The table above ends (bottom right) on the year 2055. This marks the end of the full 60 year cycle. 12 ANIMALS, 5 elements, 12X5=60.
The whole sequence starting with Yang Fire Rat begins again in 2056. That cycle then completes in the (Gregorian callender) year of 3015 when it will again be the year of the Yin Wood Pig.

If we are lucky, each of us has our own 'special' day twice in a lifetime. The first is the day we are born. The next is our 60th birthday. For instance, I was born in 1952, the year of the Yang Water Dragon. If I live another 4 years I reach the age of 60. The table above then confirms that 'my' year, the year of the Yang Water Dragon begins January 23rd 2012. It would require more than just luck to live long enough to have 'my' day again because it won't come around again until I am 120!

Why is the Rat considered as the first of the animals? The story goes: The Jade Emperor wanted a measurement of time so he commanded certain animals to race across a river. Noticing that the Ox seemed bound to win the race, a Rat and a Cat climed on to it back and enjoyed the ride.
As the Ox neared the bank, the Rat pushed the Cat off. The Cat drowned - and that is why the Chinese Zodiac does not have a 'year of the Cat'. Furthermore, as the Ox came even nearer to the bank, the Rat climed on to the Ox's head a jumped to the shore from there. The Rat bent the rules, that's for sure. Nevertheless the Rat won the race. Therefore in the Chinese Zodiac it is considered that the first is the Rat, second is the Ox, and then there is the Tiger ... and so on. There are other myths that give a variety of accounts as to how or why the animals that followed did so and how come it happened to be in that order ... but those are stories can wait a while; they can wait untill the time is right.