1. Peta Pulau Pinang

Main article: Historical affiliationsPeriod116–186; 191–194193–PresentPrehistory Human remains, dating back to about 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, have been uncovered in, along with seashells, pottery and hunting tools. These artifacts indicate that the earliest inhabitants of Penang were nomadic during the era. Early history The in, uncovered in 1845, contains inscriptions, indicating that the Hindu-Buddhist civilisation based in what is now had established control over parts of Seberang Perai by the 6th century. The entirety of what is now Penang would later become part of the Sultanate of Kedah up to the late 18th century.Founding of Penang. British acquisition and expansion of Penang (in yellow) occurred between 1786 and 1874, when the final alterations to Penang's boundaries was enacted.It was only in 1786 when the British East India Company finally ordered Light to obtain the island from Kedah.

Light negotiated with the new Sultan of Kedah, regarding the cession of the island to the British East India Company in exchange for British military aid. After an agreement between Light and the Sultan was ratified, Light and his entourage sailed on to Penang Island, where they arrived on 17 July 1786.

Light took formal possession of the island on 11 August ' in the name of His Britannic Majesty, and the Honourable East India Company'. Penang Island was renamed the Prince of Wales Island after the, while the new settlement of George Town was established in honour of King George III.Unbeknownst to Sultan Abdullah, Light had been acting without the authority or the consent of his superiors in.

When Light reneged on his promise of military protection, the Kedah Sultan launched an attempt to recapture the Prince of Wales Island in 1791; the British East India Company subsequently defeated the Kedah forces.In 1800, Lieutenant-Governor Sir secured a strip of across the and named it Province Wellesley (now ). Province Wellesley was then gradually expanded up to its present-day boundaries in 1874. In exchange for the acquisition, the annual payment to the Sultan of Kedah was increased to 10,000 per annum.

To this day, the still pays Kedah, on behalf of Penang, RM 10,000 annually as a symbolic gesture. Colonial Penang. A 1799 map of.founded as a to entice traders away from nearby trading posts. Simultaneously, spices were harvested on the island, turning it into a regional centre for spice production. Consequently, maritime trade at the grew exponentially; the number of incoming vessels rose from 85 in 1786 to 3,569 in 1802.In 1805, Penang became a separate of, sharing similar status with Bombay and Madras. By 1808, a local government for George Town was in place, whilst the establishment of the marked the birth of Malaysia's modern judiciary. In 1826, Penang, and were incorporated into the, with George Town as the capital.However, Penang's importance was soon supplanted by Singapore, as the latter rapidly outstripped the Port of Penang as the region's premier.

In 1832, Singapore replaced George Town as the capital of the Straits Settlements. The in, erected after, commemorates fallen Allied soldiers.During, in the, the German cruiser surreptitiously sailed to and sank two warships off its coast. 147 French and Russian sailors perished during the battle., on the other hand, led to unparalleled social and political upheaval. Although Penang Island had been designated as a fortress, Penang fell to the on 19 December 1941, after suffering devastating aerial attacks. The British covertly evacuated Penang's European populace; historians have since contended that the moral collapse of British rule in Southeast Asia came not at Singapore, but at Penang.

Liberating on 3 September 1945.Penang Island was subsequently renamed Tojo-to, after the then Japanese Prime Minister. The period of was renowned for the Imperial Japanese Army's massacres of populace, known as to the locals. Women in George Town were also coerced to work as by the Japanese. Meanwhile, the was put to use as a major submarine base by the.In the last years of the war, Allied bombers from India repeatedly, seeking to destroy the naval facilities and administrative centres. Several colonial buildings were destroyed or damaged, such as the Government Offices, and Hutchings School (now ). The was also mined to constrict Japanese shipping.

Following the, British forces launched to recapture Penang Island on 3 September 1945, making the first city in to be liberated from the Japanese. Post-war years.

Flag of the between 1946 and 1949Penang was placed under a until 1946. Subsequently, the was abolished, as the British sought to consolidate the various political entities in under a single polity named the. The now separate was consequently merged into the Malayan Union, which was then replaced by the in 1948.The idea of the absorption of Penang into the vast Malay heartland initially proved unpopular amongst Penangites. Economic and ethnic concerns led to the formation of the Penang Secessionist Committee in 1948.

However, the committee's attempt to avert Penang's merger with Malaya ultimately petered out due to British disapproval.The British government allayed the concerns raised by the secessionists by guaranteeing 's free port status, as well as reintroducing municipal elections in George Town in 1951. By 1956, George Town became the first fully elected municipality in Malaya and in the following year, it was granted city status by, becoming the first city within the Federation of Malaya, and by extension, Malaysia.Post-independence era. The, was built in the 1970s.was, since colonial times, a free port - until its sudden revocation by the in 1969. Penang subsequently suffered an economic crisis, with the loss of maritime trade resulting in massive unemployment and brain drain. To alleviate the downturn, the then, masterminded the construction of the.

