Yingli International Finance Centre, Chongqing — 945 feet Chongqing, the largest administrative municipality in China, is in the middle of the country. Historically, because of its remote location, it was a place for weapons RnD. More recently its industrial output has diversified, though it doesn't make good for export, being so far from coastal shipping lanes. Instead, its $158.9 billion GDP goes towards making goods for domestic consumption. Photo: ylifc.com

Leatop Plaza, Guangzhou — 993 feet The Leatop Plaza is also very tall. While Dubai's construction boom has been driving largely by oil wealth, Guangzhou's boom is driven by the larger demographic forces in China that are driving people into cities as the population urbanizes. Guangzhou is China's third largest city and as a result is feeling a great deal of that pressure. Photo: Rainer Viertlboeck

#8. Pearl River Tower, Guangzhou — 1,015 feet The Pearl River Tower has been held up as a exemplar for China's future in green skyscrapers. Designed by Chicago architect Gordon Gill, its curvy form directs wind into turbines that help power the lights. Photo: heyitschili/Flickr

#7. Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower, Hanoi — 1,102 feet Yes, that's right. The 7th tallest building put up this year was erected in Vietnam. The Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower is part of a complex that will be used by large companies such as telecoms giant VNPT and Vietnam's largest bank. Vietnam has become an agricultureal powerhouse. It produces 1/3 of the world's cashews and 1/3 of the world's black pepper. It is second only to Thailand in rice exports. Vietnam is also currently the third largest oil producer in Southeast Asia. Photo: Wikimedia

#6. JW Marriott Marquis Hotel, Dubai — 1,166 feet Dubai's current role as free trade and tourist hub is a recent transformation. In 1947, it nearly went to war with nearby Abu Dhabi; after the discovery of oil in the 1960s, the UAE was formed in 1971. Dubai's big break came after the first Gulf War. Fears of further unrest in places like Kuwait and Bahrain brought traders to the relatively stable Dubai, sparking off an incredibly rapid boom of development over the past decade that has seen multiple instances of record-breaking architecture and maniacal landscaping. The pace of change in the region is such that the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai's website still claims it is "the world's tallest hotel." Photo: JW Marquis Facebook Page

#5. The Pinnacle, Guangzhou — 1,181 feet This is our first non-middle-eastern entry and our first office tower. Get used to seeing Guangzhou in this list. As one of China's key national transportation hubs and trading ports, it's a city that's seen a lot of construction as manufacturing in the Pearl Delta region continues to expand. Photo: Wikimedia

#4. Elite Residence, Dubai — 1,248 feet Dubai again. The Elite Residence was developed by Tameer, the same firm that built the Princess Tower (second tallest building of 2012). The firm promises "a statement of luxury living in a city that has it all." Did you know that the earliest recorded settlement in Dubai was only in 1799? Photo: Tameer

#2. Princess Tower, Dubai — 1,356 feet Part of the art of superlatives is defining your terms carefully. The Princess Tower in Dubai is the tallest residential tower in the world. It's bizarre to imagine these record-breaking properties as places where people might just live, but according to Just Rentals, a two bedroom apartment will run you about $2,900 US per month. #3. 23 Marina, Dubai — 1,289 feet 23 Marina lost its place as tallest residential tower shortly after construction, when the Princess Tower took up the mantle. The penthouse is available for sale on Facebook. Photo: Tameer