List of buildings with 100 floors or more
Buildings cancelled
Table:
Structure
City
Country
Floors
Height to architectural top
Remarks

Nakheel Tower
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
230
1,000 m (3,300 ft)
The Tower was announced in 2008. The project was halted in 2009 due to financial problems, and it was cancelled in December 2009.

Chicago World Trade Center
Chicago
United States
210
762 m (2,500 ft)

Proposed in 1982 and cancelled in the 1990s.

Sky City
Changsha
China
202
838 m (2,749 ft)
The building was set to break ground in June 2013, aiming to be the world's tallest building. However, on July 25, 2013 the project was halted due to insufficient permission. In February 2015 it was reported that the construction would continue in 2016, but needed to be approved by the national level (for buildings over 350 meters only). Later, in July 2015, no work had been done there for two years. Some of the material they planned to use to build were now used by local villagers, probably removing them to make a fishing pond.[citation needed]

Incheon Tower
Incheon
South Korea
151
613 m (2,011 ft)
Foundation work started at 2008. Construction halted 2009.

Chicago Spire
Chicago
United States
150
610 m (2,000 ft)
Foundation work started on what would have been the world's tallest residential building. The project was cancelled in 2008 after a troubled financial history. In March 2014, new funding required to restart the project was announced. However, on October 31, 2014, the developer failed to make a required payment to Related Midwest and Related filed suit to compel Shelbourne to turn over the deed to the property.[9][10][11]

Wuhan Greenland Center
Wuhan
China
126
636 m (2,087 ft)
Had to be redesigned as a 97-story building to maintain safe approaches to the local airport.

Wuhan Chow Tai Fook Finance Centre
Wuhan
China
121
648 m (2,126 ft)

Originally it was going to have 648 meters and 121 floors, but it was reduced to a building of 475 meters and 85 floors.

Miglin-Beitler Skyneedle
Chicago
United States
125
610 m (2,000 ft)
The project was cancelled in 1993 because of the Persian Gulf War.

Crown Las Vegas
Las Vegas
United States
142
575 m (1,886 ft)
The tower was announced in 2006. After two major redesigns, the project was officially cancelled in March 2008.

Kowloon MTR Tower
Hong Kong
China
102
574 m (1,883 ft)
Now built as the International Commerce Center.

Anara Tower
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
135
600 m (2,000 ft)
cancelled in 2009

Seoul Light Tower
Seoul
South Korea
133
643 m (2,110 ft)
This building was the proposed landmark building of Digital Media City. Its construction started in 2008, but it was cancelled at 2011 because of conflict between the City of Seoul and the developer company.

India Tower
Mumbai
India
126
718 m (2,356 ft)
Foundation work began in 2010, but construction halted in 2011, and was cancelled as of 2015.

Baoneng Shenyang Global Financial Center
Shenyang
China
114
568 m (1,864 ft)
Construction stard at 2014, construction halted in 2019, and was cancelled construction as of 10 October 2019.

Old Chicago Main Post Office Twin Towers
Chicago
United States
120
610 m (2,000 ft)
The project was approved on July 18, 2013 and it was cancelled in December 2014.

New York Stock Exchange Tower
New York City
United States
140
546 m (1,791 ft)
The tower was cancelled in 2001 because of 9/11.

Busan Lotte Town Tower
Busan
South Korea
107
510 m (1,670 ft)
On Hold since 2013, to resume in 2018, was cancelled in 2019.

Peachtree Financial Tower
Atlanta
United States
119
448 m (1,470 ft)
This building was announced in 2008 but the project was cancelled in 2012.

Russia Tower
Moscow
Russia
118
612 m (2,008 ft)
Construction started and a cornerstone was laid. The project was cancelled in 2009.

Grollo Tower
Melbourne
Australia
113
560 m (1,840 ft)
The tower was proposed in 1997. After a major redesign, the project was officially cancelled in 2004.

Drawing on the given table along with the textual context listed at the end.

Provide an answer to this question: How many meters tall was the building that was planned to be 113 floors originally proposed to be ? Respond with the correct answer (omit explanations) in JSON format as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Base your answer solely on the given information.