The zone, regarded by many as the Silicon Valley of the East, proved instrumental in reversing Penang's economic slump and led to the state's rapid economic growth until the late 1990s.During Lim's tenure, a number of major infrastructural projects were also undertaken, chiefly the, the first road link between and the Malay Peninsula. Completed in 1985, it was the longest bridge in Southeast Asia until 2014 when it was superseded by the. The hit parts of, killing 52 people (out of 68 in all of Malaysia).However, the persistent brain drain, exacerbated by federal government policies that favoured the development of, meant that Penang was no longer at the forefront of the country's economy by the 2000s. Penang's economy slowed down in the early 2000s, while the deteriorating state of affairs in general, including an incoherent urban planning policy, poor traffic management and the dilapidation of George Town's heritage buildings due to the repeal of the Rent Control Act in 2001, led to simmering discontent within Penang's society.In response, George Town's non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the national press galvanised public support and formed strategic partnerships to restore the city to its former glory. Also as a result of the widespread resentment, the then federal opposition coalition, (now ), was voted into power within Penang in the, replacing the erstwhile administration led by the. Meanwhile, the efforts to conserve George Town's heritage architecture paid off, when in 2008, the city's historical core was inscribed as a.The which struck on Boxing Day of 2004 hit the western and northern coasts of Penang Island, claiming 52 lives (out of 68 in ). Aerial view of.

The city is physically separated from (bottom) by the.Penang is geographically divided into two major halves physically divided by the., a 293 km 2 (113 sq mi) island., a 751 km 2 (290 sq mi) hinterland on the Malay Peninsula. It is bordered by to the east and north, and by to the south.The Penang Strait is further divided into the North Channel and the South Channel. At the strait's narrowest section, on the island is separated from on the mainland by a mere 3 km (1.9 mi). View of as seen from, with in the backgroundPenang Island is irregularly shaped, with a hilly and mostly forested interior; its coastal plains are narrow, the most extensive of which is at the northeastern cape. With a height of 833 m (2,733 ft), at the centre of the island, is the tallest point within Penang.

From a small settlement at the northeastern tip of Penang Island, George Town has expanded over the centuries, particularly in the northwestern, western and southern directions, eventually linking up with at the island's southeast and urbanising the entire eastern coast of the island. Meanwhile, the topography of Seberang Perai is mostly flat, save for a few hills such as.The major rivers within Penang include the, and rivers. In particular, the Muda River serves as the northern border between Seberang Perai and Kedah, while the Kerian River forms the southern boundary between Seberang Perai, Kedah and Perak.Due to land scarcity, projects have been undertaken in high-demand areas such as,. Nature and parks. The was founded in 1884 as an offshoot of the.In spite of rapid urbanisation, Penang has still managed to safeguard a considerable area of natural environment. Within the state, 7,761 ha (77.61 km 2) have been designated as protected forest reserves.The central hills of, including, serve as the green lung for the urbanised island.

Two of the major parks within - the and the - are situated near the hills.Penang is also home to the smallest national park in the world - the. Covering 2,562 ha (25.62 km 2) of the northwestern tip of Penang Island, it encompasses mangrove swamps, rainforest interspersed with hiking trails and tranquil beaches. Other notable natural attractions nearby include the Tropical Spice Garden and the Entopia Butterfly Farm, the latter of which was Malaysia's first butterfly sanctuary.In, the Penang Bird Park, established in 1988 in, was the first aviary in Malaysia. Outlying islets Penang also consists of nine other islets off its coasts.

The biggest of all, is located in the South Channel of the. Once the site of a leper asylum built in 1868, which was later converted into a maximum-security penitentiary, Jerejak Island remains heavily forested. The other islets under the jurisdiction of Penang include, and.Climate. 74Average max. Temperatures in °FPrecipitation totals in inchesAs in the rest of Malaysia, Penang has a bordering on a tropical monsoon climate, although the state does experience slightly drier conditions from December to February of the following year. The climate is very much dictated by the surrounding sea and the prevailing wind system.Penang's proximity with the island of makes it susceptible to dust particles carried by wind from perennial but transient forest fires, creating a phenomenon known as the.The Penang Meteorological Office in is the primary weather forecast facility for northern Malaysia. Temperature (day)30–32 °CTemperature (night)23–25 °CAve annual rainfall2670 mmRelative humidity0%–50%Urban and suburban areas.

See also:Penang, being a former, is one of only four without hereditary monarchies. The head of state of Penang is the (: Yang di-Pertua Negeri), who is appointed by the King of Malaysia (: ). The present Governor of Penang, assumed office in 2001. In practice, the Governor is a whose functions are chiefly symbolic and ceremonial.The has its own executive council and legislature, but they have relatively limited powers in comparison with those of the.

