Penang Strait

Penang Strait
George Town on Penang Island (top) and Butterworth on the Malay Peninsula (bottom).
Penang Strait
Location	Penang
Coordinates	5°20′14″N 100°21′00″E / 5.3371°N 100.35°E / 5.3371; 100.35
Part of	Strait of Malacca
Primary inflows	Penang Island: Pinang River Seberang Perai: Perai River Muda River
Basin countries	Malaysia
Max. width	3–11.265 km (1.864–7.000 mi)
Islands	Aman Island, Gedung Island, Jerejak Island
Settlements	Penang Island: George Town Bayan Lepas Batu Maung Seberang Perai: Butterworth Perai Batu Kawan

The Penang Strait is an 11 kilometre-wide strait that separates Penang Island from mainland Malay Peninsula.^[1] 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 northern and southern ends of the channel join the Strait of Malacca, one of the world's busiest maritime routes.

The strait provides deepwater passage to the Port of Penang, which is located in Butterworth in Seberang Perai. In addition, Swettenham Pier in George Town, Penang's capital city that is situated on Penang Island, is a popular destination for cruise ships, serving as one of the major entry points into Penang.^[2]

Since the foundation of Penang as a trading outpost of the British Empire in 1786, the Penang Strait has historically been a busy shipping route.^[3]