More than one million revellers gathered along the banks of Sydney Harbour today to see in 2008 and kick-off new year celebrations across the world.

Sydney Harbour Bridge was lit up with 3,000 kg of pyrotechnics in a fireworks display that organisers dubbed "artistically risky". Among the more than 100,000 individual pyrotechnic effects were heart and cube-shaped explosions and a waterfall of sparks falling from the bridge into the water below.

More than a quarter of Sydney's population of four million turned out, with some even camping in city parks the night before to guarantee a good view.

The Sydney celebrations are traditionally the first international harbinger of the new year. But three hours earlier, a tiny island in the Indian Ocean slipped quietly into 2008. The 1,600 residents of Christmas Island, the eastern most outpost in the island-nation of Kiribati, take pride in their claim to be the first to usher in the new year.

Following on from Sydney, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok all held firework displays.

Celebrations will also have more serious overtones in Cyprus and Malta. For these two Mediterranean islands, midnight tonight will represent more than a new year as the Euro replaces Cyprus pounds and Maltese liri.

In Belgium, officials cancelled this year's fireworks display in Brussels as the country went on maximum alert over possible terror threats.

But one hour later, more than 350,000 people were expected for the annual fireworks extravaganza over the River Thames, London.

An hour after that, more than two million people were expected to spill onto Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where New Year's Eve is the second biggest celebration after the annual Carnival later in the year.

A full 16 hours after Sydney, more than a million people will swamp Times Square, New York, where they will complete the final grand countdown to 2008 as the Times Square ball, this year filled with 9,576 energy-efficient bulbs, drops.

And 25 hours after Christmas Island entered 2008, the celebrations will end as quietly as they began - in the village capital of American Samoa, Pago Pago.

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