According to the, the state may legislate on matters pertaining to Malay customs, land, agriculture and forestry, local government, civil and water works, and state administration, whereas matters that fall under the joint purview of both state and federal authorities include social welfare, wildlife protection and national parks, scholarships, husbandry, town planning, drainage and irrigation, and public health and health regulations.The, codified in 1957, embodies the state's highest laws. Consisting of 42 articles, the constitution pertains to the proceedings and powers of the state government.Executive. See also:The is the executive authority of the, similar in function to the. It is led by the, who serves as the head of government in Penang. To this day, Penang remains the only Malaysian state where the position of the head of government has been continuously held by an since the nation's independence in 1957.The current Chief Minister of Penang is of the (DAP), who assumed office after the. Following the, the coalition (now ), which at the time consisted of the DAP, the (PKR) and the (PAS), formed the Penang state government, with the head of government going to the former for being the single largest party in the state legislature.Legislature. The in, where the convenes.

Political Party/Alliance37 (92.5%)11 (84.6%)2 (5.0%)2 (15.4%)1 (2.5%)0The unicameral 40-seat, whose members are called State Assemblymen, convenes at the in. Penang practises the whereby members of the are appointed from amongst the elected State Assemblymen. Moreover, the dissolution of the Penang State Legislative Assembly, typically conducted prior to a State Election, requires the consent of the.Following the, the (PH) coalition commands a in the legislature by controlling 37 seats. Out of the 37 PH seats, 19 are retained by the (DAP), 14 by the (PKR), two by the (Bersatu) and two by the (Amanah).

The state opposition is formed by the (BN) coalition, which holds two seats, and the (PAS), which occupies one seat.Amendments to require the support of two-thirds of the Penang State Legislative Assembly.AffiliationCoalition/Party LeaderStatusSeatsCurrentGovernment3737Teng Chang Yeow22Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff11Total4040Government majority3434Local governments. The in serves as the headquarters of the.There are currently two in Penang.

The administers the city of, which includes the entirety of. It is made up of a, a city secretary and 24 councillors. The is in charge of. Similar in structure to the city council, it consists of a president, a municipal secretary and 24 councillors.Both the mayor and the president are appointed by the for a two-year term, while the councillors are appointed for one-year terms of office. The local councils are responsible, among others, for regulating traffic and parking, maintaining cleanliness and drainage, managing waste disposal, issuing business licenses, and overseeing public health.Districts. The building inThe had its roots in 19th-century. In 1807, a was granted to Penang which provided for the establishment of a Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court of Penang, then sited at, was opened in 1808. Sir assumed office as the First Recorder of the Supreme Court in 1808, thus serving as the first Superior Court Judge in. The legal establishment in Penang was progressively extended to the whole of Malaya by 1951.Today, the in sits at the pinnacle of the hierarchy of courts within Penang.

There are also four Magistrates Courts and two Sessions Courts scattered throughout the state. Foreign relations A total of 18 countries have either established their consulates or appointed honorary consuls within Penang. The State of Penang has also ratified a sister state agreement with Japan's and a friendship state agreement with China's. In addition, is twinned with, while has. Demographics. (3.07%)Penang, with an estimated population of 1,766,800 as of 2018, has the highest population density of all (excluding ), at 1,684/km 2 (4,360/sq mi). In addition, Penang is one of the most urbanised Malaysian states, with an urbanisation level of 90.8% as of 2015.Due to its vibrant economy, Penang is also one of the major recipients of interstate migrants within Malaysia.

Between 2015 and 2016, Penang achieved the highest migration effectiveness ratio among Malaysian states; for every 100 Malaysians that migrated into and out of Penang, the state's population increased by 58 persons. The bulk of the interstate immigrants came from, and Kuala Lumpur.Penang's population is almost equally distributed between the island and the mainland. had a population of 722,384 as of 2010 and a population density of 2,465.47/km 2 (6,385.5/sq mi). had a population of 838,999 as of 2010 and a population density of 1,117.18/km 2 (2,893.5/sq mi).The, which also covers parts of neighbouring and, is the second largest in the nation, with almost 2.5 million inhabitants as of 2010.Ethnicities. InIn particular, remains a Chinese-majority city, with the Chinese making up over half of the city's population as of 2010.

George Town's Chinese populace includes the, a hybrid ethnicity whose rich legacies can still be seen to this day in the form of distinctive architectures, costumes. Moreover, the city is also renowned for its more cosmopolitan population, which also comprises indigenous East Malaysians, the and the. Meanwhile, the Malays have formed the plurality in.In addition, Penang is home to a sizeable expatriate population, especially from Singapore, Japan and various Asian countries, as well as other nations. Almost 9% of Penang's population consisted of foreigners, reflecting the well-established allure of Penang amongst expatriates.

Most expatriates settle within the vicinity of George Town; the city's northern suburbs, such as, and, are particularly popular. Languages Major languages spoken in Penang are,. In particular, Penang is well known for its distinctive Hokkien language, known as.Under British rule, English was the official language in Penang. The mushrooming of English and missionary schools throughout contributed greatly to the widespread use of the language in the state.As in the rest of Malaysia, Malay is currently the official language in Penang. The Malays in Penang also use a variant of the dialect, with slight modifications made to the original dialect to suit the conditions of an urban, cosmopolitan society.is the most widely spoken language amongst Penang's Indian community.

