Tallest Buildings Table
| Building | City | Height | Floors | Built |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burj Khalifa | Dubai | 828 m | 163 | 2010 |
| Merdeka Maybank Tower | Kuala Lumpur | 678.9 m | 118 | 2024 |
| Shanghai Tower | Shanghai | 632 m | 128 | 2015 |
| Mecca Royal Clock Tower | Mecca | 601 m | 120 | 2012 |
| Ping An Finance Centre | Shenzhen | 599.1 m | 115 | 2017 |
| Lotte World Tower | Seoul | 554.5 m | 123 | 2017 |
| One World Trade Center | New York City | 541.3 m | 104 | 2014 |
| Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre | Guangzhou | 530 m | 111 | 2016 |
| Taipei 101 | Taipei | 508 m | 101 | 2004 |
| Shanghai World Financial Center | Shanghai | 492 m | 101 | 2008 |
| Central Park Tower | New York City | 472.4 m | 98 | 2021 |
| Lakhta Center | Saint Petersburg | 462 m | 87 | 2019 |
| Landmark 81 | Ho Chi Minh City | 461.2 m | 81 | 2018 |
| International Land-Sea Center | Chongqing | 458 m | 98 | 2024 |
| The Exchange 106 | Kuala Lumpur | 453.6 m | 95 | 2019 |
| Changsha IFS T1 | Changsha | 452.1 m | 94 | 2018 |
| Petronas Tower 1 | Kuala Lumpur | 451.9 m | 88 | 1998 |
| Zifeng Tower | Nanjing | 450 m | 89 | 2010 |
| Willis Tower | Chicago | 442.1 m | 108 | 1974 |
| KK100 | Shenzhen | 441.8 m | 98 | 2011 |
| 111 West 57th Street | New York City | 435.3 m | 84 | 2021 |
| Shandong International Financial Center | Jinan | 428 m | 88 | 2025 |
| One Vanderbilt | New York City | 427 m | 62 | 2020 |
| Marina 101 | Dubai | 425 m | 101 | 2017 |
| Trump International Hotel and Tower | Chicago | 423.2 m | 98 | 2009 |
| Minying International Trade Center T2 | Dongguan | 422.6 m | 85 | 2021 |
| Princess Tower | Dubai | 413.4 m | 101 | 2012 |
| Al Hamra Tower | Kuwait City | 412.6 m | 80 | 2011 |
| International Finance Centre | Hong Kong | 412 m | 88 | 2003 |
| Haeundae LCT The Sharp Landmark Tower | Busan | 411.6 m | 101 | 2019 |
Burj Khalifa has ruled the list since 2010 - 16 years and counting at 828 m, a full 149 m above Merdeka 118 in second place, which is itself a bigger lead than separates #2 from #10. Before Dubai, no building had held the crown that long since the Empire State Building's four-decade run.
Bottom line: this is an Asian and Gulf table now. Of the 30 tallest completed buildings, 11 stand in greater China and 5 in the Gulf states; the tallest in the United States is One World Trade Center at #7, and the tallest in Europe does not make the list at all.
One rule keeps the list honest: CTBUH architectural height, measured to the top of spires and sculptural tops but excluding antennas and masts. That single convention decided both famous disputes - Petronas Towers (spires) over Sears Tower (antennas) in 1996, and One World Trade Center's 541 m spire-inclusive figure over anything in North America since.
How to use
- Read heights as architectural height in meters - the CTBUH standard that counts spires but not antennas, which is why One World Trade Center (541 m with spire) sits below Shanghai Tower and why Sears Tower lost its 1998 crown to Petronas Towers.
- The Built column is completion year, not announcement year - the race moved fast: all 30 of these towers were finished within the 20 years from 2004 to 2024, except Taipei 101 (2004) anchoring the era's start.
- City tells the cluster story faster than country: Dubai, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Mecca and New York each hold multiple rows, and the top of the list has left North America entirely.
Frequently asked questions
What is the tallest building in the world?
Burj Khalifa in Dubai, 828 m (2,717 ft), completed 2010 - tallest by a wide margin for over a decade. The runners-up, Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur (678.9 m) and Shanghai Tower (632 m), are the only others above 600 m.
Why is One World Trade Center ranked below shorter-looking buildings?
Because its 541 m figure includes a 124 m spire, and CTBUH rules count spires but not antennas. The same rule crowned Petronas Towers (451.9 m with spires) over Chicago's Sears Tower (442 m roof, 527 m with antennas) in 1996 - the most argued ranking decision in skyscraper history.
Which country has the most supertall buildings?
China, by a wide margin: 11 of the 30 tallest completed buildings stand in greater China (mainland plus Hong Kong), against 5 in the Gulf states and 6 in the United States. The council's database tracks well over a hundred 300 m-plus towers in China alone.
What taller buildings are being built right now?
Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia is designed to pass 1,000 m but remains under construction with no fixed completion date, which is exactly why it is not on this table - the list counts completed buildings only, per CTBUH convention. Under-construction entries would make the list a promise instead of a record.