Butterworth is the largest urban town in the city of Seberang Perai, Penang, Malaysia. It lies about east of George Town, the capital city of Penang, across the Penang Strait. , Butterworth has a total population of 107,591 residents. Butterworth was named after William John Butterworth, a former Governor of the Straits Settlements during the mid-19th century. Under the British Raj, the town came into being as a transportation hub, due to its proximity to George Town. While the British East India Company initially obtained Seberang Perai (then named Province Wellesley) for agricultural purposes, Butterworth has also witnessed massive industrialisation during the latter half of the 20th century. In 1974, the Port of Penang was relocated into the town. Currently, Rapid Ferry is the main transportation link between Butterworth and George Town. The Port of Penang handled 1.52 million TEUs of cargo , making it one of the busiest seaports in Malaysia. In addition, the Butterworth railway station, situated adjacent to the town's ferry terminal, is a major Malayan Railway station, with train services operated by both the Malayan Railway and the State Railway of Thailand. Butterworth is also home to RMAF Butterworth, a British-built facility, which now functions as a major Royal Malaysian Air Force base. Etymology The town of Butterworth was named after William John Butterworth, who became the Governor of the Straits Settlements between 1843 and 1855. History A fishing village named Bagan had existed prior to the acquisition of the area by the British East India Company. The town of Butterworth only came into being in the British Raj and was concurrently named after the then Governor of the Straits Settlements, William John Butterworth. Butterworth was developed as a mainland counterpart to the bustling entrepôt of George Town on Penang Island, directly across the Penang Strait. During the British Raj, Butterworth grew into a major transportation hub. Passengers and goods were transported across the strait by sampans, and in 1894, the first cross-strait ferry service between Butterworth and George Town was introduced. By 1900, a nascent railway line running the length of British Malaya was extended to Butterworth. These developments allowed tin to be transported more efficiently to Butterworth, which functioned as a transit point whereby the tin would then be shipped to George Town for smelting and export. As with the rest of Penang, Butterworth was occupied by the Japanese between December 1941 and September