Birmingham: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|City in the West Midlands, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{About|the city in England|the city in the US state of Alabama|Birmingham, Alabama|other uses}}
{{about|the UK city|the US city|Birmingham, Alabama|other uses|Birmingham (disambiguation)}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}<!--This template automatically renders dates in CS1 citations-->
<!--NOTE: this disambig header has been agreed upon, please do not change it without first obtaining consensus on the talk page -->
{{Infobox settlement
{{Infobox settlement
<!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage-->
<!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage-->
<!-- Basic info ---------------->
<!-- Basic info ---------------->
| official_name                  = Birmingham
| official_name                  = Birmingham
| nicknames                       = {{Flatlist|
| native_name                    = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
| etymology                       = [[Old English]] ''Beormingahām'' (home or settlement of the ''[[Beormingas]]'')
| nickname = {{Flatlist|
* Brum
* Brum
* City of a Thousand Trades
* Brummagem
* [[List of dialling codes in the United Kingdom|0121]]
* Second city
* [[Second city of the United Kingdom|Second City]]
* City of a thousand trades
* The Pen Shop of the World
* Workshop of the world
* [[Venice of the North]]
* Venice of the north
* Workshop of the World
  }}
  }}
| settlement_type                = [[City status in the United Kingdom|City]] and [[Metropolitan borough]]
| settlement_type                = [[City status in the United Kingdom|City]] and [[Metropolitan borough]]
| motto                          = Forward
| motto                          = Forward
| population_demonym              = Brummie
| population_demonym              = Brummie


<!-- images and maps --------------->
<!-- images and maps --------------->
| image_skyline                   = {{Photomontage
| image_skyline = {{Photomontage
  | photo1a = Birmingham-Skyline-from-Edgbaston-crop.jpg{{!}}[[Birmingham city centre]] from the south
  | photo1a = Birmingham-Skyline-from-Edgbaston-crop.jpg {{!}}Birmingham City Centre from the south
  | photo2a = Library-of-Birmingham-oblique-crop.jpg{{!}}Library of Birmingham
  | photo2a = Library-of-Birmingham-oblique-crop.jpg{{!}}Library of Birmingham
  | photo2b = Birmingham Town Hall from Chamberlain Square crop.jpg{{!}}Birmingham Town Hall
  | photo2b = Birmingham Town Hall from Chamberlain Square crop.jpg{{!}}Birmingham Town Hall
  | photo3a = St Philips Cathedral, Birmingham from the east.jpg{{!}}St Philip's Cathedral
  | photo3a = St Philips Cathedral, Birmingham from the east.jpg{{!}}St Philip's Cathedral
  | photo3b = Old Joe and University of Birmingham from Bournbrook crop.jpg{{!}}University of Birmingham
  | photo3b = Old Joe and University of Birmingham from Bournbrook crop.jpg{{!}}University of Birmingham
  | photo3c = BirminghamBullRingFromNorth.jpg{{!}}St Martin's church and Selfridges department store in the Bull Ring
  | photo3c = BirminghamBullRingFromNorth.jpg{{!}}St Martin's church and Selfridges department store in the Bull Ring
  | size = 280
  | size = 280
  | color_border = white
  | color_border =
  | color =  
  | color =  
  | spacing = 2
  | spacing = 2
  | foot_montage =
  | foot_montage =
  }}
  }}
| imagesize                      =  
| imagesize                      =
| image_caption                  = Clockwise, from top: the [[Birmingham city centre|city centre]] viewed from the south; [[Birmingham Town Hall]]; [[St Martin in the Bull Ring|St Martin's church]] and [[Selfridges Building, Birmingham|Selfridges department store]] in the [[Bull Ring, Birmingham|Bull Ring]];<br />the [[Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower]] at the [[University of Birmingham]]; [[St Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham|St Philip's Cathedral]]; the [[Library of Birmingham]]
| image_caption                  = Clockwise, from top: the [[Birmingham city centre|city centre]] from the south, [[Birmingham Town Hall]], [[St Martin in the Bull Ring|St Martin's church]] and the [[Selfridges Building, Birmingham|Selfridges Building]] in the [[Bull Ring, Birmingham|Bull Ring]], the [[University of Birmingham]], [[St Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham|St Philip's Cathedral]], and the [[Library of Birmingham]]
| image_flag                      = Birmingham_City_Flag.svg
| image_flag                      = Flag of Birmingham, United Kingdom.svg
| flag_link                      = Flag of Birmingham (England)
| flag_link                      = Flag of Birmingham (England)
| flag_size                      = 153px
| flag_size                      = 150px
| image_seal                      =  
| image_seal                      =
| seal_size                      =  
| seal_size                      =
| image_shield                    = Coat of arms of Birmingham.svg
| image_shield                    = Coat of arms of Birmingham.svg
| shield_size                    =  
| shield_size                    =
| image_blank_emblem              =  
| image_blank_emblem              =
| blank_emblem_type              =  
| blank_emblem_type              =
| blank_emblem_size              =  
| blank_emblem_size              =
| blank_emblem_link              =  
| blank_emblem_link              =
| image_map                      = Birmingham UK locator map.svg
| mapsize                        =
| map_caption                    = Shown within [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands county]]
| image_map1                      =
| mapsize1                        =
| map_caption1                    =
| image_dot_map                  =
| pushpin_map_caption            = Location within the United Kingdom##Location within England##Location within Europe
| pushpin_map                    = United Kingdom#UK England#Europe
| pushpin_relief                  = 1
| pushpin_label_position          = right
| pushpin_mapsize                = <!-- Location ------------------>
| subdivision_type                = [[List of sovereign states|Sovereign state]]
| subdivision_name                = United Kingdom
| subdivision_type1              = {{nowrap|[[Countries of the United Kingdom|Country]]}}
| subdivision_name1              = England
| subdivision_type2              = [[Regions of England|Region]]
| subdivision_name2              = [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]]
| subdivision_type3              = [[Ceremonial counties of England|Ceremonial county]]
| subdivision_name3              = [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]]
| subdivision_type4              = [[Historic counties of England|Historic county]]
| subdivision_name4              = *[[Warwickshire]] (Historic entirety)
*[[Worcestershire]] and [[Staffordshire]] (added during 19th and 20th century expansion)
<!-- Politics ----=
------------->
| government_footnotes            =
| government_type                = [[Metropolitan borough]]
| governing_body                  = [[Birmingham City Council]]
| leader_title                    = [[Leader and cabinet|Leadership]]
| leader_name                    = [[Local Government Act 2000#Options for council executive forms|Leader and cabinet]]
| leader_title1                  = [[Political make-up of local councils in the United Kingdom#Unitary authorities|Executive]]
| leader_name1                    = {{English district control|GSS=E08000025}}
| leader_title2                  = Leader
| leader_name2                    = Ian Ward (Lab)
| leader_title3                  = [[Lord Mayor of Birmingham|Lord Mayor]]
| leader_name3                    = Muhammad Afzal<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20158/lord_mayor/313/lord_mayor_of_birmingham_councillor_mohammed_azim |title=Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Muhammad Afzal |first=Birmingham City |last=Council |website=www.birmingham.gov.uk}}</ref>
| leader_title4                  = Chief Executive
| leader_name4                    = Chris Naylor (Interim)
| established_title              = Settlement
| established_date                = {{circa}} 600
| established_title1              = {{nowrap|[[Seigneurial borough]]}}
| established_date1              = 1166
| established_title2              = [[Municipal borough]]
| established_date2              = 1838
| established_title3              = [[City status in the United Kingdom|City status]]
| established_date3              = [[List of cities in the United Kingdom|14 January 1889]]
| established_title4              = [[Metropolitan borough]]
| established_date4              = [[Local Government Act 1972|1 April 1974]]
| seat_type                      = Administrative HQ
| seat                            = [[Council House, Birmingham|The Council House]],<br />[[Victoria Square, Birmingham|Victoria Square]]


<!-- Area --------------------->
| image_map                       = Birmingham UK locator map.svg
| area_magnitude                  =
  | mapsize                        =
| unit_pref                       = UK <!--Enter: Imperial, if Imperial (metric) is desired-->
  | map_caption                     = Birmingham shown in the [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands county]]
| total_type                      = City
| area_footnotes                  =
| area_total_km2                  = {{English district area|GSS=E08000025}}
| area_land_km2                  = <!--See table @ Template:Infobox Settlement for details on automatic unit conversion-->
| area_water_km2                  =
| area_rank                      = [[List of English districts by area|{{English district area rank|GSS=E08000025}}]]
| area_total_sq_mi                =
| area_land_sq_mi                =
| area_water_sq_mi                =
| area_water_percent              =
| area_urban_km2                  = 598.9
| area_urban_sq_mi                =
| area_metro_km2                  =
| area_metro_sq_mi                =
| area_blank1_title              =
| area_blank1_km2                =
| area_blank1_sq_mi              = <!-- Population ----------------------->
| population_as_of                = {{English statistics year}}
| population_total                = {{English district population|GSS=E08000025}}
| population_footnotes            =
| population_rank                = [[List of English districts by population|1st]]<br>2nd in England and UK{{efn|Largest when not counting [[Greater London]].}}
| population_density_km2          = {{English district density|GSS=E08000025}}
| population_density_sq_mi =
| population_urban                = 2,834,000 ([[List of urban areas in the United Kingdom|2nd]])
| population_density_urban_km2 =
| population_density_urban_sq_mi =
| population_metro                = 3,683,000 ([[List of metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom|2nd]])
| population_density_metro_km2 =
| population_density_metro_sq_mi =
| population_density_blank1_km2 =
| population_density_blank1_sq_mi =
| population_blank2_title        =
| population_blank2              =
| population_density_blank2_km2 =
| population_density_blank2_sq_mi = <!-- General information --------------->
| timezone                        = [[Greenwich Mean Time]]
| utc_offset                      = +0
| timezone_DST                    = [[British Summer Time]]
| utc_offset_DST                  = +1
| coordinates                    = {{coord|52|28|48|N|01|54|09|W|region:GB_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes            = <!--for references: use tags-->
| elevation_m                    = 140
| elevation_ft                    = <!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
| postal_code_type                = Postcode
| postal_code                     = [[B postcode area|B]]
| area_code                      = 0121
| iso_code                        = [[ISO 3166-2:GB|GB-BIR]]
| blank_name_sec1                = [[Police]]
| blank_info_sec1                = [[West Midlands Police]]
| blank1_name_sec1                = [[Firefighting|Fire and Rescue]]
| blank1_info_sec1                = [[West Midlands Fire Service]]
| blank2_name_sec1                = [[Ambulance]]
| blank2_info_sec1                = [[West Midlands Ambulance Service]]
| blank3_name_sec1                = [[Ordnance Survey National Grid|OS grid reference]]
| blank3_info_sec1                = {{gbmappingsmall|SP066868}}
| blank4_name_sec1                = [[List of motorways in the United Kingdom|Motorways]]
| blank4_info_sec1                = {{plainlist|
*[[M6 motorway|M6]]
*[[M6 Toll]]
*[[M5 motorway|M5]]
*[[M42 motorway|M42]]
*[[A38(M) motorway|A38(M)]]}}
| blank6_name_sec1                = [[List of airports in the United Kingdom and the British Crown Dependencies|International airports]]
| blank6_info_sec1                = [[Birmingham Airport|Birmingham]] ([[International Air Transport Association airport code|BHX]])
| blank7_name_sec1                = [[UK railway stations|Major railway stations]]
| blank7_info_sec1                = {{plainlist|
*[[Birmingham New Street railway station|Birmingham New Street]] ([[United Kingdom railway station categories|A]])
*[[Birmingham Moor Street railway station|Birmingham Moor Street]] ([[United Kingdom railway station categories|B]])
*[[Birmingham Snow Hill railway station|Birmingham Snow Hill]] ([[United Kingdom railway station categories|C1]])
*[[Birmingham International railway station|Birmingham International]]([[United Kingdom railway station categories|C1]])}}
| blank_name_sec2                = [[Gross domestic product|GDP]]
| blank_info_sec2                = [[United States dollar|US$]] 121.1&nbsp;billion<ref name="brookingsgdp">{{cite web |url=http://www.brookings.edu/research/interactives/global-metro-monitor-3 |title=Global city GDP 2014 |publisher=Brookings Institution |access-date=18 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605135349/http://www.brookings.edu/research/interactives/global-metro-monitor-3 |archive-date=5 June 2013}}</ref> ([[List of metropolitan economies in the United Kingdom|2nd]])
| blank1_name_sec2                = – Per capita
| blank1_info_sec2                = [[American dollar|US$]] 31,572<ref name="brookingsgdp"/>
| blank2_name_sec2                = Councillors
| blank2_info_sec2                = 120
| blank3_name_sec2                = [[List of MPs elected in the 2015 United Kingdom general election|MPs]]
| blank3_info_sec2                = {{Collapsible list
|title      = List
|1=[[Gary Sambrook]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|(C)]]
|2=[[Liam Byrne]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
|3=[[Paulette Hamilton]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
|4=[[Tahir Ali]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
|5=[[Khalid Mahmood (British politician)|Khalid Mahmood]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
|6=[[Shabana Mahmood]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
|7=[[Steve McCabe]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
|8=[[Andrew Mitchell]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|(C)]]
|9=[[Jess Phillips]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
|10=[[Preet Gill]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
}}
| website                        = {{nowrap|{{URL|https://www.birmingham.gov.uk}}}}
| footnotes                      =
| name                            =
}}


'''Birmingham''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=en-uk-Birmingham.ogg|ˈ|b|ɜːr|m|ɪ|ŋ|ə|m}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/birmingham |title=Definition of 'Birmingham' |website=CollinsDictionary.com |access-date=6 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/birmingham?q=Birmingham |title=Birmingham |work=Oxford Learner's Dictionaries |access-date=4 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wordreference.com/enit/birmingham |title=Birmingham |website=WordReference.com |access-date=11 October 2020}}</ref> {{respell|BUR|ming|əm}}) is a major [[City status in the United Kingdom|city]] and [[metropolitan borough]] in the [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]], England. It is the UK's largest and most populated metropolitan borough, standing as the "Core City" within the second-largest [[ESPON metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom|metropolitan area]] and third-largest [[List of urban areas in the United Kingdom|urban area]] in the [[United Kingdom]],{{efn|Although Birmingham is de facto the second-largest city, it is technically the largest "[[city proper]]" in the UK, because the [[Greater London|London region]] (estimated population 8,546,761) has never been granted "[[city status]]" by the UK government; both the [[City of London]] and the [[City of Westminster]] have smaller populations than Birmingham. See the [[List of cities in England|list of UK cities]] (sort by Population column).}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Largest UK cities 2020 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/294645/population-of-selected-cities-in-united-kingdom-uk/ |access-date=2022-01-26 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref> with roughly 1.2 million inhabitants within the borough (city-proper) area, 2.8 million inhabitants within the urban area<ref name="CitReg">{{cite web |title=Population dynamics of UK city regions since mid-2011 |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/articles/populationdynamicsofukcityregionssincemid2011/2016-10-11 |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=8 January 2022}}</ref> and 4.3 million inhabitants within the larger metropolitan area.<ref name="j">{{cite web|last=White|first=Richard|date=2021|title=Metropolitan Area population|url=https://worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/birmingham-population|access-date=31 January 2022|work=World Population|publisher=|page=|format=}}</ref> Birmingham is commonly referred to as the "[[second city of the United Kingdom]]".<ref>{{cite web |title=England's second city: Birmingham |date=24 May 2013 |url=http://www.britain-magazine.com/carousel/birmingham-englands-second-city/ |publisher=Britain Magazine |access-date=11 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=An ode to Birmingham: how can the UK's second city fix its image problem? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jul/12/ode-to-birmingham-britain-second-city |work=The Guardian |date=12 July 2014 |access-date=11 June 2018}}</ref>
| image_map1        =
| mapsize1          =
  | map_caption1      =


