Pinang

Penang Island is located in the Andaman Sea off the northwestern coast of the Malacca Peninsula . The island is covered with hills overgrown with lush vegetation. In the north, a tropical forest has been preserved. The highest point on the island is Mount Penang .

Seberang-Perai is a narrow coastal continental strip of the Malacca Peninsula. Climate and biodiversity are similar to the island.

The state also includes a number of small islands.

The time zone is UTC + 8.

A humid equatorial climate with a fairly even temperature (+ 27 ... + 32) and water (+ 25 ... + 30) throughout the year, more humid seasons - from April to May and from October to November.

Discovery of the island

The island was discovered by Chinese admiral Zheng He during his expeditions to the South Seas in the 15th century. Originally in Malay, it was called Ka-Satu ( First Island ). His second Malay name is Pulau Pinang ( Isca palm tree island ) Penang received from the areca palm tree , which grew in abundance on the island.

One of the first Europeans to visit Penang was the English privateer James Lancaster , who landed on the island in June 1592.

British Possession, Colony and Protectorate

In 1786, the English captain and merchant Francis Light, on behalf of the East India Company, acquired Penang from Sultan Kedah in exchange for protection from Siam and Burma . The island was completely covered in the jungle , and to attract people here it was announced that each immigrant could receive as much land as he was able to clear. By the end of the XVIII century, the population of the island reached 10 thousand people. Many European settlers died of malaria .

Light renamed Penang to Prince of Wales Island , in honor of the ruling dynasty. The first construction of the British on the island was Fort Cornwallis or Cornwallis, named after the Governor-General of the British East India Company and the Commander-in-Chief of the British troops in India, Charles Cornwallis . Around the fort, the capital of Georgetown Island was soon founded, named in honor of King George III . Then, a coastal strip was purchased in the Kedah Sultanate on the mainland opposite the island. Since 1969, Georgetown has become a duty free city.

In 1790, when Siam attacked Kedah and the British army could not defend him, the Sultan tried to return the island back. The attempt failed, and the sultan was forced to cede the island to the British for a rent of 6 thousand Spanish dollars, and with the annexation of the province of Wellesley - 10 thousand Spanish dollars annually. The annual rent of the island in the amount of 10 thousand Malaysian ringgit to this day is paid by the Federal Government of Malaysia to the state of Kedah .

In 1805, Penang began to be ruled from Bengal , and later became the fourth residence of the colonial government in Indian lands . In 1816, the first English school in Southeast Asia opened.

In 1826, Penang, together with Malacca and Singapore, formed the Straits-Setlments colony ( lit. “Settlements at the Straits”).

World War I

During the First World War, on October 28, 1914, Penang experienced a naval battle of the German cruiser Emden with the Russian cruiser Pearl . As a result of the attack, the Russian cruiser was sunk, one officer and 85 sailors were killed, three officers and 112 crew members were injured. Another seven sailors later died from their injuries.

Nine team members of the Russian cruiser, including two who died from wounds in the hospital, were buried in the Christian cemetery, The Western Road Cemetery in Georgetown . In 1972, on their grave, a commemorative granite slab was installed with an inscription in Russian and English “RUSSIAN MILITARY SEAISERS OF THE CRUISER“ PEARL ”- THANKS TO THE OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE RUSSIAN NAVY CRUISER 'ZHEMCHUG' - THEIR GRATEFUL MOTHERLAND.

Federalism and Independence

In 1946, the island became part of the Malay Union, in 1948 - the state of the Malay Federation , which gained independence in 1957, since 1963 - as part of Malaysia .

In 1970-1990, thanks to the free economic zone, one of the largest production bases of electronic industry in the south of the island was created around the Penang International Airport.

The state is divided into 5 districts:

• Penang Island :
  • Northeast Penang ( Daerah Timur Laut )
  • Southwest Penang ( Daerah Barat Daya )
• Seberang-Perai (coastal continental strip):
  • Northern Seberang Perai ( Daerah Seberang Perai Utara )
  • Central Seberang Perai ( Daerah Seberang Perai Tengah )
  • South Seberang Perai ( Daerah Seberang Perai Selatan )

The island is inhabited mainly by the Chinese , as well as Malays and Indians . This is the only state in Malaysia where the majority of the population is not Malays, with the highest population density of 1,514.44 people per km².

Depending on the social class or group and ethnic origin, Penang is spoken in Malay and Tamil , South Minh and some other Chinese languages , including Putonghua and Cantonese , as well as English. The official language is Malay .

