{{Infobox settlement

| name = Greater Penang

| settlement_type = [[Metropolitan area|Metropolitan region]]

| image_skyline = Gurney Drive, George Town in 2018.jpg

| image_caption = Greater Penang is centred in [[George Town, Penang|George Town]], the capital city of the [[Penang|State of Penang]].

| image_map = {{Location map+ |Greater Penang|width=300 |caption=|places=

{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.205 |long=100.35|label_size=90|label='''[[Penang|PENANG]]'''|position=top|marksize =0|mark=none}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.55 |long=100.67|label_size=90|label='''[[Kedah|KEDAH]]'''|position=top|marksize =0|mark=none}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.12 |long=100.7|label_size=90|label='''[[Perak|PERAK]]'''|position=top|marksize =0|mark=none}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.39 |long=100.275|label_size=65|label='''[[Penang Island|<i style="color:black"">Penang<br>Island</i>]]'''|position=left|marksize =0|mark=none}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.4525 |long=100.5|label_size=65|label='''[[Seberang Perai|<i style="color:black"">Seberang<br>Perai</i>]]'''|position=left|marksize =0|mark=none}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.75 |long=100.56|label_size=65|label='''[[Sungai Petani Municipal Council|<i style="color:black"">Sungai<br>Petani</i>]]'''|position=left|marksize =0|mark=none}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.465 |long=100.65|label_size=65|label=<i style="color:black"">'''Kulim'''</i>|position=left|marksize =0|mark=none}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.17 |long=100.628|label_size=65|label=<i style="color:black"">'''Bandar<br>Baharu'''</i>|position=left|marksize =0|mark=none}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.09 |long=100.45|label_size=65|label=<i style="color:black"">'''Kerian'''</i>|position=left|marksize =0|mark=none}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.4145 |long=100.3292|label_size=80|label='''[[George Town, Penang|George Town]]'''|position=top|marksize =6}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.4683 |long=100.242|label_size=65|label=[[Batu Ferringhi]]|position=top|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.406111 |long=100.296389|label_size=65|label=[[Air Itam]]|position=left|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.3691 |long=100.3097|label_size=65|label=[[Gelugor]]|position=right|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.283333 |long=100.266667|label_size=65|label=[[Bayan Lepas]]|position=right|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.325766 |long=100.285572|label_size=65|label=[[Bayan Baru]]|position=right|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.349393|long=100.233393|label_size=65|label=[[Balik Pulau]]|position=left|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.39401|long=100.366427|label_size=65|label=[[Butterworth, Penang|Butterworth]]|position=right|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.3572174|long=100.4608298|label_size=65|label=[[Bukit Mertajam]]|position=right|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.166667|long=100.483333|label_size=65|label=[[Nibong Tebal]]|position=top|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.5157477|long=100.4299712|label_size=65|label=[[Kepala Batas, Penang|Kepala Batas]]|position=right|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.260013|long=100.4336108|label_size=65|label=[[Batu Kawan]]|position=right|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.65|long=100.5|label_size=65|label=[[Sungai Petani]]|position=left|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.368990|long=100.556996|label_size=65|label=[[Kulim District|Kulim]]|position=right|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.129308|long=100.495672|label_size=65|label=[[Bandar Baharu District|Bandar Baharu]]|position=right|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.209718|long=100.61218|label_size=65|label=[[Serdang, Kedah|Serdang]]|position=top|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.114489|long=100.483623|label_size=65|label=[[Kerian District|Parit Buntar]]|position=left|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.014164|long=100.533042|label_size=65|label=[[Bagan Serai]]|position=left|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.815151|long=100.477678|label_size=65|label=[[Gurun, Kedah|Gurun]]|position=right|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.796169|long=100.372722|label_size=65|label=[[Yan District|Yan]]|position=left|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.818815|long=100.744741|label_size=65|label=[[Sik District|Sik]]|position=right|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=5.216732|long=100.693867|label_size=65|label=[[Larut, Matang and Selama District|Selama]]|position=right|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}{{Location map~ |Greater Penang|lat=4.913579|long=100.72466|label_size=65|label=[[Kamunting]]|position=right|marksize =6|mark=Cyan pog.svg}}