Located in the [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands county]] and the larger [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands region]] in England, approximately {{convert|100|mile}} from [[London]], Birmingham, as one of the United Kingdom's major cities, is considered to be the social, cultural, financial and commercial centre of the [[Midlands]]. Distinctively, Birmingham only has small rivers flowing through it, mainly the [[River Tame, West Midlands|River Tame]] and its tributaries [[River Rea]] and [[River Cole, West Midlands|River Cole]] – one of the closest main rivers is the [[River Severn|Severn]], approximately {{convert|20|mile}} west of [[Birmingham city centre|the city centre]].
| image_dot_map                  =
| pushpin_map_caption          = Location in England##Location in the United Kingdom##Location in Europe
| pushpin_map            = England#United Kingdom#Europe
| pushpin_label_position          = right
| pushpin_relief                = 1


Historically a [[market town]] in [[Warwickshire]] in the medieval period, Birmingham grew during the 18th century during the [[Midlands Enlightenment]] and during the [[Industrial Revolution]], which saw advances in science, technology and economic development, producing a series of innovations that laid many of the foundations of modern [[industrial society]].<ref name="indsoc">{{harvnb|Uglow|2011|pp=iv, 860–861}}; {{harvnb|Jones|2008|pp=14, 19, 71, 82–83, 231–232}}</ref> By 1791, it was being hailed as "the first manufacturing town in the world".<ref>{{harvnb|Hopkins|1989|p=26}}</ref> Birmingham's distinctive economic profile, with thousands of small workshops practising a wide variety of specialised and highly skilled trades, encouraged exceptional levels of creativity and innovation; this provided an economic base for prosperity that was to last into the final quarter of the 20th century. The [[Watt steam engine]] was invented in Birmingham.<ref>{{harvnb|Berg|1991|pp=174, 184}}; {{cite book |last=Jacobs |first=Jane |title=The economy of cities |url=https://archive.org/details/economyofcities00jacorich |url-access=limited |year=1969 |publisher=Random House |location=New York |oclc=5585 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/economyofcities00jacorich/page/86 86]–89}}</ref>
<!-- Location ------------------>
| subdivision_type  = [[List of sovereign states|Sovereign state]]
| subdivision_name  = {{flag|United Kingdom}}


The resulting high level of [[social mobility]] also fostered a culture of [[political radicalism]] which, under leaders from [[Thomas Attwood (economist)|Thomas Attwood]] to [[Joseph Chamberlain]], was to give it a political influence unparalleled in Britain outside London and a pivotal role in the development of British democracy.<ref>{{harvnb|Ward|2005|loc=jacket|quote=Such a firm basis of local support enabled political leaders, from Thomas Attwood to Neville Chamberlain, to exert leverage in national politics. No provincial city had a greater influence on the shaping of British democracy and on the governance of the British state than Birmingham.}}; {{cite book |last=Briggs |first=Asa |author-link=Asa Briggs, Baron Briggs |title=Victorian Cities |orig-year=1965 |year=1990 |publisher=Penguin Books |location=Harmondsworth |isbn=0-14-013582-0 |pages=185; 187–189}}; {{cite book |last=Jenkins |first=Roy |author-link=Roy Jenkins |title=Twelve cities: a personal memoir |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UBmWDk5V9BAC |access-date=2 October 2011 |year=2004 |publisher=Pan Macmillan |location=London |isbn=0-330-49333-7 |pages=50–51}}</ref> From the summer of 1940 to the spring of 1943, Birmingham was bombed heavily by the [[Luftwaffe|German Luftwaffe]] in what is known as the [[Birmingham Blitz]]. The damage done to the city's infrastructure, in addition to a deliberate policy of demolition and new building by planners, led to extensive [[urban regeneration]] in subsequent decades.
| subdivision_type1  = {{nowrap|[[Countries of the United Kingdom|Constituent country]]}}
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|England}}


Birmingham's economy is now dominated by the [[service sector]].<ref name="nomisweb">{{cite web |url=http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/lmp/la/1946157186/report.aspx#tabjobs |title=Employee jobs (2012) |access-date=29 March 2014 |work=Nomis – official labour market statistics |publisher=Office for National Statistics}}</ref> The city is a major international commercial centre and an important transport, retail, events and conference hub. Its [[metropolitan economy]] is the [[List of metropolitan economies in the United Kingdom|second-largest in the United Kingdom]] with a [[GDP]] of $121.1bn (2014).<ref name="brookingsgdp"/> Its five universities,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20014/schools_and_learning/1022/universities_in_birmingham |title=Universities in Birmingham - Birmingham City Council |access-date=25 March 2021 |publisher=Birmingham City Council}}</ref> including the [[University of Birmingham]], make it the largest centre of [[higher education]] in the country outside London.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hesa.ac.uk/dox/dataTables/studentsAndQualifiers/download/institution0809.xls?v=1.0 |title=Table 0 – All students by institution, mode of study, level of study and domicile 2008/09 |access-date=31 January 2011 |publisher=Higher education Statistics Agency}}; {{cite web |url=http://www.centreforcities.org/assets/files/09-12-17%20Birmingham%20University%20Challenge.pdf |title=University Challenge: Growing the Knowledge Economy in Birmingham |access-date=11 November 2013 |last=Aldred |first=Tom |year=2009 |location=London |publisher=Centre for Cities |page=12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111215357/http://www.centreforcities.org/assets/files/09-12-17%20Birmingham%20University%20Challenge.pdf |archive-date=11 November 2013}}</ref> Birmingham's major cultural institutions – the [[City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra]], the [[Birmingham Royal Ballet]], the [[Birmingham Repertory Theatre]], the [[Library of Birmingham]] and the [[Barber Institute of Fine Arts]] – enjoy international reputations,<ref>{{cite news |first=Fiona |last=Maddocks |title=Andris Nelsons, magician of Birmingham |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/jun/06/andris-nelsons-conductor-cbso-city-culture-2013?cat=music&type=article |work=The Observer |publisher=Guardian News and Media |date=6 June 2010 |access-date=31 January 2011 |location=London}}; {{cite news |first=Debra |last=Craine |title=Birmingham Royal Ballet comes of age |url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/dance/article7036522.ece |work=The Times |publisher=Times Newspapers |date=23 February 2010 |access-date=31 January 2011}}; {{cite web |url=http://www.johansens.com/england/birmingham/the-barber-institute-of-fine-arts |title=The Barber Institute of Fine Arts |access-date=31 January 2011 |work=Johansens |publisher=Condé Nast |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110703140935/http://www.johansens.com/england/birmingham/the-barber-institute-of-fine-arts |archive-date=3 July 2011}}</ref> and the city has vibrant and influential grassroots [[Art of Birmingham|art]], [[Popular music of Birmingham|music]], [[Literature of Birmingham|literary]] and [[Food and drink in Birmingham|culinary]] scenes.<ref>{{cite web |last=Price |first=Matt |year=2008 |title=A Hitchhiker' s Guide to the Gallery – Where to see art in Birmingham and the West Midlands |location=London |publisher=Arts Co |url=http://www.arts-co.com/assets/pdfs/MattPrice.pdf |access-date=11 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412174617/http://www.arts-co.com/assets/pdfs/MattPrice.pdf |archive-date=12 April 2019 |url-status=dead}}; {{cite news |first=Alison |last=King |title=Forget Madchester, it's all about the B-Town scene |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/forget-madchester-its-all-about-the-btown-scene-8207631.html |work=The Independent |publisher=Independent News and Media |date=13 October 2012 |access-date=11 November 2013 |location=London}}; {{Cite news |last=Segal |first=Francesca |title=Why Birmingham rules the literary roost |newspaper=The Observer |location=London |publisher=Guardian News and Media |date=3 August 2008 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/aug/03/bookerprize.history |access-date=11 November 2013}}; {{cite news |first=Lobrano |last=Alexander |title=Birmingham, England – Could England's second city be first in food? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/travel/45-places-to-go-in-2012.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=6 January 2012 |access-date=31 December 2013}}</ref> The city will host the [[2022 Commonwealth Games]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.birmingham2022.com/ |title=Home of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games |website=B2022}}</ref> As of 2014, Birmingham is the fourth most visited city in the UK by people from foreign nations.<ref>{{cite report |date=20 May 2015 |title=Travel trends: 2014 |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/articles/traveltrends/2015-05-20#overseas-residents-visits-to-the-uk |publisher=Office for National Statistics |section=8 |access-date=16 November 2018}}</ref>
| subdivision_type2  = [[Regions of England|Region]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]]


==Etymology==
| subdivision_type3  = [[Ceremonial counties of England|Ceremonial county]]
| subdivision_name3  = {{flag|West Midlands}}


The name ''Birmingham'' comes from the [[Old English]] {{lang|ang|Beormingahām}},<ref>{{Harvnb|Gelling|1956|p=14}}</ref> meaning the home or settlement of the {{lang|ang|[[Beormingas]]}} – a tribe or clan whose name literally means 'Beorma's people' and which may have formed an early unit of Anglo-Saxon administration.<ref>{{Harvnb|Gelling|1992|p=140}}</ref> [[Beorma]], after whom the tribe was named, could have been its leader at the time of the Anglo-Saxon settlement, a shared ancestor, or a mythical tribal figurehead. Place names ending in {{lang|ang|-ingahām}} are characteristic of primary settlements established during the early phases of Anglo-Saxon colonisation of an area, suggesting that Birmingham was probably in existence by the early 7th century at the latest.<ref>{{Harvnb|Gelling|1956|pp=14–15}}</ref> Surrounding settlements with names ending in {{lang|ang|-tūn}} ('farm'), {{lang|ang|-lēah}} ('woodland clearing'), {{lang|ang|-worð}} ('enclosure') and {{lang|ang|-field}} ('open ground') are likely to be secondary settlements created by the later expansion of the Anglo-Saxon population,<ref>{{Harvnb|Thorpe|1950|p=106}}</ref> in some cases possibly on earlier [[Britons (historical)|British]] sites.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bassett|2000|p=7}}</ref>
| subdivision_type4  = [[historic counties of England|Historic county]]
| subdivision_name4  = {{flag|Warwickshire}}


==History==
<!-- Politics ----------------->
{{Main|History of Birmingham|Economic history of Birmingham|Science and invention in Birmingham|Timeline of Birmingham history}}
| government_footnotes =
<!--
| government_type    = [[Metropolitan borough]]
#### Please keep this section short; add new material to the sub-article ####
| governing_body    = [[Birmingham City Council]]
-->


===Pre-history and medieval===
| leader_title      = [[Executive arrangements#Leader and cabinet|Leadership]]
| leader_name        = [[Local Government Act 2000#Options for council executive forms|Leader and cabinet]]


There is evidence of [[Homo|early human]] activity in the Birmingham area dating back to around 8000&nbsp;BC,<ref>{{harvnb|Hodder|2004|p=23}}</ref> with [[Stone Age]] artefacts suggesting seasonal settlements, overnight hunting parties and woodland activities such as tree felling.<ref>{{harvnb|Hodder|2004|pp=24–25}}</ref> The many [[burnt mound]]s that can still be seen around the city indicate that [[Anatomically modern humans|modern humans]] first intensively settled and cultivated the area during the [[Bronze Age]], when a substantial but short-lived influx of population occurred between 1700&nbsp;BC and 1000&nbsp;BC, possibly caused by conflict or immigration in the surrounding area.<ref>{{harvnb|Hodder|2004|pp=33, 43}}</ref> During the 1st-century [[Roman conquest of Britain]], the forested country of the Birmingham Plateau formed a barrier to the advancing Roman legions,<ref>{{cite book |last=Thorpe |first=H. |editor1-last=Kinvig |editor1-first=R. H. |editor2-last=Smith |editor2-first=J. G. |editor3-last=Wise |editor3-first=M. G. |title=Birmingham and its Regional Setting: A Scientific Survey |orig-year=1950 |year=1970 |publisher=S. R. Publishers Limited |location=New York |isbn=0-85409-607-8 |pages=87–97 |chapter=The Growth of Settlement before the Norman Conquest}}</ref> who built the large [[Metchley Fort]] in the area of modern-day [[Edgbaston]] in AD&nbsp;48,<ref>{{harvnb|Hodder|2004|p=51}}</ref> and made it the focus of a network of [[Roman roads in Britain|Roman roads]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Leather |first=Peter |year=1994 |title=The Birmingham Roman Roads Project |journal=West Midlands Archaeology |volume=37 |issue=9 |url=http://www.brrp.bham.ac.uk/project-info/project-info.html#1994-01 |access-date=4 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018082607/http://www.brrp.bham.ac.uk/project-info/project-info.html |archive-date=18 October 2011}}</ref>
| leader_title1      = [[Political make-up of local councils in the United Kingdom#Unitary authorities|Executive]]
| leader_name1      = {{English district control|GSS=E08000025}}


[[File:Birmingham Market Charters 1166 and 1189.jpg|thumb|The charters of 1166 and 1189 established Birmingham as a [[market town]] and [[seigneurial borough]].]]
| leader_title2      = Leader
| leader_name2      = Vacant (Deputy Leader Ian Ward, acting)


The development of Birmingham into a significant urban and commercial centre began in 1166, when the [[Lord of the Manor]] Peter de Bermingham obtained a charter to hold a market at [[Birmingham Manor House|his castle]], and followed this with the creation of a planned [[market town]] and [[seigneurial borough]] within his ''[[demesne]]'' or manorial estate, around the site that became the [[Bull Ring, Birmingham|Bull Ring]].<ref>{{harvnb|Leather|2001|p=9}}; {{cite book |last=Demidowicz |first=George |title=Medieval Birmingham: the borough rentals of 1296 and 1344-5 |series=Dugdale Society Occasional Papers |year=2008 |publisher=The Dugdale Society, in association with the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust |location=Stratford-upon-Avon |isbn=978-0-85220-090-2 |page=31}}</ref> This established Birmingham as the primary commercial centre for the Birmingham Plateau at a time when the area's economy was expanding rapidly, with population growth nationally leading to the clearance, cultivation and settlement of previously marginal land.<ref>{{harvnb|Leather|2001|p=9}}; {{harvnb|Holt|1986|pp=4–6}}</ref> Within a century of the charter Birmingham had grown into a prosperous urban centre of merchants and craftsmen.<ref>{{harvnb|Holt|1986|p=4}}</ref> By 1327 it was the third-largest town in Warwickshire,<ref name="Leather 2001 12">{{harvnb|Leather|2001|p=12}}</ref> a position it would retain for the next 200 years.
| leader_title3      = [[Lord Mayor of Birmingham|Lord Mayor]]
| leader_name3      = Anne Underwood


===Early modern===
| leader_title4      = Chief Executive (Interim)
The principal governing institutions of medieval Birmingham – including the [[Guild of the Holy Cross (Birmingham)|Guild of the Holy Cross]] and the [[Lord of the Manor|lordship]] of the [[de Birmingham family]] – collapsed between 1536 and 1547,<ref>{{harvnb|Leather|2001|pp=14–16}}</ref> leaving the town with an unusually high degree of social and economic freedom and initiating a period of transition and growth.<ref>{{harvnb|Leather|2001|p=14}}; {{harvnb|Jones|2008|p=62}}; {{Harvnb|Uglow|2011|p=31}}</ref> By 1700 Birmingham's population had increased fifteen-fold and the town was the fifth-largest in England and Wales.<ref>{{Harvnb|Berg|1991|p=180}}</ref>
| leader_name4      = Stella Manzie [[Companion of the Order of the British Empire|CBE]]


