Since its completion in January 2010, the tallest building in the world has been the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. However, the building called Kingdom Tower, proposed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is expected to be built from 2012 to 2018 and would move Burj Khalifa to the second place spot. Kingdom Tower is expected to be the world's first building that is taller than a kilometer (1000 meters or 3281 feet).
Thus, this list is extremely dynamic and by 2017, the world's current second tallest building, Taipei 101, is expected to be around the 20th tallest building in the world due to numerous tall buildings being constructed in China, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia.
Here is the current official list (as of January 2012) of the eighteen tallest buildings in the world, as recorded by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, based in Chicago.
1. World's Tallest Building: Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Completed in January 2010 with 160 floors which reach 2,716 feet (828 meters) high!
2. Asia's Tallest Building: Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan. Completed in 2004 with 101 floors and a height of 1667 feet (508 meters).
3. China's Tallest Building: Shanghai World Financial Center in Shanghai, China. Completed in 2008 with 101 floors and a height of 1614 feet (492 meters).
4. International Commerce Centre in Hong Kong, China. The International Commerce Centre was completed in 2010 with 108 floors and a height of 1588 feet (484 meters).
5 and 6 (tie). Formerly the world's tallest buildings and known for their distinctive appearance, the Petronas Tower 1 and Petronas Tower 2 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia have gradually been moved down the list of the world's tallest buildings. The Pertonas Towers were completed in 1998 with 88 floors and are each 1483 feet (452 meters) tall.
7. Another new building, completed in 2010 in China, the Zifeng Tower in Nanjing is the world's seventh tallest building at 1476 feet (450 meters) with a mere 66 floors of hotel and office space.
8. Tallest Building in North America: Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower) in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Completed in 1974 with 110 floors and 1451 feet (442 meters).
9. The Kingkey 100 in Shenzhen, China was completed in 2011 and has 100 floors and is 1449 feet (442 meters).
10. The Guangzhou International Finance Center in Guangzhou, China was completed in 2010 with 103 floors at a height of 1439 feet (439 meters).
11. The Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago, Illinois, United States is the second tallest building in the United States and, like the Willis Tower, is also located in Chicago. This Trump property was completed in 2009 with 98 floors and at a height of 1389 feet (423 meters).
12. Jin Mao Building in Shanghai, China. Completed in 1999 with 88 stories and 1380 feet (421 meters).
13. Al Hamra Firdous Tower is an office building in Kuwait City, Kuwait was completed in 2011 at a height of 1354 feet (413 meters) and 77 floors.
14. Two International Finance Centre in Hong Kong, China. Completed in 2003 with 88 floors and 1352 feet (412 meters).
15. CITIC Plaza in Guangzhou, China. Completed in 1996 with 80 floors and 1280 feet (390 meters).
16. Shun Hing Square in Shenzhen, China. Completed in 1996 with 69 floors and 1260 feet (384 meters).
17. Empire State Building in New York, New York state, United States. Completed in 1931 with 102 floors and 1250 feet (381 meters).
18. Central Plaza in Hong Kong, China. Completed in 1992 with 78 floors and 1277 feet (374 meters).