}}

| map_caption = Local government areas (yellow) within Greater Penang

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = {{flag|Malaysia}}

| subdivision_type1 = [[States and federal territories of Malaysia|States]]

| subdivision_name1 = *{{flag|Penang}}

* {{flag|Kedah}}

* {{flag|Perak}}

| seat_type = Principal city

| seat = [[File:Seal of George Town.svg|20px]] [[George Town, Penang|George Town]]

| parts_type = Other major towns

| parts = {{flag|Penang}}

* [[Bayan Lepas]]

* [[Balik Pulau]]

* [[Butterworth, Penang|Butterworth]]

* [[Bukit Mertajam]]

* [[Perai]]

* [[Nibong Tebal]]

* [[Batu Kawan]]

{{flag|Kedah}}

* [[Sungai Petani]]

* [[Gurun, Kedah|Gurun]]

* [[Kulim District|Kulim]]

* [[Bandar Baharu District|Bandar Baharu]]

* [[Serdang, Kedah|Serdang]]

{{flag|Perak}}

* [[Kerian District|Parit Buntar]]

* [[Bagan Serai]]

| leader_title = [[List of local governments in Malaysia|Local governments]]

| leader_name = {{flagu|Penang}}<br />

*[[Penang Island City Council]]<br />

*[[Seberang Perai Municipal Council]]<br />

{{flagu|Kedah}}<br />

*[[Sungai Petani Municipal Council]]<br />

*Kulim Municipal Council

*Bandar Baharu District Council

{{flagu|Perak}}<br />

*Kerian District Council

| area_metro_km2 = 2,563.15

| population_as_of = 2010

| population_metro = 2,412,616 ([[List of cities and towns in Malaysia by population|2nd]])

| population_density_metro_km2 = 941.27

| timezone = [[Malaysian Standard Time|MST]]

| utc_offset = +8

}}

{{Coord|5.4145|100.3292|display=title}}The '''Greater Penang Conurbation''' that covers all of [[Penang]], southern [[Kedah]] and northern [[Perak]] is [[Malaysia]]'s second most populous [[metropolitan area]].<ref name=":0" /> It is centred in [[George Town, Penang|George Town]], [[Penang]]'s capital city and also the second most populous [[List of cities in Malaysia|city in Malaysia]] after [[Kuala Lumpur]].<ref name="TMI">{{cite news|url=http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/business/article/government-banks-on-intensive-urbanisation-to-pull-investment|title=Government banks on intensive urbanisation to pull investment|date=16 August 2010|publisher=The Malaysian Insider|accessdate=19 June 2013|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017184056/http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/business/article/government-banks-on-intensive-urbanisation-to-pull-investment|archivedate=17 October 2013|df=}}</ref><ref name="theedge">{{cite news|url=http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/contact-us/174628-turning-penang-into-a-model-state.html|title=Turning Penang into a model state|date=4 October 2010|publisher=The Edge|accessdate=19 June 2013|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://archive.is/20130620042859/http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/contact-us/174628-turning-penang-into-a-model-state.html|archivedate=20 June 2013|df=}}</ref><ref name="oecd">{{cite journal|title=The State of Penang, Malaysia : Self-Evaluation Report|url=http://www.oecd.org/countries/malaysia/45496343.pdf|journal=OECD Reviews of Higher Education in Regional and City Development|publisher=National Higher Education Research Institute (2010)}}</ref> As such, this [[conurbation]] is alternatively referred to as the '''George Town Conurbation'''.

Greater Penang is home to between 2.5 million and 3 million inhabitants, making it the second largest [[conurbation]] in [[Malaysia]] after [[Greater Kuala Lumpur]] ([[Klang Valley]]). In addition, Greater Penang serves as the major metropolitan area within northern [[Malaysia]] and one of the nation's economic powerhouses. The conurbation generated a [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] of [[United States dollar|US$]]13,596,418 in 2010, second only to Greater Kuala Lumpur.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=|first=|date=November 2015|title=Achieving A System of Competitive Cities in Malaysia: Main Report|url=|journal=[[World Bank Group]] & [[Khazanah Nasional]]|volume=|pages=|via=}}</ref> [[Bayan Lepas]], in particular, is known as the '''Silicon Valley of the East''<nowiki/>' due to the concentration of electronic and engineering firms. [[George Town, Penang|George Town]], a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]], is a major tourist destination within [[Southeast Asia]], as well as the financial centre of northern [[Malaysia]] with the presence of several international banks in the city.