Nakheel Tower ( Arabic : برج نخيل ) was a proposed skyscraper in Dubai , United Arab Emirates by developer Nakheel . The project was previously called Al Burj ( Arabic : البرج The Tower ) . In January 2009 , it was announced that the project was put on hold due to financial problems . As a result of the Dubai World 2009 debt standstill , Nakheel Group 's financial problems increased considerably and the tower was consequently cancelled in December 2009 . Nakheel was in talks with several potential contractors , including South Korea 's Samsung C & T ( who also built Burj Khalifa ) , Japanese Shimizu Corporation and Australian Grocon . WSP was Lead Consultant for the structure , heading a consortium that included LERA of New York and VDM of Australia , and working with architects Woods Bagot .
Dubai ( /duːˈbaɪ/ doo-BY ; Arabic : دبي Dubay , Gulf Arabic : Arabic pronunciation : [ dʊˈbɑj ] ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai . Located in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula on the coast of the Persian Gulf , Dubai aims to be the business hub of Western Asia . It is also a major global transport hub for passengers and cargo . Oil revenue helped accelerate the development of the city , which was already a major mercantile hub . Today , less than 5% of the emirate 's revenue comes from oil . A centre for regional and international trade since the early 20th century , Dubai 's economy relies on revenues from trade , tourism , aviation , real estate , and financial services .
The United Arab Emirates ( UAE ; Arabic : الإمارات العربية المتحدة al-ʾImārāt al-ʿArabīyyah al-Muttaḥidah ) , sometimes simply called the Emirates ( Arabic : الإمارات al-ʾImārāt ) , is a country in Western Asia at the northeast end of the Arabian Peninsula on the Persian Gulf , bordering Oman to the east and Saudi Arabia to the south and west , as well as sharing maritime borders with Qatar to the west and Iran to the north . The sovereign constitutional monarchy is a federation of seven emirates consisting of Abu Dhabi ( which serves as the capital ) , Ajman , Dubai , Fujairah , Ras Al Khaimah , Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain . Their boundaries are complex , with numerous enclaves within the various emirates . Each emirate is governed by a ruler ; together , they jointly form the Federal Supreme Council . One of the rulers serves as the President of the United Arab Emirates . In 2013 , the UAE 's population was 9.2 million , of which 1.4 million are Emirati citizens and 7.8 million are expatriates . Human occupation of the present UAE has been traced back to the emergence of anatomically modern humans from Africa some 125,000 BCE through finds at the Faya-1 site in Mleiha , Sharjah . Burial sites dating back to the Neolithic Age and the Bronze Age include the oldest known such inland site at Jebel Buhais . Known as Magan to the Sumerians , the area was home to a prosperous Bronze Age trading culture during the Umm Al Nar period , which traded between the Indus Valley , Bahrain and Mesopotamia as well as Iran , Bactria and the Levant . The ensuing Wadi Suq period and three Iron Ages saw the emergence of nomadism as well as the development of water management and irrigation systems supporting human settlement in both the coast and interior . The Islamic age of the UAE dates back to the expulsion of the Sasanians and the subsequent Battle of Dibba . The UAE 's long history of trade led to the emergence of Julfar , in the present-day emirate of Ras Al Khaimah , as a major regional trading and maritime hub in the area .
Chicago ( /ʃɪˈkɑːɡoʊ/ ( listen ) , locally also /ʃɪˈkɔːɡoʊ/ ) , officially the City of Chicago , is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois , and the third-most-populous city in the United States . With an estimated population of 2,705,994 ( 2018 ) , it is also the most populous city in the Midwestern United States . Chicago is the county seat of Cook County , the second-most-populous county in the US , with a small portion of the northwest side of the city extending into DuPage County near O'Hare Airport . Chicago is the principal city of the Chicago metropolitan area , often referred to as Chicagoland . At nearly 10 million people , the metropolitan area is the third most populous in the United States . Located on the shores of freshwater Lake Michigan , Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837 near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed and grew rapidly in the mid-19th century . After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 , which destroyed several square miles and left more than 100,000 homeless , the city made a concerted effort to rebuild . The construction boom accelerated population growth throughout the following decades , and by 1900 , less than 30 years after the great fire , Chicago was the fifth-largest city in the world . Chicago made noted contributions to urban planning and zoning standards , including new construction styles ( including the Chicago School of architecture ) , the development of the City Beautiful Movement , and the steel-framed skyscraper . Chicago is an international hub for finance , culture , commerce , industry , education , technology , telecommunications , and transportation . It is the site of the creation of the first standardized futures contracts , issued by the Chicago Board of Trade , which today is the largest and most diverse derivatives market in the world , generating 20% of all volume in commodities and financial futures alone . Depending on the particular year , the city 's O'Hare International Airport is routinely ranked as the world 's fifth or sixth busiest airport according to tracked data by the Airports Council International .
The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. or US ) or America , is a country consisting of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . [ g ] At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) , it is the world 's third or fourth-largest country by total area [ b ] and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe . Most of the country is located in central North America between Canada and Mexico . With an estimated population of over 328 million , the U.S. is the third most populous country in the world . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the most populous city is New York City . Paleo-Indians migrated from Siberia to the North American mainland at least 12,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from the thirteen British colonies established along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies led to the American Revolutionary War lasting between 1775 and 1783 , leading to independence . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century - gradually acquiring new territories , displacing Native Americans , and admitting new states - until by 1848 it spanned the continent . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the abolition of slavery in the United States . The Spanish-American War and World War I confirmed the country 's status as a global military power .
