People around the world have greeted the New Year with fireworks and confetti. In New York, a million people gathered in Times Square to watch the midnight ball drop, just days after the city got clobbered by a blizzard. In
In Hong Kong, London, Sydney and other major capitals, people gathered near the harbour front and rivers to watch the New Year fireworks display.
In London, an estimated 250,000 party-goers congregated around The London Eye. The heavy cloud cover failed to hinder the spectacular 10 minute display, that saw showers of brightly coloured fireworks shoot from the London Eye to a soundtrack including Queen's We Will Rock You, The Beatles Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, and Blur's Song 2.
As rainclouds cleared, thousands of people, many sporting large, brightly coloured wigs, gathered in Madrid's central Puerta del Sol square to take part in Las Uvas, or The Grapes, a tradition in which people eat a grape for each of the 12 chimes of midnight.
Chewing and swallowing the grapes to each tolling of the bell is supposed to bring good luck, while cheating is frowned on and revellers believe it brings misfortune.
"I'm here to make my wishes for the new year. If you eat the grapes your wishes will come true," said beautician Anita Vargas, 22.
2010 was a grim year for the European Union, with Greece and Ireland needing bailouts and countries such as Spain and Portugal finding themselves in financial trouble as well. Athens, Paris and London have all seen unrest in the streets.
"Before, we used to go out, celebrate in a restaurant, but the last two years we have had to stay at home," said Madrid florist Ernestina Blasco, 48. She said her husband, a construction worker, is out of work.
In Greece, thousands spent the last day of 2010 standing in line at tax offices to pay their road tax or sign up for tax amnesty.
"We can see that the quality of life is being degraded every day. What can I say? I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel," said Giorgos Karantzos of Athens.
New Zealanders and South Pacific island nations were among the first to celebrate at midnight.
In New Zealand's Auckland, explosions of red, gold and white burst over the Sky Tower, while tens of thousands danced and sang in the streets below. In Christchurch, partygoers shrugged off a minor 3.3 earthquake that struck just before 10 p.m.
Multi-coloured starbusts and gigantic sparklers lit the midnight sky over Sydney Harbour in a pyrotechnics show witnessed by 1.5 million spectators.
"This has got to be the best place to be in the world tonight," said Marc Wilson, 41.
Hundreds of thousands of people gathered along Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour to watch fireworks explode from the roofs of 10 of the city's most famous buildings.
In Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, an estimated 55,000 people packed a square in front of the city's elegant French colonial-style opera house for their first New Year's countdown blowout, complete with dizzying strobe lights and thumping techno music spun by international DJs.
Vietnamese typically save their biggest celebrations for Tet, the lunar new year that begins on February 3.
But in recent years, Western influence has started seeping into Vietnamese culture among teens, who have no memory of war or poverty and are eager to find a new reason to party in the communist country.
At Japan's Zojoji temple in Tokyo, monks chanted and revelers marked the arrival of the new year by releasing silver balloons with notes inside. The temple's giant 15-ton bell rang in the background.
In Dubai, the world's tallest building was awash in fireworks from the base to its needle-like spire nearly a half-mile high. Sparkling silver rays shot out from the Burj Khalifa in a 10-minute display.
In France, police were on alert for terror attacks and for celebrations getting out of hand. Rampaging youths typically set fire to scores of vehicles on New Year's Eve.
Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux said 53,820 police were mobilised - 6,000 more than usual.
France has been extra vigilant following threats from al Qaida and the kidnapping of five French citizens in Niger.
Italians rang in the new year with illegal fireworks, shot off in squares and alleys - a tradition that usually results in numerous hand and eye injuries.
Naples Police Chief Santi Giuffre appealed to citizens to "give up or at least cut back on this" practice.
The Dutch celebrated by eating deep-fried dough balls covered in powdered sugar and washed down with champagne.
The Danes jumped off chairs to "leap into the new year".
Irena Rostkowski