The first countries to enter 2021 on Thursday - Samoa and Kiribati in the South Pacific - have less to celebrate than usual, as they are cut off from the world due to border closures and face rising waters due to climate change.

New Zealand rang in the new year with a number of large music festivals and fireworks shows as well as a light show in the country's largest city Auckland.

With no community cases of COVID-19 in the country, events went as planned without crowd limits or other health restrictions.

But Sydney, where authorities are trying to stem a coronavirus outbreak, was like a ghost town as the clock ticked over from 2020 to 2021.

The harbour fireworks were smaller than in previous years and aimed at a TV audience. Police stopped anybody from heading towards vantage points, where normally up to a million people watch the world famous display.

In Seoul, the traditional bell-ringing ceremony was performed without an audience and broadcast on TV. Usually, tens of thousands of people watch as a large bronze bell at the Bosingak pavilion is rung 33 times for luck. Outdoor celebrations were also cancelled in other Korean cities.

Taiwan staged its iconic New Year's Eve fireworks display at the 509-metre tall Taipei 101 building while some planned outdoor events around the island were downsized or cancelled.

Some fireworks went ahead in Chinese cities without restrictions, as the pandemic is largely under control there. However, Chinese New Year is traditionally celebrated in February, meaning December 31 is not a particularly important holiday in the country.

Celebrations in India, too, were muted, with restrictions on large gatherings and night curfews in New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai and several states.

Authorities want to prevent New Year's parties from becoming superspreader events - and stop more transmissible strains of the virus from taking hold.

A bright display of fireworks celebrated the turn of the year in Dubai, along with a laser show on the world's tallest building, the 828-metre Burj Khalifa.

The 8-minute display had few live spectators, however, as strict restrictions are in place across the city.

While there was a traditional display of fireworks in Moscow, restrictions meant bars, restaurants and skating rinks all shut before midnight.

Members of the security forces were on hand to prevent large crowds from gathering in the city's Red Square and Moscow's mayor urged citizens to celebrate at home.

In France electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre performed in a virtual concert from a digitally reconstructed Notre-Dame cathedral as police enforced a night-time curfew in Paris.

In Berlin, with the traditional fireworks spectacle at the landmark Brandenburg Gate cancelled, the area remained largely empty. A live show was broadcast from the site with no crowds in attendance.

Some 21 million Scandinavians in Denmark, Norway and Sweden have also welcomed the New Year amid restrictions.

Firework displays went ahead in Copenhagen but in Oslo and Helsinki fireworks were cancelled, while in Stockholm fireworks were set off over the Skansen open-air museum but just for a TV audience.

With a nationwide curfew in place Italy celebrated the end of 2020 mostly digitally, with music stars performing in streaming events instead. The capital Rome also issued a fireworks ban.

Health officials have urged people across the US to stay home to celebrate New Year's Eve, but events will still be taking place that people can watch from home.

The iconic ball drop in New York City's Time Square will take place as usual, but without the throngs of people who usually gather to watch.

Australian Associated Press