Editing Penang (section)

== Demographics ==
{{Historical populations
|shading      = off
|1881 |190597
|1891 |231224
|1901 |247808
|1911 |270537
|1921 |292485
|1931 |340259
|1947 |446321
|1957 |572100|1970 |776124
|1980 |954638
|1991 |1116801
|2000 |1313449|2010 |1526324
|2020 |1740405
|source={{my10|2020kf}}<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://statsdigital.stats.gov.my/Penerbitan/penerbitan/view?id=5bc68d0dd5bc73855e4aae59 |title=Population Census 1921 Vol. 1 |pages=18 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=Dec 2006 |title=Data siri masa banci penduduk dan perumahan, 1911-2000 |url=https://statsdigital.stats.gov.my/Penerbitan/penerbitan/view?id=5bc68d0dd5bc73855e4aae1d |journal=[[Department of Statistics Malaysia]] |location=[[Putrajaya]] |pages=4 |isbn=978-983-9044-29-4 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=Aug 2014 |title=Migration and population distribution 2010 |url=https://www.mycensus.gov.my/index.php/census-product/publication/census-2010/683-migration-and-population-distribution-2010 |journal=[[Department of Statistics Malaysia]] |location=[[Putrajaya]] |pages=12 |isbn=978-983-9044-86-7 }}</ref>
}}
{{Main|Demographics of Penang}}

{{As of|2020}}, Penang had a population of 1,740,405 and the highest population density of all [[States and federal territories of Malaysia|Malaysian states]] at {{cvt|1,659|/km2|}}.{{my10|2020kf}} Penang is Malaysia's second most urbanised state, with an urbanisation level of 92.5%.<ref name="Malay Mail-2022" /> Residents of Penang are colloquially known as Penangites or "Penang-lang".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Opalyn Mok |date=19 August 2017 |title=Has Mandarin Replaced Hokkien in Penang? |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2017/08/19/has-mandarin-replaced-hokkien-in-penang/1445715 |access-date=17 December 2023 |work=[[Malay Mail]] }}</ref>

54% of Penang's population resided in [[Seberang Perai]], Malaysia's third largest city, while [[George Town, Penang|George Town]] was home to the remaining 46%.<ref name="Dept Statistics Malaysia-2022" /> George Town serves as the [[core city]] of the [[George Town Conurbation]], Malaysia's [[List of cities and towns in Malaysia by population#Largest metropolitan areas by population|second largest metropolitan area]].<ref name="World Bank-2015">{{Cite journal |date=Nov 2015 |title=Achieving a System of Competitive Cities in Malaysia: Main Report |url=https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/709061475743434007/pdf/102222-v1-REVISED-PUBLIC-Malaysia-Competitive-Cities-Main-Report-low-res-final.pdf |journal=[[World Bank]] |pages=16 }}</ref>

Between 2015 and 2016, Penang had the highest migration effectiveness ratio among Malaysian states, due to the state's diversified economy. Most interstate immigrants came from Perak, Selangor, Kedah, Johor and Kuala Lumpur.<ref>{{Cite news |date=30 May 2017 |title=Migration report: Selangor, Penang Most Popular with Locals |url=http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2017/05/30/migration-report-selangor-penang-most-popular-with-locals/ |access-date=3 July 2017 |work=[[Free Malaysia Today]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Christopher Tan |date=24 June 2017 |title=Penang Ranks Second in Influx of New Residents |url=http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/06/24/penang-ranks-second-in-influx-of-new-residents/ |work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]] }}</ref><ref name="interstatemigrant2">{{Cite journal |date=26 May 2017 |title=Migration Survey Report 2016 |url=https://newss.statistics.gov.my/newss-portalx/ep/epFreeDownloadContentSearch.seam?cid=21562 |journal=[[Department of Statistics Malaysia]] |issn=0127-8924 }}</ref>

