A remarkable rise: UAE has third most skyscrapers in the world


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The UAE's remarkable journey from a desert land to striking urban metropolis has been a soaring success.

A major part of the country's rapid development - and the transformation of its landscape - has been the rise of the skyscraper.

Armed with a vision to build the nation from the ground up, its leaders have long held sky-high ambition and an ability to think big.

Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, highlighted the UAE's towering achievements after revealing the country has the third largest number of skyscrapers (structures standing at least 150 metres) in the world.

Sheikh Saif shared an Instagram post from @worldwide_engineering to his two million followers on Twitter, detailing the swift increase in the number of skyscrapers built across the globe.

It lays bare the speed of construction in the UAE, which does not feature in the top 10 list until 2005, and then only with less than 30 skyscrapers to its name.

The Emirates now ranks alongside Japan with 251, behind only the US (800) and world-leading China (2,055), countries with much larger land mass and greater scope for development, according to the data.

The shimmering jewel in the crown remains the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building at a cloud-piercing 828 metres.

The iconic building has maintained its place in the record books since opening on January 4, 2010.

Shanghai Tower is next on the lofty list at 632 metres, with Makkah Royal Clock Tower in Saudi Arabia (601 metres),  Ping An Finance Centre in Shenzhen, China (599.1 metres) and Seoul's Lotte World Tower (554.5 metres) making up the formidable top five compiled by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.

While it stands above the rest in the UAE, the Burj Khalifa is far from alone in a country packed with super structures.

The country is home to 28 buildings which are at least 300-metres high.

Seventeen of the 20 tallest buildings can be found in Dubai, with Abu Dhabi boasting the fifth highest in the form of the residential apartment block Burj Mohammed bin Rashid (381.2 metres), before the imperious Adnoc headquarters (342 metres) in 14th and The Landmark (324 metres), a residential and office complex, in 20th position.

The UAE's 10 tallest buildings:

1: Burj Khalifa (828 metres) - Dubai

2: Marina 101 (425 metres) - Dubai

3: Princess Tower (413.4 metres) - Dubai

4: 23 Marina (392.4 metres) - Dubai

5: Burj Mohammed bin Rashid (381.2 metres) - Abu Dhabi

6: Elite Residence (380.5 metres) - Dubai

7: The Address Boulevard (370 metres) - Dubai

8: Almas Tower (360 metres) - Dubai

9: Gevora Hotel (356.3 metres) - Dubai

10: JW Marriott Marquis Hotel (355.4 metres - both towers) - Dubai

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

The specs

Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors

Transmission: two-speed

Power: 671hp

Torque: 849Nm

Range: 456km

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WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5