# The 30 tallest dams in the world

At 305 metres, the Jinping-I Dam on China's Yalong River is the tallest man-made dam in the world, followed by Nurek in Tajikistan, the tallest embankment dam, and Lianghekou. China has 12 of the top 30. The list covers man-made dams completed up to 2025, ranked by height, with type, river and year; it leaves out natural dams such as Usoi and dams not yet complete in 2025, such as Rogun and Shuangjiangkou.

- 120 votes · 30 items
- Nov 6, 2025 · poeta
- https://even.best/en/l/5481/the-30-tallest-dams-in-the-world

## Top 30

1. **Jinping-I Dam** (9 · ▲12 ▼3) — 305 m tall. Concrete arch, Yalong River, China. Completed in 2013. The tallest man-made dam in the world.
2. **Nurek Dam** (9 · ▲10 ▼1) — 300 m tall. Earth-fill embankment, Vakhsh River, Tajikistan. Completed in 1980. The tallest embankment dam in the world.
3. **Lianghekou Dam** (8 · ▲8 ▼0) — 295 m tall. Concrete-face rock-fill, Yalong River, China. Completed in 2021.
4. **Xiaowan Dam** (6 · ▲6 ▼0) — 292 m tall. Concrete arch, Lancang (Mekong) River, China. Completed in 2010.
5. **Yusufeli Dam** (5 · ▲6 ▼1) — 270 m tall. Concrete arch, Çoruh River, Turkey. Completed in 2021.
6. **Baihetan Dam** (5 · ▲5 ▼0) — 289 m tall. Concrete arch, Jinsha River, China. Completed in 2021.
7. **Xiluodu Dam** (4 · ▲4 ▼0) — 285.5 m tall. Concrete arch, Jinsha River, China. Completed in 2013.
8. **Changheba Dam** (4 · ▲4 ▼0) — 240 m tall. Concrete-face rock-fill, Dadu River, China. Completed in 2016.
9. **El Cajón Dam** (4 · ▲4 ▼0) — 234 m tall. Concrete double-arch, Humuya River, Honduras. Completed in 1985.
10. **Mauvoisin Dam** (3 · ▲4 ▼1) — 250 m tall. Concrete arch, Dranse de Bagnes River, Switzerland. Completed in 1957.
11. **Oroville Dam** (3 · ▲4 ▼1) — 234.7 m tall. Earth-fill embankment, Feather River, United States. Completed in 1968.
12. **Karun-4 Dam** (3 · ▲4 ▼1) — 230 m tall. Concrete arch-gravity, Karun River, Iran. Completed in 2010.
13. **Grande Dixence Dam** (3 · ▲3 ▼0) — 285 m tall. Concrete gravity, Dixence River, Switzerland. Completed in 1964. The tallest gravity dam in the world.
14. **Tehri Dam** (3 · ▲3 ▼0) — 260.5 m tall. Earth-fill embankment, Bhagirathi River, India. Completed in 2006.
15. **Manuel Moreno Torres (Chicoasén) Dam** (2 · ▲3 ▼1) — 261 m tall. Earth-fill embankment, Grijalva River, Mexico. Completed in 1980.
16. **Sayano-Shushenskaya Dam** (2 · ▲3 ▼1) — 242 m tall. Concrete arch-gravity, Yenisei River, Russia. Completed in 1985.
17. **Enguri Dam** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — 271.5 m tall. Concrete arch, Enguri River, Georgia. Completed in 1978.
18. **Nuozhadu Dam** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — 261.5 m tall. Embankment, Lancang (Mekong) River, China. Completed in 2012.
19. **Gilgel Gibe III Dam** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — 243 m tall. Roller-compacted concrete gravity, Omo River, Ethiopia. Completed in 2015.
20. **Laxiwa Dam** (1 · ▲3 ▼2) — 250 m tall. Concrete arch, Yellow River, China. Completed in 2009.
21. **Alberto Lleras (Guavio) Dam** (1 · ▲2 ▼1) — 243 m tall. Rock-fill embankment, Guavio River, Colombia. Completed in 1989.
22. **Mica Dam** (1 · ▲2 ▼1) — 243 m tall. Earth-fill embankment, Columbia River, Canada. Completed in 1973.
23. **Wudongde Dam** (1 · ▲2 ▼1) — 240 m tall. Concrete gravity, Jinsha River, China. Completed in 2021.
24. **La Esmeralda (Chivor) Dam** (1 · ▲2 ▼1) — 237 m tall. Rock-fill embankment, Batá River, Colombia. Completed in 1976.
25. **Vajont Dam** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 261.6 m tall. Concrete double-arch, Vajont River, Italy. Completed in 1959. Disused since the 1963 landslide disaster, which killed about 2,000 people.
26. **Deriner Dam** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — 249 m tall. Concrete double-arch, Çoruh River, Turkey. Completed in 2012.
27. **Shuibuya Dam** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — 233 m tall. Concrete-face rock-fill, Qing River, China. Completed in 2008.
28. **Goupitan Dam** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — 232.5 m tall. Concrete double-arch, Wu River, China. Completed in 2009.
29. **Ertan Dam** (-1 · ▲0 ▼1) — 240 m tall. Concrete arch-gravity, Yalong River, China. Completed in 1999.
30. **Chirkey Dam** (-1 · ▲0 ▼1) — 232.5 m tall. Concrete arch, Sulak River, Russia. Completed in 1976.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.