Penang

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Penang (pronounced [[1]]Pin-ang!<wiki target to visit here!) (Malay: Pulau Pinang (pronounced [[2]]Pin-ang!<wiki target to visit here!); Chinese: 檳城) is the name of an island in the Straits of Malacca, and also of one of the states of Malaysia, located on the north-west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Penang is the second smallest state in Malaysia after Perlis, and the eighth most populous. A resident of Penang is colloquially known as a Penangite.

[edit] Name

The island was referred to as 檳榔嶼 (Bīnláng Xù - not the more modern Yǔ for 嶼) in the navigational drawings used by Admiral Zheng He of Ming-dynasty China in his expeditions to the South Seas in the 15th century. Early Malays called it Pulau Ka-Satu or "First Island".

The name "Penang" comes from the modern Malay name Pulau Pinang, which means island of the betel nut tree (Areca catechu). In Chinese, Penang is known as 檳城 (pinyin: Bīnchéng / Bīngchéng). All three names can refer either to the island of Penang, the state of Penang or the state capital, George Town.

More specifically, George Town is known as Tanjung in Malay and 喬治市 (Qiáozhì Shì) in Chinese. Penang Island is simply Pulau Pinang in Malay (antiquated spelling: Pulo Pinang) and 檳榔嶼 (Bīnláng Xù) in Chinese, and Penang state is Negeri Pulau Pinang in Malay and 檳州 (Bīn Zhōu) in Chinese.

Penang is popularly known as the "Pearl of the Orient", though other cities in East Asia also lay claim to this appellation.

[edit] Geography

The state is geographically and administratively divided into two sections:

• Penang Island: an island of 293 square kilometres located in the Straits of Malacca; and
• Seberang Perai (also known as Province Wellesley): a narrow hinterland of 760 square kilometres across a narrow channel on the Malay peninsula. It is bordered by Kedah in the north (demarcated by the Muda River) and east, and Perak in the south.

The state capital, George Town, is located on the north-east corner of the island. Butterworth, the main town in Seberang Perai, faces it across the channel to the east. The highest point in Penang at 830 metres above sea level is Western Hill (part of Penang Hill), on Penang island.

[edit] Link

Visit Penang Island for National Day celebration on August 31st ...[[3]]