There are also other Indian languages spoken by minority Indians such as and who hailed from diverse ancestries in the Indian subcontinent. Meanwhile, Penang's Chinese population uses a variety of Chinese dialects, including and., more commonly used by youths, has been the medium of instruction in Chinese schools throughout the state.However, it is Penang Hokkien that serves as the of Penang.

Originally a variant of the language, Penang Hokkien has absorbed numerous loanwords from Malay and English, yet another legacy of the culture. It is spoken by many Penangites irrespective of race for communication purposes. Greater emphasis has been placed on preserving the language's relevance in the face of the increasing influence of Mandarin and English among the youth. Religions. Built in 1818, in is the oldest Anglican church in Southeast Asia.As of 2010, Muslims constituted over 44% of Penang's population, followed by the Buddhists at nearly 36% and the Hindus at almost 9%.

Notably, smaller communities of Chinese Muslims and Indian Muslims have long existed within, while most Buddhists in Penang follow either, or traditions. A significant multiracial community of Christians, of both and sects, also exist in Penang, consisting of ethnic, migrants and expatriates. Meanwhile, more than 10% of the state's Chinese populace adhere to and other.One particular street in George Town exemplifies the harmonious coexistence of the various religions in Penang. Along, Muslim, Taoist, Hindu and Christian places of worship are situated just metres away from one another, earning the street its nickname, the Street of Harmony. This reflects Penang's diverse ethnic and socio-cultural amalgamation.There was once a tiny and little-known community of in George Town, who mainly resided along Jalan Zainal Abidin (formerly Yahudi Road). The last known native Jew died in 2011, rendering the centuries-old Jewish community in Penang effectively extinct.

Economy Economic indicatorsNominal GDPRM77.641 billion (2017)GDP per capitaRM49,873 (2017)Real GDP growth5.3% (2017)CPI inflation1.4% (February 2018)Unemployment2.1% (2017)Labour forceparticipation rate67.5% (2017)Government debtnil (2016). Mining (0.1%)In spite of its tiny size, Penang, regarded as the Silicon Valley of the East, has one of the largest economies in Malaysia, contributing as much as RM7 billion of the country's tax income in 2015. Penang has the highest (GDP) per capita among. With a GDP per capita of RM49,873 as of 2017, Penang has also surpassed the 's threshold to be considered a, which was set at US$12,056 within the same year.Furthermore, Penang consistently records one of the lowest unemployment rates within the nation - 2.1% as of 2017. The state has experienced one of the largest reductions in within Malaysia as well, at 0.356 in 2016.Penang is the top destination within Malaysia for foreign investors; the state held the largest share of Malaysia's (FDI) in 2017, gaining nearly ​ 2⁄ 5 of the nation's overall FDI. In addition, was ranked Malaysia's most attractive destination for commercial property investment by in 2016, surpassing even. The bulk of Penang's FDI as of 2017 originated from, and.Penang's economic growth, particularly since 2008, was described by as Malaysia's ' biggest economic success', despite the 's focus on other states such as Johor and Sarawak.

Penang's economic performance also allowed the to completely eradicate the state's public debt by 2016. Manufacturing. Known as the Silicon Valley of the EastSince the 1970s, manufacturing has formed the backbone of Penang's economy, contributing 44.8% of the state's GDP as of 2017 and attracting as many as 3,000 firms to set up operations within the state.

Machinery and transport equipment accounted for 71% of Penang's total exports during the first nine months of 2014.The, now regarded as the Silicon Valley of the East, is the main electronics manufacturing hub within Malaysia. Located at the southeastern corner of, the zone is home to several high-tech multinational firms, including, and.has witnessed massive industrialisation as well, with industrial estates and oil refineries being established in the late 20th century in areas like. The major local firms currently operating in Perai, including Malayan Sugar, Malayawata Steel, Southern Steel, Harvik Rubber and Soon Soon Oilmills, have been joined by multinational companies, such as,. In recent years, has also been rapidly industrialised, with a number of international firms, such as and, setting up manufacturing plants in the town.Aside from electronics and engineering manufacturing, Penang is Malaysia's main jewellery finishing hub, contributing 85% of the nations's gold and jewellery exports as of 2016. Penang's gold and jewellery industry is relatively well-established, dating back to the founding of the Penang Goldsmith Association in 1832. Jewellery from Penang is exported to over 20 foreign markets, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Canada and the United States.