=== Ethnicities ===
{{Bar box|title=Ethnic composition of Penang (2020)<ref name="Dept Statistics Malaysia-2022">{{Cite book |url=https://newss.statistics.gov.my/newss-portalx/ep/epFreeDownloadContentSearch.seam?contentId=166149&actionMethod=ep%2FepFreeDownloadContentSearch.xhtml%3AcontentAction.doDisplayContent&cid=178732 |title=Key Findings Population and Housing Census of Malaysia 2020: Pulau Pinang |date=29 May 2022 |publisher=Department of Statistics (Malaysia) |isbn=978-967-253-516-4 |location=[[Putrajaya]] |pages=96 |language=ms, en |chapter=Population and Housing Statistics |url-access=registration }}</ref>|left1=Ethnicities / Nationality|right1=Percentage|float=right|bars={{Bar percent|[[Penangite Chinese|Chinese]]|Red|41.3}}{{Bar percent|[[Malays (ethnic group)|Malay]]|Green|40.7}}{{Bar percent|[[Orang Asal|Other Bumiputeras]]|Teal|0.5}}{{Bar percent|[[Malaysians of Indian descent in Penang|Indian]]|Orange|8.9}} {{Bar percent|Others|DarkGray|0.6}}{{Bar percent|Non-Malaysians|Purple|8.1}}}}
{{As of|2020}}, [[Penangite Chinese|ethnic Chinese]] and the [[Bumiputera (Malaysia)|''Bumiputeras'']], which include [[Malaysian Malays|Malays]] and [[Orang Asal|indigenous East Malaysians]], each constituted about 41% of Penang's population, while [[Malaysians of Indian descent in Penang|Indians]] made up nearly 9%.{{my10|2020kf}}<ref name="Borneo Post-2017">{{Cite news |date=28 May 2017 |title=Peninsula States Asked to Give East Malaysians Time Off for Festivals |url=http://www.theborneopost.com/2017/05/28/peninsula-states-asked-to-give-east-malaysians-time-off-for-festivals/ |access-date=28 May 2017 |work=[[The Borneo Post]] }}</ref> The Chinese community in Penang includes the [[Peranakan Chinese]], a hybrid ethnicity known for their distinctive architecture, costumes and [[Peranakan cuisine|cuisine]]. The state is also home to a cosmopolitan mix of [[Kristang people|ethnic Eurasians]], [[Malaysian Siamese|Siamese]] and [[Arab Malaysians|Arabs]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Filmer |first=Andrea |date=22 August 2023 |title=Penang Exhibition Offers a Photographic Exploration of Serani Identity |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/culture/2023/08/22/penang-exhibition-offers-a-photographic-exploration-of-serani-identity |access-date=21 December 2023 |work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnson Lee |first=Chong Fatt |date=November 2018 |title=Siamese Ties in Need of Preservation |url=https://penangmonthly.com/article/15338/siamese-ties-in-need-of-preservation-1 |access-date=21 December 2023 |website=Penang Monthly |language=en }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=K. Mandal |first=Sumit |title=Becoming Arab: Creole Histories and Modern Identity in the Malay World |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |year=2018 |isbn=9781107196797 |page=112}}</ref>

Foreigners comprised 8% of Penang's population in 2020.<ref name="Dept Statistics Malaysia-2022" /> Over 38% of Penang's expatriates resided within [[Central George Town, Penang|downtown George Town]], [[Paya Terubong]] and [[Bayan Lepas]].<ref name="Dept Statistics Malaysia-2024">{{Cite journal |date=February 2024 |title=MyCensus 2020: Mukim/Town/Pekan |journal=[[Department of Statistics Malaysia]] |pages=174–175 |isbn=978-967-253-706-9 }}</ref> George Town's affordable living costs, natural destinations, health care infrastructure, an established ecosystem of [[Multinational corporation|multinational companies]] (MNCs) and the widespread use of English have been cited as pull factors for expatriates.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Saieed |first=Zunaira |date=18 March 2023 |title=Penang's Easy Living is Big Draw for Expats Looking to Retire |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/penang-s-easy-living-is-big-draw-for-expats-looking-to-retire |access-date=21 December 2023 |work=[[The Straits Times]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Beh |first=May Ting |date=19 October 2023 |title=Imagine an Education Hub: Leveraging Penang's International School Ecosystem |url=https://penanginstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Education-Hub.pdf |journal=Penang Institute }}</ref>

