Back George Town, Penang Afrikaans جورج تاون (بينانق) Arabic جورج تاون ARZ George Town AST Corctaun (Malayziya) Azerbaijani جورج تاون (مالزی) AZB George Town, Penang BAN Джорджтаўн (Пінанг) Byelorussian George Town, Malaysia BJN George Town (Penang) Catalan

George Town, Penang

This article is about the city in Malaysia. For other uses, see Georgetown.

George Town
State capital city and district capital
City of Penang Island
Bandaraya Pulau Pinang
Other transcription(s)
 • Mandarin乔治市 (Simplified)
喬治市 (Traditional)
Qiáozhì shì (Pinyin)
 • HokkienPho-té / Kiâu-tī-tshī (Tâi-lô)
 • Tamilஜார்ஜ் டவுன்
Jārj Iḍavuṉ (Transliteration)
 • Thaiจอร์จทาวน์
Chogethao (RTGS)
A panoramic view of the city skyline, dominated by high-rise housing and skyscrapers, at dusk. The city's shoreline is partly visible in the foreground.
Skyline of the city centre
Aerial view of Gurney Drive, lined with skyscrapers, at night
Gurney Drive
The two Penang bridges straddling the sea.
The two Penang bridges
A city street lined with shophouses, with cars, lorries, motorcycles and a bus on the road.
Penang Road
Front façade of a white Palladian-style courthouse prominently featuring columns supporting the pediment and entablature.
Penang High Court
Front façade of a double-storey Oriental-style mansion, coloured in blue and with the upper floor partially concealed by wooden blinds.
Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion
A skyscraper lit up at dusk as seen from the ground, partially concealed by adjacent buildings.
Komtar
Front façade of a Chinese clan house featuring ornate carvings on the roof.
Khoo Kongsi
Flag of George Town
Flag
Coat of arms of George Town
Coat of arms
Etymology: George III, King of Great Britain and Ireland
Nickname: 
Pearl of the Orient[1]
Motto(s): 
Leading We Serve
(Malay: Memimpin Sambil Berkhidmat)[2]
Map
George Town is located in George Town, Penang
George Town
George Town
George Town is located in Malaysia
George Town
George Town
George Town is located in Asia
George Town
George Town
Coordinates: 05°24′52″N 100°19′45″E / 5.41444°N 100.32917°E / 5.41444; 100.32917
Country Malaysia
State Penang
DistrictsNortheast and Southwest
Mukims[3]City centre and 36 subdistricts
Founded[4]11 August 1786
Municipality[5]c. 1857
Incorporated (city)[6]1 January 1957
Expansion[7]31 March 2015
Founded byFrancis Light
Government
 • TypeCity council
 • BodyPenang Island City Council
 • Mayor[8]Rajendran P. Anthony
 • City Secretary[9]Cheong Chee Hong
Area
 • City[10]306 km2 (118 sq mi)
 • Metro
3,759 km2 (1,451 sq mi)
Population
 (2020)[11]
 • City[10]794,313
 • Rank8th in Malaysia
2nd in Penang
 • Density2,596/km2 (6,720/sq mi)
 • Metro
2,844,214 (2nd)
 • Metro density760/km2 (2,000/sq mi)
Demographics
[11]
 • Ethnic groups
Time zoneUTC+8 (MST)
 • Summer (DST)Not observed
Postal code
100xx–108xx
111xx–118xx
Area code(s)+604-2, +604-6, +604-8
Websitewww.mbpp.gov.my
Official nameMelaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca
CriteriaCultural: ii, iii, iv
Reference1223
Inscription2008 (32nd Session)

George Town is the capital of the Malaysian state of Penang. It is the core city of the George Town Conurbation, Malaysia's second largest metropolitan area with a population of 2.84 million and the second highest contributor to the country's GDP. The city proper spans an area of 306 km2 (118 sq mi) encompassing Penang Island and surrounding islets, and had a population of 794,313 as of 2020.

Initially established as an entrepôt by Francis Light in 1786, George Town serves as the commercial centre for northern Malaysia. According to Euromonitor International and the Economist Intelligence Unit, it has the highest potential for revenue growth among all Malaysian cities and contributed nearly 8% of the country's personal disposable income in 2015, second only to the national capital, Kuala Lumpur. Its technological sector, anchored by hundreds of multinational companies, has made George Town the top exporter in the country. The Penang International Airport links George Town to several regional cities, while a ferry service and two road bridges connect the city to the rest of Peninsular Malaysia. Swettenham Pier is the busiest cruise terminal in the country.

George Town was the first British settlement in Southeast Asia and its proximity to maritime routes along the Strait of Malacca attracted an influx of immigrants from various parts of Asia. Following rapid growth in its early years, it became the capital of the Straits Settlements in 1826, only to lose its administrative status to Singapore in 1832. The Straits Settlements became a British crown colony in 1867. Shortly before Malaya attained independence from Britain in 1957, George Town was declared a city by Queen Elizabeth II, making it the first city in the country's history. In 1974, George Town was merged with the rest of the island, throwing its city status into doubt until 2015, when its jurisdiction was reinstated and expanded to cover the entire island and adjacent islets.

The city is described by UNESCO as having a "unique architectural and cultural townscape" that is shaped by centuries of intermingling between various cultures and religions.[12] It has also gained a reputation as Malaysia's gastronomical capital for its distinct culinary scene. The preservation of these cultures contribute to the city centre's designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008.

  1. ^ Mike Aquino (30 August 2012). "Exploring Georgetown, Penang". Asian Correspondent. Archived from the original on 1 January 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  2. ^ "Logo". Penang Island City Council. Archived from the original on 13 January 2024. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :212 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Koay-2014 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :132 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Opalyn Mok (31 March 2015). "Council President Now Penang's First Mayor". Malay Mail. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Mayor's Profile". Penang Island City Council. Archived from the original on 13 January 2024. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  9. ^ "City Secretary (Chief Digital Officer (CDO))". Penang Island City Council. Archived from the original on 13 January 2024. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :38 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ a b "Key Findings of Population and Housing Census of Malaysia 2020" (pdf) (in Malay and English). Department of Statistics, Malaysia. ISBN 978-967-2000-85-3.
  12. ^ "Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 8 July 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2016.

Rich TVX News Network Site

Rich TVX News Network Info

© MMXXIII Rich X Search. We shall prevail. All rights reserved. Rich X Search