) , short_description = Capital city of the Malaysian state of Penang , image_map = , map_caption = Location of George Town in Penang , pushpin_map = Penang#Malaysia#Asia#Earth , pushpin_mapsize = 275px , pushpin_map_caption = George Town in

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

, coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 =

State State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

, subdivision_type2 = Administrative Areas , subdivision_name1 = , subdivision_name2 = , established_title = Founded , established_date = 11 August 1786 , established_title2 = Incorporated , established_date2 = 1857 , established_title3 =

British crown colony A Crown colony or royal colony was a colony administered by The Crown within the British Empire. There was usually a Governor, appointed by the British monarch on the advice of the UK Government, with or without the assistance of a local Council ...

, established_date3 = 1 April 1867 – 31 August 1957 , government_type =

Local government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...

, governing_body =

Penang Island City Council The City Council of Penang Island is the council that administers the city of Pulau Pinang, which includes the entirety of Penang Island, Malaysia. The city council, which has jurisdiction over an area of , falls under the purview of the Penang ...

, area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = 305.77 , area_metro_km2 = 2563.15 , elevation_footnotes = , elevation_m = 14 , population_total = 708,127 (

3rd Third or 3rd may refer to: Numbers * 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3 * , a fraction of one third * Second#Sexagesimal divisions of calendar time and day, 1⁄60 of a ''second'', or 1⁄3600 of a ''minute'' Places * 3rd Street (d ...

) , population_as_of = 2010 , population_footnotes = , population_density_km2 = 2,372 , population_metro = 2,412,616 ( 2nd) , postal_code_type =

Postal code A postal code (also known locally in various English-speaking countries throughout the world as a postcode, post code, PIN or ZIP Code) is a series of letters or digits or both, sometimes including spaces or punctuation, included in a postal a ...

, postal_code = 100xx to 108xx
111xx to 118xx , area_code = +6042 , area_code_type = Area code(s) , website = , translit_lang1_type1 = Jawi , translit_lang1_info1 = , translit_lang1_type2 =

Mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country ** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China ** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...

, translit_lang1_info2 =
, translit_lang1_type3 =

Hokkien The Hokkien () variety of Chinese is a Southern Min language native to and originating from the Minnan region, where it is widely spoken in the south-eastern part of Fujian in southeastern mainland China. It is one of the national languages in ...

, translit_lang1_info3 = /
''Pho-té / Kiâu-tī-tshī'' , translit_lang1_type4 =

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...

, translit_lang1_info4 =
''Jārj Ṭavuṉ'' , timezone =

MST The Master of Studies or Master in Studies (M.St. or MSt; ) is a postgraduate degree at the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of St Andrews, the Australian National University, University of Dublin and the University of Ne ...

, utc_offset = +8 , timezone_DST = Not observed , blank1_name =

Vehicle registration Motor vehicle registration is the registration of a motor vehicle with a government authority, either compulsory or otherwise. The purpose of motor vehicle registration is to establish a link between a vehicle and an owner or user of the vehicle. Th ...

, blank1_info = P , leader_title2 =

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

, leader_name2 = Yew Tung Seang , established_date4 = 19 December 1941 – 3 September 1945 , established_title4 = Japanese occupation , established_date5 = 1 January 1957 , established_title5 = City status , footnotes = George Town is the

capital city A capital city or capital is the municipality holding primary status in a country, state, province, Department (country subdivision), department, or other subnational entity, usually as its seat of the government. A capital is typically a city ...

of the

Malaysian state The states and federal territories of Malaysia are the principal administrative divisions of Malaysia. Malaysia is a federation of 13 states (''Negeri'') and 3 federal territories (''Wilayah Persekutuan''). States and federal territories Ele ...

of Penang. George Town is Malaysia's sixth most populous city with 708,127 inhabitants , while Greater Penang, with a population of 2,412,616, is the second largest

conurbation A conurbation is a region comprising a number of metropolises, cities, large towns, and other urban areas which through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban or industrially developed area. In most ca ...

in the country after

Greater Kuala Lumpur Greater Kuala Lumpur is the geographical term that determines the boundaries of Metropolitan Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Though similar to the term "Klang Valley", there remains a variation between the two. It is similar to Greater London and Grea ...

. The historical core of George Town has been inscribed as a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

since 2008. Established as an

entrepôt An ''entrepôt'' (; ) or transshipment port is a port, city, or trading post where merchandise may be imported, stored, or traded, usually to be exported again. Such cities often sprang up and such ports and trading posts often developed into c ...

Francis Light Captain Francis Light ( – 21 October 1794) was a British explorer and the founder of the British colony of Penang (in modern-day Malaysia) and its capital city of George Town in 1786. Light and his lifelong partner, Martina Rozells, were th ...

of the

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...

in 1786, George Town was the first British settlement in

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...

. Together with

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

and Malacca, George Town formed part of the Straits Settlements, which became a

in 1867. It was subjugated by

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, before being recaptured by the British at war's end. Shortly before Malaya attained independence from the British in 1957, George Town was declared a city by

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

, making it the first city in the country's modern history. Due to the intermingling of the various ethnicities and religions that arrived on its shores, George Town acquired a large eclectic assortment of colonial and Asian architectural styles. It also gained a reputation as Malaysia's gastronomic capital for its distinct and ubiquitous

street food Street food is ready-to-eat food or drinks sold by a hawker, or vendor, in a street or at other public places, such as markets or fairs. It is often sold from a portable food booth, food cart, or food truck and is meant for immediate consumption ...

. Moreover, the city hosts unique cultural heritage, such as the

Peranakan The Peranakans () are an ethnic group defined by their genealogical descent from the first waves of Southern Chinese settlers to maritime Southeast Asia, known as Nanyang (), namely the British Colonial ruled ports in the Malay Peninsula, ...

s, whose legacies are still visible on Penang's

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...

and

cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, techniques and dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, customs, and ingredients combine to ...

. The city of George Town includes the

Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone Bayan Lepas is a town in the Malaysian state of Penang. It is located within the Southwest Penang Island District, near the southeastern tip of Penang Island. Founded in the 19th century, Bayan Lepas has various industries. History Bayan Lep ...

, a high-tech manufacturing hub regarded as the "Silicon Valley of the East". The city also serves as the financial centre of northern Malaysia and the nation's most vital

medical tourism Medical tourism refers to people traveling abroad to obtain medical treatment. In the past, this usually referred to those who traveled from less-developed countries to major medical centers in highly developed countries for treatment unavailable a ...

hub. Logistically, the

Penang Bridge The Penang Bridge is a dual carriageway toll bridge and controlled-access highway in the state of Penang, Malaysia. The bridge connects Perai on the mainland side of the state with Gelugor on the island, crossing the Penang Strait. The bri ...

and the Second Penang Bridge connect the city with the rest of

Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia ( ms, Semenanjung Malaysia; Jawi: سمننجڠ مليسيا), or the States of Malaya ( ms, Negeri-negeri Tanah Melayu; Jawi: نڬري-نڬري تانه ملايو), also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, ...

. Meanwhile, George Town's

Swettenham Pier Swettenham Pier is a pier within the city of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. Established in 1904, it is the busiest port-of-call in Malaysia for cruise shipping. The pier plays a vital role as a major entry point for tourists into Penang, aside ...

has emerged as the busiest port of call in Malaysia for

cruise ship Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports-of-call, where passengers may go on tours known as "s ...

Etymology

The city's name comes from the original British settlement that was named in honour of

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...

. The area before this has also been named "Tanjung Penaga" ( Jawi: ) due to the abundance of a tree called ''penaga laut'' (''

Calophyllum inophyllum ''Calophyllum inophyllum'' is a large evergreen plant, commonly called tamanu, oil-nut, mastwood, beach calophyllum or beautyleaf. It is native to tropical Asia and Wallacea. Due to its importance as a source of timber for the traditional shi ...

'') found in the present town's cape (''tanjung''). It is often erroneously spelt "Georgetown", which was never the city's official name; such misspelling may have arisen in confusion with other places having the same name.

History

Establishment

In the 1770s, the

British East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and South ...

instructed

, a British Royal Navy captain, to form trade relations in the Malay Peninsula. Light subsequently landed in

Kedah Kedah (), also known by its honorific Darul Aman and historically as Queda, is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km2, and it consists of the mainland ...

, a Siamese vassal state threatened by both Siam and

Burma Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...

, as well as an internal

Bugis The Bugis people (pronounced ), also known as Buginese, are an ethnicity—the most numerous of the three major linguistic and ethnic groups of South Sulawesi (the others being Makassar and Toraja), in the south-western province of Sulawe ...

revolt. Aware of this situation, Light formed friendly relations with the then Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Adilin II, and promised British military protection, while the Sultan reciprocally offered

Penang Island Penang Island ( ms, Pulau Pinang; zh, 檳榔嶼; ta, பினாங்கு தீவு) is part of the state of Penang, on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It was named Prince of Wales Island when it was occupied by the British Ea ...