Services. In is the largest in Malaysia.The services sector has overtaken the manufacturing sector as the largest economic sector in Penang, with the former accounting for 49.3% of Penang's GDP as of 2017. In addition, almost ​ 3⁄ 5 of Penang's workforce are employed in services-related industries, which include retail, accommodation, medical tourism, and food and beverages (F&B) sub-sectors.Medical tourism has emerged as an integral component of Penang's services sector., in particular, has become the centre of medical tourism within Malaysia, attracting approximately half of the nation's medical tourist arrivals in 2013 and generating about 70% of the country's medical tourism revenue. Shophouses in 's sell Indian fabrics and textile, as well as Hindu prayer paraphernalia.Penang also has a vibrant retail sub-sector, which employs as many as 24% of Penang's workforce. As the main shopping destination in northern Malaysia, Penang is home to several shopping malls, such as,.

While shopping malls now dominate the retail scene, centuries-old shophouses are still operating alongside George Town's flea markets and wet markets, all of which cater more to local products, including spices, nutmegs and tau sar pneah, a famous Penang delicacy.Due to the efforts of the to promote the state as a (SSO) hub, Penang has attracted the second largest share of investments for Global Business Services (GBS) within Malaysia, after. Penang's SSO industry, which includes international corporations such as, and, has provided more than 8,000 high-income jobs and contributed RM12.79 billion of revenue in 2013.In addition to these, a startup community has been growing within Penang, including the likes of and DeliverEat. Attracted by the cheaper living costs and the presence of several multinational technology firms, Penang's startups are also being actively encouraged by the public and private sectors, with initiatives to encourage entrepreneurship and promote the (IoT).Furthermore, George Town is Malaysia's second most popular centre for (MICE), after Kuala Lumpur.

In 2017, Penang hosted 2,511 business events with an estimated economic impact of RM1.002 billion. Among the major MICE venues within Penang are the, Straits Quay. Commerce. And at, 's mainwas formerly the financial centre of.

The first international bank to open a branch in George Town (and by extension, Malaysia) was in 1875. This was followed by and the in 1885 and 1888 respectively.To this day, George Town still serves as the financial centre of northern Malaysia. The city contains various Malaysian and international banks, including Standard Chartered, HSBC,. Most of the international banks still retain their offices at, which also serves as the city's.Since the 1990s, along with, has also emerged as the George Town's. Northam Road, in particular, hosts an array of financial services, including the, as well as accounting, auditing and insurance offices.Finance and its related activities, such as insurance, auditing and real estate transactions, accounted for more than 8% of Penang's (GDP) as of 2017. Main article: Public Holidays in Penang HolidayDateNew Year's Day1 Janvariable2 days inJan/FebLabour Day1 MayvariableKing's Birthday1st Sat of JunGeorge Town WorldHeritage City Day7 JulGovernor's Birthday2nd Sat of JulRevelation ofthe Koran Dayvariable2 days(variable)National Day31 AugvariablevariablevariablevariableChristmas25 DecFestivals Penang's diverse, cosmopolitan society means that there are a great many celebrations and festivities in any given year.

The major cultural and religious festivities in the state include, but not limited to, the, and.Expatriates residing in Penang have also introduced a host of other celebrations. Is celebrated yearly by the Japanese in, while and, traditionally celebrated by the Irish and the Germans respectively, have also been gaining popularity amongst the locals.Moreover, Penang hosts several major festivals in any given year. The, first held in 2010, has evolved into one of the largest arts events in Southeast Asia, while the attracts close to 200,000 visitors from all over the world. Performance arts. A troupe inis the birthplace of a unique form of the procession. Introduced in 1919, Penang's variant of Chingay includes the act of balancing gigantic flags on one's forehead or hands. A yearly Chingay parade is held in the city every December, though Chingay performances are also a common feature of Chinese festivities and major state celebrations in Penang., which was also developed in Penang, is a type of Malay theatre that incorporates Indian, Western, Islamic, Chinese and Indonesian influences.

Boria is also indigenous to Penang, featuring singing accompanied by violin, maracas and tabla.Aside from these, the state has orchestras based in George Town, the, Penang Symphony Orchestra, as well as several chamber and school-based musical ensembles. Dewan Sri Pinang and Penangpac within are two of the major performing venues in the city.Street art.

's Children on a Bicycle inIn 2012, as part of the, Lithuanian artist created a series of 6 wall paintings depicting local culture, inhabitants and lifestyles. In addition, several wrought iron caricatures have been installed within, with each caricature detailing the city's history and the daily lives of its inhabitants. In recent years, the street art scene has also begun to grow out of the city, in areas such as and.In addition, art exhibitions are frequently held at cultural centres within George Town, such as the Hin Bus Depot. Museums The in is the state's primary public museum; it houses relics, photographs, maps, and other artefacts that document the history and culture of Penang.Other museums in the city focus on religious and cultural aspects, as well as famous personalities, including the, and Universiti Sains Malaysia Museum and Gallery. Besides that, the birthplace of 's legendary singer-actor, has been restored and turned into a museumIn recent years, private-run museums have sprung up throughout the city, such as the and the.

A handful of newer 3D visual and interactive museums have also been established, such as the Made-in-Penang Interactive Museum and the Penang Time Tunnel. Architecture. Skyscrapers at in, in George Town, was the first structure built by the British in Penang. The city's UNESCO World Heritage Site also covers several important landmarks, including the, the, the and the at.

