New year celebrations around the world - in pictures

Fireworks light up the Sydney opera house and harbour bridge Photograph: Mick Tsikas/EPA

Worshippers of Yemanja, the goddess of the sea gather at Paranoa Lake beach in Brasilia Photograph: Pedro Ladeira/AFP/Getty Images

Women spell out 2012 with sparklers in the Philippine capital, Manila Photograph: Romeo Ranoco/Reuters

Pakistani Christians hold crosses as they light candles to pray for peace in Lahore Photograph: Rahat Dar/EPA

Fireworks explode near Malaysia's landmark Petronas towers, which are reflected in a pool during the New Year celebrations in Kuala Lumpur Photograph: Ahmad Yusni/EPA

Thousands of performers gather at the start of the Johannesburg carnival Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

Fireworks explode from Taiwan's tallest skyscraper, Taipei 101 Photograph: Reuters

Schoolchildren in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, China, show lanterns with 2012 written on them Photograph: Rex Features/KeystoneUSA-ZUMA

The Temple of Heaven is lit up with special light displays to welcome the new year of 2012 in Beijing, China Photograph: How Hwee Young/EPA

A Japanese monk stands in front of a fire to burn old items which have been used in temples and shrines during a ceremony at the Zojo-ji Buddhist temple in Tokyo Photograph: Kim Kyung-hoon/Reuters

Balinese dancers perform as they take part in a cultural parade on New Year's Eve in Denpasar, Indonesia Photograph: Made Nagi/EPA

A giant dragon lantern is displayed to celebrate the new year near the border village of Panmunjom that separates North and South Korea Photograph: Ahn Young-joon/AP

Fireworks explode in downtown Jakarta, Indonesia Photograph: Bay Ismoyo/AFP/Getty Images

A man wearing 2012 glasses poses as he celebrates the new year in Madrid Photograph: Dominique Faget/AFP/Getty Images

Fireworks burst over Spassky tower on Red Square in Moscow Photograph: Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images

Fireworks explode over a statue of King Carol I in Bucharest, Romania Photograph: Radu Sigheti/Reuters

Paul Kindle kisses his girlfriend, Rachel Fletcher, at the Hogmanay street party celebration in Edinburgh Photograph: David Moir/Reuters

Fireworks light up the London skyline and Big Ben just after midnight Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Brazilians celebrate at the annual New Year's Eve beach party for the Copacabana Reveillon in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil Photograph: Konrad Fiedler/Getty Images

Confetti is dropped on revellers in Times Square in New York Photograph: Gary Hershorn/Reuters

A couple watch the last rays of sunlight of 2011 off Waikiki beach in Honolulu, Hawaii, one of the last places on earth to usher in the new year Photograph: Jason Reed/Reuters