, then part of Kedah. Although Light subsequently reported on this offer to his superiors, it was only in 1786 when he was finally ordered to obtain Penang Island from Kedah. The British East India Company sought control of the island as a

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

base, and as a trading post between

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

and

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. To that end, Light negotiated with the new Sultan of Kedah, Sultan Abdullah Mukarram Shah, regarding the cession of the island to the British East India Company in exchange for British military aid. After an agreement was signed between Light and the Sultan, Light and his entourage sailed on to Penang Island, where they arrived on 17 July 1786. The area where Light first landed, which is now the

Esplanade An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The historical definition of ''esplanade'' was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide cl ...

, was originally a swamp covered in thick jungle. Once the area was cleared, a simple ceremony was held on 11 August, during which the

Union Jack The Union Jack, or Union Flag, is the ''de facto'' national flag of the United Kingdom. Although no law has been passed making the Union Flag the official national flag of the United Kingdom, it has effectively become such through precedent. ...

was raised. Penang Island was renamed the Prince of Wales Island after the heir to the British throne, while the new settlement was given the name George Town. Light developed George Town as a free port, thus allowing merchants to trade without having to pay any form of tax or duties. The policy's intent was to entice traders from the Dutch ports in the region. The number of incoming vessels rose from 85 in 1786 to 3,569 in 1802; George Town's population had also increased to 10,000 by 1792. A committee of assessors was established in 1800, making it the first local council to be established in

British Malaya The term "British Malaya" (; ms, Tanah Melayu British) loosely describes a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Singapore that were brought under British hegemony or control between the late 18th and the mid-20th century. U ...

. Meanwhile, a Supreme Court was established at

Fort Cornwallis Fort Cornwallis is a bastion fort in George Town, Penang, Malaysia, built by the British East India Company in the late 18th century. It is the largest standing fort in Malaysia. The fort never engaged in combat during its operational history. ...

in 1808.

Colonial era

The Map of Early Penang Showing the Malay Town on the South of the Town Center by Popham 1799

In the early 19th century,

became a centre of spice production within Southeast Asia. Spices such as nutmeg, clove and pepper, produced from the spice farms throughout the island, were exported via the

Port of Penang The Port of Penang is a deepwater seaport within the Malaysian state of Penang. It consists of terminals along the Penang Strait, including five in Seberang Perai and one in George Town. The Port of Penang was the third busiest harbour in Malaysia ...

in George Town. The spice trade also allowed the British East India Company to cover the administrative costs of Penang. In 1826, George Town was made the capital of the Straits Settlements, an administrative polity that was also composed of

and Malacca. However, the capital was then shifted to Singapore in 1832, as the latter had usurped George Town's position as the region's preeminent harbour. Nonetheless, George Town retained its importance as a vital British entrepôt. Due to the opening of the

Suez Canal The Suez Canal ( arz, قَنَاةُ ٱلسُّوَيْسِ, ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia. The long canal is a popular ...

, the advent of steam ships and a tin mining boom in the Malay Peninsula, the Port of Penang became a major tin-exporting harbour. By the end of the 19th century, as mercantile firms and banks, including Standard Chartered and HSBC, flocked into George Town, the city also evolved into a leading financial centre in Malaya. Throughout the century, George Town's population grew rapidly in tandem with the city's economic prosperity. A cosmopolitan, multi-cultural population emerged, comprising

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...

Malay Malay may refer to: Languages * Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore ** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century ** Indonesi ...

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...

Eurasian Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it spans from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Ja ...

Thai Thai or THAI may refer to: * Of or from Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia ** Thai people, the dominant ethnic group of Thailand ** Thai language, a Tai-Kadai language spoken mainly in and around Thailand *** Thai script *** Thai (Unicode block ...

and other ethnicities. However, the population growth also created social problems, such as inadequate sanitation and public health facilities, as well as rampant crime. The latter culminated in the Penang Riots of 1867, during which rival Chinese triads clashed in the streets of George Town. Also in the same year, the Straits Settlements was made a

, to be governed directly by the

Colonial Office The Colonial Office was a government department of the Kingdom of Great Britain and later of the United Kingdom, first created to deal with the colonial affairs of British North America but required also to oversee the increasing number of c ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. For George Town, direct British rule meant better law enforcement, as the police force was vastly improved and the secret societies that had previously plagued the city were gradually outlawed. More investments were also made on the city's health care and public transportation. With improved access to education, a greater level of participation in municipal affairs by its Asian residents and substantial press freedom, George Town was perceived as being more intellectually receptive than Singapore. The city became a magnet for well known English authors, Asian intellectuals and revolutionaries, including

Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work. ...

Somerset Maugham William Somerset Maugham ( ; 25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965) was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German un ...

and

Sun Yat-sen Sun Yat-sen (; also known by several other names; 12 November 1866 – 12 March 1925)Singtao daily. Saturday edition. 23 October 2010. section A18. Sun Yat-sen Xinhai revolution 100th anniversary edition . was a Chinese politician who serve ...

World Wars

GEORGETOWN PENANG ISLAND MALAYSIA JAN 2012 (6815563818)

Royal Marines Parade in Penang (5316034010)

At the start of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

in 1914, the

Battle of Penang The Battle of Penang occurred on 28 October 1914, during World War I. It was a naval action in the Strait of Malacca, in which the German cruiser sank two Allied warships. Background At the time, Penang was part of the Straits Settlements, a B ...

occurred, during which ''

SMS Emden SMS ''Emden'' ("His Majesty's Ship ''Emden''") was the second and final member of the of light cruisers built for the Imperial German Navy (''Kaiserliche Marine''). Named for the town of Emden, she was laid down at the ''Kaiserliche Werft'' ...

'', an

Imperial German Navy The Imperial German Navy or the Imperial Navy () was the navy of the German Empire, which existed between 1871 and 1919. It grew out of the small Prussian Navy (from 1867 the North German Federal Navy), which was mainly for coast defence. Wilhel ...

cruiser, sank two

Allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

warships off the coast of George Town. 147 French and Russian sailors were killed.

, on the other hand, brought unparalleled social and political upheaval to Penang. In early December 1941, Japanese warplanes indiscriminately strafed and bombed George Town, and wiped out the defending

air squadrons. While the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

had earlier designated

as a fortress, Lieutenant-General

Arthur Percival Lieutenant-General Arthur Ernest Percival, (26 December 1887 – 31 January 1966) was a senior British Army officer. He saw service in the First World War and built a successful military career during the interwar period but is most noted fo ...

then ordered a withdrawal from Penang. Not only did the British abandon the Batu Maung Fort south of the city, they also covertly evacuated Penang's European population, leaving the rest of the populace to their fates. Some historians have argued that the withdrawal and the silent evacuation of the European population led to the loss of the British sense of invincibility, and that the collapse of British rule in Southeast Asia came not in Singapore, but in Penang. George Town fell to the

Imperial Japanese Army The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...

on 19 December 1941, marking the start of a brutal period of Japanese occupation. Penang Island was renamed ''Tojo-to'', after the then Japanese Prime Minister

Hideki Tojo Hideki Tojo (, ', December 30, 1884 – December 23, 1948) was a Japanese politician, general of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA), and convicted war criminal who served as prime minister of Japan and president of the Imperial Rule Assistan ...

. This period was known for the Imperial Japanese Army's massacres of Penang's Chinese populace, known as ''

Sook Ching Sook Ching was a mass killing that occurred from 18 February to 4 March 1942 in Singapore after it fell to the Japanese. It was a systematic purge and massacre of 'anti-Japanese' elements in Singapore, with the Singaporean Chinese particula ...

'' to the locals. Women in George Town were also coerced to work as comfort women by the Japanese. George Town's harbour facilities were also put to use as a major

U-boat U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare role ...

base by

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

. Between 1942 and 1944, the

was utilised by submarines of the

Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrend ...

, the

Kriegsmarine The (, ) was the navy of Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire (1871–1918) and the inter-war (1919–1935) of the Weimar Republic. The was one of three official branches, along with the a ...

and the

Regia Marina The ''Regia Marina'' (; ) was the navy of the Kingdom of Italy (''Regno d'Italia'') from 1861 to 1946. In 1946, with the Italian constitutional referendum, 1946, birth of the Italian Republic (''Repubblica Italiana''), the ''Regia Marina'' ch ...

. Between 1944 and 1945, Allied bombers based in India repeatedly bombed George Town, seeking to destroy the naval facilities and administrative centres. Several colonial buildings were destroyed or damaged, including the Government Offices, St. Xavier's Institution, Hutchings School (now

Penang State Museum Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...

