According to the statistics, this year’s Christmas was celebrated by more than 1 billion people around the globe. We bring you a report of how people celebrated Christmas in different countries.

At the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI delivered his annual Urbi et Orbi Christmas message to the world.

In other countries, they celebrated Christmas in many different ways. Here are some photos from different places.

China

India

Pakistan

Kuwait

In Bethlehem, where according to the legend Jesus was born, thousands of people gathered to celebrate Christmas.

US troops in Afganistan.

…and in Iraq.

And some other photos from around the world:

An underwater Santa in France.

This is how they celebrated Christmas in Bavaria, Germany.

Whereas other Germans have a tradition of swimming naked in the local rivers.

That’s in Thailand.

And finally, probably one of the most warm Christmas celebrations happened in Sydney, on hot Bondi Beach.

Photo: AP, AFP, Getty Images, Reuters/BBC