From soaring skylines in East Asia to vertical expansions in the Middle East, skyscrapers have become defining features of modern urban landscapes. Some of these metropolises are even best known the world over for reaching for the heavens, like New York or Hong Kong. But not all cities build upwards equally. Some have turned high-rise architecture and once-impossible feats of modern engineering into a signature, driven by population density, land constraints, and economic ambition. According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), which maintains a database of high-rise structures, the following destinations below are the cities with the highest number of completed buildings over 150 meters (roughly 492 feet) in height. The rankings, updated as of July 2025, offer a fascinating glimpse into where and why the world is building tall. These are the cities with the most skyscrapers on the planet.
A version of this article originally appeared in Condé Nast Traveller India.
What counts as a skyscraper?
As per this data, a skyscraper refers to a completed building that is at least 150 meters (about 492 feet) tall. This benchmark is widely accepted in urban development and architectural databases as the minimum height for a high-rise structure to be classified as a skyscraper.
Where is the data from?
The rankings are based on the latest figures (as of July 2025) from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH). The CTBUH tracks the height, construction status, and structural details of buildings worldwide, including commercial, residential, and mixed-use towers.
Does this data change often?
Yes. In fast-growing cities, especially in Asia and the Middle East, new skyscrapers are completed regularly, shifting the rankings every few months. The data in this story reflects the most recent available snapshot from CTBUH at the time of publication.
1. Hong Kong: over 550 skyscrapers
No city in the world has embraced vertical living like Hong Kong. With over 550 completed buildings taller than about 490 feet, the skyline is a forest of high-rises squeezed between mountainous terrain and the sea. A shortage of flat land, coupled with rapid economic growth in the late 20th century, made vertical development inevitable. Many of Hong Kong’s residential skyscrapers are tightly packed and uniform, while commercial landmarks like the International Commerce Centre and Bank of China Tower punctuate the skyline with dramatic architectural flair.
2. Shenzhen, China: over 380 skyscrapers
Shenzhen’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric. From a fishing village in the 1970s to a megacity with over 380 skyscrapers, it represents China’s model of hyper-urbanization. Home to some of the tallest buildings in the world, including the Ping An Finance Center, Shenzhen’s vertical expansion is tightly linked to its identity as a tech and manufacturing powerhouse. The city’s skyscrapers are not just tall but often architecturally ambitious, part of a broader plan to position it as a global design hub.
3. New York City, USA: over 320 skyscrapers
