Fireworks explode over the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge during New Year's celebrations in Sydney, Australia. Thousands of people crammed into Lady Macquaries Chair to watch the annual show.

After a turbulent year marred by terror woes, Ebola outbreaks and a horrific series of airline disasters, many could be forgiven for saying good riddance to 2014 and gratefully ringing in a new year.

Across the globe, revelers looking for a respite from the gloom will converge on the beaches of Brazil, the shores of Sydney harbor and the potentially snowy streets of Las Vegas to welcome 2015. Here's a look at how the world is celebrating:

Sydney takes pride in being one of the first major cities in the world to welcome each new year, and it greets 2015 in its trademark glittery fashion — with a tropical-style fireworks display featuring shimmering gold and silver palm tree pyrotechnic effects.More than 1.5 million revelers crowded along the shores of the city's famed harbor in warm summer weather to watch the vivid eruption of light over the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and other points along the water.Three hours before midnight, a 9-minute firework display was launched from the bridge deck and barges across the harbor as a preliminary event for young children. The appreciative crowd cheered as 7 tons of fireworks exploded, including 11,000 shells, 25,000 shooting comets and more than 100,000 individual pyrotechnic effects.In New Zealand, a giant clock on Auckland's landmark Sky Tower structure counted down the minutes until New Year, with a huge fireworks display launching at midnight.

The loss of AirAsia Flight 8501 and a deadly landslide in Central Java are recent tragedies that have muted celebration plans in the Indonesian capital Jakarta. City Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama said the city would conduct prayers for the victims of the tragedies as well as host the annual Jakarta Night Festival.Other Indonesian cities have opted to cancel or tone down their celebrations. Surabaya's Mayor Tri Rismaharini banned any kind of New Year entertainment in Indonesia's second-largest city.“Let us pray for the grieving families of those on board the plane. Let us pray this will be the last tragedy for Surabaya,” Rismaharini told the crowd.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Cabinet are working both Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 in keeping with his promise of “good governance.”Government ministers have canceled travel and celebration plans and have been asked to stay away from splashy parties and celebrations.

In London, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to line the River Thames for a fireworks display timed to the midnight bongs of Big Ben, Parliament's famous bell.Revelers in the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, will flood the streets for Hogmanay, one of Europe's biggest year-end celebrations.The three-day festival — derived from Viking celebrations of the winter solstice — began Tuesday with a torch-lit procession of 35,000 people, including marching bands and troupes in full Viking regalia, and a fireworks display atop the city's Calton Hill.