Meanwhile, just a peek at some of the other celebrations that have already taken place
New Year's Eve: Global celebrations bring in 2015
Fireworks light up the skies around the world as millions welcome 2015
Celebrations for the start of 2015 have taken place across Asia and Europe, with firework displays in a host of major cities.
New Zealand led the way, with Sydney Harbour providing a spectacular backdrop to Australia's display.
There was shock in Asia as a crush in Shanghai, China saw 35 people die marking the start of 2015.
Europe's celebrations began in Moscow with fireworks over St Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin.
Up to 1.5m people lined the shores of Sydney harbour to see the city's famous firework display.
The city's Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, said the recent hostage crisis in the city had focussed the minds of Sydney residents.
"We are celebrating that we are a multicultural, harmonious community but we will be thinking about what happened," he said.
Sydney's Harbour Bridge was the centrepiece of the city's new year fireworks
Celebration plans were muted in Indonesia in the wake of the recent AirAsia Flight QZ8501 crash.
But across the rest of Asia there were lavish parties, with a sound and light show at Beijing's Olympic stadium and an eight-minute firework display in Hong Kong.
"I think a more peaceful year would be good for everyone," Louis Ho, 65, told AFP news agency, as the territory bade farewell to a year that saw widespread street protests.
Moscow's display led the way in Europe, with President Vladimir Putin describing the 2014 annexation of Crimea as "a historic landmark" for Russia.
Moscow's skyline lit up as fireworks flared over the Kremlin and St Basil's Cathedral
Mr Putin also sent messages to several world leaders, telling US President Barack Obama that the US and Russia had a shared interest in "maintaining peace and international stability".
In Brazil, more than one million people will join the crowds on Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana beach, while New Yorkers will watch the city lower its trademark crystal ball over Times Square.
Pacific Islands just to the west of the international date line, including Samoa, Kiribati and the Chatham Islands of New Zealand, were the first places to herald the new year.
Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour was lit up by fireworks as the clock hit midnight
Shinto priests conduct an end of year ritual ahead of the new year at the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo. Over the coming days, more than three million people are expected to visit the shrine to pray for health and prosperity in 2015 
People hung wooden plaques with wishes or prayers for 2015 at the shrine 
Students at China's Shenyang Agriculture University found their own way of marking the start of 2015
It was a similar picture from students in Ahmadabad, India 
A woman prays during new year celebrations at Jogye Buddhist temple in Seoul, South Korea
Runners in Brazil's annual Sao Silvestre race in Sao Paulo warmed up for the night of celebration with a 15km run
2015 is the "Year of the Sheep" in China, as illustrated by this student in eastern Shandong province
Grandfather Frost - the Russian equivalent of Father Christmas - and his granddaughter joined Kyrgyzstan's new year parade in Bishkek
A wishing wall is on display in the Philippines capital, Manila. Around 50,000 posted wishes will be used as confetti alongside fireworks to herald in the new year
Send us your pictures of your new year celebrations by emailing yourpics@bbc.co.uk
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