When speaking of the tallest buildings in the world, it is important to specify exactly what is being measured. Listers must decide if the building is to be measured from sidewalk level or below, whether or not TV towers or masts are included, and whether an antenna, flagpole, or spire should count. A building is considered to differ from a tower in its primary use, being designed for residential, business, manufacturing, or mixed use, whereas a tower is not.

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, formerly the Joint Committee on Tall Buildings in conjunction with Emporis Buildings, is the authoritative source for information about the tallest buildings in the world, and their list of the tallest buildings, drawn from an extensive database, is based on the height of the building to the structural or architectural top, which includes spires and pinnacles, but does not include antennas, masts, or flagpoles. Prior to 9/11, the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, New York were ranked fifth - 1,368 ft (417 m) – and sixth – 1,362 ft (415 m) – on the list of the tallest buildings in the world.

Interesting facts:

• The tallest building in the world, Taipei 101, is nearly 200 feet (61 m) taller than the next tallest building.
• Of the top ten tallest buildings in the world, all are either in Asia or the United States.
• Of the top 20 tallest buildings in the world, the most, five, are in China, with four in Hong Kong, three in Chicago, and two each in Taiwan and Kuala Lumpur.
• In the top 100 tallest buildings in the world, the only ones completed prior to 1969 are all in New York City and were completed between 1930 and 1932. They are: the Trump Building, originally called the Bank of Manhattan Trust Building, and the Chrysler Building – 1930; the Empire State Building – 1931; and the American International – 1932.
• In the top 200 tallest buildings in the world there are:
  • 25 in New York City
  • 17 in Hong Kong
  • 13 in Shanghai
  • 12 in Chicago.
  • 8 in Dubai
  • 7 in Singapore
  • 6 each in Tokyo, Seoul, Sydney and Houston
  • 5 in Kuala Lumpur and Shenzhen, China
  • 4 each in Los Angeles and Melbourne and Toronto and Atlanta

TALLEST BUILDINGS IN THE WORLD
Number	Building	City	Height	Floors	Year	Architect
1.	Taipei 101	Taipei , Taiwan	1,671 ft (509 m)	101	2004	C.Y. Lee & Partners
2.	Petronas Tower 1	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	1,483 ft (452 m)	88	1998	Cesar Pelli & Associates Architects, Adamson Associates, RSP Architects Planners & Engineers Private Limited
3.	Petronas Tower 2	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	1,483 ft (452 m)	88	1998	Cesar Pelli & Associates Architects, Adamson Associates, RSP Architects Planners & Engineers Private Limited
4.	Sears Tower	Chicago, IL USA	1,451 ft (442 m)	108	1974	Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
5.	Jin Mao Tower	Shanghai, China	1,380 ft (421 m)	88	1998	Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, The Shanghai Institute of Architectural Design (SIADR), East China Architectural Design & Research Institute Co. Ltd.
6.	Two International Finance Centre	Hong Kong	1,362 ft (415 m)	88	2003	Rocco Design Limited, Cesar Pelli & Associates Architects
7.	CITIC Plaza	Guangzhou, China	1,283 ft (391 m)	80	1997	DLN Architects & Engineers
8.	Shun Hing Square	Shenzhen, China	1,260 ft (384 m)	69	1996	K.Y. Cheung Design Associates
9.	Empire State Building	New York City, NY, USA	1,250 ft (381 m)	102	1931	Shreve, Lamb & Harmon Associates
10.	Central Plaza	Hong Kong	1,227 ft (374 m)	78	1992	DLN Architects & Engineers

© Emporis 7/2006