The name Penang comes from the modern Malay name Pulau Pinang which means "areca nut island". The State of Penang is also referred to as the Pearl of the Orient and "The Island of Pearls" (in Malay: Pulau Mutiara).

With a total land area of just 1,048 km (405 sq mi), Penang is the second smallest state in Malaysia by land mass after Perlis.

Penang, being a former British crown colony, is one of only four Malaysian states without hereditary monarchies. The head of state of Penang is the Governor (Malay: Yang di-Pertua Negeri), who is appointed by the King of Malaysia (Malay: Yang di-Pertuan Agong).

Festivals
Penang's diverse, cosmopolitan society means that there are a great many celebrations and festivities in any given year. The major cultural and religious festivities in the state include, but not limited to, the

Prehistory
Human remains, dating back to about 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, have been uncovered in

Penang, with an estimated population of 1,774,400 as of 2021 , has the 3rd highest population density of all Malaysian states (excluding Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya), at 1,774.4/km (4,596/sq mi). In addition, Penang is one of the most urbanised Malaysian states, with an

In spite of its tiny size, Penang, regarded as the Silicon Valley of the East, has one of the largest economies in Malaysia, contributing as much as RM7 billion of the country's tax income in 2015. Penang has the highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita among