As the turn of 2018 approaches, celebrations are getting underway across the world to welcome in the new year.

Be it in sunny Sydney or wintry Edinburgh, revellers on all sides of the globe are getting together to celebrate before – and after – the clock strikes midnight.

New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Show all 27 1 /27 New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Chinese people celebrate the New Year in Beijing Getty Images New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks illuminate the city's skyline during New Year's Eve celebrations of 2018 in Indonesia Getty Images AsiaPac New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures This illustration taken with a long time exposure and with zoom effect on in Budapest, Hungary, shows the year "2018", painted with a flashlight in front of a Christmas tree AFP/Getty Images New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks explode over Victoria harbour during New Year celebrations in Hong Kong AFP/Getty New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures People perform a fire dragon dance in a shower of molten iron sparkling like fireworks to welcome the new year in Taierzhuang ancient town in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province Rex Features New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures People wait for the New Year in downtown Shanghai Rex New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures People release balloons as they take part in a New Year countdown event in celebrations to ring in 2018 in Tokyo REUTERS New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks explode over Sydney Harbour during New Year's Eve celebrations EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Children wear "2018" glasses as they wait for the New Year fireworks in Hong Kong Reuters New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures A picture taken with a fish-eye lens shows a fireworks over the world's fifth 123-storey Lotte World Tower during the New Year celebrations in Seoul, South Korea EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures A couple takes part in a mass wedding organised by the city government as part of New Year's Eve celebrations in Jakarta, Indonesia Reuters New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures An Indian youngster celebrates and welcomes the New Year in Bhopal EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Some of the thousands of performers parade through the streets as part of the annual Joburg Carnival, in South Africa. EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures A handmade puppet is seen along a highway, ready to be burned at midnight on December 31 as a way of saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new in San Juan, Nicaragua Reuters New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures People watch fireworks in the rain at the Marina Bay ahead of the New Year in Singapore REUTERS New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Palestinians dressed as Santa Claus ride a red car to welcome the new year, in the streets of Gaza City New Year celebrations Rex Features New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures The Torchlight Procession which marks the opening of New Year celebrations, makes its way through Edinburgh. Torchbearers blazed through the city accompanied by a cast of pipers and drummers with the procession starting at St Giles cathedral and making its way down the Royal Mile towards Holyrood Park, passing Scottish Parliament and the Palace of Holyrood House. PA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Swimmers bath in the 5 degrees cold Moossee (Lake Moos) near Moosseedorf, Switzerland. Several dozens people gathered for the annual swimming on New Year's Eve. EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks from Salisbury Crags at Edinburgh's Hogmanay The Corner Shop/PA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Indian girls welcome the new year in Amritsar EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Over 5 minutes of fireworks from the Sky Tower welcomes in the new year in Auckland, New Zealand Getty New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Up Helly Aa vikings from the Shetland Islands hold axes and lit torches during the annual torchlight procession to mark the start of Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh REUTERS New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Balinese take part in a cultural parade during a festival to mark the New Year in Denpasar on Bali island AFP/Getty Images New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks light up the sky from building rooftops along the Yarra River in Melbourne AFP/Getty Images New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Indian girls pose for photographs with lighted candles during celebrations to welcome the new year in Bhopal EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures The Taipei 101 tower displays a dog, the word 'GO' and the Chinese name of a man called Wu Jian-sheng who wishes Taiwan happiness before setting off fireworks to welcome 2018 EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks burst over the skyline during an hourly display leading up to the final countdown for the New Year 2018 celebrations in Singapore AFP/Getty Images

From aerobatic planes to torchlight processions, here's what has been happening so far.

Sydney, Australia

Crowd's await the fireworks on New Year's Eve on Sydney Harbour, with the summer sun above them.

With temperatures still hitting around 22 degrees at 8pm, Sydney is in for a warm night of late-night partying that will likely see way into 2018.

Brett Hemmings/Getty (Brett Hemmings/Getty)

During the afternoon of New Year's Eve, aerobatic planes flew over the Sydney Harbour Bridge as part of the annual end-of-year celebrations on the harbour.

Reuters (REUTERS/David Gray)

Throughout the afternoon, spectators waited with elation for the annual new year fireworks, many wearing bold foam headgear.

(Reuters (Reuters)

Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh's Hogmanay festival opened with an iconic torchlight procession which also marked the start of Scotland's Year of Young People.

Around 20,000 people, including 17,000 torchbearers, took part in the procession down the Royal Mile, past Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament, with torchbearers spelling out "braw".

Ian Rutherford/Hogmanay Festival/PA (Ian Rutherford/Hogmanay Festival/PA)

Thirty Vikings from Shetland's Up Helly Aa Festival were among those taking part, along with young people performing with the massed pipes and drums and people samba drumming.

PA (PA)

The annual Hogmanay celebration was originally an informal street party focused on the Tron Kirk in the High Street of the Old Town. Since 1993, it has been officially organised with the focus moved to Princes Street.

PA (David Cheskin/PA)

The celebration now covers four days of processions, concerts and fireworks, with the street party beginning on Hogmanay. An estimated 25,000 people watched the procession this year.

Ian Georgeson/The Corner Shop/PA Wire (Ian Georgeson/The Corner Shop/PA Wire)

Madrid, Spain

People gather at Puerta del Sol during the “Preuvas”, a test for New Year's Eve celebrations, in Madrid the night before New Year's Eve.

Victor Lerena (Victor Lerena)

Twelve strokes sounded at midnight to imitate the same that would happen the following night when thousands of people will eat twelve grapes at the time of the bells sound to celebrate new year's arrival.

Victor Lerena (Victor Lerena)