UAE second only to China for 2011 skyscrapers

Dubai's skyline continues to evolve. Photo: Juliet Fenty.

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The UAE saw a total of 16 200m+ skyscrapers built last year, second only to China, according to the Chicago-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH).

Its annual report showed China topping the global list with 23 skyscrapers above 200 metres tall, followed by the UAE (16), South Korea (11), Panama (10) and Qatar (8).

Panama City (Panama) came first in the cities category with 10 skyscrapers, followed by Busan (South Korea) and Abu Dhabi which shared second position with nine buildings each.

Doha (8) and Dubai (7) were placed in the third and fourth positions respectively.

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The report said: "It had been expected that skyscraper completions would drop off very sharply after 2011, as a result of the 2008 global financial crisis and the large number of projects put on hold.

"Now however, due in large part to the continuing high activity of skyscraper design and construction in China, as well as the development of several relatively new markets, this global dip is no longer expected. The effect this will have on the skylines of the world will be tremendous."

The buildings completed in 2011 have effected a significant change in the world’s tallest 100 buildings, with 17 new buildings added to the list.

In terms of location, Asia, now with 46 of the 100, continues to edge toward containing half of the world’s tallest buildings.

The Middle East saw an increase of three, while Europe fell to only one building in the tallest 100, said the report.

Last month, a report by Barclays Capital identified an "unhealthy" link between the construction of enormous skyscrapers with looming financial crises.

It cited the Burj Khalifa as one of four examples where the construction of major landmark building have been followed by major economic problems.

China is currently the biggest builder of skyscrapers, while booming India is constructing the second largest tower in the world, the group said in its latest annual Skyscraper Index survey.

"Our Skyscraper Index continues to show an unhealthy correlation between construction of the next world's tallest building and an impending financial crisis - New York 1930; Chicago 1974; Kuala Lumpur 1997 and Dubai 2010," Barclays Capital said.