HISTORY
Originally part of the Malay sultanate of Kedah, Penang was ceded to the British East India Company in 1786 by the Sultan of Kedah to Captain Francis Light, known as the founder of Penang who renamed it Prince of Wales Island.

CLIMATE
Penang Island enjoys a warm equatorial climate. Temperature ranges between 29C – 35C during the day and 26-29C during the night. Sunshine is expected throughout most of the days but with rainfalls in the evenings during periods of monsoon winds (April to May, October to November)

POPULATION
There are approximately 1.4 million residents on Penang Island comprising of ethnic Chinese, Malay and Indians with a sizeable expatriate community. The Peranakan community is another distinctive community more popularly known as Straits Chinese or Baba Nyonyas. The latter are descendants of the Chinese immigrants who settled in the Straits Settlement of Penang, Malacca & Singapore.

HERITAGE & CULTURE
Penang is filled with exotic religious festivals and tradition throughout the whole year, giving one a chance to experience and witness the beautiful golden beaches, sumptuous cuisine, unique festivals and heritage architecture of the modern era.

George Town was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.

LANGUAGE
Although Malay is the national language, English is also widely used, particularly in business and the tourism industry. As Penang is still a meeting point of many cultures, other languages and dialects are also spoken and understood – these include the various Chinese and Indian dialects, as well as smatterings of Thai and other European languages.