Aside from European architecture, a huge assortment of Asian architectural styles also exists throughout George Town, exemplified by buildings like the, the,. Meanwhile, the Siamese and the Burmese have also left a visible impact on certain landmarks within the city, such as, and.Aside from the colonial era architecture, contains most of the skyscrapers within Penang, with the state's tallest buildings all located within the island. The tallest skyscrapers in George Town, and by extension, Penang, include the, and.Cuisine.

A bowl of Penang, popularly regarded as the food capital of Malaysia, is renowned for its good and varied cuisine which incorporates, and influences. The city has been recognised by various publications, such as, and, as one of the Asian cities with the best street cuisine. According to Time Magazine in 2004, ' nowhere else can such great tasting food be so cheap,' whilst Robin Barton of the Lonely Planet described George Town as the culinary epicentre of the many cultures that arrived after it was set up as a trading port in 1786, from Malays to Indians, to Chinese, Burmese to Thais.The various street dishes and delicacies of Penang include (but not limited to), oh chien (fried oyster omelette), and tau sar pneah (bean paste biscuit).

Education. Penang's premier public universityPenang's literacy rate stood at 98.2% as of 2010, whilst specifically, the literacy rate of Penang's youth between 15 and 24 years of age rose to 99.5% in 2014, after. Correspondingly, Penang has the third highest within Malaysia.As of 2017, Penang, including both the mainland and the island contains a total of 48 tertiary institutions (including universities, colleges, medical colleges, industrial training institutes and teaching schools), 12 international schools, 110 secondary schools, 271 primary schools and 602 kindergartens. Founded in 1816, is the oldest English school in Southeast Asia.In particular, is home to some of Malaysia's oldest schools. Established in 1816, is the oldest English school in Southeast Asia, while the numerous missionary schools within the city include,.

In addition, the city is a pioneer in Chinese education within the region; following the establishment of in 1904, several prominent Chinese schools were built, such as, and.As a popular destination for expatriates, George Town contains a number of international schools as well, such as, and Hua Xia International School. These schools offer primary and secondary education up to A Levels and International Baccalaureate. A few of these schools, such as Penang Japanese School and, cater to expatriates of specific nationalities.(USM) is the premier public university within Penang.

Established in 1969 as Malaysia's second university, it was originally named Universiti Pulau Pinang (University of Penang). The main campus is situated at, while an has been built in. As of 2018, it was ranked 207th in the, the fourth highest within the country. Other tertiary institutions within Penang include, Equator Academy of Arts, Penang Skills and Development Centre.

Aside from these institutions, a research and training facility aimed at the enhancement of the science and mathematics education in Southeast Asia, is sited within Penang as well.The state also contains 107 libraries, including the Penang State Library and the Penang Digital Library. The latter, launched by the in 2016, is the first digital library in Malaysia. Health care. InHealth care in Penang is adequately provided by the numerous public and private hospitals throughout the state. These hospitals have also helped Penang to emerge as the centre of medical tourism in Malaysia. The, administered and funded by the, is the main within northern Malaysia. It is supported by five other public hospitals within Penang, all of which also come under the administration of the country's Ministry of Health.Aside from public hospitals, Penang is home to 15 private hospitals, including,.

Peta Pulau Pinang

These hospitals cater not only to the local population, but also to patients from other states and foreign health tourists.Infant mortality rate within Penang dropped by 85% between 1970 and 2000 to 5.7 per 1,000 live births, while neonatal mortality rate also decreased by 84.7% within this corresponding period to 4.1 per 1,000 live births. As of 2017, Penang's life expectancy at birth stood at 72.5 years for men and 77.7 years for women. Media Print was once the nucleus of 's print press. The nation's first newspaper was founded in the city – the Prince of Wales Island Gazette in 1806., currently one of Malaysia's top dailies, has its origins as a regional newspaper founded in in the 1970s, while the country's oldest Chinese newspaper, was also established in the city in 1910.In 2011, the then, launched the Penang edition of. This version of the international listings magazine is published in three versions - a yearly guide, a website and a mobile app.The also publishes its own multi-lingual newspaper, Buletin Mutiara, which is distributed for free every fortnight. The Penang-centric newspaper focuses on the current issues within Penang.

Film and Television Due to its well-preserved colonial-era cityscape, a number of movies have been filmed within, such as, and, the latter of which is the first movie to be filmed entirely in., and, were also filmed within the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition, the city became one of the pit-stops of, and.Radio The available FM radio stations in Penang, both government (including Penang-based ) and commercial, are as listed below. FrequencyStationOperatorLanguage87.8Mandarin, Cantonese88.2Malay89.9English90.2Malay91.0English92.8English94.5Mandarin, Cantonese94.9Malay95.7Malay96.7Tamil97.1Malay98.7English99.3Tamil99.7Mandarin, Cantonese101.3Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien103.6Malay104.4English106.5Mandarin, Cantonese106.9Malay107.6Mandarin, CantoneseTransportation. The, 24 km-long (15 mi), is the longest bridge in.is connected to the mainland by two bridges. The 13.5 km (8.4 mi), completed in 1985, spans the between on the island and on the mainland.

