Time zone realignment Line Islands

following 1995 time zone realignment, caroline island (red dot @ far east of map) became easternmost land west of international date line.

on december 23, 1994, republic of kiribati announced change of time zone line islands, take effect january 1, 1995. adjustment moved international date line on 1,000 kilometers (620 mi) east within kiribati, placing of kiribati on asian or western side of date line, despite fact caroline s longitude of 150 degrees west corresponds utc−10 rather official time zone of utc+14. caroline island @ same time hawaiian islands (hawaii-aleutian standard time zone), 1 day ahead. move made caroline island both easternmost land in earliest time zone (by definitions, easternmost point on earth), , 1 of first points of land see sunrise on january 1, 2000 — @ 5:43 a.m., measured local time.

the stated reason move campaign promise of kiribati president teburoro tito eliminate confusion of kiribati straddling date line , therefore being in 2 different days. however, kiribati officials not reluctant attempt capitalize on nation s new status owners of first land see sunrise in 2000. other pacific nations, including tonga , new zealand s chatham islands, protested move, objecting infringed on claims first land see dawn in year 2000.

in 1999, in order further capitalize upon massive public interest in celebrations marking arrival of year 2000, caroline island officially renamed millennium island. although uninhabited, special celebration held on island, featuring performances kiribati native entertainers , attended kiribati president tito. on 70 kiribati singers , dancers traveled caroline capital tarawa, accompanied approximately 25 journalists. celebration, broadcast satellite worldwide, had estimated audience of 1 billion viewers.