Seberang Perai

Seberang Perai
Province Wellesley
City of Seberang Perai
Bandaraya Seberang Perai
Seberang Perai
Seberang Perai
Seberang Perai
Coordinates: 5°24′29.95″N 100°22′10.37″E / 5.4083194°N 100.3695472°E / 5.4083194; 100.3695472
Country Malaysia
State Penang
DistrictsNorth, Central and South
MukimsButterworth and 57 subdistricts
Founded1800
Establishment of local governments1913
Municipality15 December 1976
Incorporated (city)16 September 2019
Government
  TypeCity council
  BodySeberang Perai City Council
  MayorHj Baderul Amin Abdul Hamid
  City SecretaryMohd Ibrahim Md Nor
Area
  City
748 km2 (289 sq mi)
Population
 (2020)
  City
946,092
  Rank3rd in Malaysia
1st in Penang
  Density1,264.8/km2 (3,276/sq mi)
Demographics (2020)
  Ethnic groups
GDP (2020)
  Total$10.836 billion
  Per capita$11,453
Time zoneUTC+8 (MST)
  Summer (DST)Not observed
Postal code
12xxx–14xxx
Area code(s)+604-3, +604-5
Websitewww.mbsp.gov.my

Seberang Perai is a city in the Malaysian state of Penang. Located on the Malay Peninsula and separated from Penang Island by the Penang Strait, it shares borders with Kedah to the north and east and Perak to the south. The city spans an area of 748 km2 (289 sq mi) and had a population of 946,092 as of 2020, making it the third largest city in Malaysia.

Originally a part of Kedah, the territory containing the city was ceded to the British East India Company in 1800. It was named Province Wellesley and has been administered as part of Penang ever since. The territory became a centre for cash crop agriculture, while the development of new towns such as Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam followed with the advent of roads and railways towards the end of the 19th century.

After Malaya's independence, Seberang Perai benefitted from the development spillover from George Town. The Port of Penang, the third busiest seaport in the country, was relocated to the municipality in 1974, bolstering its industrial-based economy that has attracted numerous multinational companies. Two road bridges were constructed to physically connect Seberang Perai with George Town, complementing an existing ferry service between the two cities. Penang Sentral, a new transit-oriented development, has strengthened Seberang Perai's role as the logistics hub of northwestern Malaysia. Following decades of rapid urbanisation and infrastructural developments, Seberang Perai was conferred city status in 2019.