Burj Khalifa, known as Burj Dubai before its opening in 2010, is a skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With an overall height

of 829.8 m (2,722 ft, or just over half a mile) and a ceiling height of 828 m (2,717 ft) (excluding the antenna, but including the 223 m

summit), the Burj Khalifa has been the tallest structure since 2009. Since its top spot in manufacturing in the world, Taipei 101 replaced

the previous holder of that position.Construction of Burj Khalifa began in 2004, with the exterior completed five years later in 2009.

The primary structure is reinforced concrete and some of the structural steel for the building originated from the former East German

Parliament, the Palace of the Republic in East Berlin. The building was opened in 2010 as part of a new development called Downtown

Dubai. It was designed to be the centerpiece of a large-scale, mixed-use development. The decision to construct the

building was based on the government's decision to diversify from an oil-based economy, and for Dubai to gain

international recognition. The building is named in honor of the ruler of Abu Dhabi and President of the United Arab

Emirates, Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Abu Dhabi, and the UAE government has given money to Dubai to pay off its

debt. The building broke several height records, including its designation as the tallest building in the world.