[2][8] 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.

[10][11] 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.

[12][13][14] Two road bridges were constructed to physically connect Seberang Perai with George Town, complementing an existing ferry service between the two cities.

[15] Penang Sentral, a new transit-oriented development, has strengthened Seberang Perai's role as the logistics hub of northwestern Malaysia.

The site of Guar Kepah, located on the southern banks of the Muda River, is home to human remains found in shell middens that indicate the settlement of the area in that period.

[25] The Mahanavika Buddhagupta plaque and the Cherok Tok Kun megalith, found at Bukit Mertajam, both indicate significant Hindu influence at the area between the 5th and 6th centuries.

This led to the harvesting of spices and sugar, which attracted migrants from China, India, Myanmar and the Middle East, as well as Malay refugees from Kedah fleeing the Siamese conquest of their homeland.

[9] Malaya's new rail lines, which ran from the Siamese border to the north to Singapore to the south, cut through Province Wellesley, allowing the Port of Penang to become a major tin exporter.

[38] As Japanese troops landed in Kota Bharu and Songkhla, Allied squadrons defending northern Malaya were decimated and had to retreat to RAF Butterworth by 8 December.

[40] Despite the establishment of "pioneer farms" in the territory by Japanese administrators in 1944, food shortages persisted until the end of the war when British forces liberated Penang.

Following the war's end, British authorities swiftly undertook action to restore order in Province Wellesley, which was plagued by elements of the Chinese underworld and communist infiltrations.

[45] In 1974, the Port of Penang was relocated from George Town to the municipality, and in 1980, the adjacent Perai Free Industrial Zone was created to take advantage of the available maritime and rail infrastructure.

With a total land mass of 747.8 km2 (288.7 sq mi), Seberang Perai is slightly larger than Singapore.α[7] The terrain of the city is mostly flat and alluvial, except for the hilly region that lays along its eastern border with Kedah.

[67] On the other hand, non-Malays were largely clustered in urban constituencies such as at Butterworth, Perai, Bukit Mertajam and Batu Kawan, as well as many of the coastal areas in the south.

[1] In the decades following Malaya's independence, Seberang Perai's population grew rapidly due to the spillover of development from George Town.

During the British colonial era, agriculture promoted significant immigration from China and India, resulting in sizable non-Malay populations within the central and southern districts of the city.

[83][84] In 2021, 'Penang Bay', an initiative aimed at promoting sustainable development, urban regeneration and creative economy between downtown George Town and Butterworth, was officially announced.

[9][11] Nine of Penang's industrial clusters are located in the city, which has emerged as a significant recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) and the seventh largest exporter in Malaysia.

[6] The first industrial estates in Penang were established in the 1960s at Mak Mandin and Perai during the tenure of the state's first Chief Minister Wong Pow Nee.

[92] After the revocation of George Town's free port status and the fall of the Alliance-led state government in 1969, newly elected Chief Minister Lim Chong Eu sought to restructure Penang's economy.

[92] In 1980, the Perai Free Industrial Zone was created with the aim of becoming a significant manufacturing hub for bulk items, taking advantage of its proximity to the Port of Penang and the railway line that connects it to the rest of western Peninsular Malaysia.

[86][95] The availability of industrial land has attracted several local and multinational companies (MNCs), such as Mattel, Flex, Sanmina, JinkoSolar, Honeywell and Lam Research.

[87] The development of newer townships, namely Seberang Jaya and Batu Kawan, has given rise to a thriving retail sector, attracting major players such as Sunway Group and IKEA, respectively.

Chinese New Year is celebrated at Chinese-majority areas such as Butterworth, where public events and decorated streets are a common sight during the annual festivities.

[109] The Minor Basilica of St. Anne at Bukit Mertajam plays host to the annual Novena feast, which draws thousands of pilgrims from abroad.

[116] Constructed in 2000 for the Sukma Games held that year, the multi-purpose stadium has a FIFA-certified football field, and also hosts motorsports events and concerts.

[118][119] In the late 19th century, Islamic education, taught in huts called pondoks in Malay, was common in the rural areas of Province Wellesley.

[136] Major toll routes in Seberang Perai include the Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR) and the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway.

[137] Opened in 2018, Penang Sentral is a transit-oriented development (TOD) located adjacent to the Butterworth railway station and the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal.

[146] In 1968, the Asian Development Bank approved a loan of US$7.2 million for Penang to extract water from the Muda River, which forms the boundary between Seberang Perai and Kedah.