The first countries to see 2013 dawn will enthusiastically welcome the new year.

Increasingly democratic Burma will have a public countdown for the first time. Jakarta plans a huge street party befitting Indonesia's powering economy.

In Sydney, eager revellers camped on the shores of the harbour to get the best vantage points as more than one million are expected to see the fireworks show centred on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

In a field in Burma's largest city, Rangoon, workers early today were testing a giant digital countdown screen with the backdrop of the revered Shwedagon pagoda.

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