Sky City ( Chinese : 天空城市 ; pinyin : tiānkōng chéngshì ) , or Sky City One , was an 838-metre-tall ( 2,749 ft ) planned skyscraper in the city of Changsha , Hunan in south-central China . The prospective builders , Broad Sustainable Building , estimated it would take just 90 days to construct . Including the 120 days required for prefabrication before on-site work commences , the sum of time needed is 210 days . Pre-construction activities were halted in August 2013 after government regulators required additional approvals . Broad Sustainable Building had intended to build a 666-metre ( 2,185 ft ) skyscraper , but the local government wanted the world 's tallest building , hence the current plans . The company has constructed 20 buildings in China using the same method and has several franchise partners globally . It has a planned helipad at a height of 739.8 m ( 2,427 ft ) above ground . As of May 2016 [ update ] , plans for the building 's construction are stalled , and the foundations for the planned building are being used as a fish farm . On June 8 , 2016 it was reported by the People 's Daily that the project had been dropped due to protests over environmental damage to the Daze Lake wetland . The People 's Daily said , Central China 's Hunan province finally announced a halt on its ambitious plan to build the world 's tallest tower within one part of its rare wetland area . The Daze Lake wetland is the location where the world 's next tallest tower was originally scheduled to be built . This wetland is now listed as one of the 20 waters to be permanently protected and will follow non-construction zone policies .
Changsha is the capital and most populous city of Hunan Province in the south central part of the People 's Republic of China . It covers 11,819 km2 ( 4,563 sq mi ) and is bordered by Yueyang and Yiyang to the north , Loudi to the west , Xiangtan and Zhuzhou to the south , Yichun and Pingxiang of Jiangxi province to the east . According to the 2010 census , Changsha has 7,044,118 residents , constituting 10.72% of the province 's population . It is part of the Chang-Zhu-Tan city cluster or megalopolis . Changsha is in the Xiang River valley plain , bordering the Luoxiao Mountains on the east , Wuling Mountains on the west , edging in Dongting Lake on the north and bounded on the south by the Hengshan Mountains . It has a monsoonal humid subtropical climate , with an average annual air temperature of 16.8 to 17.3 °C ( 62.2 to 63.1 °F ) and an annual rainfall of 1,358.6 to 1,552.5 mm ( 53.49 to 61.12 in ) . Changsha has a history of more than 3,000 years . Changsha was the capital of Changsha Kingdom in the Han Dynasty ( 206 BC - 220 AD ) , and the capital of the Chu State ( 907-951 ) in the Ten Kingdoms period . The lacquerware and Silk Texts recovered from Mawangdui ( 2nd century BC ) there are an indication of the richness of local craft traditions . In 1904 Changsha was opened to foreign trade , and large numbers of Europeans and Americans settled there . Changsha was the site of Mao Zedong 's conversion to communism . It was also the scene of major battles in the Sino-Japanese War ( 1931-1945 ) and was briefly occupied by the Japanese .
China ( Chinese : 中国 ; pinyin : Zhōngguó ) , officially the People 's Republic of China ( PRC ) , is a country in East Asia and is the world 's most populous country , with a population of around 1.428 billion in 2017 . Covering approximately 9,600,000 square kilometers ( 3,700,000 sq mi ) , it is the third largest country by area . [ j ] Governed by the Communist Party of China , the state exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces , [ k ] five autonomous regions , four direct-controlled municipalities ( Beijing , Tianjin , Shanghai , and Chongqing ) , and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau . China emerged as one of the world 's first civilizations , in the fertile basin of the Yellow River in the North China Plain . For millennia , China 's political system was based on hereditary monarchies , or dynasties , beginning with the semi-mythical Xia dynasty in 21st century BCE . Since then , China has expanded , fractured , and re-unified numerous times . In the 3rd century BCE , the Qin reunited core China and established the first Chinese empire . The succeeding Han dynasty , which ruled from 206 BCE until 220 CE , saw some of the most advanced technology at that time , including papermaking and the compass , along with agricultural and medical improvements . The invention of gunpowder and movable type in the Tang dynasty ( 618-907 ) and Northern Song ( 960-1127 ) completed the Four Great Inventions . Tang culture spread widely in Asia , as the new Silk Route brought traders to as far as Mesopotamia and the Horn of Africa . Dynastic rule ended in 1912 with the Xinhai Revolution , when the Republic of China ( ROC ) replaced the Qing dynasty . China , as a whole , was ravaged by feudal warlordism and Japan during World War II .
The 102 Incheon Tower was a supertall twin tower proposed for construction in Songdo International City , Incheon , South Korea . The design consists of two 151 floor , 710 m ( 2,329 ft ) supertall skyscrapers connected by three skybridges . the building will become the tallest twin towers in the world , surpassing the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia , and one of the tallest buildings in Asia . After the late-2000s recession , the tower was postponed with the possibility of a redesign at a lower height . The height of the supertall was reduced from 613 metres to 490 metres while keeping the design the same . The Skyscraper is designed to represent Songdo City . It will include offices , residential space , and a hotel . It will be a Korean landmark upon completion . The complex is located at the US $ 35 billion New Songdo City , which will cover over 6 km2 ( 2.3 sq mi ) of land and is about 32 km ( 20 mi ) from the nation 's capital , Seoul . Developer Portman Holdings , run by John Portman , signed an agreement with South Korean officials to build the tower . Construction started with groundbreaking on 20 June 2008 . Construction halted in 2009 .
Incheon ( Korean : 인천 ; Hanja : 仁川 ; Korean pronunciation : [ intɕʰʌn ] ; McCune-Reischauer romanization Inchŏn ; literally kind river ) , officially the Incheon Metropolitan City ( 인천광역시 ) , is a city located in northwestern South Korea , bordering Seoul and Gyeonggi to the east . Inhabited since the Neolithic , Incheon was home to just 4,700 people when it became an international port in 1883 . Today , about 3 million people live in the city , making it South Korea 's third most-populous city after Seoul and Busan . The city 's growth has been assured in modern times with the development of its port due to its natural advantages as a coastal city and its proximity to the South Korean capital . It is part of the Seoul Capital Area , along with Seoul itself and Gyeonggi Province , forming the world 's fourth largest metropolitan area by population . Incheon has since led the economic development of Korea by opening its port to the outside world , ushering in the modernization of Korea as a center of industrialization . In 2003 , the city was designated as Korea 's first free economic zone . Since then , large local companies and global enterprises have increasingly invested in the Incheon Free Economic Zone , including Samsung which chose Songdo International City as its new investment destination for its bio industry . As an international city , Incheon has held numerous large scale international conferences , such as the Incheon Global Fair & Festival in 2009 . The 17th Asian Games Incheon 2014 was also held in Incheon on 19 September 2014 . Incheon has established itself as a major transportation hub in northeast Asia with the Incheon International Airport and Incheon Port . The city is also home to the Green Climate Fund , an international organization addressing environmental issues .