) and the Penang Secretariat Building. The

Penang Strait The Penang Strait is an 11 kilometre-wide strait that separates Penang Island from mainland Malay Peninsula. Penang Island is to the west of the channel, while Seberang Perai, the mainland half of the State of Penang, is to the east. The norther ...

was also mined to impede Japanese shipping. Following the

Japanese surrender The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally signed on 2 September 1945, bringing the war's hostilities to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy ( ...

on 15 August 1945, the ''Penang Shimbun'', a Japanese newspaper, published the proclamation of surrender issued by the

Emperor of Japan The Emperor of Japan is the monarch and the head of the Imperial House of Japan, Imperial Family of Japan. Under the Constitution of Japan, he is defined as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, and his positio ...

. Under

Operation Jurist Operation Jurist referred to the British recapture of Penang following Japan's surrender in 1945. Jurist was launched as part of Operation Zipper, the overall British plan to liberate Malaya, including Singapore. While a larger Allied fleet sa ...

, the

British Royal Marines The Corps of Royal Marines (RM), also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, are the UK's special operations capable commando force, amphibious light infantry and also one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. The Corps of Royal Marine ...

accepted the surrender of the Japanese garrison in Penang and retook Penang Island on 3 September 1945.

Post-war

After a period of

military administration Military administration identifies both the techniques and systems used by military departments, agencies, and armed services involved in managing the armed forces. It describes the processes that take place within military organisations outsid ...

, the British dissolved the Straits Settlements in 1946 and proceeded to merge the

Crown Colony of Penang The Crown Colony of Penang was a British crown colony from 1946 to 1957. It came under British sovereignty after being ceded by the Sultanate of Kedah in 1786, and had been part of the Straits Settlements from 1826 to 1946. Together with Singap ...

into the

Malayan Union The Malayan Union was a union of the Malay states and the Straits Settlements of Penang and Malacca. It was the successor to British Malaya and was conceived to unify the Malay Peninsula under a single government to simplify administratio ...

, which was then replaced with the Federation of Malaya in 1948. However, the absorption of the British colony of Penang into Malaya alarmed Penang's population over economic and ethnic concerns. Between 1948 and 1951, the Penang Secessionist Committee was formed to avert Penang's merger with Malaya, but ultimately petered out due to British disapproval. The British government responded to the concerns raised by the secessionists by guaranteeing George Town's free port status, as well as reintroducing municipal elections in George Town in 1951. By 1956, George Town had become the first municipality in the Malayan Federation to have a fully elected local council. On 1 January 1957, George Town was accorded city status by

, becoming the first city within the Federation of Malaya, and by extension, Malaysia.

Post-independence

In the following years, George Town retained its free port status, as guaranteed by the British colonial authorities before granting independence to Malaya. This was not to last, however – in 1969, the Malaysian federal government revoked George Town's free port status, sparking massive unemployment in the city. This also marked the start of George Town's decline, which lasted up to the early 2000s. As the Malaysian federal government continued to develop

Kuala Lumpur , anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , su ...

and nearby

Port Klang Port Klang ( ms, Pelabuhan Klang) is a town and the main gateway by sea into Malaysia. Known during colonial times as Port Swettenham ( ms, Pelabuhan Swettenham) but renamed Port Klang in July 1972, it is the largest port in the country. It is l ...

, Penang began to suffer considerable brain drain. In a bid to revitalise George Town, the

Komtar The Tun Abdul Razak Complex, (Malay language, Malay: Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak; Chinese language, Chinese: 光大大厦; Tamil language, Tamil: கொம்டார் கோபுரம்); colloquially known by its Malay acronym Komtar, fo ...

project was launched in 1974. Hundreds of shophouses, schools and temples, as well as whole streets, were demolished in order to make way for the construction of Penang's tallest skyscraper. However, instead of arresting George Town's decline, Komtar itself became a

white elephant A white elephant is a possession that its owner cannot dispose of, and whose cost, particularly that of maintenance, is out of proportion to its usefulness. In modern usage, it is a metaphor used to describe an object, construction project, sch ...

by the 2000s. In 1974, the George Town City Council was merged with the Penang Island Rural District Council to form the Penang Island Municipal Council, sparking a decades-long debate over George Town's city status.

Renaissance

The city's decline continued into the early 2000s. In 2001, the Rent Control Act, which had protected the low-income residents and smaller businesses within the city centre from arbitrary rental hikes, was repealed. Consequently, residents moved out of the city's historical core, leaving its colonial-era buildings in disrepair. Meanwhile, an incoherent urban planning policy and poor traffic management led to worsening traffic congestion, while decades of brain drain also took its toll as the city lacked the expertise to regulate urban development. In response, George Town's non-governmental organisations and the national press galvanised public support and formed strategic partnerships for the conservation of the historic buildings, and to restore the city to its former glory. As a result of the widespread resentment over George Town's decline, the then federal opposition coalition,

Pakatan Rakyat The People's Alliance ( ms, Pakatan Rakyat; abbrev: PR) was an informal Malaysian political coalition and successor to Barisan Alternatif (BA). The political coalition was formed by the People's Justice Party (PKR), Democratic Action Party (DA ...

(now

Pakatan Harapan The Alliance of Hope ( ms, Pakatan Harapan; abbrev: PH; stylized as HARAPAN) is a Malaysian political coalition consisting of centre-left political parties which was formed in 2015 to succeed the Pakatan Rakyat coalition. It has been the ...

), was voted into power within Penang in the 2008 State Election. Also in 2008, George Town was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Subsequent efforts to clean up the city, and measures to improve traffic flow, cultural and environmental aspects by the new state government led to George Town being ranked Asia's 8th most liveable city by ECA International in 2010. The city's services sector has since been boosted by the private sector and an influx of foreign investors. The

Indian Ocean tsunami An earthquake and a tsunami, known as the Boxing Day Tsunami and, by the scientific community, the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake, occurred at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7) on 26 December 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of northern Suma ...

which struck in 2004

hit Hit means to strike someone or something. Hit or HIT may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super'' * Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...

the western and northern coasts of

, including George Town, claiming 52 lives (out of 68 in Malaysia). Whilst George Town had been declared a city by

in 1957, the jurisdiction of the city was expanded by the Malaysian federal government to encompass the entirety of Penang Island in 2015.

Geography

The jurisdiction of George Town covers an area of , encompassing the entirety of

and five of the surrounding islets, including Jerejak Island. George Town is only slightly more than a third the size of

with a population density of ; thus the city has one of the highest population densities of all Malaysian cities. The contiguous hotel and resort belts of

Batu Ferringhi Batu Ferringhi is a suburb of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. Located along the northern coast of Penang Island and about northwest of the city centre, it is the prime beach destination in Penang among locals and tourists. To cater to the inf ...

and

Tanjung Bungah Tanjung Bungah (also spelt as ''Tanjong Bungah'') is a suburb of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. It is located along the northern coast of Penang Island between Batu Ferringhi and Tanjung Tokong, and about northwest of the city centre. Tanjung ...

and

Tanjung Tokong Tanjung Tokong is a suburb of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. It is located along the northeastern coast of Penang Island, next to Pulau Tikus and northwest of the city centre. Over the recent decades, the former fishing village has been transfo ...

along the northern beaches of Penang Island form the northwestern fringes of George Town. The central hills of Penang Island, including

Penang Hill Penang Hill is a hill resort comprising a group of peaks near the center of Penang Island, Malaysia. It is located within the Air Itam suburb, west of the center of George Town. Penang Hill is also known by the Malay name ''Bukit Bendera'', ...

, serve as a giant green lung for George Town and an important forested catchment area. While the central hills have somewhat limited the westward urban sprawl, George Town's expansion is more evident southward along the eastern seaboard of Penang Island, creating the suburbs of

Jelutong Jelutong is a suburb of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. Located south of the Pinang River, Jelutong has been inhabited since as early as the late 18th century, when traders from Aceh and India settled around the area. It was once notorious ...

and

Gelugor Gelugor is a southern suburb of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. Named after a plant species, Gelugor lies along the eastern seaboard of Penang Island, between Jelutong and Sungai Dua, and nearly south of the city centre. Gelugor had been ...

, the latter merging with the northward development of

Bayan Lepas Bayan Lepas is a town in the Malaysian state of Penang. It is located within the Southwest Penang Island District, near the southeastern tip of Penang Island. Founded in the 19th century, Bayan Lepas has various industries. History Bayan Le ...

