Demographics

 Penang are among the states with the highest population density in Malaysia with  1,450.5 people per square kilometre which would make it the 5th most densely populated in the country if Penang were a district. As of 2010, the population of Penang grew to 1,520,143 people per square.
As of 2010, the ethnic groups in Penang are consist of:

Chinese -45.6%

Bumiputra (Malay, Iban and Kelabit) -43.6%

Indian - 10.4%

Others -0.4%

Penang hosts an estimated 70 000 to 80 000 of migrant workers, especially from Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, and South Asian nations who are mostly involved in domestic help, services, manufacturing, construction, plantations, and agriculture.

In retrospect, colonial Penang was truly a cosmopolitan place. Apart from the Europeans and the already multiracial citizenry, there were communities of Siamese, Burmese, Filipino, Ceylonese, Eurasian, Japanese, Sumatran, Arab, Armenian, and Parsee people. A small but commercially significant community of German merchants also existed in Penang. Even though most of these communities are no longer extant, they lent their legacy to street and place names such as the Burmese Buddhist Temple, Crag Hotel, Siam Rd, Armenian St, Acheen St, and Gottlieb Rd. There was a Jewish enclave in Penang before World War II, but few Jews if any remain today. Penang currently has a sizeable expatriate population especially from Japan, various Asian countries and Britain, many of whom settle in Penang after their retirement as part of the Malaysia My Second Home programme.

Others:

Peranakan

The Peranakan, also known as the Straits Chinese or Baba-Nyonya, are the descendants of the early Chinese immigrants to Penang, Malacca and Singapore. They have partially adopted Malay customs and speak a Chinese-Malay creole of which many words contributed to Penang Hokkien as well (such as "Ah Bah" which means Mister, referring to a man as "Baba"). The Peranakan community possesses a distinct identity in terms of food, dress, rites, crafts and culture. Most of the Peranakan Chinese are not Muslims but practise an eclectic form of ancestor worship and Chinese religion, while some were Christians. They prided themselves as being Anglophone and distinguished themselves from the newly-arrived Chinamen or sinkheh. The Peranakan as a living culture, however, are almost extinct today due to their re-absorption into the mainstream Chinese community, otherwise being Westernised. Still, their legacy lives on in their distinctive architecture (exemplified by the Pinang Peranakan Mansion and the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion), cuisine, elaborate nyonya kebaya costume and exquisite handicrafts.

RELIGION

As of 2010, the population of Penang categorize by their religion are:

44.6% - Muslim

35.6% - Buddhist((in the Theravada, Mahayana and increasingly also Vajrayana traditions.)

8.7% - Hindu

5.1% - Christian (Include Roman Catholicism and Protestantism, the largest denominations of which are the Methodists, Seventh-day Adventists, Anglican, Presbyterian and Baptists)

4.6% - Chinese religion followers ( Include Taoist, etc, etc.)

0.4% - Atheist

This reflects Penang's diverse ethnic and socio-cultural amalgamation. There was also a tiny and little-known community of Jews in Penang, mainly along Jalan Zainal Abidin (formerly Jalan Yahudi or Jewish Street). The last known native Jew died in 2011, rendering the centuries-old Jewish community in Penang effectively extinct.