Penang Island

Penang Island, the most populous island city in Malaysia, is situated in the State of Penang. With a population of 738,500, it also forms Malaysia's second largest city by population, while Greater Penang, with 2.5 million inhabitants, is the nation's second most populous metropolis. Its capital, George Town, has also been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008.Founded by Francis Light of the British East India Company in 1786, Penang Island, then named the Prince of Wales Island, was one of the first British possessions in Southeast Asia. Together with Singapore and Malacca, the island became part of the Straits Settlements, which was elevated into a British crown colony in 1867. The island's development as a British entrepôt and a regional centre of spice production attracted various religions and ethnicities, including the Peranakans, onto its shores. 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 gained independence from the British in 1957, George Town was declared a city by Queen Elizabeth II, making it the first city in the country's modern history. Penang Island has since been developed into the 'Silicon Valley of the East', and the entire island was also granted city status in 2015.