[[Penang]] also has the highest population density of [[States and federal territories of Malaysia|all Malaysian states]] at 1,490/km² and is one of the most urbanised states, with a recorded urbanisation level of 90.8% as of 2015.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/massive-projects-in-place-to-alleviate-urbanisation-in-penang|title=Massive projects in place to alleviate urbanisation in Penang|date=2016-10-29|access-date=2016-11-26}}</ref>[[File:Calflier001 George Town Penang aerial.jpg|left|thumb|Satellite view of [[George Town, Penang|George Town]], [[Penang]]]][[File:St Anne Bukit Mertajam.jpg|thumb|

[[St. Anne's Church, Bukit Mertajam|St. Anne's Church]] in [[Bukit Mertajam]], [[Seberang Perai]], [[Penang]]|left]][[File:Year 2010 Sungai Petani Clock Tower.jpg|thumb|The clock tower in [[Sungai Petani]], [[Kedah]]|left]]The Greater Penang Conurbation has well-developed logistical links and infrastructure. It is well-connected via the [[Penang International Airport]], one of the [[List of the busiest airports in Malaysia|busiest airports in Malaysia]], and the [[Port of Penang]]. [[Penang Island]] is linked with the rest of [[Peninsular Malaysia]] via the [[Penang Bridge]] and the [[Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge|Second Penang Bridge]], as well as a [[Rapid Ferry|ferry service]].

== Definition ==

Greater Penang encompasses the entire [[Penang|State of Penang]] (which comprises [[Penang Island]] and [[Seberang Perai]] on the mainland [[Malay Peninsula]]), the southernmost portion of the neighbouring state of [[Kedah]] and northern [[Perak]]. According to the official definition of Greater Penang, the conurbation covers as far south as Perak's [[Kerian District]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://penangmonthly.com/penang-malaysias-stepchild-or-prodigal-child/|title=Penang : Malaysia's stepchild or prodigal child?|date=2015-07-11|newspaper=Penang Monthly|language=en-US|access-date=2016-11-26}}</ref><ref name="oecd" /><ref name="khazanah">{{cite web|url=http://www.epu.gov.my/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=30824ff6-932c-4687-bff2-f6d8469e93bc&groupId=283545|title=The George Town Conurbation Plan|last=Hamdan Abdul Majeed|date=27 April 2011|publisher=Khazanah Nasional|accessdate=19 June 2013|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104211023/http://www.epu.gov.my/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=30824ff6-932c-4687-bff2-f6d8469e93bc&groupId=283545|archivedate=4 January 2014|df=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=|first=|date=|title=Cities, People and the Economy: A Study on Positioning Penang|url=|journal=[[World Bank]]|volume=|pages=|via=}}</ref>

[[George Town, Penang|George Town]], the capital city of [[Penang]], is the most thriving and urbanised part of Greater Penang. The other major urban centres on [[Penang Island]] are [[Bayan Lepas]] and [[Balik Pulau]], the latter of which is located at the western coast of [[Penang Island]].

Over on the mainland, [[Butterworth, Penang|Butterworth]] serves as the heart of [[Seberang Perai]], while the other major towns in [[Seberang Perai]] include [[Bukit Mertajam]], [[Perai]], [[Nibong Tebal]] and [[Kepala Batas, Penang|Kepala Batas]]. The towns in southern [[Kedah]] that are covered under Greater Penang are [[Sungai Petani]], [[Kulim District|Kulim]] and [[Bandar Baharu District|Bandar Baharu]]. Within [[Kerian District]] in [[Perak]], the major urban centres are [[Parit Buntar]] and [[Bagan Serai]].

