Widely hailed as the Pearl of the Orient, Penang is made up of an island shaped like a turtle and a strip of land on Peninsula Malaysia. Spreading over an area of 1030 square kilometers, Georgetown is the name of the state capital.
The strip of land on Peninsula Malaysia is called Province Wellesley or Seberang Prai in Malay and is linked to the island by the 13.5 km long Penang Bridge since 1985. Aside from the bridge, the island and the Province Wellesley are also linked via ferry services.
Penang has a population of more than 1.2 million and more than half of whom lived on the island itself. Penang’s population is very diverse and consists of all the main races of Malaysia, Malay, Chinese, Indian and others.
Known as Pulau Pinang in Malay, which literally means “Island of the Betel Nut tree”, Penang boasts of modern sky-scrappers, prewar buildings, scrumptious nyonya food, delicious hawker fares, beautiful beaches and scenic hills.
Labels: Penang, Pulau Pinang
