Welcome to the Year of the Dog: Chinese people around the world celebrate Lunar New Year with lion dance, stunning lanterns and delicious dumplings.

The Chinese New Year starts on February 16 as one-fifth of the world's population celebrate the festival

The New Year is the Year of the Dog, succeeding the Year of the Rooster and preceding the Year of the Pig

Millions of people have tuned in to watch the Chinese Near Year Gala, the world's most popular TV show

Lunar New Year is celebrated by people around the world, but mainly in Eastern and South-east Asia

It might just be the biggest annual party in the world - the Chinese New Year.  

Today, more than 1.4 billion Chinese people are celebrating the arrival of their New Year according to the traditional lunar calendar - with big family banquets, stunning lanterns and the Chinese Near Year Gala on TV.

The Lunar New Year, otherwise known as Spring Festival, is celebrated around the world, but the main festivities are in China as well as other Asian countries, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Korea.

According to the Chinese zodiac system, 2018 is the Year of the Dog. A massive pooch-shaped lantern is seen in Shanghai

Chinese perform dragon and lion dance to herald the Lunar New Year. Artists are seen performing in Henan on February 11

Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, is the time to go out to see spectacular lanterns, such as the one in Shanghai (above)

The streets of China as well as Chinatowns around the world have turned red with ornaments used to celebrate the festival

Souce - Daily Mail