@figlesquidge:
Really... the whole British Empire's a Wonder? ALL of it? The whole nation, from Big Ben and the Queen to some broken toilets in a Yorkshire slum and a couple prostitues?
EVERY bit of the Empire...? Come on, even we Americans have to admit that theirs parts of our country that are SHIT... the dealers and gangsters and broken EVERYTHING in East Los Angeles, for example. ;) *Ducks as offended East LA gangsters who have the intellect and free time to come onto Diplomacy... oh, wait...*
;)
Also, it IS the meaning of the structure and NOT just the size or complexity of it!
Look at the OLD Wonders- Pyramids were for pharoahs and gods, Temple of Zues was for their chief God, Hanging Gardens for their king and his wife, Colossus also I believe for gods...
So I'd say the meaning behind the NEW Colossus (Statue of Liberty, which you better not call paltry or cheap in the States!) or the meaning of Notre Dame Cathedral (insult it and God AND a Hunchback will get you) or the Globe Theatre (you think saying "MACBETH" is bad luck, just try and insult the Globe...) is pretty significant, and MUST be taken into account...
And that's why Statue of Liberty beats Empire State Building or CN Tower or Sears Tower... bigger meaning CAN sometimes trump bigger structure...