Malaysian World Heritage | Penang (1540)

| Penang (1540). Penang State, commonly referred to as "Penang", is one of the thirteen federal states of Malaysia, located in the northwest of Malaysia, with an area of 1049 square kilometers. The state is divided into two parts by the Penang Strait: Penang Island and Seberang Perai. The total population is 1.7668 million. The state capital, George Town, is an important port city and the second largest city in Malaysia after the capital Kuala Lumpur. Penang has a large Chinese population and is closely related to modern Chinese history. It was an important base for Dr. Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary activities. Dr. Sun Yat-sen visited Penang five times to promote revolutionary ideas, raise funds for the revolution, and founded the Reading Club and the Kwong Wah Yit Poh newspaper, which received enthusiastic responses and strong support from the local Chinese community. Kang Youwei, Huang Xing, Hu Hanmin, and others have also left their marks here. The Huanghuagang Uprising was instigated in Penang. In 1786, Penang was developed by the British colonial government as one of the earliest commercial centers in the Far East. A large number of laborers were introduced from abroad at that time, bringing their culture and traditions, creating Penang's unique scenery, relics, and customs. Penang is not only known for its harmonious development of multiculturalism but also as a "global electronics manufacturing hub". As the most artistic place in Malaysia, it is known as the "Emerald of the Indian Ocean" and the "Silicon Valley of the East". George Town, the state capital, was listed as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2008.