Buzz
The Tonga Archipelago in the Pacific Ocean will be the first place to welcome the new year 2023, as the countdown begins at 10 am GMT.
The Pacific Ocean is the first region to welcome the new year globally. Specifically, the transition from 2022 to 2023 will occur first in 3 locations: Tonga, the Christmas Island of the Republic of Kiribati, and Samoa.
The Kingdom of Tonga is an archipelago located in the South Pacific consisting of 173 islands, with 36 inhabited islands, bordered by New Zealand to the southwest (1,750m away) and Fiji to the west (630m away). It's where you can become the first to embrace the sun's rays each day.
Tonga is the first place in the world to ring in the new year at 10 am on December 31st according to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), which is equivalent to 5 pm on December 31st in Vietnam. Local residents typically celebrate the new year with a lavish feast, followed by a midnight stroll.
A Land with Uniquely Beautiful Standards
In most countries worldwide, the beauty standard for women is 'fair skin and slim figure', meaning having flawless fair skin and a slender body with perfect model-like measurements...
However, in Tonga, it's entirely different; the beauty standard here is defined by dark, glossy skin, a plump physique with large arms, and a big waist...
Tonga is also known as the homeland of the world's heaviest king. King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV holds the Guinness World Record for being the heaviest king globally. In fact, he still holds the Guinness World Record as the heaviest king, weighing 208.7kg. However, the king later managed to lose about 40% of his weight and became a health role model for the entire nation.
The traditional diet of Tongans mainly consists of vegetables, bananas, coconuts, and fresh seafood from the ocean.
In this Kingdom, the average weight of a man is approximately 72kg, while the average weight of a woman is over 70kg. Tongan men tend to seek wives with a fuller figure, with a bit of flesh, to 'take charge of the household'.
However, as a tourist island nation, Tonga receives many visitors from different parts of the world annually, bringing with them various cultural influences. Consequently, the beauty standards for women in Tonga are gradually changing. Indigenous women are no longer as full-bodied as before.
Going to work on Sundays might lead to imprisonment in Tonga.
Tonga lies in the tropical region, blessed with abundant sunlight, a warm climate, fertile land, vast sea areas, and rich potential. The nation has built its economy primarily on agriculture, with significant yields of coconuts and bananas. Thanks to ample resources and a surplus of products, Tongans never fret over shortages.
Tonga has a unique regulation where citizens are forbidden from working on Sundays except for police and hospital staff. Sunday holds great significance here. Most activities come to a halt, as people spend the weekend day bonding with family, attending church, resting, and dining.
If caught working on a Sunday, individuals might face fines or imprisonment, as stipulated in the Constitution. Tourists visiting Tonga should ensure they have food reserves for Sundays to avoid hunger, as all restaurants and eateries are closed.
Today, Tonga has emerged as a renowned global tourist destination. The capital, Nukualofa, situated on the northern shore of Tonga, is also famously the last city in the world bidding farewell to the sunset as it drifts into slumber.