South Korea ( Korean : 한국/韓國 ; RR : Hanguk or literally 남한/南韓 ; RR : Namhan ) , officially the Republic of Korea ( Korean : 대한민국/大韓民國 ; RR : Daehan Minguk ) is a country in East Asia , constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea . The name Korea is derived from Goguryeo , which was one of the great powers in East Asia during its time , ruling most of the Korean Peninsula , Manchuria , parts of the Russian Far East and Inner Mongolia under Gwanggaeto the Great . Its capital , Seoul , is a major global city and half of South Korea 's over 51 million people live in the Seoul Capital Area , the fourth largest metropolitan economy in the world . The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period . Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in the early 7th century BC . Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea into Silla and Balhae in the late 7th century , Korea was ruled by the Goryeo dynasty ( 918-1392 ) and the Joseon dynasty ( 1392-1897 ) . The succeeding Korean Empire was annexed into the Empire of Japan in 1910 . After World War II , Korea was divided into Soviet and U.S.-administered zones , with the latter becoming the Republic of Korea in August 1948 . In 1950 , a North Korean invasion began the Korean War and after its end in 1953 , the country 's economy began to soar , recording the fastest rise in average GDP per capita in the world between 1980 and 1990 . Authoritarian rule ended in 1987 and the country is now the most advanced democracy with the highest level of press freedom in Asia . South Korea is a member of the OECD 's Development Assistance Committee , the G20 and the Paris Club . South Korea is a highly developed country and the world 's 12th-largest economy by nominal GDP .
The Chicago Spire was a skyscraper project in Chicago that was partially built between 2007 and 2008 before being cancelled . Located at 400 N. Lake Shore Drive , it would have stood 2,000 feet ( 610 m ) high with 150 floors and been the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere . When originally proposed as the Fordham Spire in July 2005 , the design had 116 stories , included a hotel and condominiums , and was topped with a broadcast antenna mast . The building was designed and spearheaded by Spanish architect-engineer Santiago Calatrava and Chicago developer Christopher T. Carley of the Fordham Company . On March 16 , 2006 , the Chicago Plan Commission unanimously approved the initial design of the building . On November 4 , 2014 , a court ruling brought the original development plan and the extended litigation over the nine-year-old project to a close . Developer Garrett Kelleher signed over the property location to the project 's biggest creditor , Related Midwest , who announced that they would not build the Spire and released their plans for the site .
Wuhan Greenland Center is an unfinished skyscraper in Wuhan , China . Construction has stalled since August 2017 at the 96th floor . Due to airspace regulations , it will be redesigned so its height does not exceed 500 meters above sea level . Another Chinese building , Ping An Finance Center , was also scaled down for similar reasons . In June 2011 , Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architects in conjunction with Thornton Tomasetti Engineers won the design competition to build an energy-efficient tower for Greenland Group , a real estate developer owned by the Shanghai city government .
Wuhan ( [ ù.xân ] ( listen ) ; simplified Chinese : 武汉 ; traditional Chinese : 武漢 ) is the capital of Hubei province , People 's Republic of China . It is the largest city in Hubei and the most populous city in Central China , with a population of over 11 million , the ninth most populous Chinese city , and one of the nine National Central Cities of China . The name Wuhan came from the city 's historical origin from the conglomeration of Wuchang , Hankou and Hanyang , which are collectively known as the Three Towns of Wuhan ( 武汉三镇 ) . It lies in the eastern Jianghan Plain , on the confluence of the Yangtze River and its largest tributary , the Han River , and is known as Nine Provinces ' Thoroughfare ( 九省通衢 ) . Historical events taking place in Wuhan include the Wuchang Uprising , which led to the downfall of the Qing dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China . Wuhan was briefly the capital of China in 1927 under the left wing of the Kuomintang ( KMT ) government led by Wang Jingwei . The city later served as the wartime capital of China in 1937 for ten months during the Second Sino-Japanese War . Wuhan today is considered the political , economic , financial , commercial , cultural and educational center of Central China . It is a major transportation hub , with dozens of railways , roads and expressways passing through the city and connecting to other major cities . Because of its key role in domestic transportation , Wuhan is sometimes referred to as the Chicago of China by foreign sources . The Golden Waterway of the Yangtze River and its largest tributary , the Han River , traverse the urban area and divides Wuhan into the three districts of Wuchang , Hankou and Hanyang . The Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge crosses the Yangtze in the city .
Wuhan Chow Tai Fook Finance Centre ( simplified Chinese : 武汉周大福金融中心 ; traditional Chinese : 武漢周大福金融中心 ; pinyin : Wǔhàn Zhōu Dàfú Jīnróng Zhōngxīn ) is a megatall skyscraper under construction in the business district of Wuhan , Hubei province , China . The tower was originally set to be China 's tallest , surpassing Shanghai Tower when completed in 2022 , but its height is later reduced to 475 meters . The skyscraper will accommodate office space . The building complex would also include four residential blocks , a three-storey retail space , and basement parking and retail space over five levels . The shopping mall would under NWD group 's K11 brand .
The Miglin-Beitler Skyneedle was a proposed 125-floor skyscraper intended for Chicago , Illinois , United States , by Lee Miglin and J. Paul Beitler and designed by architect César Pelli . The site of the proposed Skyneedle now is host to a parking garage . If it had been built in 1998 , the 610 m ( 2,000 ft ) tall Miglin-Beitler Skyneedle would have been the tallest building in the world . However , across the street ( Wells Street ) from the parking garage is another Pelli project , 181 West Madison Street , which reportedly inspired the general design of the Skyneedle . Visually the upper floors of the Skyneedle do appear to be similar to a stretched 181 W Madison . César Pelli also designed the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur . The Petronas Towers have an obvious design reference , with the exception of having round floorplates as opposed to square ones .
Crown Las Vegas , previously known as the Las Vegas Tower , was a proposed supertall skyscraper that would have been built on the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester , Nevada . If built , the tower would have been 1,887 feet ( 575 m ) tall , making it the tallest building in the United States and 5th tallest in the world . After two major redesigns , the project was cancelled in March 2008 . Crown Las Vegas , as originally planned , would have consisted of a casino , a hotel and an observation deck . The tower would have been built on Las Vegas Boulevard on the former site of the Wet ' n Wild Water Park . The building 's architect was Skidmore , Owings & Merrill . The cost of the project was estimated to be $ 5 billion , and its original completion date was set for 2014 .
Las Vegas ( Spanish for The Meadows ) , officially the City of Las Vegas and often known simply as Vegas , is the 28th-most populated city in the United States , the most populated city in the state of Nevada , and the county seat of Clark County . The city anchors the Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area and is the largest city within the greater Mojave Desert . Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city , known primarily for its gambling , shopping , fine dining , entertainment , and nightlife . The Las Vegas Valley as a whole serves as the leading financial , commercial , and cultural center for Nevada . The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World , and is famous for its mega casino-hotels and associated activities . It is a top three destination in the United States for business conventions and a global leader in the hospitality industry , claiming more AAA Five Diamond hotels than any other city in the world . Today , Las Vegas annually ranks as one of the world 's most visited tourist destinations . The city 's tolerance for numerous forms of adult entertainment earned it the title of Sin City , and has made Las Vegas a popular setting for literature , films , television programs , and music videos . Las Vegas was settled in 1905 and officially incorporated in 1911 . At the close of the 20th century , it was the most populated American city founded within that century ( a similar distinction was earned by Chicago in the 19th century ) . Population growth has accelerated since the 1960s , and between 1990 and 2000 the population nearly doubled , increasing by 85.2% . Rapid growth has continued into the 21st century , and according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau , the city had 648,224 residents in 2018 , with a metropolitan population of 2,227,053 .