The importance of the manufacture of [[iron]] goods to Birmingham's economy was recognised as early as 1538, and grew rapidly as the century progressed.<ref>{{Harvnb|Holt|1986|p=18}}</ref> Equally significant was the town's emerging role as a centre for the [[ironmongers|iron merchants]] who organised finance, supplied raw materials and traded and marketed the industry's products.<ref>{{Harvnb|Holt|1986|p=20}}</ref> By the 1600s Birmingham formed the commercial hub of a network of [[forge]]s and [[Industrial furnace|furnaces]] stretching from [[South Wales]] to [[Cheshire]]<ref>{{Harvnb|Hopkins|1989|p=4}}</ref> and its merchants were selling finished manufactured goods as far afield as the [[West Indies]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Pelham |first=R. A |editor1-last=Kinvig |editor1-first=R. H. |editor2-last=Smith |editor2-first=J. G. |editor3-last=Wise |editor3-first=M. J. |title=Birmingham and its Regional Setting: A Scientific Survey |orig-year=1950 |year=1970 |publisher=S. R. Publishers |isbn=0-85409-607-8 |page=155 |chapter=The Growth of Settlement and Industry c.1100 – c.1700}}</ref> These trading links gave Birmingham's metalworkers access to much wider markets, allowing them to diversify away from lower-skilled trades producing basic goods for local sale, towards a broader range of specialist, higher-skilled and more lucrative activities.<ref>{{Harvnb|Holt|1986|p=22}}</ref>
| established_title  = Settlement
| established_date  = c. 600


[[File:Westley---East-Prospect-of-Birmingham-1732.jpg|thumb|left|''The East Prospect of Birmingham'' (1732), engraving by William Westley]]
| established_title1 = {{nowrap|[[Seigneurial borough]]}}
By the time of the [[English Civil War]] Birmingham's booming economy, its expanding population, and its resulting high levels of [[social mobility]] and [[cultural pluralism]], had seen it develop new social structures very different from those of more established areas.<ref name="Hughes-p9">{{cite book |last=Hughes |first=Ann |title=Politics, Society and Civil War in Warwickshire, 1620–1660 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0QpcE0fwP-kC&pg=PA9 |access-date=27 March 2014 |series=Cambridge Studies in Early Modern British History |year=2002 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=0-521-52015-0 |page=9}}</ref> Relationships were built around pragmatic commercial linkages rather than the rigid paternalism and deference of [[feudalism|feudal society]], and loyalties to the traditional hierarchies of the [[Church of England|established church]] and [[British nobility|aristocracy]] were weak.<ref name="Hughes-p9"/> The town's reputation for [[political radicalism]] and its strongly [[Roundhead|Parliamentarian]] sympathies saw it attacked by [[Cavalier|Royalist]] forces in the [[Battle of Birmingham]] in 1643,<ref>{{cite book |last=Royle |first=Trevor |title=Civil War: The War of the Three Kingdoms 1638–1660 |year=2005 |publisher=Abacus |location=London |isbn=0-349-11564-8 |page=226}}</ref> and it developed into a centre of [[Puritanism]] in the 1630s<ref name="Hughes-p9"/> and as a haven for [[Nonconformist (Protestantism)|Nonconformist]]s from the 1660s.<ref>{{Harvnb|Uglow|2011|p=31}}</ref>
| established_date1  = 1166


The 18th century saw this tradition of free-thinking and collaboration blossom into the cultural phenomenon now known as the [[Midlands Enlightenment]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27062868 |title=Erasmus Darwin: The Leonardo da Vinci of the Midlands |access-date=27 April 2014 |last=Hitchings |first=Henry |date=22 April 2014 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> The town developed into a notable centre of [[Literature of Birmingham|literary]], [[Classical music of Birmingham|musical]], [[Art of Birmingham|artistic]] and [[Theatre of Birmingham|theatrical]] activity;<ref>{{Harvnb|Jones|2008|pp=65–68}}; {{cite book |last=Money |first=John |title=Experience and identity: Birmingham and the West Midlands, 1760–1800 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T_7oAAAAIAAJ |access-date=27 April 2014 |year=1977 |publisher=Manchester University Press |location=Manchester |isbn=0-7190-0672-4 |pages=74, 82–83, 87, 136}}</ref> and its leading citizens – particularly the members of the [[Lunar Society of Birmingham]] – became influential participants in the circulation of [[philosophy|philosophical]] and [[science|scientific]] ideas among Europe's intellectual elite.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jones|2008|p=71}}</ref> The close relationship between Enlightenment Birmingham's leading thinkers and its major manufacturers<ref>{{Harvnb|Jones|2008|pp=20, 140–142}}</ref> – in men like [[Matthew Boulton]] and [[James Keir]] they were often in fact the same people<ref>{{Harvnb|Jones|2008|p=17}}</ref> – made it particularly important for the exchange of knowledge between pure science and the practical world of manufacturing and technology.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jones|2008|pp=19, 122}}</ref> This created a "chain reaction of innovation",<ref>{{Harvnb|Jones|2008|p=231}}</ref> forming a pivotal link between the earlier [[scientific revolution]] and the [[Industrial Revolution]] that would follow.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jones|2008|p=232}}</ref>
| established_title2 = [[Municipal borough]]
| established_date2  = 1838


===Industrial Revolution===
| established_title3 = [[City status in the United Kingdom|City status]]
[[File:Matthew Boulton - Carl Frederik von Breda.jpg|thumb|upright|right|[[Matthew Boulton]], a prominent early industrialist]]
| established_date3  = [[List of cities in the United Kingdom|14 January 1889]]


Birmingham's explosive industrial expansion started earlier than that of the [[Mill town|textile-manufacturing towns]] of the [[North of England]],<ref>{{Harvnb|Jones|2008|p=34}}; {{Harvnb|Berg|1991|pp=180, 196}}; {{Harvnb|Hopkins|1989|pp=20–22}}; {{Harvnb|Ward|2005|p=2}}</ref> and was driven by different factors. Instead of the [[economies of scale]] of a low-paid, unskilled workforce producing a single bulk [[commodity]] such as cotton or wool in large, mechanised units of production, Birmingham's industrial development was built on the adaptability and creativity of a highly paid workforce with a strong [[division of labour]], practising a broad variety of skilled specialist trades and producing a constantly diversifying range of products, in a highly [[entrepreneurial]] economy of small, often self-owned workshops.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hopkins|1989|pp=6, 9, 11, 34–36, 55–57}}; {{Harvnb|Berg|1991|pp=174, 194}}; {{Harvnb|Jones|2008|p=19}}</ref> This led to exceptional levels of inventiveness: between 1760 and 1850 – the core years of the [[Industrial Revolution]] – Birmingham residents registered over three times as many [[patent]]s as those of any other British town or city.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jones|2008|p=40}}; {{Harvnb|Berg|1991|p=184}}</ref>
| established_title4 = [[Metropolitan borough]]
| established_date4  = [[Local Government Act 1972|1 April 1974]]


The demand for [[capital (economics)|capital]] to feed rapid economic expansion also saw Birmingham grow into a major [[financial centre]] with extensive international connections.<ref name="Berg 1991 183">{{Harvnb|Berg|1991|p=183}}</ref> [[Lloyds Bank]] was founded in the town in 1765,<ref>{{Harvnb|Hopkins|1989|pp=30–31}}</ref> and [[Ketley's Building Society]], the world's first [[building society]], in 1775.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bsa.org.uk/consumer/factsheets/100009.htm |title=The History of Building Societies |access-date=20 April 2014 |last=Rex |first=Simon |date=20 April 2010 |publisher=Building Societies Association}}</ref> By 1800 the West Midlands had more banking offices per head than any other region in Britain, including London.<ref name="Berg 1991 183"/>
| seat_type          = Administrative HQ
| seat = [[Council House, Birmingham|The Council House]],<br/>[[Victoria Square, Birmingham|Victoria Square]]


[[File:Soho Manufactory ca 1800.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Soho Manufactory]] of 1765 – pioneer of the [[factory system]] and the [[Watt steam engine|industrial steam engine]]]]
<!-- Area --------------------->
Innovation in 18th-century Birmingham often took the form of incremental series of small-scale improvements to existing products or processes,<ref>{{Harvnb|Hopkins|1989|p=33}}; {{Harvnb|Berg|1991|p=184}}</ref> but also included major developments that lay at the heart of the emergence of [[industrial society]].<ref name="indsoc"/> In 1709 the Birmingham-trained [[Abraham Darby I]] moved to [[Coalbrookdale]] in [[Shropshire]] and built the first [[blast furnace]] to successfully smelt iron ore with [[Coke (fuel)|coke]], transforming the quality, volume and scale on which it was possible to produce [[cast iron]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Weissenbacher |first=Manfred |title=Sources of Power: How Energy Forges Human History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dcYHzuFLZP0C&pg=PA194 |access-date=27 November 2011 |year=2009 |publisher=Praeger |location=Santa Barbara, CA |isbn=978-0-313-35626-1 |page=194}}</ref> In 1732 [[Lewis Paul]] and [[John Wyatt (inventor)|John Wyatt]] invented [[roller spinning]], the "one novel idea of the first importance" in the development of the [[Textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution|mechanised cotton industry]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Wadsworth |first1=Alfred P. |last2=Mann |first2=Julia De Lacy |title=The cotton trade and industrial Lancashire, 1600–1780 |location=Manchester |publisher=Manchester University Press |year=1931 |page=413 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XAsNAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA413 |access-date=27 November 2011}}</ref> In 1741 they opened the [[Upper Priory Cotton Mill|world's first cotton mill]] in Birmingham's Upper Priory.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Wadsworth |first1=Alfred P. |last2=Mann |first2=Julia De Lacy |title=The cotton trade and industrial Lancashire, 1600–1780 |location=Manchester |publisher=Manchester University Press |year=1931 |page=431 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XAsNAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA431 |access-date=27 November 2011}}</ref> In 1746 [[John Roebuck]] invented the [[lead chamber process]], enabling the large-scale manufacture of [[sulphuric acid]],<ref>{{Harvnb|Hopkins|1989|p=20}}</ref> and in 1780 [[James Keir]] developed a process for the bulk manufacture of [[Sodium Carbonate|alkali]],<ref>{{Harvnb|Jones|2008|p=123}}</ref> together marking the birth of the modern [[chemical industry]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Clow |first1=Archibald |last2=Clow |first2=Nan |title=The Chemical Revolution: a contribution to social technology |orig-year=1952 |year=1992 |publisher=Gordon and Breach |location=Reading |isbn=2-88124-549-8 |pages=91, 98, 133}}</ref> In 1765 [[Matthew Boulton]] opened the [[Soho Manufactory]], pioneering the combination and mechanisation under one roof of previously separate manufacturing activities through a system known as "rational manufacture".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.makingthemodernworld.org.uk/stories/enlightenment_and_measurement/05.ST.02/?scene=2&tv=true |title=Rational Manufacture – Wedgwood & Boulton |access-date=27 November 2011 |year=2004 |work=Making the Modern World |location=London |publisher=Science Museum}}</ref> As the largest manufacturing unit in Europe, this came to symbolise the emergence of the [[factory system]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Jones|2008|p=52}}</ref>
| area_magnitude                  =
| unit_pref                      = UK <!--Enter: Imperial, if Imperial (metric) is desired-->
| total_type                      = City
| area_footnotes                  =
| area_total_km2                  = {{English district area|GSS=E08000025}}
| area_land_km2                  = <!--See table @ Template:Infobox Settlement for details on automatic unit conversion-->
| area_water_km2                  =
| area_rank                      = [[List of English districts by area|{{English district area rank|GSS=E08000025}}]]
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| area_water_sq_mi                =
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| area_urban_km2                  = 598.9
| area_urban_sq_mi                =
| area_metro_km2                  =
| area_metro_sq_mi                =


Most significant, however, was the development in 1776 of the [[Watt steam engine|industrial steam engine]] by [[James Watt]] and [[Matthew Boulton]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Jones|2008|pp=54–55}}</ref> Freeing for the first time the manufacturing capacity of human society from the limited availability of hand, water and animal power, this was arguably the pivotal moment of the entire [[industrial revolution]] and a key factor in the worldwide increases in productivity over the following century.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Musson |first=A. E. |date=August 1976 |title=Industrial Motive Power in the United Kingdom, 1800–70 |journal=The Economic History Review |volume=29 |issue=3 |page=415 |doi=10.1111/j.1468-0289.1976.tb01094.x}}<!--|access-date=27 November 2011-->; {{cite book |last=Hills |first=Richard L. |author-link=Richard L. Hills |title=Power from steam: a history of the stationary steam engine |orig-year=1989 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t6TLOQBhd0YC&pg=PA70 |access-date=27 November 2011 |year=1993 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=0-521-45834-X |page=70}}; {{cite book |last=Wrigley |first=E. A. |editor1-last=Hartwell |editor1-first=Ronald M. |title=The Causes of the Industrial Revolution in England |orig-year=1962 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tyYOAAAAQAAJ |access-date=27 November 2011 |year=1970 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |location=London |isbn=0-416-48000-4 |page=113 |chapter=The Supply of Raw Materials in the Industrial Revolution |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tyYOAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA113}}</ref>
| area_blank1_title              =
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===Regency and Victorian===
<!-- Population ----------------------->
| population_as_of                = {{English statistics year}}
| population_total                = {{English district population|GSS=E08000025}}
| population_footnotes            =
| population_rank                = [[List of English districts by population|{{English district rank|GSS=E08000025}}]]
| population_density_km2          = {{English district density|GSS=E08000025}}
| population_density_sq_mi        =
| population_urban                = 2,440,986 ([[List of urban areas in the United Kingdom|3rd]])
| population_density_urban_km2    =
| population_density_urban_sq_mi  =
| population_metro                = 4,332,629 ([[List of metropolitan areas in Europe]])
| population_density_metro_km2    =
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| population_blank1_title        =
| population_blank1 =


[[File:Benjamin Haydon - Meeting of the Birmingham Political Union.jpg|thumb|[[Thomas Attwood (economist)|Thomas Attwood]] addressing a 200,000-strong meeting of the [[Birmingham Political Union]] during the Days of May 1832 – oil on canvas by [[Benjamin Haydon]] (c. 1832–1833)]]
| population_density_blank1_km2  =
| population_density_blank1_sq_mi =


Birmingham rose to national political prominence in the campaign for political reform in the early 19th century, with [[Thomas Attwood (economist)|Thomas Attwood]] and the [[Birmingham Political Union]] bringing the country to the brink of civil war during the [[Days of May]] that preceded the passing of the [[Great Reform Act]] in 1832.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hilton |first=Boyd |year=2006 |title=A Mad, Bad, and Dangerous People?: England, 1783–1846 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=0-19-822830-9 |pages=426–427 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D37VByMZSaUC |access-date=7 January 2009}}</ref> The Union's meetings on [[Newhall Street|Newhall Hill]] in 1831 and 1832 were the largest political assemblies Britain had ever seen.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Flick |first=Carlos T. |title=Thomas Attwood, Francis Place, and the Agitation for British Parliamentary Reform |journal=The Huntington Library Quarterly |volume=34 |issue=4 |date=August 1971 |publisher=University of California Press |page=359 |doi=10.2307/3816950 |jstor=3816950}}</ref> [[John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham|Lord Durham]], who drafted the Act, wrote that "the country owed Reform to Birmingham, and its salvation from revolution".<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Briggs |first=Asa |author-link=Asa Briggs |title=Thomas Attwood and the Economic Background of the Birmingham Political Union |journal=Cambridge Historical Journal |volume=9 |issue=2 |year=1948 |pages=190–216 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |doi=10.1017/S1474691300001992 |jstor=3020620}}</ref> This reputation for having "shaken the fabric of privilege to its base" in 1832 led [[John Bright]] to make Birmingham the platform for his successful campaign for the [[1867 Reform Act|Second Reform Act]] of 1867, which extended voting rights to the urban working class.<ref>{{Harvnb|Briggs|1965|pp=189–190}}; {{Harvnb|Ward|2005|pp=57–59}}</ref>
| population_blank2_title        =
| population_blank2 =
| population_density_blank2_km2  =
| population_density_blank2_sq_mi =


