More than half of the world’s 30 tallest buildings have been completed since 2010. Most of them sit in just three countries.
How to Play: Guess if the building on the right is HIGHER or LOWER than the one on the left.
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Top 10 Tallest Buildings
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) maintains the official global ranking. Its rules are strict: heights are measured from the lowest significant pedestrian entrance to the architectural top, including spires but excluding antennas and flagpoles.
China alone holds more than half of the global top 100. The United Arab Emirates and the United States are the next two, far behind.
| # | Name | Height (m) | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burj Khalifa (Dubai) | 828 | meters |
| 2 | Merdeka 118 (Kuala Lumpur) | 678.90 | meters |
| 3 | Shanghai Tower (Shanghai) | 632 | meters |
| 4 | Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower (Mecca) | 601 | meters |
| 5 | Ping An Finance Center (Shenzhen) | 599 | meters |
| 6 | Lotte World Tower (Seoul) | 555.70 | meters |
| 7 | One World Trade Center (New York) | 541.30 | meters |
| 8 | Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre | 530 | meters |
| 9 | Tianjin CTF Finance Centre | 530 | meters |
| 10 | CITIC Tower (Beijing) | 527.70 | meters |
How Tall Buildings Are Measured
The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) is the global authority on tall-building height. It defines three official measures: ‘Height to Architectural Top’ (the headline figure used here), ‘Highest Occupied Floor’, and ‘Height to Tip’ (which can include broadcast antennas).
Burj Khalifa’s 828 m has held the global title since 2010, and the gap to second place is enormous — almost 150 m. The Saudi Arabian Jeddah Tower, designed at over 1,000 m, would dethrone it, but construction has been stalled for years.
Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur claimed the second spot in 2023 after its spire was officially measured. Its design includes a sculptural spire that is often debated under CTBUH rules — some critics argue it adds ‘vanity height’ that the building proper does not warrant. CTBUH rules accept spires as architectural elements.
China’s dominance is recent. In 2000 the world’s 30 tallest skylines included only a handful of Chinese cities. By 2024, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong each have multiple 400 m+ buildings. Chinese developers built more 200 m+ skyscrapers between 2010 and 2024 than the rest of the world combined.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is the Burj Khalifa?
The Burj Khalifa stands at 828 m to its architectural top, with 163 occupied floors. It has been the world’s tallest building since opening in 2010.
What is the second-tallest building?
Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, completed in 2023, is officially the world’s second-tallest at 678.9 m.
Why is Petronas Towers no longer in the top 10?
When the Petronas Twin Towers opened in 1998 they were the world’s tallest at 451.9 m. Since 2010, more than 20 buildings have surpassed them.
Will the Burj Khalifa be overtaken?
The planned Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, designed at over 1,000 m, would surpass Burj Khalifa if completed. Construction has been on hold since 2018 and resumed in late 2023, but no opening date is confirmed.
Note: Heights are CTBUH-recognized ‘Height to Architectural Top’ in meters as of late 2024. Buildings under construction are excluded.
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