The [[Local government in Malaysia|local governments]] within Greater Penang are as follows.

'''[[Penang]]''' :

* [[Penang Island City Council]]

* [[Seberang Perai Municipal Council]]

'''[[Kedah]]''' :

* [[Sungai Petani Municipal Council]]

* Kulim Municipal Council

* Bandar Baharu District Council

'''[[Perak]]''' :

* [[Kerian District|Kerian District Council]]

== Population by local government jurisdictions ==

{{see also|List of local governments in Malaysia}}

The following population figures are based on the [[2010 Malaysian Census|2010 official census]] for the [[Local government in Malaysia|local government]] areas within Greater Penang.{{my10}}

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|+Population within Greater Penang

|-

! Local government area

! Local government

! Population

! Area (km²)

!Density (per km²)

|-

| [[Penang Island]]

| align="right" |[[Penang Island City Council]]

| align="right" |708,127

| align="right" |302.53<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.mbpp.gov.my/en/mbpp/profile/background|title=Background|date=2015-10-09|work=Official Portal of Penang Island City Council (MBPP)|access-date=2017-04-21}}</ref>

| align="right" |2,340.68

|-

| [[Seberang Perai]]

| align="right" |[[Seberang Perai Municipal Council]]

| align="right" |818,197

| align="right" |738.00<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mpsp.gov.my/index.php/en/hubungi-kami/lokasi|title=Location|website=www.mpsp.gov.my|language=en-gb|access-date=2017-04-21}}</ref>

| align="right" |1,108.67

|-

| [[Sungai Petani]]

| align="right" |[[Sungai Petani Municipal Council]]

| align="right" |443,488

| align="right" |922.60<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.mpspk.gov.my/en/kawasan-pentadbiran/|archive-url=https://archive.is/20160330020953/http://www.mpspk.gov.my/en/kawasan-pentadbiran/|dead-url=yes|archive-date=2016-03-30|title=Official Website of Sungai Petani Municipal Council|date=2016-03-30|work=archive.is|access-date=2017-04-21}}</ref>

| align="right" |480.69

|-

| [[Kulim]]

| align="right" |Kulim Municipal Council

| align="right" |281,260

| align="right" |267.06<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.mpkk.gov.my/ms/pelawat/info-kulim/page/0/2|title=Info Kulim|last=admin|date=2015-12-30|work=Portal Rasmi Majlis Perbandaran Kulim (MPK)|access-date=2017-04-21|language=ms}}</ref>

| align="right" |1,053.17

|-

| [[Bandar Baharu]]

| align="right" |Bandar Baharu District Council

| align="right" |41,352

| align="right" |169.30<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.mdbb.gov.my/en/mdbb/profile/background|title=Background|date=2015-10-20|work=Official Portal of Bandar Baharu District Council (MDBB)|access-date=2017-04-21}}</ref>

| align="right" |244.25

|-

|[[Kerian District|Kerian]]

| align="right" |Kerian District Council

| align="right" |120,192

| align="right" |163.66<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.mdkerian.gov.my/en/visitors/kerian-background/page/0/1|title=Kerian Info|date=2016-01-06|work=Official Portal of Kerian District Council (MDK)|access-date=2017-04-21}}</ref>

| align="right" |734.40

|-

| colspan="2" style="background: #f2f2f2" |'''Total'''

| style="background: #f2f2f2" align="right" |'''2,412,616'''

| style="background: #f2f2f2" align="right" |'''2,563.15'''

| style="background: #f2f2f2" align="right" |'''941.27'''

|}[[File:Penang Airport MRD.jpg|thumb|[[Penang International Airport]] in [[Bayan Lepas]]]]

== Transportation ==

[[File:20111022 Sunrise - Penang Bridge.jpg|thumb|The [[Penang Bridge]] was completed in 1985, linking [[Penang Island]] and the [[Malay Peninsula]] by road for the first time.]]

