
Millions of people around the world have celebrated the start of the new year with a series of spectacular fireworks displays.

Huge crowds braved arctic conditions to usher in 2018 in New York while revellers in Rio de Janeiro partied on the beach for the countdown to midnight.

In London, more than 100,000 ticket-holders gazed up at stunning fireworks from the banks of the River Thames, before dancing to 'Auld Lang Syne.'

Keeping with tradition, Big Ben in the Houses of Parliament rang in Britain's new year. Although the clock tower is undergoing renovations, the chimes were turned back on especially for the celebrations.

Greece was one of the first nations in Europe to welcome the new year, with the bells for 2018 ringing at 22:00 GMT.

France, Germany, Italy, Spain and other nations across Western Europe saw 2018 in an hour later, with partygoers braving wet conditions to make the most of their night. Revellers in Paris took to the streets around the Champs-Elysees, where thousands gathered for a light show and a fireworks display at the Arc de Triomphe.

Rio de Janerio's display commenced at 02:00 GMT with millions of Brazilians crowding on to Copacabana Beach, while New York's display kicked off at 05:00 GMT.

Thousands braved the second coldest New Year's Eve ever in New York as temperatures dropped to a bone-chilling -12C while revelers watched the glittering ball drop in Times Square.

Brazil: Up to three million residents and tourists crowded on to Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro for the world's biggest party as they counted down to midnight

Brazil: A couple hug each other as they watch fireworks exploding over Copacabana beach during New Year Eve's celebrations in Rio de Janeiro

Carnival: Revellers cooled off in the ocean as they watched a spectacular fireworks display at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Millions had gathered on the beach to watch not just the traditional pyrotechnics, but also singer Anitta, who gained worldwide recognition through her viral video performance of 'Vai Malandra' ('Come on bad girl') in a mini-bikini.

Rio de Janeiro's main party was celebrated with fireworks erupting on Copacabana beach after the clock struck midnight to usher in the new year. After 17 minutes of a multicolored show in the skies, singer Anitta led the party on stage

New Mayor Marcelo Crivella said he believed the celebrations would bring 3 million people to the iconic beach, which would mean nearly half of Rio's population. But locals said Brazil's economic crisis is still impacting one of the city's biggest parties. In 2017, 2 million people showed up at Copacabana beach, a number that hasn't changed much over the years

Almost 2,000 policemen patrolled the Copacabana region after yet another violent year on the streets. Rio's hotel association said occupation is nearly total, but mostly by Brazilian tourists.

Cooling off: Two women join revellers in the sea off Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as fireworks explode overhead

Newlyweds Alison and Kenny Finchum, of Tulsa, Okla., kiss just after midnight during a New Year's party at the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas

New Year's fireworks are seen along the Strip from the top of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas as tens of thousands welcomed the new year

Fireworks illuminate the sky during the New Year celebrations in San Francisco, California as thousands took to the streets

Greece: Fireworks explode by the Ancient Acropolis in Athens during the New Year celebrations to mark the beginning of 2018. The famous ruins are lit up with a red tinge as the fireworks explode

The ancient Greek temple of the Parthenon atop Athens' Acropolis hill was in the shadow of fireworks during New Year celebrations in Greece

The Quadriga sculpture atop the Brandenburg gate was illuminated by the fireworks display in the German capital of Berlin for New Year's Eve

Las Vegas welcomed 2018 with fireworks, big-ticket musical acts and unprecedented security in the wake of the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. modern history just three months ago.

Law enforcement officers kept a close eye Monday on the estimated 330,000 people who traveled from all over the U.S. and beyond to pack in the Las Vegas Strip and downtown's Fremont Street. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department had every officer working throughout the weekend and was aided by the Nevada National Guard and federal agents.

Dubai's New Year's Eve celebrations got underway four hours earlier at 20:00 GMT, although the UAE city opted for a world record-breaking lights show on the Burj Khalifa as opposed to fireworks due to 'security reasons'.

Moscow celebrated the new year at an hour later than Dubai, with a spectacular fireworks display over the capital near the Kremlin.

President Vladimir Putin called on Russians to be considerate with one another in the new year.

In his New Year's message, he said: 'Say the most cherished words to each other, forgive mistakes and resentment, admit love, warm up with care and attention. Let the trust and mutual understanding always accompany us.'

Auckland, in New Zealand , was the first major world city to kick off the party followed by Sydney where 1million people were thought to have watched the display over the city's harbour.

Germany@ The New City Hall in the northern German city of Hanover is illuminated by fireworks to usher in the New Year

Holland: There was a spectacular fireworks display as large crowds came out to celebrate the New Year at the Binnenhof in The Hague

Belgium: The Atomium Monument in Brussels is lit up with a backdrop of fireworks at 23:00 GMT for its New Year's Eve

France: Images were projected onto the Arc de Triomphe monument as fireworks explode during a laser and 3D video mapping show as part of the New Year celebrations in Paris

Thousands of New Year revellers line the streets along the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris ahead of the display in the French capital

North Korea: Fireworks are seen during New Year celebrations in the capital Pyongyang in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency

North Korea's regime laid on fireworks over the capital Pyongyang with thousands turning our for the festivities

A rainbow waterfall plunged off the Harbour Bridge to celebrate recently passed legislation legalizing gay marriage in Australia.

Not to be outdone, Melbourne boasted that it had splashed out to ensure the city's own fireworks display would not be beaten by Sydney.

Thousands of revellers took to the streets near Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, where an impressive fireworks display lit up the night sky.

And in Edinburgh, Scotland's Hogmanay celebrations were also accompanied by hundreds of security staff.

Armed police were seen on the streets of the Scottish capital as tens of thousands of people celebrated the final day of 2017.

Princes Street, where celebrations are taking place were temporarily closed due to 'weather-related debris' but opened again for Sunday evening's street party.

Organisers have promised the 'best party ever' for the 75,000 people attending, with live music, DJs, street entertainment and the ' ultimate fireworks display' from Edinburgh Castle .

London has welcomed in the New Year in style with a spectacular fireworks display that lit up the River Thames

London's iconic Big Ben chimed to mark the turn of the New Year, despite being in the process of serious renovation work which has kept it out of action for several months

Fireworks explode around the London Eye during New Year's celebrations in central London just after midnight on January 1

America: Fireworks erupt as the clock strikes midnight during the New Year's celebration in Times Square, New York

Thousands braved the second coldest New Year's Eve ever as temperatures to watch the glittering ball drop in Times Square

The clock of Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun) welcomes the New Year in a celebration that gathered thousands of people in the popular square, which this year and for the second time is accompanied by a firework display, streamers and confetti in the colors of the Community of Madrid

Spain: The clock of Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun) welcomes the New Year in a celebration that gathered thousands of people in Madrid

Spain: Partygoers take to the streets of Madrid to welcome in the New Year in style, wearing tinsel wigs and fake glasses for part of the fun

Malta: The capital city of Valletta held its own fireworks display, with crackers going off over the ancient city

Austria: Fireworks explode around Familienkirche church during New Year celebrations in Vienna

Lithuania: Cathedral Square in Vilnius was lit up by a stunning fireworks to mark the turn of the year last night as thousands watched on

Dubai ushered in the New Year although it did not opt for the conventional fireworks display due to 'security reasons', instead opting for an impressive world-record breaking laser show

The world's tallest building was emblazoned with the 'Year of Zayed', who was the former president of the United Arab Emirates. He held onto the post for 33 years and passed away in 2004

There have been fireworks displays on the Burj Khalifa in previous years to mark the turn of the New Year. Fireworks were also blasted from the side of the building to mark the opening of the world's tallest building on January 4, 2010 (right). This year there was an impressive fireworks display which took a team of hundreds of experts months to prepare (left, centre)

The lights show from the Burj Khalifa was watched by thousands from the ground. The lights and sound show was called 'Light Up 2018' and was announced by the developer of the iconic building, Emaar Properties

Smoke and fire billowed from the Address Downtown Hotel, near the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower in Dubai, on December 31, 2015, after a huge fire ripped through the luxury Dubai hotel as people gathered to watch New Year's Eve celebrations. The fireworks displays, which were taken place only a few hundred feet away, continued despite the building continuing to burn

Russia: Thousands gathered on the streets of Moscow for the fireworks display which lit up the sky near to the Kremlin and other famous buildings

Fireworks light the sky over the Bolshoy Kamenny bridge where Red Square and Kremlin Palace are seen on background during the New Year's celebrations in Moscow

Kenya: Fireworks explode over the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) square during the New Year's Eve celebrations in Nairobi, (left). There are also fireworks which went off over the UAP Old Mutual Tower (right)

New Year celebrations in Russia went badly wrong when a Christmas tree erupted in spectacular flames in front of thousands of revellers. The 80ft illuminated tree in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk turned into a blazing inferno and was destroyed in minute (pictured)

Abu Dhabi, the UAE's capital city, went for a more traditional approach and used fireworks to celebrate the New Year unlike Dubai, which saw in the New Year with a spectacular light show

Not to be outdone by Dubai, Abu Dhabi (pictured) held its own New Year's Eve celebrations, as did Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah in the UAE

Australia: Sydney kicked off 2018 with a bang with a rainbow themed firework display over the Harbour Bridge to celebrate recently-legalised gay marriage

Fireworks light up the sky as part of new year celebrations in Baku, Azerbaijan. Baku celebrated the New Year at 20:00 GMT and went for a traditional fireworks display to say goodbye to 2017

Fireworks explode over Victoria Harbour during New Year celebrations in Hong Kong on January. The year 2018 was lit up on the side of one of the buildings as fireworks lit up the sky

An aerial shot of the fireworks display from Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, which has already welcomed in the New Year. The display was witnessed by thousands of onlookers who lined the streets of the city

Fireworks explode over Victoria harbour during New Year's Eve celebrations. The impressive display saw a number of red fireworks light up the skyline

Dozens of boats floated in Sydney's iconic harbour to get the best possible view of the fireworks on New Year's eve

There were pyrotechnic displays to accompany the firework display across the Victoria Harbour as Hong Kong saw in the New Year

Hong Kong: There is a focal point where the countdown is displayed, but fireworks can be watched from both sides of the Harbour. The display lasts around 10 minutes and is watched by thousands of people

Australia: Celebrations also took place in Melbourne, Hobart and Canberra at the same time as Sydney launched its fireworks

Millions of dollars were spent on pyrotechnics for the display, though Melbourne had bragged that it's show would be bigger

Fireworks explode over the Yarra River as celebrations get underway in Melbourne, Australia. The fireworks light up the sky from the building rooftops and thousands of people gather along the bridge and banks of the river

A group of partygoers make 2018 with sparklers art Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebration gets underway as thousands of revellers from across the globe descend on the Scottish Capital to see the New Years fireworks

Edinburgh's Hogmanay Street Party fireworks light up the sky in the Scottish capital during the Hogmanay New Year celebrations

Despite the New Year being a number of hours away, dozens of fireworks were released over Edinburgh Castle for the annual Hogmanay celebrations

Green and red fireworks explode over the Scottish capital hours before the New Year is officially seen in

Newcastle New Years Eve Celebrations get underway with a Firework display on the Town Moor at 6pm this evening which was visible from all over Tyneside as 2018 draws near. The display lasts for 10 minutes and the structure which kept up the fireworks collapsed, which is what it was designed to do

New Zealand kicked off worldwide celebrations for the start of 2018 as more than 3,000 fireworks were launched into the sky above Auckland as the clock struck midnight

The Sky Tower was the focus of celebrations in Auckland (pictured), while fireworks displays also took place in Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin

Ferry passengers watch the fireworks from Auckland's harbour as the world welcomes in the new year

Residents light fireworks to welcome 2018 during New Year celebrations in Paranaque city, metro Manila, Philippines

More than 85 injured after firecracker incident in the Philippines just hours before New Year's Eve party At least 86 people were injured by celebratory firecrackers in the Philippines just hours before New Year's Eve celebrations. Some of those who were injured in the incident were wheeled to a Government hospital in Manila where they were treated for their injuries. Pictures of those injured have emerged, with one man holding his bloodied head as he is wheeled into the hospital, while another younger man on a hospital bed cries in agony. Despite a reduction in the number of injuries from last year, due to a struggling economy and a government scare campaign, the figures remain alarming. President Rodrigo Duterte signed an order in June confining the use of firecrackers to community-designated areas, such as near shopping malls and parks. A man holds his head as he is wheeled through a hospital in Manila following a firecracker incident in the Filipino capital. He is one of at least 86 people injured in the accident A young-looking man with tissue shoved up his nostrils grimaces as he is wheeled through a hospital in Manila. It is believed he was injured in a firecracker incident shortly before the New Year Advertisement

Dozens of people gathered at an amusement park in Pasay, Manila, to take pictures of the fireworks lighting up the night sky as the Philippines enters 2018

Fireworks were let off over a residential area in the city of Omsk, in Russia, during New Year celebrations. The city saw in the New Year three hours before Moscow due to the different time differences

Confetti in the shape of stars (left) and balloons (right) rain down on Filipinos enjoying the New Year's Eve celebrations in Manila, the country's capital city

Clowns entertain the crowd during a New Year's eve countdown party at Eastwood mall in Quezon City, Manila. The Filpino capital is the world's most densely populated capital city and thousands of partygoers took to the streets to welcome in the New Year

The night sky over Seoul is lit up with fireworks during South Korea's celebrations to mark the start of 2017

The top of the Lotte World Tower is lit up with explosions as South Koreans herald the start of 2018

Crowds brave the rains in Singapore in order to mark New Year at Marina Bay. People resorted to covering themselves with umbrellas and wearing ponchos to avoid the worst of the weather

Fireworks explode over Marina Bay in Singapore as the clock strikes midnight

People wait to watch the New Year fireworks in the rain at Marina Bay in Singapore

Fireworks light up the night sky at Marina Bay for the New Year celebration in Singapore

Fireworks illuminate the sky near Malaysia's Petronas Twin Towers during New Year celebrations in Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia's Petronas Twin Towers were the focal point of where the fireworks display is, with people choosing to watch the display at a number of vantage points across the city, including Taman Tasik Titiwangsa, as it gives onlookers unobstructed views of the fireworks overlooking the lake

Visitors watch the fireworks display during a New Year event at an amusement park south of Tokyo, in Japan

Balloons are released in central Tokyo as people say goodbye to 2017 amid celebrations around the world

People watch as fireworks explode over Copacabana beach during New Year celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A woman swims in the water at Copacabana beach during New Year's celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A brave Londoner braves the rain ahead of New Year's Eve celebrations in the capital, where at least 250,000 people are expected to be out on the streets

Children don 2018 glasses in Hong Kong as they wait for the clock to strike midnight

People walk along the popular Istiklal Street near Istabbul's main Taksim Square as people remember the victims of a deadly New Year's attack a year ago. A gunman entered the Reina nightclub in Istanbul during New Year's Eve celebrations last year and killed at least 39 people and injured 70 others

Fireworks are launched in Pyongyang, North Korea, as the Kim regime rings in the New Year. People living under the oppressive regime were seen gathering out on the streets (right)

Despite new heavy sanctions being imposed on North Korea, the communist nation refused to let that hamper its New Year's Eve celebrations

Fireworks are seen during New Year celebrations in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency, KCNA

Crowds of people were filmed waving and cheering as celebrations took place in North Korea

Fireworks explode from the Taipei 101 building during the New Year's celebrations in Taipei, Taiwan. The Taipei 101 tower displays a dog and the word 'GO' and the Chinese name of a man called Wu Jian-sheng who wishes Taiwan happiness before setting off firework to welcome 2018

Fireworks light up the Taiwan skyline and Taipei 101 during New Years Eve celebrations just after midnight on January 1, 2018 in Taipei. It was previously known as the world's tallest building in 2004 but was dethroned upon the completion of the Burj Khalifa in 2010

Filipino revelers watch as fireworks light up the sky to welcome the New Year Monday, Jan. 1, 2018 at the seaside Mall of Asia in suburban Pasay city south of Manila, Philippines. Hours before midnight, authorities had already reported dozens have been injured by celebratory firecrackers in the Philippines, which has some of the most raucous New Year celebrations in Asia

Revellers take to the streets to celebrate the New Year countdown on the streets of Taiwan to see in the New Year in style

Iraqis watch fireworks explode during the New Year celebrations in Baghdad, Iraq. A number of streets in the city were closed as preparations were made ahead of the celebrations

Best of the rest: Weird and wonderful New Year traditions around the world

Meanwhile parts of Germany marked the evening of December 30th with a bizarre parade involving Perchten, a god figure derived from pagan religions that is similar to Krampus

Perchten is said to visit homes in the days after Christmas, especially on Twelfth Night, when she will reward children who have been good or disembowel those who have misbehaved

Folklore says that Perchten will cut open the stomachs of children who have misbehaved and fill them with straw and pebbles

In a tradition dating back centuries locals dressed as Perchten, witches, devils and other demonic figures parade through the streets during the darkest week of winter, which such spirits were said to be most active

The annual Joburg Carnival takes place in in Johannesburg, South Africa, to mark the arrival of the New Year

In Brazil the period between New Year and the Rio carnival, which will take place in early February, is treated as a prolonged holiday filled with parades and partying (pictured, celebrations in Johannesburg)

In Sao Paulo, an estimated 30,000 people took part in the annual Sao Silvestre international race

Hundreds of people also participated in the San Silvestre Swim at La Comandancia beach in northern Spain

An Indonesian bride waits for her turn to get married during a mass wedding ceremony as part of New Year's Eve celebrations in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Nearly 450 couples gathered in a large tent in the city center just hours before midnight to pray with their families before signing marriage certificates

A bride has her headdress adjusted while taking part in a mass wedding organised by the city government as part of New Year's Eve celebrations in Jakarta, Indonesia

Neni, 55 (left) and Cek Lie (right), 68, pose for photographs during a mass wedding ceremony as part of New Year's Eve celebrations in Jakarta, Indonesia. Many couples wore matching colors and colorful traditional Indonesian outfits, with some brides donning elaborate headdresses and grooms carrying traditional daggers called keris

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan congratulated those taking the plunge and said the city would now host the event every New Year’s Eve

Relatives take pictures with a newly wedd couple during the mass wedding ceremony. The city government raised donation funds to pay for token gold dowries for the couples to exchange

An Indonesian groom reacts as his bride put on his finger the wedding ring during the mass wedding ceremony. Grooms in Indonesia traditionally present gold jewelry or money to brides on the wedding day