The official religion of Penang is Islam . Along with it, Buddhism , Taoism , Hinduism , Catholicism , Protestantism and other religions are professed. The Anglican church is quite widespread

• Tourism - Penang is one of the most visited places in Asia and the main center of business forums . Most of the population is engaged in the service sector.
• Along with tourism, the electronics industry is an important industry. Its development is encouraged by the creation of free economic zones through preferential taxation. Therefore, Penang is often called the second Silicon Valley . Here are the enterprises of large international electronics manufacturers: AMD , Intel , Motorola , Hitachi , Bosch , Osram , B. Braun and others.
• The island cultivates rice, rubber trees, fruits, oil trees. 55 thousand hectares are occupied by agricultural land.
• Penang Deep Sea Port is the main transit point between Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, linking Malaysia with 200 cities.
• After Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru, Penang is Malaysia's third largest trading center.

• The Penang symbol - the Penang Bridge , connecting the island and mainland, 13.5 km long, was opened on September 14, 1985. Despite this, he could not cope with the traffic flow and, along with it, the ferry service operates. On March 1, 2014, the second bridge was opened, the total length of which is 24 km, of which 16.9 km are located above the water surface, which makes it the longest bridge not only in Malaysia, but throughout Southeast Asia.
• Penang International Airport, 16 km south of Georgetown.
• Motor transportation on the North-South highway . Left side traffic.
• Ferry service: in the city of Georgetown there is a pier connecting the island with the mainland ( Butterworth ).
• Rail: there is no railway on the island, but a branch of the main railway of Malaysia passes through Butterworth on the mainland. The train station is just a short walk along the covered passage from the Butterworth ferry.
• Special tourist transport: free shuttle buses follow every day , seven days a week, from 06:00 to 23:40 with a 20-30 minute interval along the winding ring route in Georgetown, making stops at 19 stopping points along the route. The route is designed in such a way that it passes near the attractions included in the UNESCO World Heritage List .

Water sports are developed: windsurfing , parasailing , diving . In Penang, there are 4 golf clubs and clubs for tennis, horse riding and squash.

The Penang Culture Center, the local ethnographic museum, hosts performances by folklore groups, organizes national ceremonies, and runs a restaurant serving national cuisine.

The Penang hotel base comprises 22 hotels, 18 of which are five-star hotels.

The most famous beaches: Teluk Bahang ( Gulf of Embers) - with its secluded coves on the western outskirts of the island, Tanjung Bungah ( Hanging Rocks ) - with its giant reefs and lush vegetation.

Penang, thanks to its unique national cuisine, was nicknamed the “Food Capital of Malaysia”, its food service was recognized as the Best Time magazine in Asia in 2004.

According to various estimates, there are from 1000 to 3000 attractions.

Attractions are scattered throughout the island, but most of them are concentrated in the city of Georgetown. You can get acquainted with the sights of Georgetown both on foot and using the special MPPP Rapid Penang CAT bus, which takes everyone around the city for free, making stops near the location of the main attractions. The city’s authorities did everything to ensure that guests could get to know the city, even providing a free bus for this.

The sports complex "Penang International Sports Arena" is one of the largest in the region. This includes the parking complex, the Water Sports Center and the Main Arena, where several sporting events can be held simultaneously.

In addition, international competitions are held at Penang, such as:

• Penang Grand Prize - the international marathon on the Penang Bridge. The marathon route starts at the Queensby Mall, goes along the autobahn, then along the bridge and returns back to the starting point. In 2008, 16,000 runners participated in the marathon.
• The International Boat Festival is a stage of the international rowing tournament, which is also held in Hong Kong , Macau , Singapore and Sydney . Penang has been held annually since 1979 .
• International Golf and Horse Racing Tournaments