. As with most island cities, land scarcity is a pressing issue in George Town. Land reclamation projects have been carried out to provide more low-lying land at high-demand areas, such as at

Gurney Drive Gurney Drive (,, ) is a popular seafront promenade within George Town, Penang, Malaysia. The road is also famous for the street cuisine at the seafront's hawker centre and has been listed as one of the 25 best streets worldwide to visit by the ...

and

Cityscape

UNESCO World Heritage Site

The oldest portion of the city centre has been designated by

as a

since 2008. Recognised as having a "unique architectural and cultural townscape without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia", George Town contains one of the largest collections of pre-war buildings in Southeast Asia. The World Heritage Site covers nearly of the city centre, roughly bounded by Transfer Road to the west and Prangin Road to the south. The zone includes the city's administrative precinct, which is home to the most historic landmarks like

, City Hall and the

, as well as the main

Central Business District A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...

along Beach Street. The zone also covers various places of worship, such as St. George's Church, the

Kapitan Keling Mosque The Kapitan Keling Mosque ( ms, Masjid Kapitan Keling, ta, காப்பித்தான் கெலிங மசூதி, Kāppittāṉ Keliṅa Macūti) is a mosque built in the 19th century by Indian Muslim traders in George Town, Pen ...

and the

Goddess of Mercy Temple zh, 觀音亭 , image = Kong Hock Keong Penang Dec 2006 002.jpg , caption = Front view of Goddess of Mercy Temple , map_type = Malaysia Penang George Town streets , map_size = 275px , l ...

, as well as the

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion is a government gazetted heritage building located on Leith Street in George Town, Penang, Malaysia. The mansion's external decorations and indigo-blue outer walls make it a very distinctive building, and it is somet ...

and the

Eastern & Oriental Hotel The Eastern & Oriental Hotel (popularly known as ''E&O Hotel'') is a British colonial-style luxury hotel in George Town, Penang, Malaysia that was established in 1885 by the Sarkies Brothers. The sea-fronting hotel is known for its luxurious ac ...

. Among the restrictions in force within the zone is a ban on the construction of any structure exceeding in height, and that any new building which is located adjacent to a historically important structure must not exceed the height of the latter.

Street names

Unlike other cities in Malaysia, George Town still retains most of its English street names. Even for roads that have been renamed in Malay, such as ''Jalan Masjid Negeri'', Penangites in general still prefer to use the road's former colonial name, which in this particular case is Green Lane. This is partly because the new names are often unwieldy (e.g.

Pitt Street Pitt Street is a major street in the Sydney central business district in New South Wales, Australia. The street runs through the entire city centre from Circular Quay in the north to Waterloo, although today's street is in two disjointed sec ...

vs ''Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling'', Northam Road vs ''Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah''), but also reflects a strong conservatism in the local population, who see Penang's colonial history as part of their local identity. Since 2008, multi-lingual road signs have been in use throughout Penang Island. Each of the new road signs shows the street's official Malay name and either the street's English, Chinese, Tamil or Arabic name.

Suburbs

The expansion of George Town has created suburbs to its northwest, west and south. The northwestern suburbs are somewhat more affluent, given their seafront locations which attract tourists and expatriates. The southern suburbs, such as

, grew due to industrial activities. On the other hand,

Air Itam Ayer Itam (also spelt Air Itam or Air Hitam) is a suburb of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. Nested within the central valleys of Penang Island, it is located approximately southwest of the city centre. Ayer Itam is one of the well-known places ...

and

Paya Terubong Paya Terubong is a suburb of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. Located nearly southwest of the city centre, it is nestled within the central valleys of Penang Island and south of Air Itam. It is also one of the most densely populated areas on ...

emerged to the west of George Town as a result of agricultural plantations on the central hills of

. Since the 1970s, massive industrialisation around

, which created the

, led to the rapid urbanisation of the southeastern corner of Penang Island as well. The western half of the island, where

Balik Pulau Balik Pulau is a town within the jurisdiction of Penang Island City Council in the Malaysian state of Penang. Located at the southwest of Penang Island, it is also the administrative seat of the Southwest Penang Island District. The agricultur ...

forms the main population centre, remains sparsely-populated, although urbanisation has encroached into the area in recent years.

Beaches and seafronts

The most popular beaches of George Town are situated along the city's northwestern suburbs, specifically

and

. Several hotels and resorts have been established along these locations, including

Hard Rock Hotel Hard Rock Cafe, Inc. is a British-based multinational chain of theme restaurants, memorabilia shops, casinos and museums founded in 1971 by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton in London. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and ro ...

. Aside from these, George Town is home to popular promenades such as

, the

and

Karpal Singh Drive Karpal Singh Drive is a seafront promenade within the suburb of Jelutong near George Town in Penang, Malaysia. It is named after Karpal Singh (1940-2014), a prominent opposition politician and lawyer who hailed from George Town. Along Karpal Si ...

. In particular, Gurney Drive forms part of the city's second

, and is a shopping haven with two upmarket shopping malls –

Gurney Plaza Gurney Plaza() is a shopping mall in George Town, Penang, Malaysia. Located at Gurney Drive, it was opened in November 2001 and is now managed by CapitaMalls Asia, a subsidiary of the Singapore-based CapitaLand. Its main anchor tenant is Parkson ...

and

Gurney Paragon Gurney Paragon is a residential and retail complex in George Town, Penang, Malaysia. Situated at Gurney Drive, it was launched in 2013, and consists of a nine-storey shopping mall, two condominiums and an office block. To date, the twin condomin ...

. Land reclamation is currently ongoing off Gurney Drive in a state-led effort to create a seafront public park, named

Gurney Wharf Gurney Wharf is a planned seafront park, with land for this purpose currently being reclaimed off Gurney Drive in George Town, Penang. Intended as a "''new iconic waterfront destination for Penang''", Phase 1 of Gurney Wharf is scheduled for com ...

Hills

The central hills of

, situated to the west of George Town, serve as a gigantic green lung and water catchment area for the urbanised island. Rising above sea level, the peak of

is accessible via the

Penang Hill Railway The Penang Hill Railway is a one-section funicular railway which climbs the Penang Hill from Air Itam, on the outskirts of the city of George Town in the Malaysian state of Penang. The railway first opened in 1923 as a two-section railway, and th ...

from its base station off Hill Railway Road. Once a retreat used by British officials and

, Penang Hill is one of Penang's most well-known tourist attractions.

Parks

City Park (Youth Park), George Town, Penang

Founded in 1884 as an offshoot of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the Penang Botanic Gardens is Malaysia's oldest botanical garden. Today, it serves as a major recreational area, receiving about 5,000 visitors every weekend. This botanical garden also encompasses Penang's biggest waterfall, which forms part of George Town's water supply. Meanwhile, the nearby

City Park An urban park or metropolitan park, also known as a municipal park (North America) or a public park, public open space, or municipal gardens ( UK), is a park in cities and other incorporated places that offer recreation and green space to resi ...

was officially opened in 1972. The city is also home to the world's smallest national park – the

Penang National Park The Penang National Park ( Malay: ''Taman Negara Pulau Pinang''; تامن نݢارا ڤولاو ڤينڠ; Chinese: 槟城国家公园; ''Bīnchéng guójiā gōngyuán''; Tamil: பினாங்கு தேசியப் பூங்கா� ...

. Covering of the northwestern tip of

, it contains 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.

Climate

The city features a

tropical rainforest climate A tropical rainforest climate, humid tropical climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southea ...

, under the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

(''Af''). George Town experiences relatively consistent temperatures throughout the course of the year, with an average high of about and an average low of . The city sees on average about of precipitation annually. George Town's proximity to the island of

Sumatra Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...

makes it susceptible to dust particles carried by wind from the perennial but transient forest fires, creating a yearly phenomenon known as the

Southeast Asian haze The Southeast Asian haze is a fire-related recurrent transboundary air pollution issue. Haze events, where air quality reaches hazardous levels due to high concentrations of airborne particulate matter from burning biomass, have caused adv ...

. Weather forecast in George Town is served by the Penang Meteorological Office in

, which acts as the primary weather forecast facility for northern Peninsular Malaysia.

Governance and politics

Local government

Local administration of George Town and all of

is carried out by the

, which comes under the purview of the

Penang state government The Government of Penang ( ms, Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang) refers to the government authority of the Malaysian state of Penang. The state government adheres to and is created by both the Constitution of Malaysia, the supreme law of Malaysia, an ...

. With a history dating back to 1800, it is Malaysia's oldest local government and the successor to the nation's first city council – the George Town City Council. Headquartered in the City Hall, the city council is responsible for urban planning, heritage preservation, public health, sanitation, waste management, traffic management, environmental protection, building control, social and economic development, and general maintenance of urban infrastructure. In 2018, George Town was recognised as one of the cleanest cities in

ASEAN ASEAN ( , ), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, militar ...