===Languages===
[[Malay language|Malay]] is the official language of Penang. [[British English|English]] once served as the official language during British rule and recently there have been calls to reinstate it as one of Penang's official languages.<ref>{{Cite news |date=8 November 2010 |title=Penang Backbencher Proposes English as State's Second Official Language |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2010/11/08/penang-backbencher-proposes-english-as-states-second-official-language |access-date=5 December 2023 |work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=20 June 2022 |title=Penang Should Make English Second Language Like Sarawak, Says PKR Rep |url=https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2022/06/20/penang-should-make-english-second-language-like-sarawak-says-pkr-rep/ |access-date=5 December 2023 |work=[[Free Malaysia Today]] }}</ref> [[Tamil language|Tamil]] is the most widely spoken language among ethnic Indians, while Penang's Chinese population uses a variety of Chinese dialects such as [[Teochew Min|Teochew]], [[Hakka Chinese|Hakka]] and [[Cantonese]].<ref name="Ooi-2015" /><ref name="Teresa Wai-2022">{{Cite journal |last=Teresa Wai |first=See Ong |date=May 2022 |title=Building Relationships with Community Members: Lessons Learnt from Fieldwork in Penang, Malaysia |url=https://repository.nie.edu.sg/server/api/core/bitstreams/57a48a8d-6fab-4c08-a012-5ad54c6fddc9/content |journal=[[Griffith University]] }}</ref> [[Penang Hokkien]] serves as the ''[[lingua franca]]'' between the different ethnic groups in Penang, with efforts being made at the grassroots level to preserve its relevance.<ref name="Opalyn Mok-2016-12">{{Cite news |last=Opalyn Mok |date=2 August 2016 |title=Penang Hokkien Will Be 'Dead' in 40 years If People Stop Using It, Says Language Expert |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2016/08/02/penang-hokkien-will-be-dead-in-40-years-if-people-stop-using-it-says-langua/1174401 |work=[[Malay Mail]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bernard Cheah |date=17 August 2016 |title=Translating Penang Hokkien to English with ease |url=https://thesun.my/archive/1939512-GSARCH388293 |work=[[The Sun (Malaysia)|The Sun]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last= |date=7 July 2023 |title=Learn to Speak Hokkien Like a True Penangite |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/07/07/learn-to-speak-hokkien-like-a-true-penangite |access-date=5 December 2023 |work=[[The Star (Malaysia)|The Star]] }}</ref>

===Religions===
{{bar box
|title=Religions in Penang (2020){{my10|2020kf}}
|titlebar=
|left1=Religion
|right1=Percentage
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Islam]]|Green|45.5}}
{{bar percent|[[Buddhism]]|gold|37.6}}
{{bar percent|[[Hinduism]]|darkorange|8.4}}
{{bar percent|[[Christianity]]|Blue|4.3}}
{{bar percent|Other|Gray|2.4}}
{{bar percent|[[Irreligion|No religion]]|Black|1.7}}
}}Penang, like other [[Peninsular Malaysia|Peninsular]] states, has Islam as its official religion.<ref name="Penang State Gov" /> Even so, Penang is one of two states in Malaysia where Islam is not in the majority, the other being [[Sarawak]]. {{As of|2020}}, Muslims constituted over 45% of Penang's population, followed by Buddhists at nearly 38%, Hindus at more than 8% and Christians at 4%.{{my10|2020kf}}

Penang allows freedom of religion and religious assembly, and is one of three states to have a dedicated department for non-Muslim affairs. In 2021, the [[Government of Penang|Penang state government]] formed the Penang Harmony Corporation to further enhance interreligious harmony in the state.<ref name="Opalyn Mok-2023">{{Cite news |last=Opalyn Mok |date=25 December 2023 |title=Kon Yeow: Penang Allocates RM10m for Development of Non-Islamic Places of Worship until 2028 |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/12/25/kon-yeow-penang-allocates-rm10m-for-development-of-non-islamic-places-of-worship-until-2028/109143 |access-date=17 March 2024 |work=[[Malay Mail]] }}</ref>