreds of runners gathered for the park's annual midnight run.
In London, about 200,000 people gathered to cheer as Big Ben rang in the new year, but in the Thai capital of Bangkok, officials cancelled the city's main event after a series of deadly bombings.
Sydney, Australia, kicked off the world's first major New Year's Eve celebrations with the largest fireworks display ever over the city's signature Harbour Bridge. The city's display has become one of the most well-loved shows in the world.
Known locally as 'the coat hanger,' the Sydney Harbour Bridge lit up at midnight for its diamond anniversary with this display to celebrate the new year.
(Mark Baker/Associated Press)
As many as a million revellers gathered near the bridge to witness the fireworks show and attend the party, estimated to have cost $4 million US.
Similar parties followed in South Korea and Japan, while officials in Thailand called off festivities planned in downtown Bangkok because of a series of bomb attacks.
Winds snuff several European events
Pope Benedict prayed at a New Year's Eve service at the Vatican in Rome that 2007 would bring the world "peace, comfort, justice."
Fireworks illuminate the ancient Parthenon atop the Acropolis Hill in Athens at the start of the new year on Monday.
(Kostas Tsironis/Associated Press)
But bad weather dampened celebrations in other parts of Europe. In Belfast, Northern Ireland, an outdoor concert that was to feature soul singer Beverley Knight and rock band The Thrills was called off due to the threat of gale-force winds.
Glasgow officials said high winds and rain forced them to cancel traditional Hogmanay New Year's celebrations in the Scottish city. Edinburgh also cancelled its Hogmanay party, which was to be headlined by the Pet Shop Boys.
Fireworks explode over the London Eye during New Year's Eve celebrations by the Thames in central London.
(Lefteris Pitarakis/ Associated Press)
In Japan, thousands climbed mountains, some scaling the famed Mount Fuji, to greet the first dawn of the year. Police expected crowds at the summits to reach 15,000.
With files from the Associated Press
The Sydney Harbour Bridge was the centrepiece of the city's New Year celebrations

A crowd of approximately 1 million has welcomed the new year in Sydney overnight. Many of the crowd had camped out since 6 AM AEDT (7PM UTC) to ensure they had the best vantage point for the fireworks displays at 9 PM and 12 AM. Earlier predictions of rain failed to dampen enthusiastic revellers and fortunately did not eventuate.

According to police, vantage points were Circular Quay and Sydney Opera House closed around 7 PM.

This year's theme was "A diamond night in Emerald City" and celebrated the Sydney Harbour Bridge's diamond anniversary of 75 years which will fall in March.

As usual, the bridge became the centre piece of Sydney's celebrations with a question mark turning into a coat hanger during the 9 PM fireworks show before a diamond appeared at 11 PM.

Entertainment was held in the city throughout the day, culminating in a spectacular fireworks display at midnight. Revellers counted down the final seconds of 2006 with numbers on the side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The festivities are estimated to have cost AUD $4 million and organisers claim their fireworks display is "the largest in the world". Sydney's celebrations were broadcast on television live around the world as other countries prepared their New Year's Eve celebrations.

Despite the large crowd, police made only 58 arrests for offences including offensive conduct, stealing, assaulting police, goods in custody, assault, drink driving and affray.

Ambulance officers were called to 1,139 incidents in Sydney with another 900 in country areas.