, following a 2017 ranking which placed George Town as Malaysia's second cleanest city. The

Mayor of Penang Island The Mayor of Penang Island ( ms, Datuk Bandar Pulau Pinang) is the chief executive for the local government of George Town, the capital of the State of Penang and Malaysia's third largest city. The Mayor's responsibilities include the manageme ...

is appointed by the Penang state government every two years, while each of the 24 councillors is appointed for a one-year term. The current Mayor is Yew Tung Seang, who took office in 2018. Penang-based non-governmental organisations are also allocated four of the 24 councillor positions.

State government

Dewan Undangan Negeri Penang Dec 2006 003

As the capital of the State of Penang, George Town is the seat of the

. The Office of the

Chief Minister of Penang The Chief Minister of Penang is the head of government in the Malaysian state of Penang. According to convention, the chief minister is the leader of the majority party or largest coalition party of the Penang State Legislative Assembly. The chi ...

is housed within the Komtar Tower, Penang's tallest skyscraper. The unicameral

Penang State Legislative Assembly The Penang State Legislative Assembly is the legislature of the Malaysian state of Penang. It is a unicameral institution, consisting of a total of 40 elected lawmakers representing single-member constituencies throughout Penang. The state legi ...

convenes inside the State Assembly Building at

Light Street Maryland Route 2 (MD 2) is the longest state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The route runs from Solomons Island in Calvert County north to an intersection with U.S. Route 1 (US 1)/ US 40 Truck ( North Avenue) in Baltimore. The route ...

. The

Governor of Penang The governor of Penang ( ms, Yang di-Pertua Negeri Pulau Pinang) is the head of state of the Malaysian state of Penang. The role of governor is largely ceremonial with the power vested in the executive branch of the state government led by the ...

, the head of state, also has his

official residence An official residence is the House, residence of a head of state, head of government, governor, Clergy, religious leader, leaders of international organizations, or other senior figure. It may be the same place where they conduct their work-relate ...

within the city. In the State Legislative Assembly, George Town is represented by 19 state constituencies, namely Padang Kota, Pengkalan Kota,

, Kebun Bunga,

Pulau Tikus Pulau Tikus is a northwestern suburb of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. Situated between the city centre and Tanjung Tokong, this upper class suburb was named after a rock just off the coast of Penang Island. It is home to small minorities of ...

Tanjong Bunga Tanjong Public Limited Company is a Malaysian powere generation, entertainment, and real estate conglomerate. It was founded as Tanjong Tin Dredging Ltd on 2 January 1926 in England. The company subsequently changed its name to Tanjong PLC in ...

, Air Putih,

, Seri Delima, Datok Keramat,

Sungai Pinang Sungai Pinang is a residential neighbourhood along the Pinang River within the city of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. The neighbourhood, bounded by the river to the north and Jalan Sungai Pinang to the south, is also geographically part of th ...

, Batu Lancang,

Batu Uban Batu Uban is a residential neighbourhood at the eastern coast of Penang Island in Malaysia, about south of the centre of George Town, Penang's capital city, and adjacent to the Gelugor suburb. Founded by ethnic Minangkabaus in the early 18th ...

, Pantai Jerejak,

Batu Maung Batu Maung is a residential neighbourhood in the Malaysian state of Penang. It is located within the Southwest Penang Island District, near the southeastern tip of Penang Island, and adjacent to the town of Bayan Lepas and the Penang Internation ...

Pulau Betong Betong Island is a group of islets in Southwest Penang Island District, Penang, Malaysia, located off the western coast of Penang Island. Consisting of two uninhabited islets, Betong Island has a combined land mass of . It is situated within the ...

and Telok Bahang. The members of the State Legislative Assembly, known as State Assemblymen, are elected into office via the Penang State Election, which by convention is held simultaneously with the

Malaysian General Election Elections in Malaysia include elections to public office of the political entities that since 1963 have composed the federation of Malaysia. At present, elections in Malaysia exist at two levels: federal level and state level. Federal level elec ...

every five years. The city is also represented by six Members of Parliament in the

Malaysian Parliament The Parliament of Malaysia ( ms, Parlimen Malaysia) is the national legislature of Malaysia, based on the Westminster system. The bicameral parliament consists of the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives, lit. "People's Assembly") and the ...

, who are elected via the Malaysian General Election. The parliamentary constituencies are

Tanjong Tanjong Public Limited Company is a Malaysian powere generation, entertainment, and real estate conglomerate. It was founded as Tanjong Tin Dredging Ltd on 2 January 1926 in England. The company subsequently changed its name to Tanjong PLC in 1 ...

, Bukit Bendera,

, Bukit Gelugor,

Bayan Baru Bayan Baru is a town in the Malaysian state of Penang. It is located within the Southwest Penang Island District, adjacent to the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone. The township was created in the 1970s following the establishment of the zone. Si ...

and

Judiciary

The Malaysian legal system had its roots in George Town. By 1807, Penang was accorded a

Royal Charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, bu ...

which provided for the establishment of a Supreme Court and the appointment of the first Supreme Court judge, designated as the ''Recorder''. The Supreme Court of Penang (now High Court of Penang) was first opened at

on 31 May 1808.

Edmond Stanley Sir Edmond Stanley SL (1760–1843) was an Anglo-Irish lawyer and politician who served as Serjeant-at-Law of the Parliament of Ireland, Recorder of Prince of Wales Island, now Penang, and subsequently Chief Justice of Madras. The elopement o ...

assumed office as the First Recorder of the Supreme Court of Penang in 1808, thus serving as Malaya's first Superior Court Judge. The Supreme Court was then relocated a short distance away to

, where the present building was built in 1903. Today, the Malaysian judiciary has become largely centralised. The courts in George Town consist of the Magistrates, Sessions and the High Court, the latter of which sits at the top of Penang's judicial system. The High Court remains at Light Street to this day, along with the Magistrates and Sessions Court across the street. Another Sessions Court has also been established in

to the west.

Demographics

According to the 2010 Census conducted by the Malaysian federal government, George Town had a population of 708,127. More recent estimates from Malaysia's Department of Statistics indicated that about 738,500 inhabitants lived within this cosmopolitan city . These figures placed George Town as Malaysia's second largest city by population. In addition, Greater Penang, which also covers

Seberang Perai Seberang Perai is a city in the Malaysian state of Penang. It is situated on the Malay Peninsula opposite Penang Island, bordering Kedah to the north and east and Perak to the south. Its city centre is located in Butterworth, while its local ...

, and parts of neighbouring Kedah and Perak, was home to 2,412,616 residents . Thus, Greater Penang is the most populous metropolitan area in Malaysia outside the Klang Valley (

Ethnicities

According to Malaysia's Department of Statistics, George Town is a Chinese-majority city; , over 53% of the urban population consisted of Penangite Chinese, ethnic Chinese, including the

s. The Bumiputera (Malaysia), ''Bumiputeras'', which include Malaysian Malays, ethnic Malays and East Malaysian indigenous races like the Dayak people, Dayaks and Kadazan people, Kadazans, collectively made up almost 32% of the city's population. Malaysians of Indian descent in Penang, Ethnic Indians comprised another 9% of George Town's population. These are in addition to small, but prominent,

and Malaysian Siamese, Siamese minorities. In particular, most of the nearly 1,500 Eurasians remain concentrated at the Pulau Tikus suburb. Pinang Peranakan Mansion

The Peranakans, descendants of mixed Malay and Chinese ancestries, were once the political and business elites in George Town. They held the top positions in some of the city's most influential associations, such as the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Penang Straits Chinese British Association. As the Peranakans tended to be more loyal to the British Crown than to China, they were also known as the ''King's Chinese''. In spite of Malaysia's ethnic policies that have effectively forced the Peranakans to identify themselves as Chinese, Peranakan culture still thrives in George Town to this day, in the form of Straits Chinese architectural styles and dishes like ''asam laksa''. George Town currently has a sizeable expatriate population, especially from Singapore, Japan and various Asian countries as well as the United Kingdom, many of whom chose to retire in Penang as part of ''Malaysia My Second Home'' programme. In recent years, George Town has been acknowledged as one of the best cities for retirement within Southeast Asia by the likes of CNN and Forbes. , expatriates made up nearly 6% of George Town's population, reflecting the city's popularity amongst foreigners. Jewish Cemetery Penang Dec 2006 018

The city was also once home to Bamar people, Burmese, Ethnic groups of the Philippines, Filipino, Sinhalese people, Sinhalese, Japanese people, Japanese, Sumatran, Arabs, Arab, Armenians, Armenian and Persian people, Persian communities. A small but commercially significant community of Germans, German merchants existed in George Town as well, as did a History of the Jews in Malaysia, Jewish enclave. Even though most of these other communities, including the Jews, are no longer extant, they lent their legacy to numerous street and place names such as the Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, Dhammikarama Temple, Burmah Road, George Town, Burmah Road, Armenian Street, George Town, Armenian Street, Jewish Cemetery and Gottlieb Road.

