Native name: Pulau Pinang | |
|---|---|
 Penang Island viewed from theISS | |
 Penang Island is the main constituent island ofPenang | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Strait of Malacca (west) Penang Strait (east) |
| Coordinates | 5°22′N100°16′E / 5.37°N 100.26°E /5.37; 100.26 |
| Archipelago | Malay Archipelago |
| Area | 295 km2 (114 sq mi) |
| Highest point | Penang Hill |
| Administration | |
Malaysia | |
| State |  Penang |
| City |  George Town |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 794,313 (2020)[1] |
| Pop. density | 2,596/km2 (6724/sq mi) |
Penang Island is the main constituent island of theMalaysian state ofPenang. It is located off the western coast ofPeninsular Malaysia by theMalacca Strait, with thePenang Strait separating the island fromSeberang Perai on the mainland. The 295 km2 (114 sq mi) island makes up approximately 28% of Penang's total land mass and is home to about 45% of the state's population as of 2020[update].[1] The entire island falls under the city ofGeorge Town, which also administers the surrounding islets.
With an area of 295 km2 (114 sq mi), Penang Island is the fourth largest island wholly in Malaysia, afterBanggi Island,Bruit Island andLangkawi Island. It is also the most populated island city in the country, with a population of 794,313 as of 2020[update].[1]
The island's terrain is irregular and consists of a hilly and mostly forested interior. The coastal plains are narrow, with the most expansive one being at the northeastern cape.[2] It was at this cape where the early development ofGeorge Town began, eventually reaching down the eastern seaboard. Mangrove swamps are prevalent along the western shoreline of the island. Combined with the hills at the centre of the island, urbanisation along the western half of the island has been limited.
Standing at 833 m (2,733 ft),Penang Hill, at the centre of the island, is the highest point inPenang. The hilly centre of the island serves as a crucial water catchment area and is also home to rainforests that have been around for over 130 million years.[3] In 2021, the 12,481-hectare (30,840-acre) Penang HillBiosphere Reserve was inducted intoUNESCO'sWorld Network of Biosphere Reserves as a recognition of the biodiversity and importance of Penang Hill as a protected forest reserve.[4]
Due to land scarcity,land reclamation projects have been undertaken at high-demand areas such asTanjong Tokong,Jelutong,Batu Maung andGurney Drive.[5][6][7] In 2023, a massive reclamation project to build the 920-hectare (2,300-acre)Silicon Island, envisioned as a new hub for high tech manufacturing and commerce, commenced off the island's southern coastline.[8] This is in addition to the creation ofAndaman Island off the island's north coast. Meanwhile, the shoreline off Gurney Drive is also being transformed intoGurney Bay, intended as a "new iconic waterfront destination for Penang".[9][10]
The island is connected with the mainland by two road bridges. ThePenang Bridge begins atGelugor on the island and ends atPerai on the mainland, while theSultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge linksBatu Maung withBatu Kawan on the mainland.
Media related toPenang Island at Wikimedia CommonsCapital:George Town | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Topics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Society | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Administrative divisions |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
_Logo.png){kind=logo}
