In 1998, the brand-new Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia became the tallest buildings in the world, standing at 1,483 feet and edging out Chicago's Sears Tower by just 33 feet.
Since then, there has been an explosion in the number of skyscrapers worldwide — and they keep getting taller. The current title-holder, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, stands more than 1,000 feet taller than the Petronas Towers, which have fallen all the way to 15th on the global list.
There are seven more skyscrapers under construction — all in Asia — that will top out at over 1,600 feet. The tallest among them, Saudi Arabia's Jeddah Tower, will be the first building to ever surpass the 3,000-feet mark. Collectively, the increase in skyscrapers is a symbol of Asia's emergence onto the international business stage, as The New York Times put it.