tallest buildings in the world

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tallest buildings in the world, the highest-standing buildings on the globe, as determined by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), an international nonprofit organization headquartered in Chicago. The CTBUH recognizes a tall building as having 14 or more stories and standing more than 50 meters (165 feet) tall.

The development of tall buildings in the late 18th century came as a result of the coincidence of several technological and social developments. These developments included the installation of the first safe passenger elevator (in the Haughwout Department Store, New York City) in 1857, the use of a cast-iron and wrought-iron framework to support the weight of upper floors, and the refinement of the Bessemer process, first used in the United States in the 1860s, which allowed for the major advance in skyscraper construction. As steel is stronger and lighter than iron, the use of a steel frame made possible the construction of truly tall buildings. Further refinements in the late 20th and early 21st centuries in engineering, materials, and other technologies allowed for even greater construction heights, resulting in buildings that far surpass 14 stories or more. The engineers of the Burj Khalifa, Dubai, for example, used a buttressed core, a kind of concrete spine that runs through an entire structure, to build the tallest building in the world. The list below offers an introduction to a few of the other tallest buildings in the world, many of which have been built in the 21st century in Asia and the Middle East, where construction costs tend to be lower than in other parts of the globe.

rank building location year completed height* (meters) height* (feet) occupied floors
Burj Khalifa (formerly called Burj Dubai), the world's tallest building, opened in 2010. Photo dated 2019. Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Dubayy) 1 Burj Khalifa Dubai, United Arab Emirates 2010 828 2,717 163
2 Merdeka 118 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2023 679 2,227 118
3 Shanghai Tower Shanghai, China 2015 632 2,073 128
4 Makkah Royal Clock Tower Mecca, Saudi Arabia 2012 601 1,972 120
5 Ping An Finance Center Shenzhen, China 2017 599 1,965 115
Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea. 6 Lotte World Tower Seoul, South Korea 2017 555 1,819 123
One World Trade Center rises along the skyline of Lower Manhattan, New York City, New York. Photo dated c. 2019. (Financial District, September 11, 9/11) 7 One World Trade Center New York, New York, U.S. 2014 541 1,776 94
8 Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre Guangzhou, China 2016 530 1,739 111
9 Tianjin CTF Finance Centre Tianjin, China 2019 530 1,739 97
10 CITIC Tower Beijing, China 2018 528 1,731 109
Taipei 101 building, Taipei, Taiwan. 11 Taipei 101 Taipei, Taiwan 2004 508 1,667 101
Shanghai World Financial Centre, Shanghai, China. Aerial of city skyline. 12 Shanghai World Financial Center Shanghai, China 2008 492 1,614 101
13 International Commerce Centre Hong Kong, China 2010 484 1,588 108
14 Wuhan Greenland Center Wuhan, China 2023 476 1,560 101
15 Central Park Tower New York, New York, U.S. 2020 472 1,550 98
16 Lakhta Center Saint Petersburg, Russia 2019 462 1,516 87
17 Vincom Landmark 81 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 2018 461 1,513 81
18 The Exchange 106 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2019 454 1,488 95
19 Changsha IFS Tower T1 Changsha, China 2018 452 1,483 94
The Petronas towers. Twin towers located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tallest building in the world from 1998 to 2003. 20 Petronas Tower 1 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1998 452 1,483 88
Kuala Lumpur skyline with the Petronas Twin Towers, Malaysia. 21 Petronas Tower 2 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1998 452 1,483 88
22 Suzhou IFS Suzhou, China 2019 450 1,476 95
23 Zifeng Tower Nanjing, China 2010 450 1,476 66
24 Wuhan Center Tower Wuhan, China 2019 443 1,454 88
Willis Tower in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Formally known as the Sears Tower. Skyscraper Chicago Loop. 25 Willis Tower Chicago, Illinois, U.S. 1974 442 1,451 108
*To the architectural top, as measured from the level of the lowest significant open-air pedestrian entrance to the topmost architectural feature of the building, including spires but not including antennas, signage, flag poles, or other functional or technical equipment.
Source: Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.