The World's 20 Tallest Skylines

A city can be judged on many factors, but its skyline is the first thing visitors notice. If a city builds record-breaking skyscrapers, it’s guaranteed to build a world-class reputation as well. From New York to Singapore, here’s where to find the tallest skylines on Earth.

Buildworld compiled this list after analyzing a database of more than 100,000 skyscrapers and high-rise buildings. Rather than limiting the study to megatall structures (those exceeding 600 meters), the building material retailer averaged the heights of each city’s 50 tallest buildings to capture a more accurate picture of its skyline.

Dubai in the United Arab Emirates boasts the world’s most impressive skyline in addition to the tallest individual skyscraper. The average height of its biggest buildings comes out to 323.9 meters, or 1062.6 feet. The Burj Khalifa—the tallest building in Dubai as well as anywhere on Earth—tops out at 2716.5 feet, for comparison.

Behind it is New York City, where iconic skyscrapers like 1 World Trade Center and the Empire State Building help push its skyline to an average height of 299.1 meters, or 981.2 feet. Chinese cities take up the most spots on the list, with Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Guangzhou coming in third, fourth, and fifth place, respectively.

When it comes to impressive buildings, some cities have prioritized quantity over height. After reading the list below, check out the cities around the world with the most skyscrapers here.

The 20 Tallest Skylines on Earth

Dubai // United Arab Emirites
New York City // United States
Shenzhen // China
Shanghai // China
Guangzhou // China
Chicago // United States
Hong Kong
Chongqing // China
Kuala Lumpur // Malaysia
Wuhan // China
Jakarta // Indonesia
Mumbai // India
Tianjin // China
Nanning // China
Bangkok // Thailand
Singapore
Nanjing // China
Tokyo // Japan
Toronto // Canada
Melbourne // Australia

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