The first country to see the sunrise each day is Kiribati, a small island nation located in the central Pacific Ocean.
Why Kiribati?
Kiribati's location is the key to this phenomenon. Its easternmost islands, such as Caroline Island, are situated on the International Date Line (IDL). The IDL marks the point where the calendar day changes. This means that as the sun rises in the east, it first illuminates Kiribati's easternmost islands, making it the first country to experience a new day.
Understanding the International Date Line
The IDL is an imaginary line that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole, roughly following the 180th meridian. It acts as a boundary between days. When you cross the IDL from east to west, you lose a day, and when you cross it from west to east, you gain a day.
Example
Imagine you are traveling from Kiribati to the United States. As you cross the IDL, you would have to adjust your calendar and skip a day. For example, if it is January 1st in Kiribati, it would become December 31st in the United States after crossing the IDL.