Languages

As with other multi-ethnic cities in Malaysia, all four major languages are widely spoken in George Town – Malay language, Malay, English, Mandarin and Tamil language, Tamil. However, George Town, and by extension Penang, is best known for its distinct Hokkien dialect, known as Penang Hokkien. During the British colonial era, English was the official language. This was helped by the mushrooming of missionary schools throughout George Town, all of which used English as their medium of instruction and were held in high esteem by the locals. Most Penangites still maintain reasonable command of the language; while British English is formally used, spoken English usually takes the form of Manglish. As in the rest of Malaysia, Malay is currently the official language in George Town. The city's Malays also use a variant of the Kedah Malay dialect, with slight modifications made to the original dialect to suit the conditions of a cosmopolitan city. These modifications include the use of words of Indian origin and the alteration of the final ''l'' syllable into ''i''. Due to their Tamils, Tamil/South Indian ancestry, most Indians in George Town speak Tamil language, Tamil. Punjabi language, Punjabi and Telugu language, Telugu are also spoken by a very smaller numbers of Indians.

, more widely used by youths, has been the medium of instruction in Chinese schools throughout Penang. However, Penang Hokkien serves as the ''lingua franca'' of George Town. Originally a variant of the Southern Min, Minnan dialect, over the centuries, Penang Hokkien has incorporated a large number of loanwords from Malay and English. It is spoken by many Penangites regardless of race for communication purposes. In recent years, there have been more efforts to maintain the dialect's relevance in the face of the increasing influence of Mandarin and English among the younger populace.

Economy

As the capital city of Penang, one of the most urbanised States and federal territories of Malaysia, states in Malaysia, George Town is one of the top contributors of Malaysia's Gross domestic product, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and tax income. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, the city contributed US$12,044, or nearly 8%, of Malaysia's personal disposable income in 2015, second only to

Kuala Lumpur , anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , su ...

. In 2016, George Town was ranked Malaysia's most attractive destination for commercial property investment by Knight Frank, surpassing even Kuala Lumpur. By 2017, Penang's GDP per capita, already the highest among Malaysian states, rose to RM49,873, thereby surpassing the World Bank's threshold to be considered a World Bank high-income economy, high-income economy. George Town's popularity amongst foreign investors has contributed to Penang gaining the largest share of Malaysia's foreign direct investments within the same year. Originally established as an entrepôt by the British, George Town's economy is now dominated by other tertiary sub-sectors ranging from manufacturing to finance, whilst newer industries, including entrepreneurial Startup company, startups, are taking root within the city as well. In addition, George Town serves as the economic pole of northern Malaysia, with relatively wide logistical connectivity. The

Penang International Airport Penang International Airport is an airport in northern Malaysia. The airport is located near Bayan Lepas at the southeastern tip of Penang Island, south of the city centre.Swettenham Pier Swettenham Pier is a pier within the city of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. Established in 1904, it is the busiest port-of-call in Malaysia for cruise shipping. The pier plays a vital role as a major entry point for tourists into Penang, aside ...

has cemented the city's reputation as a popular destination for cruise shipping.

Manufacturing

Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone, Penang

Since the 1970s, manufacturing formed the backbone of Penang's economy, generating 44.8% of the state's GDP and attracting about 3,000 firms to set up operations within the state. The

, dubbed 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 various high-tech multinational firms, including Dell, Intel, Advanced Micro Devices, AMD, Motorola, Agilent Technologies, Agilent, Renesas Electronics, Renesas, Osram, Robert Bosch GmbH, Bosch, Sony and Seagate Technology, Seagate.

Finance

George Town was the centre of banking in Malaysia at a time when Kuala Lumpur was still a small outpost. The oldest bank in Malaysia, Standard Chartered, opened its main branch in George Town in 1875 to cater to the financial requirements of early European traders. This was followed by HSBC in 1885 and the Royal Bank of Scotland in 1888. Today, George Town remains the banking hub of northern Malaysia, with branches of major international banks such as Standard Chartered, HSBC, Citibank, United Overseas Bank, UOB, OCBC Bank, OCBC, Bank of China and Bank Negara Malaysia (Malaysian central bank). Most of the foreign banks still maintain their Penang headquarters at Beach Street, which serves as the city's main

. Since the 1990s, Northam Road, along with

, has evolved into George Town's second

. Northam Road is now home to a cluster of financial services, with a number of accounting, auditing and insurance firms based along this coastal road. In addition to these, the Employees Provident Fund (Malaysia), Employees Provident Fund, run by the Malaysian federal government, operates an office at the road as well. The financial sector and its related industries, such as insurance, auditing and real estate transactions, accounted for over 8% of Penang's Gross domestic product, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) .

Tourism

George Town has always been one of the most popular tourist destinations in Malaysia. Throughout history, the city has even welcomed some of the most influential personalities, including Somerset Maugham,

, Noël Coward, Lee Kuan Yew and

In recent years, George Town has received numerous international accolades, further putting the city on the world stage. The city has been listed by various publications, including the Lonely Planet, Forbes and Time (magazine), Time, as one of the top travel destinations in Asia. These are in addition to George Town's reputation as a gastronomic haven, with the CNN placing the city as one of Asia's best street food cities. Unlike most other Malaysian cities, George Town does not rely only on air transportation for tourist arrivals. Aside from the

, conveniently located within the city centre, also serves as one of the major tourist entry points into Penang. , Penang attracted almost 8.6 million tourists, with the airport posting a record 7.2 million passenger arrivals and the pier registering another 1.35 million tourist arrivals. Within the same year, Penang became the third largest contributor of Malaysia's tourism tax revenue after

Kuala Lumpur , anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , su ...

and Sabah. The state government launched its ten-year Penang Tourism Master Plan in February 2019 with the goal of ensuring sustainable development and making Penang a hub for tourism, heritage, culture and arts in the region. George Town World Heritage Incorporated – the state government's independent heritage agency responsible for managing the George Town World Heritage Site – has produced a Sustainable Tourism Strategy action plan.

Services

With nearly of Penang's workforce employed in services-related fields, the services sector has marginally overtaken manufacturing as Penang's biggest economic sector, contributing 49.3% of Penang's total GDP in 2017. The largest share of employment was recorded in the retail, accommodation, and food and beverages (F&B) sub-sectors, clearly depicting the influence of tourist arrivals on service-related industries. Since the inscription of George Town as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an emerging trend is the acquisition of heritage shophouses within the zone by foreign investors, especially from Singapore and Hong Kong. In addition, a startup community has been growing in the city, which include the likes of Piktochart and DeliverEat. Attracted by the city's cheaper living costs and the presence of several multinational technology firms in Penang, the city's startups are also being actively encouraged by the

and the private sector, with initiatives to encourage entrepreneurship and promote the Internet of Things (IoT). This services sector has also been boosted by firms seeking to establish Outsourcing, shared services outsourcing (SSO) operations within or around George Town, including AirAsia, Citigroup, Dell, Jabil and Temasek Holdings. Consequently, Penang has emerged as the second most important Global Business Services (GBS) hub within Malaysia, after Kuala Lumpur.

Medical tourism

An integral part of Penang's services sector is medical tourism, which has made George Town the medical tourism hub of Malaysia. The city has attracted approximately half of Malaysia's medical tourist arrivals in 2013 and generated about 70% of the nation's medical tourism revenue. About 1,000 patients arrive in George Town daily, mostly from Asian countries such as Indonesia, Singapore and Japan. The success of George Town's medical tourism industry is mainly due to the specialised medical treatments offered at more affordable costs by the city's numerous private hospitals, coupled with well-trained professionals and advanced equipment. Indirect factors that were cited include the relatively low cost of living and the ease of travel facilitated by the well-developed logistical infrastructure.

Retail

As many as 24% of Penang's workforce are employed in the retail sub-sector, the largest of all economic sub-sectors in Penang. Due to the numerous shopping malls and hypermarkets in George Town, the city is the main shopping hub of northern Malaysia. Since 2001, shopping complexes in George Town registered the biggest increases in Malaysia. Among the more well-known shopping malls within the city are

, 1st Avenue Mall, 1st Avenue and Queensbay Mall. While shopping malls now dominate the retail scene in George Town, many centuries-old shophouses are still operating alongside the city's flea markets and wet markets, such as Chowrasta Market. These traditional retail establishments cater more to locally made products, including spices, nutmegs and , a famous Penang delicacy.

Architecture

Centuries of development have brought a mix of architectural styles to George Town, both historical and modern. The oldest portion of the city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while outside the UNESCO zone lies the modern cityscape, with skyscrapers, residential high-rises, office blocks and shopping malls built all over the city.