Hong Kong ( /ˌhɒŋˈkɒŋ/ ( listen ) ; Chinese : 香港 , Cantonese : [ hœ́ːŋ.kɔ̌ːŋ ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People 's Republic of China ( HKSAR ) , is a city and special administrative region on the eastern side of the Pearl River estuary in southern China . With over 7.4 million people of various nationalities [ d ] in a 1,104-square-kilometre ( 426 sq mi ) territory , Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places in the world . Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire after Qing Empire ceded Hong Kong Island at the end of the First Opium War in 1842 . The colony expanded to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 after the Second Opium War , and was further extended when Britain obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898 . The territory was returned to China in 1997 . As a special administrative region , Hong Kong maintains separate governing and economic systems from that of mainland China under the principle of one country , two systems . Originally a sparsely populated area of farming and fishing villages , the territory has become one of the world 's most significant financial centres and commercial ports . It is the world 's tenth-largest exporter and ninth-largest importer . As one of the world 's leading international financial centres , Hong Kong has a major capitalist service economy characterised by low taxation and free trade , and the currency , Hong Kong dollar , is the eighth most traded currency in the world . Hong Kong hosts the largest concentration of ultra high-net-worth individuals of any city in the world . Although the city has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world , there is severe income inequality among its residents . Hong Kong is a highly developed territory and ranks fourth on the UN Human Development Index .
Anara Tower was a proposed supertall skyscraper located in Dubai [ when ? ] . It would have been 600 m ( 1,968 ft ) tall with 135 floors . It was designed to look like a massive wind turbine . It was supposed to be a mixed use tower with offices , retail spaces , apartments , and an art gallery . Anara Tower would have incorporated sky gardens every 27 floors and would have contained a luxury restaurant . If built it was expected to be an energy efficient tower by installing renewable sources of energy and incorporating water efficiency strategies . Like other buildings and projects in Dubai , it was cancelled .
The Digital Media City Landmark Building ( Korean : 디지털 미디어 시티 랜드마크 빌딩 ) or DMC Landmark Building , also known as Seoul Lite or Light Tower , was a 133-floor , 640 m ( 2,100 ft ) supertall skyscraper proposed for construction in Digital Media City , Seoul , South Korea . It was slated to become the third-tallest building in the world when completed , after Burj Khalifa and Pingan International Finance Centre . It would have been the tallest building in Korea . Construction broke ground on 16 October 2009 , and was scheduled to be completed and ready for occupancy by April 2015 . It was to be built with the country 's own capital and technology at an estimated cost of 3.3 trillion won ( US $ 2.9 billion ) . The design and engineering of the DMC Landmark Building was performed by Skidmore , Owings & Merrill . The local architect of record was Samoo . The building was to house an observation deck on 133rd floor at 540 m ( 1,772 ft ) , from which visitors will be able to see the entire metropolis of Seoul and as far as Gaeseong , North Korea . It would have been the tallest observation deck in the world , higher than those of Burj Khalifa on the 124th floor at 440 m ( 1,444 ft ) and the 100th floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center at 474 m ( 1,555 ft ) . Six through eight-star hotels would have been located on the 108th-130th floors , surpassing the Park Hyatt Hotel ( 79th-93rd floors ) in the Shanghai World Financial Center , as the highest hotel rooms in the world . All functions of a futuristic , 21st century city were to be incorporated into the building , including the most high-tech office and residential spaces , a department store , luxury shopping malls , a large convention center , the world 's largest interactive aquarium , international restaurants and facilities for media , culture and exhibitions . The landmark building was backed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and was being constructed at the fastest speed among major skyscraper projects by South Korea 's Samsung C & T , whose work includes Burj Khalifa , Taipei 101 and the Petronas Twin Towers .
Seoul ( /soʊl/ , like soul ; Korean : 서울 [ sʌ.ul ] ( listen ) ; lit . Capital ) , officially the Seoul Special City , is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea . Seoul forms the heart of the Seoul Capital Area . Ranked as an alpha world city , Seoul was the world 's 4th largest metropolitan economy with a GDP of US $ 635 billion in 2014 after Tokyo , New York City and Los Angeles . International visitors generally reach Seoul via AREX from the Incheon International Airport , notable for having been rated the best airport for nine consecutive years ( 2005-2013 ) by the Airports Council International . In 2015 , it was rated Asia 's most livable city with the second highest quality of life globally by Arcadis , with the GDP per capita ( PPP ) in Seoul being around $ 40,000 . In 2017 , the cost of living in Seoul was ranked 6th globally . In 2018 , Seoul 's real estate market was ranked 5th in the world for the price of apartments in the downtown center. , Seoul was one of the host cities for the official tournament of the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan . With major technology hubs centered in Gangnam and Digital Media City , the Seoul Capital Area is home to the headquarters of 15 Fortune Global 500 companies , including Samsung , LG , and Hyundai . Ranked seventh in the Global Power City Index and Global Financial Centres Index , the metropolis exerts a major influence in global affairs as one of the five leading hosts of global conferences . Seoul has hosted the 1986 Asian Games , 1988 Summer Olympics , 2002 FIFA World Cup , and more recently the 2010 G-20 Seoul summit . Seoul was the capital of various Korean kingdoms , including Baekje , Joseon , and the Korean Empire and served as the secondary capital of Goryeo .
Digital Media City ( DMC ; Korean : 디지털미디어시티 ) is a high-tech complex for digital technologies , housing ubiquitous networked offices , apartments , exhibitions , conference halls , television network headquarters and cultural centers in Seoul , South Korea . It is located at 366 , Worldcupbuk-ro , Mapo-gu , Seoul . It was constructed in 2006 across 570,000 m2 ( 6,100,000 sq ft ) and approximately 1.7 times the size of the Canary Wharf development in London , United Kingdom . It is a high-tech city centered on Digital Media Street for broadcasting , movies , games , music , e-learning and related industries . It attracted well-known IT companies such as LG Telecom , Pantech and LG CNS , as well as various kinds of public exhibition facilities including the Korean Film Archive and the Korean Film Museum . It is served by the Digital Media City Station on Seoul Subway Line 6 , AREX and Gyeongui Line . Residents of the Digital Media City are nicknamed Denizens ( Digital Citizen ) for their constant enthusiasm and interaction with high-tech digital technologies . The original advisors on the development include Dennis Frenchman and Michael Joroff of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MIT ) who also advised on the development of MediaCityUK in Salford , Greater Manchester , England , and Digital Mile in Zaragoza , Spain .