Spanning 24 km (15 mi), the is located further south, linking on the island to on the mainland. The latter was opened to the public in 2014 and is currently the longest bridge in Southeast Asia.The, a 966 km-long (600 mi) along the western part of Peninsular Malaysia, passes through.

Download simcity 5 pc. In addition, about 34.9 km (21.7 mi) of the 's also lies within Seberang Perai, with the serving as the main railway station within northern Malaysia. Aside from the regular Malayan Railway services, the Butterworth railway station is the southernmost terminus of the 's and the from. Notably, the train station is also one of the main stops of the service between Bangkok and Singapore.On, the is a vital coastal highway that runs along the island's eastern seaboard, connecting with the Penang Bridge, the, the and the Second Penang Bridge. The is a pan-island trunk road, while the two major ring roads within George Town are the and the.In Seberang Perai, the major ring roads and expressways include the (BORR) and the.Public transportation.

The, Malaysia's only railway systemBuses now form the backbone of public transportation within Penang. Public bus services are mainly provided by, which operates 56 routes within, including interstate routes into. Among the routes are free-of-charge transit services such as the Central Area Transit, the Congestion Alleviation Transport and the Pulau Tikus Loop. In addition, the bus service, which utilises, has been introduced for tourists within George Town.Meanwhile, the only rail-based transportation system within Penang is the, a funicular railway to the peak of.

Opened in 1923, it is also the sole funicular railway system in Malaysia.Efforts are also being undertaken to promote pedestrianisation and the use of bicycles as an environmentally friendly mode of transportation. Dedicated cycling lanes have been paved throughout the city and in 2016, George Town became the first Malaysian city to operate a, with the inauguration of.The in is the main rapid transit hub within Penang. Penang Sentral's location, adjacent to the and the, allows it to function as a termini for public and interstate buses, and train services.Air. View of and the in 2017(PEN) is located in at the southeast of, 16 km (9.9 mi) south of. It serves as the main airport for northern Malaysia, with frequent links to major regional cities such as,.

Penang International Airport is in terms of cargo traffic and recorded the third highest passenger traffic of all Malaysian airports as of 2013.The airport is also a hub for two Malaysian low-cost carriers -. Among the international carriers that operate out of the airport are, and.Sea. A crossing the towards.The, the main harbour in northern Malaysia, is operated by the Penang Port Commission. The Port consists of seven facilities, with six of them in and on the, including the North Butterworth Container Terminal, Butterworth Deep Water Wharves and the Prai Bulk Cargo Terminal. The Port of Penang, the third busiest seaport in Malaysia, handled more than 1.52 million of cargo in 2017.Meanwhile, situated in the heart of, is the sole Port facility on.

The pier now accommodates cruise ships, making it one of the major entry points into Penang. As of 2017, Swettenham Pier recorded 1.35 million tourist arrivals, thereby surpassing as the busiest cruise shipping terminal in Malaysia; the pier has also attracted some of the world's largest cruise liners, such as the. The pier also serves as a homeport for regional-based cruise ships.Occasionally, the Port of Penang hosts warships as well, including those from, the and most recently,.The cross-strait service connects George Town and Butterworth, and was formerly the only transportation link between Penang Island and the mainland until the completion of the in 1985.

At the time of writing, six ferries ply the between George Town and Butterworth daily. The is also one of the major venues in Penang for (MICE).The Nicol David International Squash Centre at is one of the major squash training facilities in Malaysia and was reportedly where squash legend first trained during her childhood years. George Town is also home to Malaysia's oldest equestrian centre, the, which was established in 1864. In addition, Penang contains a total of three golf courses, one of which is on.The major annual sporting events within Penang include the Penang International Dragon Boat Festival and the. The former, held every December in, is a race that has attracted several international teams, including those from Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, China, South Korea and Australia. The latter is a marathon which includes the as its route.

Held every November, it attracted a record 35,000 participants from 85 countries in 2017.Among the national and international sporting events that were hosted within Penang include the, the and the. Penang has also hosted the, the first edition of a within Asia. Utilities Water supply, which comes under the jurisdiction of the, is wholly managed by the (PBAPP). The state enjoys the lowest domestic water tariff in Malaysia, at RM0.32 per 1,000 litres.