Historic architecture

Penang Malaysia Wat-Chaiya-Mangkalaram-Temple-01

Most of George Town's famous heritage landmarks, including

, the City Hall, the Penang High Court, High Court, St. George's Church and the

are located within the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city's main

at Beach Street, also within the UNESCO zone, is home to banks built in various Art Deco-based hybrid styles. Colonial-era bungalows, such as The Residency, Penang, The Residency and Suffolk House, Penang, Suffolk House, can be found throughout the city as well. Penanglittleindia8

Aside from colonial European architecture, a huge assortment of Asian architectural styles also exist throughout the city. Buildings like the

, Kong Hock Keong Temple,

and the Pinang Peranakan Mansion are notable for their architectural styles, which combine diverse cultural influences.

townhouses, exemplified by the Sun Yat-sen Museum Penang, Sun Yat-sen Museum, dominate the cityscape as well. Meanwhile, Architecture of India, Indian architecture is more prominent within the city's Little India, Penang, Little India, which also contains the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Penang, Sri Mahamariamman Temple. In the suburbs, the Malaysian Siamese, Siamese and Burmese communities have left their mark too; the Buddhist temples at Pulau Tikus include Wat Chaiyamangkalaram and the Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, Dhammikarama Temple. Another example of a hybrid Asian architecture is the Kek Lok Si, Kek Lok Si Temple at

, which merges Chinese, Siamese and Burmese influences.

Modern architecture

Since the mid 20th century, modern urbanisation has transformed much of George Town. Just south of the UNESCO World Heritage Site stands the Komtar Tower, the tallest skyscraper in Penang at nearly tall. The second

at Northam Road and

, which lies along the city's northern shoreline, is also home to some of Penang's tallest skyscrapers, including Setia V Residences, Setia V,

and BHL Tower. With increasing urbanisation, high-rises are also springing up within the suburbs of George Town.

Culture

Food

George Town, long known as the food capital of Malaysia, is renowned for its good and varied street food, incorporating Malay cuisine, Malay, Chinese cuisine, Chinese, Indian cuisine, Indian, Peranakan cuisine, Peranakan, Thai cuisine, Thai and European cuisine, European influences into its literal melting pot. The city has been recognised as one of Asia's top street food cities by CNN, as well the world's top culinary destination by the Lonely Planet in 2014. These were in addition to the ''Time (magazine), Time'' magazine in 2004, which acclaimed Penang as having the best street food in Asia. The best places to savour street cuisine include

, Pulau Tikus, Chulia Street, George Town, Chulia Street, Kimberley Street, New Lane, New World Park, Penang Road, George Town, Penang Road and

. The more prominent local dishes include ''asam laksa'', ''char kway teow'', Curry Mee, ''curry mee'', ''Hokkien mee'', ''nasi kandar'', ''oh chien'' (fried oyster omelette), ''rojak'' and ''Cendol, chendol''. Besides these, several shops can be found throughout the city, selling bean paste biscuits.

Performance arts

George Town is the birthplace of a unique form of Chingay Parade (South East Asia), Chingay procession, which began with its first parade in 1919. Penang's variant of Chingay includes the act of balancing gigantic flags on one's forehead or hands. An annual 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. Bangsawan is a form of Malay theatre which was developed in Penang with Indian, Western, Islamic, Chinese and Indonesian influences. It went into decline in the latter decades of the 20th century and is now a dying art form. Boria is another traditional dance drama indigenous to Penang, featuring singing accompanied by violin, maracas and tabla. Aside from these, there are two Western orchestras based in George Town – the Penang Philharmonic and the Penang Symphony Orchestra (PSO) – as well as several chamber and school-based musical ensembles. Dewan Sri Pinang and Penangpac within Straits Quay are two of the major performing venues in the city.

Street art

In 2012, as part of the annual George Town Festival, Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic created a series of wall murals depicting local culture, inhabitants and lifestyles. They now stand as celebrated cultural landmarks of George Town, with ''Children on a Bicycle'' becoming one of the most photographed spots in the city. Since then, the street art scene has blossomed. Arts exhibitions are held at the city's numerous cultural centres, such as the Hin Bus Depot. Aside from wall art, several wrought iron caricatures, each depicting a unique aspect of George Town's history and culture, have been installed throughout the city centre.

Museums

The Penang State Museum and Art Gallery houses relics, photographs, maps, and other artifacts that document the history and culture of Penang. Other museums within the city focus on religious and cultural aspects, as well as famous personalities, including the Penang Islamic Museum, Sun Yat-sen Museum Penang, Sun Yat-sen Museum, P. Ramlee's House, Batik Painting Museum Penang, Batik Painting Museum, and Universiti Sains Malaysia Museum and Gallery. In recent years, private-run museums have sprung up all over the city, such as the Camera Museum and the Penang Toy Museum. A handful of newer visual museums have also been launched, such as the Made-in-Penang Interactive Museum and the Penang Time Tunnel.

Festivals

George Town's cultural melting pot of various races and religions means that there are a great many celebrations and festivities in any given year. The major cultural and religious festivities in George Town include, but not limited to, the Chinese New Year, Lantern Festival, Chap Goh Meh, Songkran (Thailand), Songkran, Vesak Day, Wesak Day, Ghost Festival, Seventh Month Festival, Nine Emperor Gods Festival, Eid ul-Fitri, Diwali, Deepavali, Thaipusam, Vaisakhi and Christmas. The city's expatriates have introduced a host of other celebrations as well. Bon Odori is celebrated yearly at the

by the Japanese, while Saint Patrick's Day, St. Patrick's Day and Oktoberfest celebrations, Oktoberfest, traditionally celebrated by the Irish and the Germans respectively, have also been gaining popularity amongst the locals. In addition, the city hosts several major festivals in any given year. The George Town Festival, first held in 2010, has evolved into one of the top arts events in Southeast Asia, while the Penang Hot Air Balloon Fiesta attracts close to 200,000 visitors from all over the world.

Sports

George Town has a relatively well-developed sporting infrastructure. The City Stadium, Penang, City Stadium is

's main football stadium, with a capacity of about 25,000. It is the home ground of Penang FA, and was where Penang footballer Mohd Faiz Subri scored the goal that won him the 2016 FIFA Puskás Award. The SPICE Arena at Bayan Baru consists of an indoor stadium, an aquatics centre and a convention centre, while the Nicol David International Squash Centre at

is a major squash training facility. In addition, the Penang Turf Club, established in 1864, is Malaysia's oldest horse racing and equestrian centre.^{Penang#cite note-232, [232]} The Penang Bridge International Marathon is a popular annual event. The full marathon route starts from near Queensbay Mall, then on to the length of the

, and finally back to the starting point for the finish. The national and international sporting events that were held in George Town include the 2001 Southeast Asian Games and the 2013 Women's World Open Squash Championship. In addition, George Town will host the 2018 Asia Pacific Masters Games, Asia Pacific Masters Games in 2018, the first Malaysian city to be selected to host this regional multi-sports tournament.

Education

George Town is home to some of the oldest schools in Malaysia, making it a pioneer in the country's education system. Under British rule, missionary schools were set up across George Town. They were followed by Chinese schools, some of which are also among the oldest in the nation, thus making George Town the nucleus of Chinese education in Southeast Asia. More recently, international schools have also been established to cater to the growing expatriate population. In addition, George Town contains a number of private tertiary educational institutions, as well as one of the premier Malaysian public universities – University of Science, Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia. Aside from these, the city has a handful of language institutions, such as the British Council, Alliance Française and the Malaysian German Society.

Schools

There are a total of 117 primary schools, 49 high schools, four Islamic religious schools, two vocational colleges and a technical school throughout George Town. The breakdown of these schools is as follows. Some of the oldest missionary schools in George Town include the Penang Free School, St. Xavier's Institution, Convent Light Street, St. George's Girls' School and Methodist Boys' School, Penang, Methodist Boys' School. Meanwhile, the Chung Hwa Confucian School, founded in 1904, was the first Chinese school in Southeast Asia. Aside from government-run and private schools, the city has 11 international schools. Of these, Dalat International School, Dalat, The International School of Penang (Uplands), Uplands, Tenby Schools, Tenby, Fairview International School, Fairview, Pelita, Hua Xia and Wesley Methodist offer both primary and secondary education. The Penang Japanese School is the only international school in George Town that caters for expatriates of a specific nationality.

Tertiary education

University of Science, Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, situated at

, is one of the premier Malaysian public universities. Established in 1969 as Malaysia's second university, it was originally named ''Universiti Pulau Pinang'' (University of Penang). , it was ranked 207th in the QS World University Rankings, the fourth highest in Malaysia. Several private universities and colleges have also been set up across George Town, including Wawasan Open University, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and University College Dublin Malaysia Campus, Han Chiang University College of Communication, DISTED College, SEGi College Penang, SEGi College, Sentral College Penang, Sentral College, Lam Wah Ee Nursing College, Adventist College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Equator Academy of Arts and KDU University College.