The original [[Charter of Incorporation]], dated 31 October 1838, was received in Birmingham on 1 November, then read in the [[Birmingham Town Hall|Town Hall]] on 5 November with elections for the first [[Birmingham Town Council]] being held on 26 December. Sixteen Aldermen and 48 Councillors were elected and the Borough was divided into 13 wards. [[William Scholefield]] became the first Mayor and William Redfern was appointed as Town Clerk. [[Birmingham Town Police]] were established the following year.
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| timezone                        = [[Greenwich Mean Time]]
| utc_offset                      = +0
| timezone_DST                    = [[British Summer Time]]
| utc_offset_DST                  = +1
| coordinates                    = {{coord|52|28|59|N|1|53|37|W|region:GB_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes            = <!--for references: use tags-->
| elevation_m                    = 140
| elevation_ft                    =


Birmingham's tradition of innovation continued into the 19th century. Birmingham was the terminus for both of the world's first two long-distance railway lines: the 82-mile [[Grand Junction Railway]] of 1837 and the 112-mile [[London and Birmingham Railway]] of 1838.<ref>{{cite book |last=Smith |first=David N. |title=The Railway and Its Passengers: A Social History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CjRPAAAAMAAJ |access-date=31 December 2013 |year=1988 |publisher=David & Charles |location=Newton Abbott |isbn=0-7153-8651-4 |page=53}}</ref> Birmingham schoolteacher [[Rowland Hill]] invented the [[postage stamp]] and created the first modern universal [[Mail|postal system]] in 1839.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.postalheritage.org.uk/page/rowlandhill |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130423223501/http://www.postalheritage.org.uk/page/rowlandhill |url-status=dead |archive-date=23 April 2013 |title=Rowland Hill's Postal Reforms |access-date=31 December 2013 |publisher=The British Postal Museum & Archive}}; {{cite web |url=http://www.newmanlocalhistory.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Sir-Rowland-Hill-2806121.pdf |title=Sir Rowland Hill |access-date=31 December 2013 |last=Upton |first=Chris |year=2012 |publisher=Newman University |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140101061742/http://www.newmanlocalhistory.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Sir-Rowland-Hill-2806121.pdf |archive-date=1 January 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Alexander Parkes]] invented the first man-made [[plastic]] in the [[Jewellery Quarter]] in 1855.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.robinsonlibrary.com/technology/technology/biography/parkes.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110108122216/http://robinsonlibrary.com/technology/technology/biography/parkes.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=8 January 2011 |title=Alexander Parkes |access-date=31 December 2013 |date=17 January 2012 |publisher=The Robinson Library}}</ref>
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
| postal_code_type                = Postcode
| postal_code = [[B postcode area|B]]
| area_code                      = 0121
| iso_code                        = [[ISO 3166-2:GB|GB-BIR]]


By the 1820s, an [[Canals of the United Kingdom|extensive canal system]] had been constructed, giving greater access to natural resources and fuel for industries. During the [[Victorian era]], the population of Birmingham grew rapidly to well over half a million<ref name=historicpopulation>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Lib-Central-Archives-and-Heritage%2FPageLayout&cid=1223092760414&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FWrapper |title=Historic Population of Birmingham |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=13 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629134523/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Lib-Central-Archives-and-Heritage%2FPageLayout&cid=1223092760414&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FWrapper |archive-date=29 June 2011}}</ref> and Birmingham became the second largest population centre in England. Birmingham was granted [[city status in the United Kingdom|city status]] in 1889 by [[Queen Victoria]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/mayors |publisher=Birmingham.gov.uk |title=History of Mayoralty |access-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609211101/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/mayors.bcc |archive-date=9 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Joseph Chamberlain]], mayor of Birmingham and later an MP, and his son [[Neville Chamberlain]], who was Lord Mayor of Birmingham and later the British Prime Minister, are two of the most well-known political figures who have lived in Birmingham. The city established [[University of Birmingham|its own university]] in 1900.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bham.ac.uk/about/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080102065752/http://www.bham.ac.uk/about/ |archive-date=2 January 2008 |title=Inside the university |publisher=University of Birmingham |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| blank_name_sec1    = [[Government Statistical Service|GSS]] code
| blank_info_sec1    = E08000025


===20th century and contemporary===
| blank1_name_sec1  = [[NUTS of the United Kingdom|NUTS 3 code]]
[[File:Bull Ring Blitz.jpg|thumb|left|Ruins of the [[Bull Ring, Birmingham|Bull Ring]], destroyed during the [[Birmingham Blitz]], 1940]]
| blank1_info_sec1  = UKG31
The city suffered heavy bomb damage during [[World War II]]'s "[[Birmingham Blitz]]". The city was also the scene of two scientific discoveries that were to prove critical to the outcome of the war.<ref>{{cite book |last=Austin |first=Brian |title=Schonland: Scientist and Soldier |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9scQqYDtbhsC&pg=PA435 |access-date=30 September 2012 |year=2001 |publisher=Institute of Physics Publishing |location=Bristol |isbn=0-7503-0501-0 |page=435}}</ref> [[Otto Frisch]] and [[Rudolf Peierls]] first described how a practical [[nuclear weapon]] could be constructed in the [[Frisch–Peierls memorandum]] of 1940,<ref>{{cite book |last=Kelly |first=Cynthia C. |title=Remembering The Manhattan Project: Perspectives on the Making of the Atomic Bomb and Its Legacy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=noUwcQ05VI0C&pg=PA44 |access-date=30 September 2012 |year=2004 |publisher=World Scientific |isbn=981-256-040-8 |page=44}}</ref> the same year that the [[cavity magnetron]], the key component of [[radar]] and later of [[microwave oven]]s, was invented by [[John Randall (physicist)|John Randall]] and [[Henry Boot]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ieeeghn.org/wiki/index.php/Cavity_Magnetron |title=Cavity Magnetron |access-date=30 September 2012 |last=Brewer |first=Nathan |year=2008 |work=IEEE Global History Network |publisher=Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers}}</ref> Details of these two discoveries, together with an outline of the first [[jet engine]] invented by [[Frank Whittle]] in nearby [[Rugby, Warwickshire|Rugby]], were taken to the United States by the [[Tizard Mission]] in September 1940, in a single black box later described by an official American historian as "the most valuable cargo ever brought to our shores".<ref>{{cite book |last=Kennedy |first=Carol |title=From Dynasties to Dotcoms: The Rise, Fall and Reinvention of British Business in the Past 100 Years |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9XL5nk5D6woC&pg=PA75 |access-date=30 September 2012 |year=2004 |publisher=Kogan Page |location=London |isbn=0-7494-4127-5 |pages=75–76}}</ref>


The city was extensively redeveloped during the 1950s and 1960s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-Disposition&blobheadervalue1=attachment%3B+filename%3D6415485.pdf&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1223418010271&ssbinary=true |title=1960s Architecture in Birmingham |publisher=Birmingham City Council Planning Department |access-date=13 January 2010}} {{Dead link| date=June 2010 | bot=DASHBot}}</ref> This included the construction of large [[tower block]] estates, such as [[Castle Vale]]. The [[Bull Ring, Birmingham|Bull Ring]] was reconstructed and [[Birmingham New Street railway station|New Street station]] was redeveloped. In the decades following World War II, the ethnic makeup of Birmingham changed significantly, as it received waves of immigration from the [[Commonwealth of Nations]] and beyond.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=2392&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=10596 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609021432/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=2392&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=10596 |archive-date=9 June 2008 |title=Birmingham's Post War Black Immigrants |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=22 July 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The city's population peaked in 1951 at 1,113,000 residents.<ref name=historicpopulation/>
| blank2_name_sec1  = [[ONS coding system|ONS code]]
| blank2_info_sec1  = 00CN


[[File:Mulberry bush pub bomb.jpg|thumb|right|Aftermath of the bomb attack on the Mulberry Bush Pub during the [[Birmingham pub bombings|pub bombings]] of 1974]]
| blank3_name_sec1  = [[Ordnance Survey National Grid|OS grid reference]]
21 people were killed and 182 were injured in [[Birmingham pub bombings|a series of bomb attacks]] in 1974, thought to be carried out by the [[Provisional Irish Republican Army|Provisional IRA]]. The bombings were the worst terror attacks in England up until the [[2005 London bombings]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Britain 'defiant' as bombers kill 52 in attack on the heart of London |newspaper=The Times |date=8 July 2005 |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article541666.ece |access-date=23 November 2010}}</ref> and consisted of bombs being planted in two [[Public house|pubs]] in central Birmingham. [[Birmingham Six|Six men were convicted]], who became known later as the Birmingham Six and sentenced to life imprisonment, who were acquitted after 16 years by the [[Court of Appeal (England and Wales)|Court of Appeal]].<ref>{{harvnb|Upton|1993|p=212}}</ref> The convictions are now considered one of the worst British miscarriages of justice in recent times. The true perpetrators of the attacks are yet to be arrested.<ref name="Birmingham Bombings 1976">''The Birmingham Framework -Six Innocent Men Framed for the Birmingham Bombings''; Fr. [[Denis Faul]] and Fr. Raymond Murray (1976)</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=40 years on-Birmingham Bombings |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11245150/The-Birmingham-bombings-40-years-on-what-can-we-learn-from-IRA-terror.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11245150/The-Birmingham-bombings-40-years-on-what-can-we-learn-from-IRA-terror.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=14 July 2018 |agency=The Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Birmingham pub bombings |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/all-about/birmingham-pub-bombings |website=Birmingham Mail |access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref>
| blank3_info_sec1  = {{gbmappingsmall|SP066868}}


[[File:G8 Summit Birmingham 1998.jpg|thumb|right|World leaders meet in Birmingham for the [[24th G8 summit|1998 G8 Summit]]]]Birmingham remained by far Britain's most prosperous provincial city as late as the 1970s,<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Sutcliffe |first1=Anthony |last2=Smith |first2=Roger |year=1974 |title=Birmingham 1939–1970 |volume=3 |series=History of Birmingham |location=London |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=0-19-215182-7 |page=5}}</ref> with household incomes exceeding even those of London and the South East,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Spencer |first1=Ken |last2=Taylor |first2=Andy |last3=Smith |first3=Barbara |last4=Mawson |first4=John |last5=Flynn |first5=Norman |last6=Batley |first6=Richard |title=Crisis in the industrial heartland: a study of the West Midlands |year=1986 |publisher=Clarendon Press |location=Oxford |isbn=0-19-823269-1 |page=23}}</ref> but its economic diversity and capacity for regeneration declined in the decades that followed World War II as [[Government of the United Kingdom|Central Government]] sought to restrict the city's growth and disperse industry and population to the stagnating areas of Wales and [[Northern England]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Law |first=Christopher M. |year=1981 |title=British Regional Development Since World War I |location=London |publisher=Methuen |page=47 |isbn=0-416-32310-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dz8OAAAAQAAJ |access-date=5 February 2011}}</ref> These measures hindered "the natural self-regeneration of businesses in Birmingham, leaving it top-heavy with the old and infirm",<ref>{{Cite book |last=Heard |first=Ian |year=1989 |title=Developing Birmingham 1889–1989: 100 years of city planning |location=Birmingham |publisher=Birmingham City Council Development Department |isbn=0-9513371-1-4 |page=109}}</ref> and the city became increasingly dependent on the [[Automotive industry in the United Kingdom|motor industry]]. The [[Early 1980s recession|recession of the early 1980s]] saw Birmingham's economy collapse, with unprecedented levels of unemployment and [[1985 Handsworth riots|outbreaks of social unrest]] in inner-city districts.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cherry |first=Gordon E. |year=1994 |title=Birmingham: a study in geography, history, and planning |series=Belhaven world cities series |location=Chichester |publisher=Wiley |isbn=0-471-94900-0 |pages=160–164}}</ref>
| blank4_name_sec1  = [[List of motorways in the United Kingdom|Motorways]]
| blank4_info_sec1  = [[M6 motorway|M6]]<br>[[M6 Toll]]<br>[[M5 motorway|M5]]<br>[[M42 motorway|M42]]<br>[[A38(M) motorway|A38(M)]]


Recently, many parts of Birmingham have been transformed, with the redevelopment of the [[Bullring, Birmingham|Bullring Shopping Centre]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/majordevelopments |title=Major Developments |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010173332/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/majordevelopments |archive-date=10 October 2008}}</ref> the construction of the new Library of Birmingham (the largest public library in Europe) and the regeneration of old industrial areas such as [[Brindleyplace]], [[The Mailbox]] and the [[International Convention Centre, Birmingham|International Convention Centre]]. Old streets, buildings and canals have been restored, the pedestrian subways have been removed and the [[A4400 road|Inner Ring Road]] has been rationalised. In 1998 Birmingham hosted the [[24th G8 summit]]. The city will serve as host of the [[2022 Commonwealth Games]].<ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-40334223 |title=Stadium expansion at heart of 2022 bid |work=BBC News |date=20 June 2017}}</ref>
| blank5_name = Ethnicity<br/><small>(2011 Census) <ref name=2011censusdemo>[http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-ks201ew.xls "2011 Census: Key Statistics for Local Authorities in England and Wales"]. [[Office for National Statistics|ONS]]. Retrieved 25 December 2012</ref> </small>
| blank5_info = {{Plainlist|
* 57.9% White (53.1% White British)
* 26.6% Asian
* 8.9% Black
* 4.4% Mixed Race
* 2.0% Other
}}


==Government==
| blank6_name_sec1        = [[List of airports in the United Kingdom and the British Crown Dependencies|International airports]]
{{Main|Government of Birmingham}}
| blank6_info_sec1        = [[Birmingham Airport|Birmingham]] ([[International Air Transport Association airport code|BHX]])
[[File:Birmingham_City_Hall.jpg|thumb|The [[Council House, Birmingham|Council House]], headquarters of [[Birmingham City Council]]]]
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[[Birmingham City Council]] is the largest local authority in Europe, in terms of the population it covers with 101 [[councillor]]s representing 77 [[ward (politics)|wards]] as of 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20057/about_birmingham/665/wards_and_constituencies/1 |title=Wards |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=3 July 2018}}</ref> Its headquarters are at the [[Council House, Birmingham|Council House]] in [[Victoria Square, Birmingham|Victoria Square]]. {{As of|2018}}, the council has a [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] majority and is led by Ian Ward.<ref>{{cite web |title=Birmingham City Council Election 2018 Results |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cpr6g35nne1t/birmingham-city-council |publisher=BBC |access-date=16 November 2018}}</ref> Labour replaced the previous [[no overall control]] status at the May 2012 elections.<ref>{{cite web |title=Birmingham city council information |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite/local-elections?packedargs=website%3D4&rendermode=live |website=Birmingham mail |access-date=16 November 2018 |archive-date=5 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505041626/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite/local-elections?packedargs=website%3D4&rendermode=live |url-status=dead }}</ref> The honour and dignity of a [[Lord Mayors of Birmingham|Lord Mayoralty]] was conferred on Birmingham by [[Letters Patent]] on 3 June 1896.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=26746|page=3314|date=4 June 1896}}</ref>


