Exploration & Discovery

Establishment of British Penang Colony

Captain Francis Light established the British colony of Penang on an uninhabited island off the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Light's arrival marked the beginning of British interests in the region, facilitating trade routes between India and China. The establishment of Penang was motivated by the desire to control the lucrative spice trade and expand British imperial influence in Southeast Asia. Penang quickly became a strategic port for British trade and a center for commerce in the region.

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