Penang's water supply is obtained from several sources, namely the Air Itam Dam, Teluk Bahang Dam, Bukit Panchor Dam, Berapit Dam, Cherok Tok Kun Dam, the Guillemard Reservoir, the and the. The latter, which forms Penang's northern border with, provides up to 80% of Penang's water supply.In 1904, became the first city within to be supplied with electricity, upon the completion of a hydroelectric scheme. Currently, electricity for industrial and domestic consumption is provided by (TNB), which operates a 398MW oil-powered power plant at.As of 2014, Penang had a recorded broadband penetration rate of 80.3%, the highest among all. Penang is also the first Malaysian state to provide its citizens with free internet connection. Penang Free Wi-Fi, launched by the Penang state government in 2008, aims to boost internet penetration throughout Penang and is provided free-of-charge. Its bandwidth speeds within the George Town city centre were increased to 3Mbit/s, while 1,560 hotspots have been installed throughout the state.

Notable people.

HistoryThe Old Name of PenangPenang was formerly known as Pulau Ka Satu. A sea rover by the name of Ragam named it Pulau Ka Satu a single island as it was the only large the isolated land he came across on his trading trips between Lingga and Kedah. The name was retained until the coming of the British in 1786. When the areca palm was cultivated on the island after the arrival of British, the name of island was later changed in Pulau Pinang.Sometimes before the island became known as Pulau Pinang, the native of Seberang Perai knew Penang as Tanjong Penaga which as delivered from lives of the name which grew on the spot when the Fort Cornwallis was built. The name or it shorten form, Tanjong was believed to be in used in all land grants issued by the government until 1800.

In fact, the name of Tanjong was compatible until now with the people of Penang and Province Wellesley when referring to the Georgetown City.Early History of Penang and Seberang PeraiOne of the early English traders who had “found” Penang was Captain James Lancaster. His ship, the Edward Bonaventure was one of three English ships sent by Britain to the east in 1591. Based on this travel records, Captain Lancaster found Penang after his stopover in Pulau Rimau in June 1593. Pulau Rimau is located to the south of Penang island. To him Penang seemed to be a desolate place. From archaeological evidence both Penang dan Seberang Perai had already been inhabited since pre-historic times.The first evidence were found in Guar Kepah, Seberang Perai in 1860.

Based on mounds of sea shells with human skeletons, stone implements, broken ceramics and food leftovers inside, scholars believed the Gua Kepah settlement to be between 3,000-4,000 years old. Other stone implements found in various places on Penang island indicate the existence of Neolithic settlements since 5,000 years ago. Historically, Penang and Seberang Perai were originally a part of the Kedah Sultanate. Long before its takeover by the English East India Company, settlements had already been established on Penang island.The old registers of surveys issued in 1795 mentioned that Datok Keramat has already been opened up since 1705 based on the existence of Malay settlements and an 18 acre cemetery in the area. Settlements were also opened up in batu Uban, Sungai Kluang dan others areas. Seberang Perai at the time of its takeover by the East India Company in 1800 has already boasted a population of between two to three thousands.The Possession of Seberang Perai by the BritishIn 1800, Seberang Perai which became known later as Province Wellesley was successfully occupied by the East India Company through a treaty with Sultan Dhiauddin Mukarram Shah II (r. The first clause of this treaty stipulated:The English Company (i.e the English East India Company) are to pay annually to His Majesty of Purlis and Quedah.

Ten Thousand Dollars as long as the English shall continue in possession of Pulo Pinang and the country on the opposite Coast hereafter mentioned.This treaty automatically invalidated the earlier treaty made in 1791 between Sultan Abdullah Mukarram Shah dan Francis Light. The 1791 Treaty of Peace and Friendship was forced on the Sultan by the EIC after the sultan attempted to retake possession of Penang by force. GeographyPenang is one of the 13 states in Malaysia. It is located near the north-western coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Separated between the State of Kedah in the north and east, the State of Perak in the south and the Straits of Malacca and Sumatra (Indonesia) in the west, Penang State consists of two parts: Penang Island and mainland, Seberang Perai. The island has an area of 285sq. And is connected to Seberang Perai by ferry and by the two bridges that is 13.5-km long Penang Bridge and 24-km long Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah bridge.

Emblem, Flag and AnthemEMBLEMThe betelnut tree (areca tree) gave the island its name. The Penang Bridge is not only a source of pride to the people of Pulau Pinang; it also unites the island with the mainland part of the State, as well as symbolising the unity between the State and the Federation. The two pillars of the bridge stand for two basic features of the New Economic Policy, namely the eradication of poverty and restructuring of society, while the four cables represent the four major races in the nation, that is Malay, Chinese, Indian and others.The five blue and white waves symbolise the five Rukunegara and the five administrative districts of the State.FLAGThe flag is a tricolour consisting of vertical stripes of equal width of light blue (at the hoist), white and yellow; on the central (white) stripe is an areca nut palm or pokok pinang on a mount.

Light blue signifies the sea, which surrounds the island. The white represents the State itself in its serenity. The yellow signifies prosperity.

The betelnut tree is the tree from which the island takes its names.ANTHEMUntuk Negeri KitaSelamat Tuhan kurniakanSelamat Pulau PinangNegeriku yang muliaKutaat dan setiaAman dan bahagiaMajulah jayalahNegeriku yang kucintaBersatu dan bersamaUntuk negeri kitaNegaraku (Minus One).