Birmingham's ten [[Constituency|parliamentary constituencies]] are represented in the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]] {{As of|2020|lc=y}} by two [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] and eight [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MPs]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20097/elections_and_voting/1080/mps_and_meps |title=Members of Parliament |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=7 January 2020}}</ref>
| blank7_name_sec1        = [[UK railway stations|Major railway stations]]
| blank7_info_sec1        = [[Birmingham New Street railway station|Birmingham New Street]] ([[United Kingdom railway station categories|A]])<br>[[Birmingham Moor Street railway station|Birmingham Moor Street]] ([[United Kingdom railway station categories|B]])<br>[[Birmingham Snow Hill railway station|Birmingham Snow Hill]] ([[United Kingdom railway station categories|C1]])


Originally part of [[Warwickshire]], Birmingham expanded in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, absorbing parts of [[Worcestershire]] to the south and [[Staffordshire]] to the north and west. The city absorbed [[Sutton Coldfield]] in 1974 and became a metropolitan borough in the new [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands county]].<ref name=lga1972>{{cite book |title=Local Government Act 1972. 1972 c.70 |publisher=The Stationery Office Ltd |isbn=0-10-547072-4 |year=1997}}</ref>
|blank_name_sec2          = [[Gross domestic product|GDP]]
<!--
|blank_info_sec2          = [[United States dollar|US$]] 121.1&nbsp;billion<ref name="brookingsgdp">{{cite web|url=http://www.brookings.edu/research/interactives/global-metro-monitor-3 |title=Global city GDP 2014 |publisher=Brookings Institution |accessdate=18 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/6H7Jql2A9?url=http://www.brookings.edu/research/interactives/global-metro-monitor-3 |archivedate=4 June 2013 |df=dmy }}</ref> ([[List of metropolitan economies in the United Kingdom|2nd]])
Since 2011, Birmingham has formed part of the [[Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership]] along with neighbouring authorities [[Bromsgrove District|Bromsgrove]], [[Cannock Chase District|Cannock Chase]], [[East Staffordshire District Council|East Staffordshire]], [[Lichfield District Council|Lichfield]], [[Redditch]], [[Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council|Solihull]], [[Tamworth (borough)|Tamworth]], [[Wyre Forest District|Wyre Forest]].
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A top-level government body, the [[West Midlands Combined Authority]], was formed in April 2016. The WMCA holds devolved powers in transport, development planning, and economic growth. The authority is governed by a [[Mayor of West Midlands|directly elected mayor]], similar to the [[Mayor of London]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Combined Authority |url=http://www.solihull.gov.uk/combinedauthority |publisher=Solihull MBC |access-date=16 November 2018}}</ref>


==Geography==
|blank1_name_sec2        = – Per capita
{{further|Constituent areas of Birmingham, England}}
|blank1_info_sec2        = [[American dollar|US$]] 31,572<ref name="brookingsgdp"/>
[[File:Birmingham by Sentinel-2, 2020-05-29.jpg|thumb|Birmingham and the wider [[West Midlands Built-up Area]] seen from ESA Sentinel-2]]
Birmingham is located in the centre of the [[West Midlands region]] of England on the [[Birmingham Plateau]] – an area of relatively high ground, ranging between {{convert|500|and|1,000|ft|m|abbr=off}} [[Above mean sea level|above sea level]] and crossed by Britain's main north–south [[water divide|watershed]] between the basins of the Rivers [[River Severn|Severn]] and [[River Trent|Trent]]. To the south west of the city lie the [[Lickey Hills]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/lickey |title=Lickey Hills Country Park |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=13 January 2010}} {{Dead link| date=June 2010 | bot=DASHBot}}</ref> [[Clent Hills]] and [[Walton Hill]], which reach {{convert|1033|ft|m|0}} and have extensive views over the city. Birmingham is drained only by minor rivers and brooks, primarily the [[River Tame, West Midlands|River Tame]] and its tributaries the [[River Cole, West Midlands|Cole]] and the [[River Rea|Rea]].


The City of Birmingham forms a [[conurbation]] with the largely residential borough of [[Metropolitan Borough of Solihull|Solihull]] to the south east, and with the city of [[Wolverhampton]] and the industrial towns of the [[Black Country]] to the north west, which form the [[West Midlands Built-up Area]] covering {{convert|59972|ha|km2 sqmi|abbr=on|0}}. Surrounding this is Birmingham's [[metropolitan area]] – the area to which it is closely economically tied through [[commuting]] – which includes the former [[Mercia]]n capital of [[Tamworth, Staffordshire|Tamworth]] and the cathedral city of [[Lichfield]] in Staffordshire to the north; the industrial city of [[Coventry]] and the [[Warwickshire]] towns of [[Nuneaton]], [[Warwick]] and [[Leamington Spa]] to the east; and the [[Worcestershire]] towns of [[Redditch]] and [[Bromsgrove]] to the south west.<ref name="espon">{{cite web |url=http://www.espon.eu/export/sites/default/Documents/Projects/ESPON2006Projects/StudiesScientificSupportProjects/UrbanFunctions/fr-1.4.3_April2007-final.pdf |title=British urban pattern: population data |access-date=19 September 2010 |date=March 2007 |pages=119–120 |work=ESPON project 1.4.3 Study on Urban Functions |publisher=European Union – European Spatial Planning Observation Network |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924002318/http://www.espon.eu/export/sites/default/Documents/Projects/ESPON2006Projects/StudiesScientificSupportProjects/UrbanFunctions/fr-1.4.3_April2007-final.pdf |archive-date=24 September 2015}}</ref>
|blank2_name_sec2        = Councillors
|blank2_info_sec2        = 120


Much of the area now occupied by the city was originally a northern reach of the ancient [[Forest of Arden]], whose former presence can still be felt in the city's dense [[oak]] tree-cover and in the large number of districts such as [[Moseley]], [[Saltley]], [[Yardley, Birmingham|Yardley]], [[Stirchley, West Midlands|Stirchley]] and [[Hockley, Birmingham|Hockley]] with names ending in "-ley": the [[Old English]] ''-{{lang|ang|lēah}}'' meaning "woodland clearing".<ref>{{cite book |last=Hooke |first=Della |editor=Brown, Michelle P. |editor2=Farr, Carol Ann |title=Mercia: an Anglo-Saxon kingdom in Europe |year=2005 |publisher=Continuum |isbn=0-8264-7765-8 |page=167 |chapter=Mercia: Landscape and Environment |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H8Ke9acHFm4C&pg=PA167}}</ref>
|blank3_name_sec2        = [[List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 2015|MPs]]
 
|blank3_info_sec2        = {{Collapsible list
[[File:Panorama_of_Birmingham.jpg|thumb|upright=3.65|center|The city as seen from Studley Tower in [[Highgate, Birmingham|Highgate]].]]
| title       = List
 
|1=[[Richard Burden]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
===Geology===
|2=[[Liam Byrne]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
Birmingham is dominated by the Birmingham Fault, which runs diagonally through the city from the [[Lickey Hills]] in the south west, passing through [[Edgbaston]] and the [[Bull Ring, Birmingham|Bull Ring]], to [[Erdington]] and [[Sutton Coldfield]] in the north east.<ref name=JPS/> To the south and east of the fault the ground is largely softer [[Mercia Mudstone Group|Mercia Mudstone]], interspersed with beds of [[Bunter (geology)|Bunter pebbles]] and crossed by the valleys of the Rivers [[River Tame, West Midlands|Tame]], [[River Rea|Rea]] and [[River Cole, West Midlands|Cole]] and their tributaries.<ref>{{cite book |first=Victor |last=Skipp |author-link=Victor Skipp |title=The History of Greater Birmingham – down to 1830 |page=15 |year=1987 |publisher=V. H. T. Skipp |location=Yardley, Birmingham |isbn=0-9506998-0-2}}</ref> To the north and west of the fault, between {{convert|150|and|600|ft|m|abbr=off}} higher than the surrounding area and underlying much of the city centre, lies a long ridge of harder [[Keuper]] [[Sandstone]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22959 |title=The Growth of the City, A History of the County of Warwick: Volume 7: The City of Birmingham (1964), pp. 4–25 |publisher=British History Online |access-date=22 July 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/images/wmgifs/wmgeol.GIF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061122082116/http://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/images/wmgifs/wmgeol.GIF |archive-date=22 November 2006 |title=Solid Geology – 1:250,000 scale (Source: British Geological Survey, NERC) |publisher=Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs |format=gif |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The bedrock underlying Birmingham was mostly laid down during the [[Permian]] and [[Triassic]] periods.<ref name=JPS>{{cite web |url=http://www.jpservicez-searcharticles.com/article.detail.php/179361/17/Travel/144/Vacations/The_Geography_of_Birmingham |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080212130436/http://www.jpservicez-searcharticles.com/article.detail.php/179361/17/Travel/144/Vacations/The_Geography_of_Birmingham |archive-date=12 February 2008 |title=The Geography of Birmingham |publisher=JPServicez Search Articles |first=Susan |last=Ashby |date=10 December 2007 |access-date=24 December 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|3=[[Jack Dromey]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
 
|4=[[Roger Godsiff]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
===Climate===
|5=[[Khalid Mahmood (British politician)|Khalid Mahmood]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
Birmingham has a [[temperate]] [[Oceanic climate|maritime climate]] (''Cfb'' according to the [[Köppen climate classification]]), like much of the British Isles, with average maximum temperatures in summer (July) being around {{convert|21.3|°C|°F}}; and in winter (January) around {{convert|6.7|°C|°F}}.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[KNMI (institute)|KNMI]] |url=http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=7&periodid=1971-2000&indexid=TX&stationid=2121 |title=71-00 Jan mean}}</ref> Between 1971 and 2000 the warmest day of the year on average was {{convert|28.8|C|F}}<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[KNMI (institute)|KNMI]] |url=http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1971-2000&indexid=TXx&stationid=2121 |title=average warmest day}}</ref> and the coldest night typically fell to {{convert|-9.0|C|F}}.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[KNMI (institute)|KNMI]] |url=http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1971-2000&indexid=TNn&stationid=2121 |title=average coldest night}}</ref> Some 11.2 days each year rose to a temperature of {{convert|25.1|C|F}} or above<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1971-2000&indexid=SU&stationid=2121 |title=Climatology details |publisher=Eca.knmi.nl |access-date=12 November 2011}}</ref> and 51.6 nights reported an air frost.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[KNMI (institute)|KNMI]] |url=http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1971-2000&indexid=FD&stationid=2121 |title=71-00 Frost incidence}}</ref> The highest recorded temperature, set during August 1990, was {{convert|34.9|C|F}}.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[KNMI (institute)|KNMI]] |url=http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/monitordetail.php?seasonid=14&year=1990&indexid=TXx&stationid=2121 |title=August 1990}}</ref>
|6=[[Shabana Mahmood]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
 
|7=[[Steve McCabe (politician)|Steve McCabe]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
Like most other large cities, Birmingham has a considerable [[urban heat island]] effect.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/03_march/27/climate.shtml |title=Inside Out: Living with global warming |publisher=BBC |date=27 March 2007 |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090110204224/http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2007/03_march/27/climate.shtml |archive-date=10 January 2009}}</ref> During the coldest night recorded, 14 January 1982, the temperature fell to {{convert|-20.8|°C|°F}} at [[Birmingham Airport]] on the city's eastern edge, but just {{convert|-12.9|°C|°F}} at [[Edgbaston]], near the city centre.<ref name="RCBI">{{cite book |first=Dennis |last=Wheeler |author2=Julian Mayes |title=Regional Climates of the British Isles |year=1997 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=0-415-13930-9}}</ref>
|8=[[Andrew Mitchell]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|(C)]]
 
|9=[[Jess Phillips (politician)|Jess Phillips]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
Birmingham is a snowy city relative to other large UK conurbations, due to its inland location and comparatively high elevation.<ref name="RCBI"/> Between 1961 and 1990 [[Birmingham Airport]] averaged 13.0 days of snow lying annually,<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[NOAA]] |url=ftp://dossier.ogp.noaa.gov/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-VI/UK/03534.TXT |title=Snow mean}}</ref> compared to 5.33 at [[Heathrow Airport|London Heathrow]].<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[KNMI (institute)|KNMI]] |url=http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1961-1990&indexid=SD1&stationid=1860 |title=Snow mean}}</ref> Snow showers often pass through the city via the [[Cheshire Plain|Cheshire gap]] on north westerly airstreams, but can also come off the [[North Sea]] from north easterly airstreams.<ref name="RCBI"/>
|10=[[Preet Gill]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
 
}}
Extreme weather is rare, but the city has been known to experience [[tornado]]es. On 23 November 1981, during a record-breaking [[1981 United Kingdom tornado outbreak|nationwide tornado outbreak]], two tornadoes touched down within the Birmingham city limits – in [[Erdington]] and [[Selly Oak]] – with six tornadoes touching down within the boundaries of the wider [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]] county.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eswd.eu/cgi-bin/eswd.cgi |title=European Severe Weather Database |first=European Severe Storms |last=Laboratory |website=www.eswd.eu}}</ref> More recently, a destructive tornado occurred in [[Birmingham Tornado (UK)|July 2005]] in the south of the city, damaging homes and businesses in the area.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/tornado.bcc |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080618215923/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/tornado.bcc |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 June 2008 |title=Birmingham Tornado 2005 |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=13 January 2010}}</ref>
| website            = [http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/ www.birmingham.gov.uk]
 
