Happy New Year, Dubai Style

Dubai, restrained and self-effacing as ever, modestly decided to mark the new year with a fireworks display that would break all world records. They say they did it:

The show began with a dazzling falcon conjured through pyrotechnics, flying around Palm Jumeirah. Thousands joined the countdown in unison, reflecting an atmosphere that could be seen at big football matches.

The show lasted for six minutes, but it took only one minute for the 200 technicians to break the record held by Kuwait as over 100,000 shots were fired in just sixty seconds compared to Kuwait’s record of 77,282.

Overall around 400,000 shots were fired, with the show broadcast live on Dubai TV and Youtube to millions of spectators.

It was a huge show and stretched for miles, but most shots are of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building.