[[File:Butterworth New 2.jpg|thumb|The [[Butterworth railway station]] is one of the major [[Inter-city rail|intercity train]] stations in [[Peninsular Malaysia]], with services to [[Thailand]] and [[Singapore]].|left]]

Public transportation is relatively more extensively developed within [[Penang]], as the [[Rapid Penang]] public bus service, which runs over 56 routes throughout the state, was launched in 2007. [[Rapid Penang]] has also commenced cross-state bus services linking [[Butterworth, Penang|Butterworth]] with [[Sungai Petani]] and [[Parit Buntar]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rapidpg.com.my/journey-planner/route-maps/|title=Rapid Penang {{!}} www.rapidpg.com.my|website=www.rapidpg.com.my|access-date=2016-11-26}}</ref>

The [[Penang International Airport]] serves as the major airport within Greater Penang, and by extension, northern [[Malaysia]]. It is the second [[List of the busiest airports in Malaysia|busiest airport in Malaysia]] in terms of cargo tonnage and the [[List of the busiest airports in Malaysia|third busiest in the country]] in terms of passenger traffic. The airport is also relatively well-connected with several major regional cities such as [[Kuala Lumpur]], [[Singapore]], [[Bangkok]], [[Jakarta]], [[Ho Chi Minh City]], [[Taipei]], [[Hong Kong]], [[Guangzhou]] and [[Dubai]].

The [[Port of Penang]] is one of the major sea ports in [[Malaysia]], serving primarily the northern region of the country. The Port, with three terminals in [[Butterworth, Penang|Butterworth]] and one in [[George Town, Penang|George Town]], handled over 1.44 million [[Twenty-foot equivalent unit|TEU]]<nowiki/>s of cargo in 2016, making it the third busiest seaport in [[Malaysia]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/stacking-mmc%E2%80%99s-ports-against-westports|title=Stacking up MMC’s ports against Westports|date=2017-05-02|work=The Edge Markets|access-date=2017-12-21}}</ref> The well-developed air and sea transportation infrastructures in [[Penang]] has facilitated the growth of the manufacturing sector within Greater Penang by enabling the flow of goods into and out of the factories in [[Bayan Lepas]], [[Seberang Perai]] and [[Kulim District|Kulim]].

The [[North–South Expressway (Malaysia)|North-South Expressway]], the main arterial highway that runs through western [[Peninsular Malaysia]] and on to [[Singapore]], also passes through the Greater Penang Conurbation via the [[Sungai Petani]] - [[Butterworth, Penang|Butterworth]] - [[Perai]] - [[Juru]] - [[Bandar Baharu District|Bandar Baharu]] route. The expressway also branches out towards the [[Penang Bridge]] and the [[Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge|Second Penang Bridge]], thereby providing road connections between [[Penang Island]] and the rest of [[Peninsular Malaysia]].

In addition to the two bridges, [[Rapid Ferry]] also connects [[George Town, Penang|George Town]] and [[Butterworth, Penang|Butterworth]], with six ferries plying the [[Penang Strait]] daily.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|url=http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2017/08/07/penang-attractions-painted-on-two-ferries/|title=Penang attractions painted on two ferries - Metro News {{!}} The Star Online|website=www.thestar.com.my|access-date=2017-09-22}}</ref>

Aside from the [[North–South Expressway (Malaysia)|North-South Expressway]], the [[Keretapi Tanah Melayu|Malayan Railway]]'s [[KTM West Coast Line|West Coast Line]] and [[KTM Komuter Northern Sector]] runs through Greater Penang. Of the nine stations within Greater Penang, [[Butterworth railway station]] serves as the main railway hub for northern [[Malaysia]], as well as one of the major stations along the [[KTM West Coast Line|West Coast Line]]. Train services to other urban centres in [[Peninsular Malaysia]], [[Singapore]] and [[Thailand]] include the [[State Railway of Thailand]]'s [[Southern Line (Thailand)|Southern Line]], the [[International Express]] and the [[Eastern and Oriental Express]], the latter of which traverses all three nations.

== See also ==

* [[Penang]]

* [[Penang Island]]

* [[George Town, Penang|George Town]]

* [[George Town CBD, Penang|George Town CBD]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

{{Greater Penang Conurbation}}

[[Category:Penang]]

[[Category:Metropolitan areas of Malaysia|P]]

__INDEX__