Birmingham

For the city in the US state of Alabama, see Birmingham, Alabama.

For other uses, see Birmingham (disambiguation).

Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. More than one million people live in Birmingham. It is also within the UK's second biggest metropolitan area, which contains nearly 4 million people. It contains a wide variety of creeds, races and religious communities. Many people call it the "second city" of the United Kingdom.

Birmingham
City and Metropolitan borough
Clockwise, from top: the city centre from the south, Birmingham Town Hall, St Martin's church and the Selfridges Building in the Bull Ring, the University of Birmingham, St Philip's Cathedral, and the Library of Birmingham
Flag Coat of arms
Etymology: Old English Beormingahām (home or settlement of the Beormingas)
Nickname(s):  Brum Brummagem Second city City of a thousand trades Workshop of the world Venice of the north
Motto(s):  Forward
Birmingham shown within the West Midlands county
Birmingham Location within England Birmingham Location within the United Kingdom Birmingham Location within Europe
Coordinates: 52°28′59″N 1°53′37″W
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	West Midlands
Ceremonial county	West Midlands
Historic county	Warwickshire
Settlement	c. 600
Seigneurial borough	1166
Municipal borough	1838
City status	14 January 1889
Metropolitan borough	1 April 1974
Administrative HQ	The Council House, Victoria Square
Government
• Type	Metropolitan borough
• Body	Birmingham City Council
• Leadership	Leader and cabinet
• Executive
• Leader	Vacant (Deputy Leader Ian Ward, acting)
• Lord Mayor	Anne Underwood
• Chief Executive (Interim)	Stella Manzie CBE
Area
• City	103.4 sq mi (267.8 km2)
• Urban	231.2 sq mi (598.9 km2)
Area rank	151st
Elevation	460 ft (140 m)
Population (2005 est.)
• City	1,124,600
• Rank	1st
• Density	10,880/sq mi (4,199/km2)
• Urban	2,440,986 (3rd)
• Metro	4,332,629 (List of metropolitan areas in Europe)
Demonym(s)	Brummie
Time zone	UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
Postcode	B
Area code(s)	0121
ISO 3166 code	GB-BIR
GSS code	E08000025
NUTS 3 code	UKG31
ONS code	00CN
OS grid reference	SP066868
Motorways	M6 M6 Toll M5 M42 A38(M)
Ethnicity (2011 Census)	57.9% White (53.1% White British) 26.6% Asian 8.9% Black 4.4% Mixed Race 2.0% Other
International airports	Birmingham (BHX)
Major railway stations	Birmingham New Street (A) Birmingham Moor Street (B) Birmingham Snow Hill (C1)
GDP	US$ 121.1 billion (2nd)
– Per capita	US$ 31,572
Councillors	120
MPs	List Richard Burden (L) Liam Byrne (L) Jack Dromey (L) Roger Godsiff (L) Khalid Mahmood (L) Shabana Mahmood (L) Steve McCabe (L) Andrew Mitchell (C) Jess Phillips (L) Preet Gill (L)
European Parliament	West Midlands
Website	www.birmingham.gov.uk

Contents

History

A Victorian building in Birmingham, faced with terracotta tiles

Birmingham began as a small town in 1166. Many industries were developed in Birmingham during the 18th and 19th centuries. These included making weapons and food. Queen Victoria gave city status to Birmingham in 1889. It played a big role in the war effort in the First and Second World Wars. However, there is now a far lower amount of industry than at the end of the war.

Famous people from Birmingham

• Jeff Lynne, musician and record producer, co-founder of Electric Light Orchestra
• Ozzy Osbourne, singer, and former Black Sabbath member
• Judas Priest, rock group
• Bill Oddie, television personality
• Geoff Bunn, artist
• UB40, pop group
• Duran Duran, pop group
• Moody Blues, pop group
• The Move, pop group
• Wizzard, pop group
• Steve Winwood, pop musician
• Dexys Midnight Runners, rock group
• Tolkien, author
• James and Oliver Phelps, actors, famous for playing Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter film series
• Jasper Carrott, comedian
• Julie Walters, actor
• Gabriel Agbonlahor, footballer

Other websites

• Birmingham City Council
• Birmingham tourism site