Libraries

George Town contains a total of 30 libraries. Among the libraries in the city are the Penang State Library at Scotland Road and the Penang Digital Library at Green Lane. The latter, which was opened by the

in 2016, is

's first digital library and houses a digitalised collection of over 3,000 publications. Kapitan Keling Mosque

Health care

Gleneagles Hospital, George Town, Penang

The numerous public and private hospitals in George Town has helped the city to emerge as the centre of medical tourism in Malaysia. The Penang General Hospital, administered and funded by the Ministry of Health (Malaysia), Ministry of Health, is the main public hospital in George Town and serves as the tertiary referral hospital within northern Malaysia. It is complemented by the Balik Pulau Hospital, which is also managed by the country's Ministry of Health. There are also 54 government-run clinics throughout George Town, supported by 11 private hospitals and 352 private clinics. The private hospitals within George Town include Penang Adventist Hospital, Island Hospital, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Loh Guan Lye Specialists Centre, Lam Wah Ee Hospital, Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital and Pantai Hospital Penang, Pantai Hospital. George Town became the first Malaysian city to install public automated external defibrillators (AEDs), with the launch of the first device in

in 2015. Since then, AEDs have been installed at several public locations throughout the city.

Media

Print

George Town was once the centre of Malaysia's print media. The country's first newspaper – the ''Prince of Wales Island Gazette'' – was established in the city in 1806. One of Malaysia's top dailies currently in circulation, ''The Star (Malaysia), The Star'', was founded in George Town in the 1970s, while the country's oldest Chinese newspaper, ''Kwong Wah Yit Poh'', was also founded in the city in 1910. In 2011, the then

, Lim Guan Eng, officiated the launch of the Penang edition of ''Time Out (magazine), Time Out''. This version of the international listings magazine is currently published in three versions – an annual guide, a website and a mobile app. The

also publishes its own multi-lingual newspaper, ''Buletin Mutiara'', which is circulated for free every fortnight. The Penang-centric newspaper focuses on the current issues affecting Penang.

Television

Due to its well-preserved heritage cityscape, George Town served as the filming location for a number of movies, such as ''Anna and the King'', ''Lust, Caution'' and ''You Mean the World to Me (film), You Mean the World to Me'', the latter of which is the first movie to be filmed entirely in Penang Hokkien. Singaporean drama series, ''The Little Nyonya'' and ''The Journey: Our Homeland'', were also shot within the UNESCO zone. In addition, the city was one of the pit-stops of ''The Amazing Race 16'', ''The Amazing Race Asia 4'' and ''The Amazing Race Asia 5''.

Radio

The available FM radio stations in George Town, both government (including Penang-based Mutiara FM) and commercial, are as listed below.

Transportation

Land

Development of George Town's streets and roads is an ongoing process that dates back to the early years of British rule. The city's oldest streets, including

, Beach Street, Chulia Street, George Town, Chulia Street and

, were arranged in a grid pattern. The Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway runs along the eastern coastline of

between the city centre and the

Penang International Airport Penang International Airport is an airport in northern Malaysia. The airport is located near Bayan Lepas at the southeastern tip of Penang Island, south of the city centre.Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone Bayan Lepas is a town in the Malaysian state of Penang. It is located within the Southwest Penang Island District, near the southeastern tip of Penang Island. Founded in the 19th century, Bayan Lepas has various industries. History Bayan Lep ...

and the

. The George Town Inner Ring Road and the Penang Middle Ring Road are the two major ring roads around the city centre. The city centre is also linked with the western parts of Penang Island, such as

, via the pan-island Malaysia Federal Route 6, Federal Route 6. Both the -long

and the -long Second Penang Bridge link George Town with the rest of Peninsular Malaysia. The former bridge was completed in 1985, while the latter, opened in 2014, is currently the longest bridge in

Public transportation

Funicular to the top of the Penang Hill, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia

George Town was once a pioneer of public transportation in British Malaya. The city's first tram system, then powered by steam, commenced operations in the 1880s. While the tram lines have since been disused, another colonial legacy, the Cycle rickshaw, trishaw, remains in use throughout the city, albeit catering primarily for tourists. Today, buses form the backbone of public transportation within George Town. Rapid Penang, with over 30 routes on

, is the sole Public transport bus service, public bus service provider within George Town. In addition, Open top bus, open-topped Double-decker bus, double deckers, known as ''Penang Hop-On Hop-Off, Hop-On Hop-Off'' buses, have been introduced for tourists in the city. Meanwhile, the

is a funicular railway to the peak of

. Efforts are also being undertaken to promote pedestrianisation and the use of bicycles as a greener transportation mode. Dedicated cycling lanes have been marked throughout the city and in 2016, George Town became the first Malaysian city to operate a Bicycle-sharing system, public bicycle-sharing service, with the launch of LinkBike.

Air

The

Penang International Airport Penang International Airport is an airport in northern Malaysia. The airport is located near Bayan Lepas at the southeastern tip of Penang Island, south of the city centre.Kuala Lumpur , anthem = '' Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , su ...

, Bangkok, Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, Taipei, Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Doha. It is also a hub for two Malaysian low-cost carriers – AirAsia and Firefly (airline), Firefly. The airport is List of the busiest airports in Malaysia, Malaysia's second busiest in terms of cargo traffic and recorded the third highest passenger traffic of all Malaysian airports .

Sea

The

consists of seven facilities along the

, including

in George Town. Renovated in 2009 as a cruise shipping terminal, Swettenham Pier is one of the major tourist entry points into George Town. , the pier recorded 1.35 million tourist arrivals, thereby surpassing

as the busiest port-of-call in Malaysia for cruise shipping. The pier has also attracted some of the world's largest cruise liners, such as the ''RMS Queen Mary 2''. A number of cruise ships call Swettenham Pier as their homeport, bringing tourists into and out of George Town towards regional destinations like Phuket and Singapore. Occasionally, the pier hosts warships as well, including those from Singapore, Thailand and the United States.

Ferry

Rapid Ferry is a cross-strait shuttle ferry service that connects George Town with the town of Butterworth, Penang, Butterworth on the Malay Peninsula. It is the oldest ferry service in Malaysia, dating back to 1894 when the first passenger ferry commenced operations. Currently, six ferries ply the

between George Town and Butterworth daily.

International relations

Consulates

Several nations have either established their consulates or appointed honorary-consulates within George Town. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sister cities

George Town has eight Twin towns and sister cities, sister cities. The State of Penang also has a sister area partnership with Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan, which was ratified in 1991.

Sister subdivision

* Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

Friendship cities

In addition to the sister cities and areas, George Town has inked five other friendship city agreements. * Sanya, China * Zhongshan, China * Busan, South Korea * Changwon, South Korea * Kaohsiung, Taiwan In 2013, the State of Penang signed a friendship state agreement with Hainan Province in China. Friendship subdivision * Hainan, Hainan Province, China

References

Literature

* Suet Leng Khoo; Narimah Samat; Nurwati Badarulzaman; Sharifah Rohayah Sheikh Dawood The Promise and Perils of the Island City of George Town (Penang) as a Creative City. Urban Island Studies. (2015). * Francis, Ric; Ganley, Colin. ''Penang Trams, Trolleybuses & Railways: Municipal Transport History 1880s–1963''. Penang: Areca Books. (2006, 2nd ed. 2012) . * Khoo Salma Nasution. ''More Than Merchants: A History of the German-speaking Community in Penang, 1800s–1940s''. Areca Books. (2006). * Ooi Cheng Ghee. ''Portraits of Penang: Little India''. Areca Books. (2011).

External links

Penang Island (George Town) City Council
{{Authority control George Town, Penang, Populated places in Penang Populated coastal places in Malaysia Populated places established in 1786 World Heritage Sites in Malaysia Ports and harbours of Malaysia State capitals in Malaysia 1786 establishments in Asia 1786 establishments in the British Empire

Etymology

History

Establishment

Colonial era

World Wars

Post-war

Post-independence

Renaissance

Geography

Cityscape

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Street names

Suburbs

Beaches and seafronts

Hills

Parks

Climate

Governance and politics

Local government

State government

Judiciary

Demographics

Ethnicities

Languages

Economy

Manufacturing

Finance

Tourism

Services

Medical tourism

Retail

Architecture

Historic architecture

Modern architecture

Culture

Food

Performance arts

Street art

Museums

Festivals

Sports

Education

Schools

Tertiary education

Libraries

Health care

Media

Print

Television

Radio

Transportation

Land

Public transportation

Air

Sea

Ferry

International relations

Consulates

Sister cities

Sister subdivision

Friendship cities

See also

References

Literature

External links