| footnotes          =
{{Weather box
|location = Birmingham ([[Birmingham Airport|BHX]]),{{efn|Weather station is located {{convert|7|mi|0|abbr=out}} from the Birmingham city centre.}} elevation: {{convert|99|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, 1971–2000 normals, extremes 1878–present
| collapsed    =
| metric first = y
| single line  = y
| Jan record high C = 15.0
| Feb record high C = 18.1
| Mar record high C = 23.7
| Apr record high C = 25.5
| May record high C = 26.7
| Jun record high C = 31.6
| Jul record high C = 35.0
| Aug record high C = 34.9
| Sep record high C = 28.4
| Oct record high C = 28.0
| Nov record high C = 18.1
| Dec record high C = 15.7
| Jan high C = 6.6
| Feb high C = 7.0
| Mar high C = 9.7
| Apr high C = 12.1
| May high C = 15.8
| Jun high C = 18.6
| Jul high C = 21.4
| Aug high C = 21.0
| Sep high C = 17.8
| Oct high C = 13.7
| Nov high C = 9.5
| Dec high C = 7.3
| year high C = 13.4
| Jan mean C = 3.9
| Feb mean C = 4.0
| Mar mean C = 6.1
| Apr mean C = 7.8
| May mean C = 11.0
| Jun mean C = 13.9
| Jul mean C = 16.5
| Aug mean C = 16.1
| Sep mean C = 13.5
| Oct mean C = 10.0
| Nov mean C = 6.5
| Dec mean C = 4.7
| year mean C = 9.5
| Jan low C = 1.1
| Feb low C = 0.9
| Mar low C = 2.4
| Apr low C = 3.5
| May low C = 6.2
| Jun low C = 9.2
| Jul low C = 11.5
| Aug low C = 11.2
| Sep low C = 9.1
| Oct low C = 6.3
| Nov low C = 3.4
| Dec low C = 2.0
| year low C = 5.5
| Jan record low C = -20.8
| Feb record low C = -13.6
| Mar record low C = -11.6
| Apr record low C = -6.6
| May record low C = -3.8
| Jun record low C = -0.8
| Jul record low C = 1.2
| Aug record low C = 2.2
| Sep record low C = -1.8
| Oct record low C = -6.8
| Nov record low C = -8.6
| Dec record low C = -18.5
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 64.2
| Feb precipitation mm = 48.4
| Mar precipitation mm = 49.8
| Apr precipitation mm = 44.3
| May precipitation mm = 50.3
| Jun precipitation mm = 59.9
| Jul precipitation mm = 46.4
| Aug precipitation mm = 60.2
| Sep precipitation mm = 56.0
| Oct precipitation mm = 54.8
| Nov precipitation mm = 58.9
| Dec precipitation mm = 67.0
| year precipitation mm = 662.7
| unit precipitation days = 1.0&nbsp;mm
| Jan precipitation days = 12.0
| Feb precipitation days = 9.7
| Mar precipitation days = 11.1
| Apr precipitation days = 8.4
| May precipitation days = 9.3
| Jun precipitation days = 9.0
| Jul precipitation days = 7.4
| Aug precipitation days = 8.9
| Sep precipitation days = 8.6
| Oct precipitation days = 10.1
| Nov precipitation days = 10.3
| Dec precipitation days = 10.8
| year precipitation days = 115.9
| Jan snow days = 6
| Feb snow days = 6
| Mar snow days = 4
| Apr snow days = 1
| May snow days = 0
| Jun snow days = 0
| Jul snow days = 0
| Aug snow days = 0
| Sep snow days = 0
| Oct snow days = 0
| Nov snow days = 1
| Dec snow days = 4
| year snow days = 24
| Jan humidity = 85
| Feb humidity = 84
| Mar humidity = 80
| Apr humidity = 76
| May humidity = 76
| Jun humidity = 75
| Jul humidity = 75
| Aug humidity = 78
| Sep humidity = 80
| Oct humidity = 83
| Nov humidity = 84
| Dec humidity = 86
| year humidity = 80
| Jan dew point C = 2
| Feb dew point C = 2
| Mar dew point C = 3
| Apr dew point C = 4
| May dew point C = 7
| Jun dew point C = 10
| Jul dew point C = 11
| Aug dew point C = 11
| Sep dew point C = 10
| Oct dew point C = 8
| Nov dew point C = 5
| Dec dew point C = 3
| Jan sun = 49.7
| Feb sun = 60.0
| Mar sun = 101.5
| Apr sun = 129.2
| May sun = 178.0
| Jun sun = 186.2
| Jul sun = 181.0
| Aug sun = 166.8
| Sep sun = 134.3
| Oct sun = 97.2
| Nov sun = 64.2
| Dec sun = 46.9
| year sun = 1395.0
| source 1 = [[Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute|KNMI]]{{efn|Data calculated from raw monthly long term data for BHX.}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eca.knmi.nl//download/millennium/millennium.php |title=Indices Data - Birmingham Airport Station 2121 |access-date=15 March 2019 |publisher=[[KNMI (institute)|KNMI]]}}</ref>
| source 2 = [[NOAA]] (Relative humidity, snow days and sun 1961–1990)<ref>{{cite web |url=ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-VI/UK/03534.TXT |title=Birmingham-Elmdon climate normals 1961-1990 |access-date=15 March 2019 |publisher=[[NOAA]]}}</ref> Time and Date: Dewpoints (1985-2015)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/uk/birmingham/climate |title=Climate & Weather Averages in Birmingham, England, United Kingdom |access-date=9 January 2021 |publisher=Time and Date}}</ref>
}}
{{Weather box
|location = Birmingham ([[Edgbaston|Winterbourne]]),{{efn|Weather station is located {{convert|2|mi|0|abbr=out}} from the Birmingham city centre.}} elevation: {{convert|140|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, 1991–2020 normals
| collapsed    =
| metric first = y
| single line  = y
| Jan high C = 7.1
| Feb high C = 7.7
| Mar high C = 10.3
| Apr high C = 13.4
| May high C = 16.5
| Jun high C = 19.3
| Jul high C = 21.5
| Aug high C = 21.0
| Sep high C = 18.1
| Oct high C = 13.9
| Nov high C = 9.9
| Dec high C = 7.3
| year high C = 13.9
| Jan mean C = 4.3
| Feb mean C = 4.7
| Mar mean C = 6.6
| Apr mean C = 9.0
| May mean C = 11.9
| Jun mean C = 14.8
| Jul mean C = 16.8
| Aug mean C = 16.5
| Sep mean C = 13.9
| Oct mean C = 10.5
| Nov mean C = 6.9
| Dec mean C = 4.6
| year mean C = 10.0
| Jan low C = 1.6
| Feb low C = 1.6
| Mar low C = 2.9
| Apr low C = 4.6
| May low C = 7.3
| Jun low C = 10.2
| Jul low C = 12.1
| Aug low C = 12.0
| Sep low C = 9.7
| Oct low C = 7.1
| Nov low C = 4.0
| Dec low C = 1.9
| year low C = 6.3
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 72.0
| Feb precipitation mm = 55.1
| Mar precipitation mm = 50.9
| Apr precipitation mm = 56.5
| May precipitation mm = 61.0
| Jun precipitation mm = 68.4
| Jul precipitation mm = 65.8
| Aug precipitation mm = 67.5
| Sep precipitation mm = 68.2
| Oct precipitation mm = 81.4
| Nov precipitation mm = 78.7
| Dec precipitation mm = 83.9
| year precipitation mm = 809.3
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 12.8
| Feb precipitation days = 10.6
| Mar precipitation days = 10.0
| Apr precipitation days = 10.6
| May precipitation days = 10.2
| Jun precipitation days = 10.0
| Jul precipitation days = 9.7
| Aug precipitation days = 10.5
| Sep precipitation days = 10.0
| Oct precipitation days = 12.3
| Nov precipitation days = 13.3
| Dec precipitation days = 12.7
| year precipitation days = 132.5
| Jan sun = 52.9
| Feb sun = 76.5
| Mar sun = 117.6
| Apr sun = 157.0
| May sun = 187.0
| Jun sun = 180.6
| Jul sun = 193.5
| Aug sun = 175.0
| Sep sun = 140.0
| Oct sun = 102.5
| Nov sun = 63.1
| Dec sun = 55.6
| year sun = 1501.3
| source 1 = [[Met Office]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-climate-averages/gcqdkjm6k |title=Winterbourne 1991–2020 averages |publisher=Met Office |access-date=19 December 2021}}</ref>
Meteo Climat<ref>{{cite web |url=http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/station-500-1970-2020.php |title=STATION BIRMINGHAM |access-date=24 May 2021 |publisher=Meteo climat}}</ref>
 
}}
 
{|style="width:100%;text-align:center;line-height:1.2em;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto" class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|-
!Colspan=14|Climate data for Birmingham
|-
!Month
!Jan
!Feb
!Mar
!Apr
!May
!Jun
!Jul
!Aug
!Sep
!Oct
!Nov
!Dec
!style="border-left-width:medium"|Year
|-
!Mean daily daylight hours
| style="background:#e2e200; color:#000;"|8.0
| style="background:#f0f011; color:#000;"|10.0
| style="background:#ff3; color:#000;"|12.0
| style="background:#ff5; color:#000;"|14.0
| style="background:#ff7; color:#000;"|16.0
| style="background:#ffff88; color:#000;"|17.0
| style="background:#ff7; color:#000;"|16.0
| style="background:#ff6; color:#000;"|15.0
| style="background:#ff4; color:#000;"|13.0
| style="background:#f7f722; color:#000;"|11.0
| style="background:#e9e900; color:#000;"|9.0
| style="background:#e2e200; color:#000;"|8.0
| style="background:#ffff3a; color:#000; border-left-width:medium;"|12.4
|-
!Average [[Ultraviolet index]]
| style="background:#289500; color:#000;"|1
| style="background:#289500; color:#000;"|1
| style="background:#289500; color:#000;"|2
| style="background:#f7e400; color:#000;"|4
| style="background:#f7e400; color:#000;"|5
| style="background:#f85900; color:#000;"|6
| style="background:#f85900; color:#000;"|6
| style="background:#f7e400; color:#000;"|5
| style="background:#f7e400; color:#000;"|4
| style="background:#289500; color:#000;"|2
| style="background:#289500; color:#000;"|1
| style="background:#289500; color:#000;"|0
| style="background:#f7e400; color:#000; border-left-width:medium;"|3.1
|-
!Colspan=14 style="background:#f8f9fa;font-weight:normal;font-size:95%;"|Source: Weather Atlas<ref name="Weather Atlas">{{cite web |url=https://www.weather-atlas.com/en/united-kingdom/birmingham-climate |title=Birmingham, United Kingdom – Monthly weather forecast and Climate data |publisher=Weather Atlas |access-date=25 January 2019}}</ref>
|}
 
===Environment===
{{further|Parks and open spaces in Birmingham|West Midlands Green Belt}}
[[File:Birmingham Botanical Gardens. - geograph.org.uk - 835643.jpg|thumb|[[Birmingham Botanical Gardens (United Kingdom)|Birmingham Botanical Gardens]]]]
There are 571 parks within Birmingham<ref name="Biophilic">{{cite news |first=Morris |last=Steven |title=Birmingham joins San Francisco and Oslo in global green cities club |url=https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/apr/03/birmingham-san-francisco-oslo-global-green-biophilic-cities-club |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media |date=4 April 2014 |access-date=4 April 2014}}</ref> – more than any other European city<ref name="QuickandQuirkyFacts2">{{cite web |title=Quick and Quirky Facts: 2 |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=WT-General%2FPageLayout&cid=1223092626223&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FWrapper |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=5 April 2014 |archive-date=5 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405063041/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=WT-General%2FPageLayout&cid=1223092626223&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FWrapper |url-status=dead}}</ref> – totalling over {{convert|3500|ha|sqmi}} of public open space.<ref name="Biophilic"/> The city has over six million trees,<ref name="QuickandQuirkyFacts2"/> and {{convert|250|mi|abbr=off}} of urban brooks and streams.<ref name="Biophilic"/> [[Sutton Park, West Midlands|Sutton Park]], which covers {{convert|2400|acres|0|abbr=on}} in the north of the city,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Parks-Ranger-Service%2FPageLayout&cid=1223092737719&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FWrapper |title=Sutton Park |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=5 April 2014 |archive-date=22 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122041003/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Parks-Ranger-Service%2FPageLayout&cid=1223092737719&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FWrapper |url-status=dead}}</ref> is the largest urban park in Europe and a [[national nature reserves in England|national nature reserve]].<ref name="Biophilic"/> [[Birmingham Botanical Gardens (United Kingdom)|Birmingham Botanical Gardens]], located close to the city centre, retains the [[Regency era|regency]] landscape of its original design by [[J. C. Loudon]] in 1829,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk/gardens2/history2 |title=The Gardens' History |access-date=5 April 2014 |year=2012 |publisher=Birmingham Botanical Gardens |archive-date=6 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606030345/http://birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk/gardens2/history2 |url-status=dead}}</ref> while the [[Winterbourne Botanic Garden]] in [[Edgbaston]] reflects the more informal [[Arts and Crafts Movement|Arts and Crafts]] tastes of its [[Edwardian era|Edwardian]] origins.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/caring/listing/showcase/case-studies/winterbourne-botanic-garden/ |title=Winterbourne Botanic Garden |access-date=5 April 2014 |publisher=English Heritage}}</ref>
 
Several green spaces within the borough are designated as [[Green belt (United Kingdom)|green belt]], as a portion of the wider West Midlands Green Belt. This is a strategic local government policy used to prevent [[urban sprawl]] and preserve [[greenfield land]]. Areas included are the aforementioned Sutton Park; land along the borough boundary by the Sutton Coldfield, Walmley and Minworth suburbs; Kingfisher, Sheldon, Woodgate Valley country parks; grounds by the Wake Green football club; Bartley and Frankley reservoirs; and Handsworth cemetery with surrounding golf courses.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Council |first1=Birmingham City |title=PG1 Green Belt Assessment 2013.pdf {{!}} Birmingham City Council|url=https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/downloads/file/1763/pg1_green_belt_assessment_2013pdf|website=www.birmingham.gov.uk}}</ref>
 
Birmingham has many areas of wildlife that lie in both informal settings such as the [[Kingfisher Country Park|Project Kingfisher]] and [[Woodgate Valley Country Park]] and in a selection of parks such as [[Lickey Hills Country Park]], [[Pype Hayes Park]] & Newhall Valley, [[Handsworth Park]], [[Kings Heath Park]], and [[Cannon Hill Park]], the latter also housing the mini zoo, [[Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Parks%2FPageLayout&cid=1223092603593&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FWrapper |title=Birmingham City Council website: Your local park |access-date=4 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504123705/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Parks%2FPageLayout&cid=1223092603593&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FWrapper |archive-date=4 May 2012}}</ref>
 
==Demographics==
{{Main|Demography of Birmingham}}
 
[[File:Birmingham population.PNG|thumb|left|Historical population of Birmingham, between 1651 and 2011<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10104180/cube/TOT_POP |title=A Vision of Britain through time, Population Statistics, University of Portsmouth, Birmingham District through time: Total Population |access-date=15 July 2013}}</ref>]]
 
The 2012 mid-year estimate for the population of Birmingham was 1,085,400. This was an increase of 11,200, or 1.0%, since the same time in 2011. Since 2001, the population has grown by 99,500, or 10.1%. Birmingham is the largest local Authority area and city in the UK outside of London. The population density is 10,391 inhabitants per square mile (4,102/km<sup>2</sup>) compared to the 976.9 inhabitants per square mile (377.2/km<sup>2</sup>) for England. Based on the [[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 UK Census]], Birmingham's population is projected to reach 1,160,100 by 2021, an increase of 8.0%. This compares with an estimated rate of 9.1% for the previous decade.<ref name="birm.govpop">{{Cite web |url=https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/population |title=Overview &#124; Population and census &#124; Birmingham City Council |website=www.birmingham.gov.uk}}</ref>
 
The [[West Midlands conurbation]] had a population of 2,441,00 (2011 est.,), and 2,762,700 people live in the [[West Midlands (county)]] (2012 est.,).
 