India Tower ( previously known as the Park Hyatt Tower ; also known as the Dynamix Balwas Tower or DB Tower ) is a canceled 126-story , 707.5 m ( 2,321 ft ) megatall skyscraper that began construction in the city of Mumbai , India , in 2010 . The tower was originally planned for completion in 2016 , but construction work was put on hold in 2011 due to a dispute between the tower 's developers and Mumbai 's civic authorities .
Mumbai ( English : /mʊmˈbaɪ/ , Marathi : [ ˈmumbəi ] ; also known as Bombay /bɒmˈbeɪ/ , the official name until 1995 ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra . According to United Nations , as of 2018 , Mumbai was the second most populous city in India after Delhi and the seventh most populous city in the world with a population of 19.98 million . As per Indian government population census of 2011 , Mumbai was the most populous city in India with an estimated city proper population of 12.5 million living under Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai . Mumbai is the centre of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region , the sixth most populous metropolitan area in the world with a population of over 23.64 million . Mumbai lies on the Konkan coast on the west coast of India and has a deep natural harbour . In 2008 , Mumbai was named an alpha world city . It is also the wealthiest city in India , and has the highest number of millionaires and billionaires among all cities in India . Mumbai is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites : the Elephanta Caves , Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus , and the city 's distinctive ensemble of Victorian and Art Deco buildings . The seven islands that constitute Mumbai were originally home to communities of Marathi language speaking Koli people , who originated in Gujarat in prehistoric times . For centuries , the islands were under the control of successive indigenous empires before being ceded to the Portuguese Empire and subsequently to the East India Company when in 1661 Charles II of England married Catherine of Braganza and as part of her dowry Charles received the ports of Tangier and Seven Islands of Bombay . During the mid-18th century , Bombay was reshaped by the Hornby Vellard project , which undertook reclamation of the area between the seven islands from the sea . Along with construction of major roads and railways , the reclamation project , completed in 1845 , transformed Bombay into a major seaport on the Arabian Sea .
India ( Hindi : Bhārat ) , officially the Republic of India ( Hindi : Bhārat Gaṇarājya ) , is a country in South Asia . It is the seventh-largest country by area , the second-most populous country , and the most populous democracy in the world . Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south , the Arabian Sea on the southwest , and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast , it shares land borders with Pakistan to the west ; [ e ] China , Nepal , and Bhutan to the north ; and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east . In the Indian Ocean , India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives ; its Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand and Indonesia . Modern humans arrived on the Indian subcontinent from Africa no later than 55,000 years ago . Their long occupation , initially in varying forms of isolation as hunter-gatherers , has made the region highly diverse , second only to Africa in human genetic diversity . Settled life emerged on the subcontinent in the western margins of the Indus river basin 9,000 years ago , evolving gradually into the Indus Valley Civilisation of the third millennium BCE . By 1200 BCE , an archaic form of Sanskrit , an Indo-European language , had diffused into India from the northwest , unfolding as the language of the Rigveda , and recording the dawning of Hinduism in India . The Dravidian languages of India were supplanted in the northern regions . By 400 BCE , stratification and exclusion by caste had emerged within Hinduism , and Buddhism and Jainism had arisen , proclaiming social orders unlinked to heredity . Early political consolidations gave rise to the loose-knit Maurya and Gupta Empires based in the Ganges Basin . Their collective era was suffused with wide-ranging creativity , but also marked by the declining status of women , and the incorporation of untouchability into an organised system of belief .
Baoneng Shenyang Global Financial Center ( Chinese : 沈阳宝能环球金融中心 ; pinyin : Shěnyáng Bǎonéng Huánqiú Jīnróng Zhōngxīn ) is an unfinished skyscraper Shenyang , Liaoning , China . It is planned to be 568 metres ( 1,864 ft ) tall . Construction started in 2014 and is expected to be completed in 2020 . However , as of July 2019 the construction is on hold . The towers occupy a prestigious site to the south of the iconic Liaoning TV Tower , and form part of a master plan covering an area of 59 hectares along the famous Golden Corridor Youth Street in the central business district . The development overlooks Youth Park and the Nanyun River to the east . In addition to the two supertall towers , the complex will contain five luxury high-rise residential buildings , each rising approximately 200 meters above a podium that accommodates a large culturally-themed lifestyle shopping mall . [ citation needed ]
Shenyang ( [ ʂə̀n.jǎŋ ] ; Chinese : 沈阳 ) , formerly known as Fengtian ( Chinese : 奉天 ; pinyin : Fèngtiān ) or by its Manchu name Mukden , is a major sub-provincial city and the provincial capital of Liaoning province , People 's Republic of China . Located in central-north Liaoning , it is the province 's most populous city as well as the largest city in Northeast China by urban population , with an urban population of 6.3 million ( 2010 census ) , while the total metropolitan population is up to 8.1 million . Shenyang is also the central city of one of the major megalopolises in China , the Greater Shenyang Metropolitan Area , with a total population over 23 million . The city 's administrative region includes the ten metropolitan districts of Shenyang proper , the county-level city of Xinmin , and two counties of Kangping and Faku . In the 17th century , Shenyang was conquered by the Manchu people and briefly used as the capital of the Qing dynasty . The Battle of Mukden took place in 1905 as part of the Russo-Japanese War . Japan 's subsequent victory allowed them to annex the region west of the old city and increase their influence on Shenyang ; the Mukden Incident led the Japanese to further invade and occupy the rest of Northeast China , creating the puppet state of Manchukuo . After the Japanese surrender in 1945 , Shenyang remained a Kuomintang stronghold , but was captured by the Communists in 1948 after the Liaoshen Campaign . Along with its nearby cities , Shenyang is an important industrial center in China , and serves as the transportation and commercial hub of China 's northeast - particularly with Japan , Russia and Korea . A center of heavy industry in China since the 1930s , and the spearhead of the Chinese central government 's Northeast Area Revitalization Plan , the city has been diversifying its industry , including expanding into the service sector . Growing industries include software , automotive and electronics .
