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What are the tallest buildings in the world?

Until 1996, the tallest building in the world was the Sears Tower in Chicago, Illinois. However, in 1996 the Petronas Towers, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, earned the title of world's tallest building. Although the Petronas Towers only has 88 stories, it is 1,240 feet (376 meters) tall without spires and 1,482 feet (452 meters) tall including its spires. The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, which officially ranks tall buildings, ruled that Petronas's spires "count" in its height whereas Sears's antennae don't "count." Thus, Petronas Towers (there are two connected towers) is the new world leader. If you only consider the height of "usable" space, however, the Sears Tower is still the tallest.

Upon completion in 1998, the Jin Mao Building, in Shanghai, China, will become the world's third tallest building. Standing at 1,379 feet (420 meters), the Jin Mao Building...

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