{{bar box
|title=Ethnicity of Birmingham residents, 2011
|caption= Source: 2011 Census<ref name=2011censusdemo>[http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-ks201ew.xls "2011 Census: Key Statistics for Local Authorities in England and Wales"]. [[Office for National Statistics|ONS]]. Retrieved 25 December 2012</ref>
|titlebar=#ccc
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|White|#ccf|57.9}}
{{bar percent|Asian|#ccf|26.6}}
{{bar percent|Black|#ccf|8.9}}
{{bar percent|Mixed|#ccf|4.4}}
{{bar percent|Other|#ccf|1.2}}
{{bar percent|Arab|#ccf|1.0}}
}}
 
According to figures from the [[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 UK Census]], 57.9% of the population was [[White people|White]] (53.1% [[White British]], 2.1% [[Irish migration to Great Britain|White Irish]], 2.7% [[Other White]]), 4.4% of [[Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|mixed race]] (2.3% White and Black Caribbean, 0.3% White and Black African, 1.0% White and Asian, 0.8% Other Mixed), 26.6% [[British Asian|Asian]] (13.5% [[British Pakistanis|Pakistani]], 6.0% [[British Indian|Indian]], 3.0% [[British Bangladeshi|Bangladeshi]], 1.2% [[British Chinese|Chinese]], 2.9% Other Asian), 8.9% [[Black British|Black]] (2.8% African, 4.4% [[British African-Caribbean people|Caribbean]], 1.7% [[Other Black]]), 1.0% [[British Arab|Arab]] and 1.0% of other ethnic heritage.<ref name="ons.gov.uk">{{cite web |url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-ks201ew.xls |title=2011 Census: Ethnic group, local authorities in England and Wales |publisher=ONS |access-date=12 December 2012}}</ref> 57% of primary and 52% of secondary pupils are from non-White British families.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/27/nschools127.xml |title=One fifth of children from ethnic minorities |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=UK |first=Graeme |last=Paton |date=1 October 2007 |access-date=28 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080417152416/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2007%2F09%2F27%2Fnschools127.xml |archive-date=17 April 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
238,313 Birmingham residents were born overseas, of these, 44% (103,682) have been resident in the UK for less than ten years. Countries new to the twenty most reported countries of birth for Birmingham residents since 2001 include; [[Iran]], [[Zimbabwe]], the [[Philippines]] and [[Nigeria]]. Established migrants outnumbered newer migrants in all wards except for, Edgbaston, Ladywood, Nechells and Selly Oak.
 
In Birmingham, 60.4% of the population was aged between 16 and 74, compared to 66.7% in England as a whole.<ref name=KS>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=26205&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=11333 |title=2001 Census of Population: Key Findings |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609032140/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=26205&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=11333 |archive-date=9 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> There are generally more females than males in each single year of age, except for the youngest ages (0–18) and late-30s and late-50s. Females represented 51.6% of the population whilst men represented 48.4%. The differences are most marked in the oldest age group reflecting greater female longevity, where more women were 70 or over.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/Media?MEDIA_ID=172964 |title=2001 Population Census: Gender Profiles |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609145143/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/Media?MEDIA_ID=172964 |archive-date=9 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The bulge around the early 20s is due largely to students coming to the city's universities. Children around age ten are a relatively small group, reflecting the decline in birth rates around the turn of the century. There is a large group of children under the age of five reflecting high numbers of births in recent years. Births are up 20% since 2001, increasing from 14,427 to 17,423 in 2011.
 
In 2011, of all households in Birmingham, 0.12% were same-sex [[Civil union|civil partnership]] households, compared to the English national average of 0.16%.<ref name="GayPopulation">{{cite web |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=6275020&c=Birmingham&d=13&e=61&g=6363493&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=1&m=0&r=1&s=1393453051784&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2518 |title=Birmingham Neighbourhood Statistics&nbsp;– Same-Sex couples |access-date=26 February 2014 |publisher=Office for National Statistics |year=2001 |archive-date=12 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012022033/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=6275020&c=Birmingham&d=13&e=61&g=6363493&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=1&m=0&r=1&s=1393453051784&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2518 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
25.9% of all households owned their accommodation outright, another 29.3% owned their accommodation with a mortgage or loan. These figures were below the national average.<ref name=census2011>{{cite web |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=6275020&c=Birmingham&d=13&e=62&g=6363493&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1393454290862&enc=1 |title=Neighbourhood Statistics, Area: Birmingham (Local Authority) |website=neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk |publisher=Office for National Statistics |date=2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150506074607/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=6275020&c=Birmingham&d=13&e=62&g=6363493&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1393454290862&enc=1 |archive-date=6 May 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
45.5% of people said they were in very good health which was below the national average. Another 33.9% said they were in good health, which was also below the national average. 9.1% of people said their day-to-day activities were limited a lot by their health which was higher than the national average.<ref name=census2011/>
 
The Birmingham [[Larger Urban Zone]], a [[Eurostat]] measure of the functional city-region approximated to local government districts, has a population of 2,357,100 in 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.urbanaudit.org/CityProfiles.aspx?CityCode=UK002C&CountryCode=UK |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130819172757/http://www.urbanaudit.org/CityProfiles.aspx?CityCode=UK002C&CountryCode=UK |archive-date=19 August 2013 |title=Urban Audit – City Profiles: Birmingham |publisher=Urban Audit |access-date=5 October 2008}}</ref> In addition to Birmingham itself, the LUZ includes the Metropolitan Boroughs of [[Metropolitan Borough of Dudley|Dudley]], [[Sandwell]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Solihull|Solihull]] and [[Metropolitan Borough of Walsall|Walsall]], along with the districts of [[Lichfield (district)|Lichfield]], [[Tamworth, Staffordshire|Tamworth]], [[North Warwickshire]] and [[Bromsgrove (district)|Bromsgrove]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.london.gov.uk/archive/mayor/economic_unit/docs/wp13_towards_a_common_standard.pdf |title=Towards a Common Standard |page=28 |publisher=Greater London Authority |access-date=5 October 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604094316/http://www.london.gov.uk/archive/mayor/economic_unit/docs/wp13_towards_a_common_standard.pdf |archive-date=4 June 2011}}</ref>
 
===Religion===
{{Main|Religion in Birmingham}}
{{bar box
|title=Religion of Birmingham residents, 2011
|caption= Source: 2011 Census<ref name="census-religion">{{cite web |url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-ks209ew.xls |title=2011 Census: KS209EW Religion, local authorities in England and Wales (Excel sheet 270Kb) |access-date=3 April 2014 |date=11 December 2012 |work=2011 Census, Key Statistics for Local Authorities in England and Wales |publisher=Office for National Statistics}}</ref>
|titlebar=#ccc
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|Christian|#ccf|46.1}}
{{bar percent|Muslim|#ccf|21.8}}
{{bar percent|No religion|#ccf|19.3}}
{{bar percent|Religion not stated|#ccf|6.5}}
{{bar percent|Sikh|#ccf|3.0}}
{{bar percent|Hindu|#ccf|2.1}}
{{bar percent|Other religion|#ccf|0.5}}
{{bar percent|Buddhist|#ccf|0.4}}
{{bar percent|Jewish|#ccf|0.2}}
}}
}}
[[Christianity]] is the largest religion within Birmingham, with 46.1% of residents identifying as Christians in the [[United Kingdom Census 2011|2011 Census]].<ref name="census-religion"/> The city's religious profile is highly diverse: outside London, Birmingham has the United Kingdom's largest [[Islam|Muslim]], [[Sikhism|Sikh]] and [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] communities; its second largest [[Hinduism|Hindu]] community; and its seventh largest [[Judaism|Jewish]] community.<ref name="census-religion"/> Between the 2001 and 2011 censuses, the proportion of Christians in Birmingham decreased from 59.1% to 46.1%, while the proportion of Muslims increased from 14.3% to 21.8% and the proportion of people with no religious affiliation increased from 12.4% to 19.3%. All other religions remained proportionately similar.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=6563&More=Y |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031221161936/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=6563&More=Y |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 December 2003 |title=KS07 Religion: Census 2001, Key Statistics for local Authorities |access-date=12 September 2010 |date=13 February 2003 |format=excel |work=Census 2001 |publisher=Office for National Statistics}}</ref>
'''Birmingham''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=en-uk-Birmingham.ogg|ˈ|b|ɜːr|m|ɪ|ŋ|ə|m}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wordreference.com/enit/birmingham |title=Birmingham |publisher=Wordreference.com}}</ref> {{respell|BUR|ming|əm}}) is a [[city]] and [[metropolitan borough]] in the [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]], [[England]]. It is the second-largest [[metropolitan area]] and [[city]] in the [[United Kingdom]]. About 1.1 million people live in Birmingham. Around 4.3 million people live in its metropolitan area.<ref name="CDBir">{{cite web |title=POPULATION OF BIRMINGHAM 2017 (UK) |url=https://countrydigest.org/population-of-birmingham/ |publisher=Country Digest |accessdate=2 October 2018 |archive-date=2 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002141806/https://countrydigest.org/population-of-birmingham/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Planning-and-Regeneration%2FPageLayout&cid=1223096353755&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FWrapper |title=Population and Census |publisher=Birmingham City Council |date=7 July 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126101950/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Planning-and-Regeneration%2FPageLayout&cid=1223096353755&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FWrapper |archivedate=26 November 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="ONS-2001-2011_census">{{cite web|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/population-and-household-estimates-for-england-and-wales---unrounded-figures-for-the-data-published-16-july-2012/rft-1-2-ew-fact-file.xls|title=2011 Census: Population and household estimates fact file, unrounded estimates, local authorities in England and Wales (Excel sheet 708Kb)|accessdate=30 December 2013|date=24 September 2012|format=xls|publisher=Office for National Statistics}}</ref> Many people call it the "second city" of the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web |title=England's second city: Birmingham |date=24 May 2013 |url=http://www.britain-magazine.com/carousel/birmingham-englands-second-city/ |publisher=Britain Magazine |accessdate=11 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Nation's 'second city', Birmingham, is UK's fastest growing regional tourist destination, according to figures |date=24 October 2015 |url=http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/smallbusiness/article-3287741/Nation-s-second-city-Birmingham-UK-s-fastest-growing-regional-tourist-destination-according-figures.html |publisher=This is Money |accessdate=11 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=An ode to Birmingham: how can the UK's second city fix its image problem? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jul/12/ode-to-birmingham-britain-second-city |work=The Guardian|date=12 July 2014 |accessdate=11 June 2018}}</ref>
 
[[St Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham|St Philip's Cathedral]] was upgraded from church status when the [[Anglican Diocese of Birmingham]] was created in 1905. There are two other cathedrals: [[Cathedral of Saint Chad, Birmingham|St Chad's]], seat of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham]] and the [[Birmingham Orthodox Cathedral|Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and St Andrew]]. The [[Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Midlands and Affiliated Areas U.K.|Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Midlands]] is also based at Birmingham, with a cathedral under construction. The original parish church of Birmingham, [[St Martin in the Bull Ring]], is [[listed building|Grade II* listed]]. A short distance from [[Five Ways, Birmingham|Five Ways]] the [[Birmingham Oratory]] was completed in 1910 on the site of [[Cardinal Newman]]'s original foundation. There are several [[Christadelphian]] meeting halls in the city and the Christadelphian Magazine and Publishing Group has its headquarters in [[Hall Green]].
 
The oldest surviving synagogue in Birmingham is the 1825 [[Greek Revival]] [[Severn Street Synagogue]], now a [[Freemason]]s' Lodge hall. It was replaced in 1856 by the [[listed building|Grade II* listed]] [[Singers Hill Synagogue]]. [[Birmingham Central Mosque]], one of the largest in Europe, was constructed in the 1960s.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/faith/places_of_worship/muslim/birmingham_central_mosque.shtml |title=Birmingham Central Mosque |publisher=BBC Birmingham Faith |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108094047/http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/faith/places_of_worship/muslim/birmingham_central_mosque.shtml |archive-date=8 January 2009}}</ref> During the late 1990s [[Ghamkol Shariff Masjid]] was built in [[Small Heath, Birmingham|Small Heath]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/tm_objectid=14707141%26method=full%26siteid=50002%26headline=new-city-mosque-a-symbol-of-peace-name_page.htmlicBirmingham |title=New city mosque a Symbol of Peace |publisher=Icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk |date=1 October 2004 |access-date=12 April 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110622071627/http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/tm_objectid%3D14707141%26method%3Dfull%26siteid%3D50002%26headline%3Dnew-city-mosque-a-symbol-of-peace-name_page.htmlicBirmingham |archive-date=22 June 2011}}</ref> The Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha [[Sikhism|Sikh]] [[Gurdwara]] was built on Soho Road in Handsworth in the late 1970s and the [[Theravada Buddhist]] [[Dhamma Talaka Peace Pagoda]] near [[Edgbaston Reservoir]] in the 1990s. [[Winners' Chapel]] also maintains physical presence in [[Digbeth]].
 
==Economy==
{{Main|Economy of Birmingham}}
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[[File:ColmoreRowBirmingham.jpg|thumb|[[Colmore Row]], at the heart of Birmingham's Business District, is traditionally the most prestigious business address in the city.<ref>{{cite news |title=Colmore Row |url=http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/all-about/colmore%20row |newspaper=Birmingham Post |publisher=Trinity Mirror Midlands |access-date=3 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140411021312/http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/all-about/colmore%20row |archive-date=11 April 2014}}</ref>]]Birmingham grew to prominence as a centre of manufacturing and engineering. The [[Gun Quarter]] is a district of the city that was, for many years, a centre of the world's gun-manufacturing industry. The first recorded gun maker in Birmingham was in 1630, and locally made muskets were used in the [[English Civil War]]. The Gun Quarter is an industrial area to the north of the [[Birmingham city centre|city centre]], bounded by Steelhouse Lane, Shadwell Street, and Loveday Street, specialising in the production of military firearms and sporting guns. Many buildings in the area are disused but plans are in place for redevelopment including in Shadwell Street and Vesey Street.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Tamlyn |title=New 21-story apartment block set for Birmingham city centre |url=http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/commercial-property/new-plans-revealed-21-storey-13876109 |website=birminghampost |access-date=9 January 2018 |date=9 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Tamlyn |title=Plans revealed for 24-storey student flats complex |url=http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/commercial-property/plans-revealed-24-storey-student-13801125 |website=birminghampost |access-date=9 January 2018 |date=24 October 2017}}</ref>
 
The economy of Birmingham is dominated by the [[tertiary sector of industry|service sector]], which accounted for 88% of the city's employment in 2012.<ref name="nomisweb"/> Birmingham is the largest centre in Great Britain for employment in [[public administration]], [[education]] and [[Health care|health]];<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/lmp/la/1946157186/subreports/bres_compared/report.aspx?allInGB=yes&pivot=13&&sort=1&ascending= |title=Birmingham – Employee Jobs (2012) – Area Comparison – Public admin, education and health (O-Q) (Great Britain) |access-date=29 March 2014 |work=Nomis-Official Labour Market Statistics |publisher=Office for National Statistics}}</ref> and after [[Leeds]] the second-largest centre outside London for employment in [[Financial services|financial and other business services]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/lmp/la/1946157186/subreports/bres_compared/report.aspx?allInGB=yes&pivot=12&&sort=1&ascending= |title=Birmingham – Employee Jobs (2012) – Area Comparison – Financial and other business services(K-N) (Great Britain) |access-date=29 March 2014 |work=Nomis-Official Labour Market Statistics |publisher=Office for National Statistics}}</ref> The wider [[metropolitan economy]] is the [[List of metropolitan economies in the United Kingdom|second-largest in the United Kingdom]] with a [[GDP]] of $121.1&nbsp;billion (2014 estimate, [[Purchasing power parity|PPP]]).<ref name="brookingsgdp"/> Major companies headquartered in Birmingham include the engineering company [[IMI plc]], [[National Express]], [[Patisserie Valerie]], [[Claire's]], and [[Mitchells & Butlers]]; including the wider metropolitan area, the city has the largest concentration of major companies outside London and the South East.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://assets.hs2.org.uk/sites/default/files/inserts/Higgins%20Report%20-%20HS2%20Plus.pdf |title=HS2 Plus – A report by David Higgins |access-date=3 April 2014 |last=Higgins |first=David |year=2014 |publisher=Department for Transport |page=7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140722165919/http://assets.hs2.org.uk/sites/default/files/inserts/Higgins%20Report%20-%20HS2%20Plus.pdf |archive-date=22 July 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> hosting headquarters for [[Gymshark]] and [[Severn Trent Water]]. With major facilities such as the [[National Exhibition Centre]] and [[International Convention Centre, Birmingham|International Convention Centre]], Birmingham attracts 42% of the UK's total conference and exhibition trade.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.corecities.com/about-us/core-cities/birmingham |title=Birmingham |publisher=Core Cities |access-date=23 February 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022105258/http://www.corecities.com/about-us/core-cities/birmingham |archive-date=22 October 2013}}</ref>
 