The Old Chicago Main Post Office Twin Towers was a proposed ( and approved ) mixed use supertall skyscraper planned as part of the canceled Old Chicago Main Post Office Redevelopment project in the Chicago Loop community area . The 120-story twin towers are a building with twin peaks planned to reach a height of 2,000 feet ( 610 m ) . If built according to plan , the building would have been the tallest in the United States .
New York City ( NYC ) , also known as the City of New York or simply New York ( NY ) , is the most populous city in the United States . With an estimated 2018 population of 8,398,748 distributed over a land area of about 302.6 square miles ( 784 km2 ) , New York is also the most densely populated major city in the United States . Located at the southern tip of the U.S. state of New York , the city is the center of the New York metropolitan area , the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban landmass and one of the world 's most populous megacities , with an estimated 19,979,477 people in its 2018 metropolitan statistical area and 22,679,948 residents in its combined statistical area . A global power city , New York City has been described as the cultural , financial , and media capital of the world , and exerts a significant impact upon commerce , entertainment , research , technology , education , politics , tourism , art , fashion , and sports . The city 's fast pace has inspired the term New York minute . Home to the headquarters of the United Nations , New York is an important center for international diplomacy . Situated on one of the world 's largest natural harbors , New York City consists of five boroughs , each of which is a separate county of the State of New York . The five boroughs - Brooklyn , Queens , Manhattan , The Bronx , and Staten Island - were consolidated into a single city in 1898 . The city and its metropolitan area constitute the premier gateway for legal immigration to the United States . As many as 800 languages are spoken in New York , making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world . New York City is home to 3.2 million residents born outside the United States , the largest foreign born population of any city in the world as of 2016 . As of 2019 [ update ] , the New York metropolitan area is estimated to produce a gross metropolitan product ( GMP ) of US $ 2.0 trillion .
The Busan Lotte Town Tower , also known as Busan Lotte World Tower ( Hangul : 부산 롯데 타운 타워 ) is a 108-floor , 510.1 m ( 1,674 ft ) supertall skyscraper on hold in Busan , South Korea . The tower is planned on a site next to Nampo-dong station on Busan Subway Line 1 . The tower is the centerpiece of the new Busan Lotte Town and construction is being carried out in four phases . The first phase includes a department store , completed in 2009 . The second phase , an addition to the department store , was completed in 2010 . The third phase will be a market and a cinema , which was completed in 2014 , and the last phase will include a luxury hotel , an observation deck , offices , and cultural facilities in a 107-story skyscraper . The design of the skyscraper is intended to resemble a standing ship , in reference to the city 's harbour . The tower 's underground parking space will be able to house over 2,400 cars . The tower will contain retail outlets ( floors 1-11 ) , offices ( 12-36 ) , residences ( 41-78 ) , a luxury hotel ( 82-104 ) , and public access floors ( 107-110 ) with an observation deck . In September 2013 , the construction work was stopped due to the lack of funding . Construction will be resumed once the developer provides the required payments for the project . It is estimated that construction will restart in 2019 .
Busan ( Korean pronunciation : [ pusan ] ) , formerly romanized as Pusan and now officially Busan Metropolitan City , is South Korea 's second most-populous city after Seoul , with a population of over 3.5 million inhabitants . It is the economic , cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea , with its port - Korea 's busiest and the fifth-busiest in the world [ a ] - only about 190 kilometers ( 120 mi ) from the Japanese islands of Kyushu and Honshu . The surrounding Southeast Economic Zone ( including Ulsan and South Gyeongsang ) is South Korea 's largest industrial area . Busan is divided into 15 major administrative districts and a single county , together housing a population of approximately 3.6 million . The full metropolitan area , the Southeastern Maritime Industrial Region , has a population of approximately 8 million . The most densely built-up areas of the city are situated in a number of narrow valleys between the Nakdong and the Suyeong Rivers , with mountains separating most of the districts . The Nakdong is Korea 's longest river and Busan 's Haeundae Beach is also the country 's largest . Busan is a center for international conventions , hosting APEC in 2005 . It is also a center for sports tournaments in Korea , having hosted the 2002 Asian Games and FIFA World Cup . It is home to the world 's largest department store , the Shinsegae Centum City . Busan was added to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a City of Film in December 2014 .
Peachtree Financial Tower was a proposed skyscraper planned to be built in Atlanta , Georgia , in 2012 . The height was increased and the location changed several times . At 119 stories and 1,450 ft ( 440 m ) tall , the final version would have been the tallest building in the southern United States . [ citation needed ]
Atlanta ( /ætˈlæntə/ ) is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia . With an estimated 2018 population of 498,044 , it is also the 37th most-populous city in the United States . The city serves as the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area , home to 5.9 million people and the ninth largest metropolitan area in the nation . Atlanta is the seat of Fulton County , the most populous county in Georgia . Portions of the city extend eastward into neighboring DeKalb County . Atlanta was originally founded as the terminus of a major state-sponsored railroad . With rapid expansion , however , it soon became the convergence point among multiple railroads , spurring its rapid growth . The city 's name derives from that of the Western and Atlantic Railroad 's local depot , signifying the town 's growing reputation as a transportation hub . During the American Civil War , the city was almost entirely burned to the ground in General William T. Sherman 's famous March to the Sea . However , the city rose from its ashes and quickly became a national center of commerce and the unofficial capital of the New South . During the 1950s and 1960s , Atlanta became a major organizing center of the civil rights movement , with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. , Ralph David Abernathy , and many other locals playing major roles in the movement 's leadership . During the modern era , Atlanta has attained international prominence as a major air transportation hub , with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport being the world 's busiest airport by passenger traffic since 1998 .
The Russia Tower ( Russian : Башня Россия ; Bashnya Rossiya ) was a skyscraper project planned for the Moscow International Business Center in Moscow , Russia . It was started but eventually was cancelled due to the financial crisis of 2007-2008 .
