George Town | |||
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City and State Capital | |||
Other transcription(s) | |||
• Malay | Tanjung Penaga | ||
• Chinese |
乔治市 (in Simplified) 喬治市 (in Traditional) |
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• Tamil | ஜோர்ஜ் டவுன் | ||
Clockwise from top: Skyline of George Town, St. George's Church, Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, high-rises at Gurney Drive, Eastern & Oriental Hotel
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Nickname(s): Pearl of the Orient | |||
Location within Penang (top) and Peninsular Malaysia (bottom) | |||
Coordinates: 5°24′52.2″N 100°19′45.12″E / 5.414500°N 100.3292000°ECoordinates: 5°24′52.2″N 100°19′45.12″E / 5.414500°N 100.3292000°E | |||
Country | Malaysia | ||
State | Penang | ||
Founded | 11 August 1786 | ||
Municipality established | 1857 | ||
British crown colony | 1 April 1867 - 31 August 1957 | ||
Japanese occupation | 19 December 1941 - 3 September 1945 | ||
Granted city status | 1 January 1957 | ||
Government | |||
• Local Government | Penang Island City Council | ||
• Mayor of Penang Island | Patahiyah Ismail | ||
Area | |||
• City and State Capital | 122.79 km2 (47.41 sq mi) | ||
• Metro | 2,740.000 km2 (1,057.920 sq mi) | ||
Elevation | 14 m (46 ft) | ||
Population (2010) | |||
• City and State Capital | 708,127 (2nd) | ||
• Metro | 2,412,586 (2nd) | ||
Time zone | MST (UTC+8) | ||
• Summer (DST) | Not observed (UTC) | ||
Postal code |
100xx to 108xx 111xx to 118xx |
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Area code(s) | +604 | ||
Vehicle registration | P | ||
Website | mbpp |
Malacca and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca | |
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Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List | |
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Location | Malaysia |
Type | Cultural |
Criteria | ii, iii, iv |
Reference | 1223 |
UNESCO region | Asia-Pacific |
Inscription history | |
Inscription | 2008 (32nd Session) |
100xx to 108xx
George Town, the capital city of the Malaysian state of Penang, is located at the northeastern tip of Penang Island. It is the second largest city in Malaysia, with 708,127 inhabitants as of 2010, while its metropolitan area, Greater Penang, is the second largest conurbation in Malaysia with an estimated population of 2.5 million. One of the oldest cities in Malaysia, George Town was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with Malacca City in 2008.
Established by Captain Francis Light of the British East India Company in 1786, George Town was one of the first British settlements in South-East Asia. Together with Singapore and Malacca, George Town was governed under the Straits Settlements, which later became a British crown colony in 1867. It was subjugated by the Empire of Japan during World War II, before being recaptured by the British at war's end. Shortly before Malaya attained independence from the British Empire in 1957, George Town was declared a city by Queen Elizabeth II, the first city in the country's modern history. In 2015, the entire Penang Island was also granted city status.