• The capital of the island is Georgetown .
• Mount Pinang (Pinang Hill, 升旗 山) - a panoramic view of the entire island and Georgetown opens from a viewing platform on top of the mountain at an altitude of 821 m. The oldest funicular in Asia, built according to the Swiss project in 1923, leads to the top. You can also climb on foot through the jungle or on a private road.
• The Botanical Garden (植物 公园), is located 8 kilometers from Georgetown. It was defeated by the British in 1884 in honor of the island's quartermaster Charles Curtis, who was the first to collect plant samples in the local jungle. On 30 hectares of the botanical garden there is a waterfall, around which almost all samples of the tropical flora and fauna of this region are collected. There are many monkeys.
• Penang Museum and Art Gallery (Penang Museum and Art Gallery, 槟城 博物馆 及 美术馆), located in Lebuh Farkuhar, talk about the centuries-old history of Penang. The entrance to the museum is adorned with a monument to Captain Francis Light (captain Francis Light,). The captain’s son, William Light , the founder of Adelaide and South Australia, posed for him.
• Temple of snakes (Snake Temple, 蛇 庙) - built in 1850 in honor of the Buddhist monk-healer Chor Soo Kong (Eng .: Chor Soo Kong, Chinese: 清水 祖).
• Temple Kek Lok Si (Kek Lok Si Temple, 极乐寺) - is located on a high hill in the small town of Air Itam (Air Itam, 亚 依 淡) in the center of the island. The temple combines elements of Chinese, Thai and Burmese architecture. The octagonal base of the temple resembles a Chinese pagoda, the middle part is made in the tradition of Thai art, the upper part, with a spiral dome, looks like a Burmese sanctuary. In front of the temple there is a wide area for prayers, and on the sides are prayer halls and pagodas with Buddha sculptures. In the seven-story pagoda striking a huge number of Buddha statues brought from around the world. The main pride is the huge statue of the goddess of mercy Guanyin and the tortoise decoration of the temple. According to Chinese legend, turtles are a symbol of longevity, and in the temple of Kek Lok Si visitors can add a couple of years of life by feeding live turtles living in the local pond.
• The world's largest butterfly farm (Butterfly Farm, Teluk Bahang, 蝴蝶 公园) near the fishing village of Teluk Bahang - a tropical park where about 300 species of butterflies and other insects are bred. The farm was opened in 1986. It is a huge net enclosure with an area of ​​almost a hectare, where several thousand butterflies fly. Here you can also see a huge beehive, scorpions, tarantulas, giant millipedes, spiders and other insects.
• Pinanga Bird Park in Seberang Jaya - it contains more than 800 species of birds, mainly from Southeast Asia. The park is surrounded by a grid around the perimeter and above.
• Bukit Mertadzham recreation park - located on 37 hectares in the jungle with relic plants, ferns, wild flowers. Populated by numerous species of birds, butterflies and insects.
• Penang National Park and the Forest Museum & Recreational Park in Teluk Bahang.
• Garden of tropical spices (Tropical Spice Garden) - includes 500 varieties of exotic plants.
• Orchid and hibiscus garden in Bukit Jambul. There is also the Reptile Pavilion.
• Botanical Gardens (Botanic Gardens, also Waterfall Gardens) - a park popular among locals, monkeys live here.
• Penang War Museum - Located far in the south of the island on the ruins of the largest British fortifications built in 1930. The fortification is dug in a hillside. Here you can get acquainted with the life of the soldiers of Britain and their allies of the times. There are several above-ground and underground military structures on the territory, where boxes for shells, guns, ammunition, uniforms and kitchen utensils are stored. You can examine the living quarters for the military, food units, prison cells, tunnels and ventilation trunks. It is equipped with a shooting range for interactive demonstrations and a recreation area.
• Burmese Buddhist Temple - A Buddhist temple is located opposite Wat Chaiyamangkalaram. The temple was founded in 1803. This is the first Buddhist temple built on the island. The temple is large and built very inventively. There is an elevator, donations are made in the form of attractions. For example, in bowls rotating on a special design in a small pond, you need to get a coin.
• Armenian street where the film " Anna and the King " was filmed ^[2] .
• The house-museum of P. Rumley .

• July 26 - Feast of St. Anne. Masses are served for 9 days in the church of St. Anne in Bukit-Mertadzham, on July 26 and 29 there is a night procession with candles.
• Chinese New Year
• Chinese holiday of all saints Cheng-Beng
• The festival of hungry ghosts - the entire seventh month of the lunar calendar
• Munchake Festival commemorating the victory of China over the Mongols during the rule of the Yuan Dynasty.
• Deepavali (Festival of Lights) is a Hindu festival.
• Taipusam (Feast of the Atonement) is a Tamil festival in January at Sri Mariamman Temple.

• Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (1939) - Fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia
• Ahmad bin Ibrahim (1927-1962) - Singaporean political, public and statesman.
• Bennett, Jill (1931-1990) - American actress
• Li Zongwei (1982) - Malaysian Badminton Player
• P. Ramley (1929-1973]) - Malaysian actor, director, singer, composer
• Jimmy Choo (1948) - Malaysian shoe designer

Penang has become the venue for many films, the most famous of which are:

• Indochina
• " Anna and the king "
• " Far from Rangoon " and others,

as well as the scene in the works of Herbert Wells , Frederick Marriet , Rudyard Kipling , Master Chen .

• Purcell, VWWS Early Penang. The Pinang Gazette Press Ltd, 1928, 141 p.

• Penang State Official Website (English) (unavailable link from 12-04-2018 [540 days])
• Penang Tourism Department official page (English) (unavailable link from 12-04-2018 [540 days])