Moscow ( /ˈmɒskoʊ/ , in US mainly : /ˈmɒskaʊ/ ; Russian : Москва , tr . Moskva , IPA : [ mɐˈskva ] ( listen ) ) is the capital and most populous city of Russia , with approximately 12.6 million residents within the city limits , 17 million within the urban area and 20 million within the metropolitan area . Moscow is one of Russia 's federal cities . Moscow is a major political , economic , cultural , and scientific centre of Russia and Eastern Europe . It is the second-most populous city in Europe , the most populous city entirely within Europe , as well as the largest city ( by area ) on the European continent . By broader definitions , Moscow is among the world 's largest cities , being the 24th largest metropolitan area , the 16th largest urban area , and the 10th largest by population within city limits worldwide . Moscow has been ranked as the ninth most expensive city in the world and has one of the world 's largest urban economies , being ranked as an alpha global city , and is also one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in the world . Moscow is home to the third-highest number of billionaires of any city in the world , and has the highest number of billionaires of any city in Europe . Moscow is the northernmost and coldest megacity on the Earth . It is home to the Ostankino Tower , the tallest free standing structure in Europe ; the Federation Tower , the second-tallest skyscraper in Europe ; and the Moscow International Business Center . Moscow is the largest city on the European continent by area . Moscow is situated on the Moskva River in the Central Federal District of European Russia , it is well known for its architecture , particularly its historic buildings such as Saint Basil 's Cathedral in Russian architectural style with a richly decorated and multicolored facade .
Russia ( Russian : Росси́я , tr . Rossiya , IPA : [ rɐˈsʲijə ] ) , or the Russian Federation , [ e ] is a European country located in Eastern Europe with a vast expanse of territory that stretches across Northern Asia . At 17,125,200 square kilometres ( 6,612,100 sq mi ) , it is by far the largest country in the world by area , covering more than one-eighth of the Earth 's inhabited land area , spanning eleven time zones , and bordering 16 sovereign nations . The territory of Russia extends from the Baltic Sea in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east , and from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Black Sea and the Caucasus in the south . With 146.7 million inhabitants living in the country 's 85 federal subjects as of 2020 , Russia is the most populous nation in Europe and the ninth-most populous nation in the world . Russia 's capital and largest city is Moscow ; other major urban areas include Saint Petersburg , Novosibirsk , Yekaterinburg , Nizhny Novgorod , Kazan and Chelyabinsk . The East Slavs emerged as a recognizable group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD . Founded and ruled by a Varangian warrior elite and their descendants , the medieval state of Rus arose in the 9th century . In 988 it adopted Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire , beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium . Rus ultimately disintegrated into a number of smaller states , until it was finally reunified by the Grand Duchy of Moscow in the 15th century . By the 18th century , the nation had greatly expanded through conquest , annexation , and exploration to become the Russian Empire , which was the third largest empire in history , stretching from Poland on the west to Alaska on the east . Following the Russian Revolution , the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic ( Russian SFSR ) became the largest and leading constituent of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( USSR/Soviet Union ) , the world 's first constitutionally socialist state .
The Grollo Tower was a proposed skyscraper development in the Docklands precinct of Melbourne , Australia . The developer was Grocon , a construction company owned by the Grollo family . With an original proposed height of 678 m , which was later scaled down to 560 m , the skyscraper would have been the world 's tallest at that time . The proposed tower was designed by Denton Corker Marshall and an earlier concept , located on a different site , was designed by Harry Seidler . The idea was scrapped in April 2001 after Melbourne 's Docklands Authority ruled it out of the tender for development of the Batman Hill 's precinct . The area is now occupied by a mixture of smaller commercial and residential buildings . The Denton Corker Marshall design was reported to be later commissioned for construction in Dubai , as the Burj Khalifa . However , the Burj Khalifa was eventually built to an entirely different design , by Skidmore , Owings and Merrill .
Melbourne ( /ˈmɛlbən/ ( listen ) MEL-bərn ) [ note 1 ] is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria , and the second most populous city in Australia and Oceania . Its name refers to an urban agglomeration of 9,993 km2 ( 3,858 sq mi ) , comprising a metropolitan area with 31 municipalities , and is also the common name for its city centre . The city occupies much of the coastline of Port Phillip bay and spreads into the hinterlands towards the Dandenong and Macedon ranges , Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley . It has a population of 5 million ( 19% of the population of Australia ) , and its inhabitants are referred to as Melburnians . [ note 2 ] The city was founded on 30 August 1835 , in the then-British colony of New South Wales , by free settlers from the colony of Van Diemens Land ( modern-day Tasmania ) . It was incorporated as a Crown settlement in 1837 , and named Melbourne by Governor General Richard Bourke on 10 April 1837 in honour of the British Prime Minister , William Lamb , 2nd Viscount Melbourne . In 1851 , four years after Queen Victoria declared it a city , Melbourne became the capital of the new colony of Victoria . In the wake of the 1850s Victorian gold rush , the city entered a lengthy boom period that , by the late 1880s , had transformed it into one of the world 's largest and wealthiest metropolises . After the federation of Australia in 1901 , it served as interim seat of government of the new nation until Canberra became the permanent capital in 1927 . Today , it is a leading financial centre in the Asia-Pacific region and ranks 15th in the Global Financial Centres Index . Melbourne is home to many of Australia 's best-known landmarks , such as the Melbourne Cricket Ground , the National Gallery of Victoria and the World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building . It is also the birthplace of Australian impressionism , Australian rules football , and the Australian film and television industries .
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia , is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent , the island of Tasmania , and numerous smaller islands . It is the largest country in Oceania and the world 's sixth-largest country by total area . The population of 26 million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard . Australia 's capital is Canberra , and its largest city is Sydney . The country 's other major metropolitan areas are Melbourne , Brisbane , Perth , and Adelaide . Indigenous Australians inhabited the continent for about 65,000 years prior to the first arrival of Dutch explorers in the early 17th century , who named it New Holland . In 1770 , Australia 's eastern half was claimed by Great Britain and initially settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales from 26 January 1788 , a date which became Australia 's national day . The population grew steadily in subsequent decades , and by the time of an 1850s gold rush , most of the continent had been explored and an additional five self-governing crown colonies established . On 1 January 1901 , the six colonies federated , forming the Commonwealth of Australia . Australia has since maintained a stable liberal democratic political system that functions as a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy , comprising six states and ten territories . Australia is the oldest , flattest , and driest inhabited continent , with the least fertile soils . It has a landmass of 7,617,930 square kilometres ( 2,941,300 sq mi ) .