The 16 Skyscraper Capitals Of The World

Do cities build skylines because of the land that is saved by building up, or are the towering skylines that are common in cities across the world nothing more than monuments to capitalism and corporate egos?

In a world where billion dollar skyscrapers sit mostly empty while at the same time housing shortages are contributing to a severe unaffordability crisis, it’s likely that both of these things are true.

To find out which places around the world have gone all-in in the competition for skyline dominance, read our list ranking the sixteen cities with the most skyscrapers, from 16 to 1, below. 

Data provided by Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats 

Population – 20.4 Million

Total Number Of Skyscrapers – 152

Buildings > 150m (492 ft) – 106

Buildings > 200m (656 ft) –  45

Buildings > 300m (984 ft) –  1

Tallest Buildings

Palais Royale – 320m (1,049 ft)

Lokhandwala Minerva – 301m (987 ft)

Piramal Aranya Arav – 282m (925 ft)

Population – 10.7 Million

Total Number Of Skyscrapers – 170

Buildings > 150m (492 ft) – 117

Buildings > 200m (656 ft) –  51

Buildings > 300m (984 ft) –  2

Tallest Buildings

Autograph Tower – 382m (1,253 ft)

Luminary Tower – 304m (997 ft)

Gama Tower – 288m (944 ft)

Population – 13.5 Million

Total Number Of Skyscrapers – 169

Buildings > 150m (492 ft) – 127

Buildings > 200m (656 ft) –  42

Buildings > 300m (984 ft) –  0

Tallest Buildings

Tiantou International Business Center 1 – 284m (931 ft)

International Commerce Center Tower 1 – 280m (918 ft)

La Cadiere Center Block B – 249m (816 ft)

Population – 10.5 Million

Total Number Of Skyscrapers – 164

Buildings > 150m (492 ft) – 127

Buildings > 200m (656 ft) –  34

Buildings > 300m (984 ft) –  3

Tallest Buildings

Magnolias Waterfront Residences Iconsiam – 318m (1,043 ft)

King Power MahaNakhon – 314m (1,031 ft)

Baiyoke Tower II – 304m (1,014 ft)

Population – 2.7 Million

Total Number Of Skyscrapers – 182

Buildings > 150m (492 ft) – 137

Buildings > 200m (656 ft) –  38

Buildings > 300m (984 ft) –  7

Tallest Buildings

Willis Tower – 442m (1,451 ft)

401 N. Wabash – 423m (1,388 ft)

St. Regis Chicago – 363m (1,198 ft)

Population – 15.8 Million

Total Number Of Skyscrapers – 215

Buildings > 150m (492 ft) – 149

Buildings > 200m (656 ft) –  61

Buildings > 300m (984 ft) –  5

Tallest Buildings

Raffles City Chongqing T3N – 354m (1,161 ft)

Raffles City Chongqing T4N – 354m (1,161 ft)

Chongqing World Financial Center – 338m (1,108 ft)

Population – 9.7 Million

Total Number Of Skyscrapers – 213

Buildings > 150m (492 ft) – 175

Buildings > 200m (656 ft) –  37

Buildings > 300m (984 ft) –  1

Tallest Buildings

Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower – 325m (1,068 ft)

Nihonbashi 1 – Chōme Central District Redevelopment – 284m (932 ft)

Toranomon Hills Station Tower – 266m (872 ft)

Population – 10.3 Million

Total Number Of Skyscrapers – 271

Buildings > 150m (492 ft) – 193

Buildings > 200m (656 ft) –  71

Buildings > 300m (984 ft) –  7

Tallest Buildings

Wuhan Greenland Center – 475m (1,558 ft)

Wuhan Center – 443m (1,453 ft)

Riverview Plaza A1 – 376m (1,233 ft)

Population – 1.9 Million

Total Number Of Skyscrapers – 265

Buildings > 150m (492 ft) – 193

Buildings > 200m (656 ft) –  66

Buildings > 300m (984 ft) –  6

Tallest Buildings

Merdeka 118 – 679m (2,227 ft)

Petronas Tower 1 – 452m (1,483 ft)

Petronas Tower 2 – 452m (1,483 ft)

Population – 27 Million

Total Number Of Skyscrapers – 275

Buildings > 150m (492 ft) – 198

Buildings > 200m (656 ft) –  70

Buildings > 300m (984 ft) –  7

Tallest Buildings

Shanghai Tower – 632m (2,073 ft)

Shanghai World Financial Center – 492m (1,614 ft)

Jin Mao Tower – 421m (1,380 ft)

Population – 16 Million

Total Number Of Skyscrapers – 279

Buildings > 150m (492 ft) – 204

Buildings > 200m (656 ft) –  64

Buildings > 300m (984 ft) –  11

Tallest Buildings

Guangzhou CFT Finance Center – 530m (1,739 ft)

Guangzhou International Finance Center – 438m (1,439 ft)

CITIC Plaza – 391m (1,283 ft)

Population – 3.5 Million

Total Number Of Skyscrapers – 433

Buildings > 150m (492 ft) – 270

Buildings > 200m (656 ft) –  130

Buildings > 300m (984 ft) –  33

Tallest Buildings

Burj Khalifa – 828m (2,717 ft)

Marina 101 – 425m (1,394 ft)

Princess Tower – 414m (1,358 ft)

Population – 8.8 Million

Total Number Of Skyscrapers – 432

Buildings > 150m (492 ft) – 317

Buildings > 200m (656 ft) –  98

Buildings > 300m (984 ft) –  17

Tallest Buildings

One World Trade Center – 541m (1,776 ft)

Central Park Tower – 472m (1,550 ft)

111 West 57th Street – 435m (1,428 ft)

Population – 12.3 Million

Total Number Of Skyscrapers – 650

Buildings > 150m (492 ft) – 444

Buildings > 200m (656 ft) –  185

Buildings > 300m (984 ft) –  21

Tallest Buildings

Ping An Finance Center – 599m (1,966 ft)

KK100 – 441m (1,449 ft)

China Merchants Bank Tower – 393m (1,289 ft)

Population – 7.5 Million

Total Number Of Skyscrapers – 697

Buildings > 150m (492 ft) – 589

Buildings > 200m (656 ft) –  102

Buildings > 300m (984 ft) –  6

Tallest Buildings

International Commerce Center – 481m (1,588 ft)

Two International Finance Center – 412m (1,352 ft)

Central Plaza – 374m (1,227 ft)