Kuwait to build 1km high tower that will surpass Dubai's Burj Khalifa

Kuwait said this week it will construct a skyscraper that will tower over the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, currently the world's tallest building, by more than 150 metres.

The 234-floor Burj Mubarak Al-Kabir will soar more than 1km into the air, and is designed to withstand winds of up to 150 mph.

The height of 1001 metres is no coincidence but an "intentional tribute to the all-time famous folk tales" of 'One Thousand and One Nights', a legendary collection of stories set in the Gulf and elsewhere in the Middle East.

Burj Mubarak Al-Kabir, named after a region in Kuwait, could house 7,000 people, along with offices, hotels, shops, and an observation point, according to reports.

Though it will be taller than the 828-metre-high Burj Khalifa, the Burj Mubarak Al-Kabir may not be the tallest tower in the world once completed, as a tower currently under construction in neighbouring Saudi Arabia is also expected to stand over 1km tall.

The Kuwaiti tower will be the piece de resistance of the Madinat Al-Hareer (Silk City) project, which will see an empty stretch of land transformed into a sprawling purpose-built city as part of China's Belt and Road Initiative.

The megacity, expected to cost $132 billion, will feature power plants, a giant port, hospitals, entertainment facilities, and a causeway linking it to the capital Kuwait City, forming a key part of the Gulf state's Vision 2035 project.

The Burj Al-Mubarak will take around 25 years to build, giving the city around it time to flourish.

Like other Gulf states, Kuwait is currently tapping into its substantial financial reserves to modernise infrastructure and reconfigure its economy for a post-oil age.

Saudi Arabia is building the $500 billion NEOM megacity, along with other ambitious projects.