Photos: NYE celebrations around the world
People of many cultures and countries celebrated the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012.
New Year's Eve with the troops in Afghanistan
A soldier with the NATO- led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) looks on camera as he adjusts his hat during a celebration of the New at the ISAF's head quarter in Kabul, Afghanistan on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)
New Year's Eve in New York
The crowd packs New York's Times Square during the New Year's Eve celebration as seen from the Marriott Marquis Hotel, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
New Year's Eve in Thailand
Buddhist Thais, background, apply holy water on the statues of Lord Buddha for their luck as part of a New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011. (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong)
New Year's Eve at the Vatican
Pope Benedict XVI holds the ostensory as he celebrates a New Year's Eve vespers service in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011. The Pontiff marked the end of 2011 with prayers of thanks and said humanity awaits the new year with apprehension but also with hope for a better future. "Another year approaches its end, while we await a new one, with the trepidation, desires and expectations of always," Benedict said at the traditional New Year's Eve vespers service, as he delivered his homily from the central altar of St. Peter's Basilica on Saturday evening. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)
New Year's Eve in Germany
Fireworks light the sky above the Quadriga at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin shortly after midnight, greeting the New Year, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. Hundred thousands of people celebrated the beginning of the New Year 2012 in Germany's capital. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
New Year's Eve in South Korea
A giant dragon lantern is displayed to celebrate the New Year near the border village of Panmunjom (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas since the Korean War, at Imjingak Pavilion in Paju, South Korea, Sunday, Jan. 2012. The year 2012 is celebrated as the year of the dragon on the Chinese lunar calendar. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon).
New Year's Eve in Moscow
Russians celebrate the New Year on Red Square in Moscow, with the Kremlin in the background, right, and St. Basil's cathedral in background left, Russia, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. Tens of thousands of people gathered on the Square to celebrate the new year, and view the fireworks as the clock on the Kremlin's Spassky Tower, right, struck midnight. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel)
New Year's Eve in Tbilisi, Georgia
Georgian girls dressed in traditional costumes dance during a festivities in downtown Tbilisi, Georgia, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011. (AP Photo/Shakh Aivazov)
New Year's Eve in the Philippines
Filipinos watch a fireworks and water fountain display as they welcome the New Year at Manila's Rizal Park, Philippines on Sunday Jan. 1, 2012. More than 200 people have been injured by illegal firecrackers and celebratory gunfire in the Philippines despite a government scare campaign against reckless New Year revelries, officials recently said. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
New Year's Eve in Lebanon
Lebanese watch a firework display the New Year's celebrations in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
New Year's Eve in Japan
Ayano rings in the New Year at Sensoji temple in the Asakusa district in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
New Year's Eve in Malaysia
Activists wear Guy Fawkes masks during New Year's Eve celebrations at Independence Square in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011. (AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin)
New Year's Eve in New York
The Times Square New Year's Eve Ball rises to the top of it's 135-foot spire Friday, Dec. 30, 2011, in New York. The ball will drop at midnight on Dec. 31 to ring in the new year, 2012. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
New Year's Eve in India
People celebrate the New Year with firecrackers on the streets in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Jan 1, 2012. (AP Photo / Rafiq Maqbool)
New Year's Eve in Paris
Revelers celebrate the New Year on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris, Sunday Jan. 1, 2012. Visible in background is the Arc de Triomphe. (AP Photo/Remy de la Mauviniere)
New Year's Eve in Singapore
One of six professional base jumpers from around the world leapt off the Observation Deck of the Marina Bay Sands "SkyPark" to mark the start of the new year in Singapore, Sunday Jan. 1, 2012.(AP Photo/Terence Tan)
New Year's Eve in Poland
People celebrate as they welcome the New Year at the Constitution Square in Warsaw, Poland, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)
New Year's Eve in Macedonia
Fireworks light the sky shortly after midnight during New Year's celebrations in downtown Macedonia's capital Skopje, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
New Year's Eve in Australia
Fireworks burst over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, left, and the Opera House, right, during New Year's celebrations in Sydney, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
New Year's Eve in New York
Ryan Follese from the band Hot Chelle Rae performs in Times Square during the New Year's Eve celebration, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, in New York. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)
New Year's Eve in Greece
Fireworks explode over the ancient Acropolis Hill with the Parthenon temple during the New Year's celebrations in Athens, on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
New Year's Eve in Hong Kong
Revellers celebrate the New Year celebrations in Hong Kong's Times Square Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
New Year's Eve in Romania
Fireworks explode in the sky over Bucharest, Romania, at midnight, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012, during street celebrations of the new year. Large crowds gathered downtown Romania's capital taking advantage of the dry weather to attend the celebrations.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
New Year's Eve in Serbia
Fireworks illuminate the sky over newly-built cable-stayed Ada Bridge over the Sava river in Belgrade, Serbia, early Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. The new Ada Bridge opened with fireworks at midnight on New Year's Eve. The new bridge is 964 meters (0.6 miles) long, 200 (219 yards) meters tall and 45 meters (49 yards) wide. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
New Year's Eve in Lithuania
Fireworks light the sky above the Cathedral Square in Vilnius shortly after midnight, greeting the New Year, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. Thousands of people celebrated the beginning of the New Year 2009 in the Lithuanian capital. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
New Year's Eve in Spain
People gather for New Year's celebrations in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011. A flag reads "2012 Happy Revolution." (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
New Year's Eve in London
Fireworks explode over the Houses of Parliament, including St Stephen's Tower which holds the bell known as Big Ben as London celebrates the arrival of New Years Day Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
New Year's Eve in China
Visitors are showered by confetti as they celebrate a light show at the Temple of Heaven during the New Year Countdown Ceremony in Beijing, China, Sunday, Jan 1 2012. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
New Year's Eve in Pakistan
Pakistani youth enjoy a camel ride as the sun sets in Karachi, Pakistan on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)
New Year's Eve in Atlanta, Georgia
Alan Daniels, an employee of Entertainment Design Group, retouches the 23-year-old fiberglass and foam Peach in preparation for the 2012 Peach Drop at Underground Atlanta, Friday, Dec. 30, 2011, in Atlanta. The Peach Drop is the 23rd annual New Year's Eve celebration at Underground Atlanta. The first Peach Drop was in 1989 at Underground Atlanta and has become a world-renowned event. The Peach weighs in at more than 800 pounds is 8 feet high and 8 feet wide and is made of fiber glass and foam. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jason Getz)
New Year's Eve in Taiwan
A firework display explodes off Taiwan's tallest skyscraper Taipei101 to usher in the New Year, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2012 in Taipei, Taiwan. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)
Some of the best photos from the Arizona Daily Star in 2011.