[[File:Paris Motor Show 2012 (8065248951).jpg|thumb|left|The [[Jaguar F-Type]], made by [[Jaguar Land Rover]] at [[Castle Bromwich Assembly]]]]
In 2012, manufacturing accounted for 8% of the employment in Birmingham, a figure below the average for the UK as a whole.<ref name="nomisweb"/> Major industrial plants in the city include [[Jaguar Land Rover]] in [[Castle Bromwich]] and [[Cadbury]] in [[Bournville]], with large local producers also supporting a [[supply chain]] of precision-based small manufacturers and craft industries.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Brett |last1=Gibbons |first2=Stacey |last2=Barnfield |title=ONS data analysis: The value of West Midlands business and how it compares to other regions |url=http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/incoming/data-analysis-value-west-midlands-6289037 |newspaper=Birmingham Post |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=10 November 2013 |access-date=20 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706044030/http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/incoming/data-analysis-value-west-midlands-6289037 |archive-date=6 July 2014}}</ref> More traditional industries also remain: 40% of the [[jewellery]] made in the UK is still produced by the 300 independent manufacturers of the city's [[Jewellery Quarter]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.craftsinstitute.com/making-jewellery/features/articles/features/birminghams-jewellery-quarter.aspx |title=Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter |access-date=20 April 2014 |last=Mason-Burns |first=Sue |date=25 April 2013 |publisher=Crafts Institute |archive-date=13 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113053614/http://www.craftsinstitute.com/making-jewellery/features/articles/features/birminghams-jewellery-quarter.aspx |url-status=dead}}</ref> continuing a trade first recorded in Birmingham in 1308.<ref name="Leather 2001 12"/>
 
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin-left: 2em;"
|+''Nominal GVA for Birmingham 2010–2015. Note 2015 is provisional''<ref name="Headline Nominal GVA">{{cite web |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossvalueaddedgva/bulletins/regionalgrossvalueaddedincomeapproach/december2016 |title=Regional gross value added (income approach), UK: 1997 to 2015 |date=15 December 2016 |publisher=Office for National Statistics |website=ons.gov.uk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170213070059/https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossvalueaddedgva/bulletins/regionalgrossvalueaddedincomeapproach/december2016 |archive-date=13 February 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! Year || GVA <br />(£ million) || Growth (%)
|-
 
|-
| 2010 || 20,795 || {{increase}}{{0}}2.1%
|-
| 2011 || 21,424 || {{increase}}{{0}}3.0%
|-
| 2012 || 21,762 || {{increase}}{{0}}1.6%
|-
| 2013 || 22,644 || {{increase}}{{0}}4.1%
|-
| 2014 || 23,583 || {{increase}}{{0}}4.2%
|-
| 2015 || 24,790 || {{increase}}{{0}}5.2%
|}
Birmingham's [[Gross Value Added|GVA]] was estimated to be £24.8&nbsp;billion in 2015, economic growth accelerated each successive year between 2013 and 2015, and with an annual growth of 4.2% in 2015, GVA per head grew at the second-fastest rate of England's eight "Core Cities". The value of manufacturing output in the city declined by 21% in real terms between 1997 and 2010, but the value of financial and insurance activities more than doubled.<ref name="economist.com">{{cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/blighty/2012/11/birmingham |newspaper=The Economist |title=Second city blues |date=8 November 2012}}</ref> With 16,281 [[Startup company|start-ups]] registered during 2013, Birmingham has the highest level of entrepreneurial activity outside London,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.startupbritain.co/news/2014-01-26/new-figures-reveal-regional-entrepreneurial-hotspots |title=New figures reveal regional entrepreneurial hotpots |date=26 January 2014 |publisher=StartUp Britain |access-date=23 February 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140208022335/http://www.startupbritain.co/news/2014-01-26/new-figures-reveal-regional-entrepreneurial-hotspots |archive-date=8 February 2014}}</ref> while the number of registered businesses in the city grew by 8.1% during 2016.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/f6081f66-bd94-11e6-8b45-b8b81dd5d080 |title=Birmingham races ahead for new businesses but jobs still a battle |work=Financial Times |access-date=18 December 2016}}</ref> Birmingham was behind only [[London]] and [[Edinburgh]] for private sector job creation between 2010 and 2013.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25879681 |title=Centre for Cities says economic gap with London widening |date=27 January 2014 |work=BBC News |access-date=23 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140130072646/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-25879681 |archive-date=30 January 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>
 
Economic inequality in Birmingham is greater than in any other major English city, exceeded only by [[Glasgow]] in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.centreforcities.org/assets/files/2014/Cities_Outlook_2014.pdf |title=Cities Outlook 2014 |access-date=5 April 2014 |date=January 2014 |publisher=Centre for Cities |page=48 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140210182527/http://www.centreforcities.org/assets/files/2014/Cities_Outlook_2014.pdf |archive-date=10 February 2014}}</ref> Levels of unemployment are among the highest in the country, with 10% of the economically active population unemployed (June 2016).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/lmp/la/1946157186/subreports/ea_compared/report.aspx?allInGB=yes&pivot=5&&sort=2&ascending= |title=All people – Economically active – Unemployed (model based) (Great Britain) |access-date=20 April 2014 |date=December 2013 |work=Nomis – official labour market statistics |publisher=Office for National Statistics}}</ref> In the inner-city wards of Aston and Washwood Heath, the figure is higher than 30%. Two-fifths of Birmingham's population live in areas classified as in the 10% most deprived parts of England, and overall Birmingham is the most deprived local authority in England in terms of income and employment deprivation.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-indices-of-deprivation-2010 |title=English indices of deprivation 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724161146/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-indices-of-deprivation-2010 |archive-date=24 July 2013}}</ref> The city's infant mortality rate is high, around 60% worse than the national average.<ref name=econbir>{{cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/news/britain/21565961-britains-largest-city-outside-london-falling-behind-it-case-study-effects |newspaper=The Economist |title=Second city, second class |date=10 November 2012}}</ref> Meanwhile, just 49% of women have jobs, compared to 65% nationally,<ref name=econbir/> and only 28% of the working-age population in Birmingham have degree level qualifications in contrast to the average of 34% across other Core Cities.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/lmp/la/1946157186/report.aspx?town=Birmingham#tabquals |title=Labour Market Profile - Nomis - Official Labour Market Statistics |website=www.nomisweb.co.uk}}</ref>
 
According to the 2014 Mercer Quality of Living Survey, Birmingham was placed 51st in the world, which was the second-highest rating in the UK. The city's quality of life rating has continued to improve over the years and Birmingham was ranked 49th in the world in the 2019 survey. This is the first time it has featured in the top 50.<ref>{{cite news |first=Graeme |last=Brown |title=Birmingham ranked alongside Rome in quality of life survey |url=http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/news/regional-affairs/birmingham-ranked-alongside-rome-quality-6999479 |newspaper=Birmingham Post |publisher=Trinity Mirror |date=17 April 2014 |access-date=20 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140420031951/http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/news/regional-affairs/birmingham-ranked-alongside-rome-quality-6999479 |archive-date=20 April 2014}}</ref> The [[Big City Plan]] of 2008 aims to move the city into the index's top 20 by 2026.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%252Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-Disposition&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1223399886877&ssbinary=true&blobheadervalue1=attachment%253B%2Bfilename%253D36372BCC65a.pdf |title=Birmingham Big City Plan – Work in Progress |access-date=20 April 2014 |publisher=Birmingham City Council |pages=7, 13 |archive-date=29 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629212344/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%252Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-Disposition&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1223399886877&ssbinary=true&blobheadervalue1=attachment%253B%2Bfilename%253D36372BCC65a.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref> An area of the city has been designated an [[Urban Enterprise Zone|enterprise zone]], with tax relief and simplified planning to lure investment.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.searchofficespace.com/sos-news/uk-government-create-4-enterprise-zones-to-help-small-businesses.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714023949/http://news.searchofficespace.com/sos-news/uk-government-create-4-enterprise-zones-to-help-small-businesses.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 July 2012 |title=UK Government creates 4 enterprise zones to help small businesses |publisher=News.searchofficespace.com |date=28 July 2011 |access-date=15 September 2011}}</ref>
 
According to 2019 property investment research, Birmingham is rated as the number one location for "The Best Places To Invest in Property in the UK". This was attributed to a 5% increase in house prices and local investment into infrastructure.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.propertyip.net/news/where-to-invest-in-uk-property-2019/ |title=Where To Invest in Property |website=Property Investor Partnership |language=en-GB |access-date=11 April 2019}}</ref>
 
==Culture==
{{Main|Culture of Birmingham}}
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===Music===
{{See also|Classical music of Birmingham|Jazz of Birmingham|Popular music of Birmingham}}
[[File:Mirga and the CBSO at Symphony Hall 29-01-2017.jpg|thumb|right|[[Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla]] conducting the [[City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra]] at [[Symphony Hall, Birmingham|Symphony Hall]]]]
[[File:Birmingham Town Hall, geograph 3664263 by Jim Osley.jpg|thumb|[[Birmingham Town Hall]] dating from 1834, one of the most prominent music venues in the city]]
The [[City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra]]'s home venue is [[Symphony Hall (Birmingham)|Symphony Hall]]. Other notable professional orchestras based in the city include the [[Birmingham Contemporary Music Group]], the [[Royal Ballet Sinfonia]] and [[Ex Cathedra]], a [[Baroque music|Baroque]] chamber choir and [[Historically informed performance|period instrument]] orchestra. The [[Orchestra of the Swan]] is the resident [[chamber orchestra]] at [[Birmingham Town Hall]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abo.org.uk/Members-Directory/Full-Members/Member/?120 |title=Orchestra of the Swan |access-date=18 December 2011 |publisher=Association of British Orchestras |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110915014515/http://www.abo.org.uk/Members-Directory/Full-Members/Member/?120 |archive-date=15 September 2011}}</ref> where weekly recitals have also been given by the [[Birmingham City Organist|City Organist]] since 1834.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=37342&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=126 |title=Birmingham Town Hall: The Organ |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611231917/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=37342&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=126 |archive-date=11 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
The [[Birmingham Triennial Music Festival]]s took place from 1784 to 1912. Music was specially composed, conducted or performed by [[Felix Mendelssohn|Mendelssohn]], [[Charles Gounod|Gounod]], [[Arthur Sullivan|Sullivan]], [[Antonín Dvořák|Dvořák]], [[Granville Bantock|Bantock]] and [[Edward Elgar]], who wrote four of his most famous choral pieces for Birmingham. Elgar's ''[[The Dream of Gerontius]]'' had its début performance there in 1900. Composers born in the city include [[Albert William Ketèlbey]] and [[Andrew Glover (composer)|Andrew Glover]].
 
[[Jazz]] has been popular in the city since the 1920s,<ref>{{cite book |last=Stephens |first=W. B. |editor=Stephens, W. B. |title=The City of Birmingham |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.aspx?pubid=104 |access-date=2 January 2012 |series=The Victoria History of the County of Warwick |year=1964 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |pages=209–222 |chapter=Social History before 1815 |chapter-url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22966}}</ref> and there are many regular festivals such as the Harmonic Festival, the Mostly Jazz Festival and the annual International Jazz Festival.
 
Birmingham's other city-centre music venues include [[Arena Birmingham]] (previously known as the National Indoor Arena and the Barclaycard Arena), which was opened in 1991, [[o2 Academy Birmingham|O2 Academy]] on Bristol Street, which opened in September 2009 replacing the [[o2 Academy Birmingham|O2 Academy]] in Dale End, the [[CBSO Centre]], opened in 1997, [[Digbeth Institute|HMV Institute]] in Digbeth and the Bradshaw Hall at the [[Royal Birmingham Conservatoire]].
 
[[File:Sabs.jpg|thumb|left|[[Black Sabbath]], pioneers of [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]],<ref name="Elflein 2017">{{cite book |last=Elflein |first=Dietmar |year=2017 |chapter=Iron and Steel: Forging Heavy Metal's Song Structures or the Impact of Black Sabbath and Judas Priest on Metal's Musical Language |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EL_OCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA35 |editor1-last=Brown |editor1-first=Andy R. |editor2-last=Kahn-Harris |editor2-first=Keith |editor3-last=Scott |editor3-first=Niall |editor4-last=Spracklen |editor4-first=Karl |title=Global Metal Music and Culture: Current Directions in Metal Studies |location=[[London]] |publisher=[[Routledge]] |pages=35–49 |isbn=9781138062597}}</ref> formed in Birmingham in 1968.]]
During the 1960s, Birmingham was the home of a music scene comparable to that of [[Liverpool]].<ref name="AMG-IdleRace">{{cite web |last=Eder |first=Bruce |title=The Idle Race |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-idle-race-p18402/biography |access-date=6 May 2012 |publisher=All Music Guide}}</ref> It was "a seething cauldron of musical activity", and the international success of groups such as [[The Move]], [[The Spencer Davis Group]], [[The Moody Blues]], [[Traffic (band)|Traffic]] and the [[Electric Light Orchestra]] had a collective influence that stretched into the 1970s and beyond.<ref name="AMG-IdleRace"/> The city was a centre for early [[heavy metal music]],<ref>{{cite news |first=Daniel |last=Trilling |title=Rocking the world |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/arts-and-culture/2007/07/heavy-metal-music-black |work=New Statesman |date=26 July 2007 |access-date=18 December 2011}}; {{cite book |last=Cope |first=Andrew L. |title=Black Sabbath and the rise of heavy metal music |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AfdTGdVhp7AC&pg=PA7 |access-date=18 December 2011 |year=2010 |publisher=Ashgate Publishing |location=Farnham |isbn=978-0-7546-6881-7 |page=7}}</ref> with pioneering metal bands from the late 1960s and 1970s such as [[Black Sabbath]],<ref name="Elflein 2017"/> [[Judas Priest]],<ref name="Elflein 2017"/> and half of [[Led Zeppelin]] having come from Birmingham. The next decade saw the influential metal bands [[Napalm Death]] and [[Godflesh]] emerge from the city. Birmingham was the birthplace of modern [[bhangra (music)|bhangra]] in the 1960s,<ref name="EmberEmberSkoggard">{{Citation |last1=Ember |first1=Melvin |last2=Ember |first2=Carol R. |last3=Skoggard |first3=Ian A. |year=2005 |title=Encyclopedia of Diasporas: Immigrant and Refugee Cultures Around the World |location=New York |publisher=Springer |page=282 |isbn=0-306-48321-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7QEjPVyd9YMC&pg=PA282 |access-date=15 June 2013}}</ref> and by the 1980s had established itself as the global centre of bhangra culture,<ref>{{Citation |last=Dudrah |first=Rajinder Kumar |title=Cultural Production in the British Bhangra Music Industry: Music-Making, Locality, and Gender |journal=International Journal of Punjab Studies |volume=9 |year=2002 |pages=206–207 |url=http://www.sohoroadtothepunjab.org/downloads/Cultural%20Production%20in%20British%20Bhangra.pdf |access-date=15 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012051348/http://www.sohoroadtothepunjab.org/downloads/Cultural%20Production%20in%20British%20Bhangra.pdf |archive-date=12 October 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> which has grown into a global phenomenon embraced by members of the [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin|Indian diaspora]] worldwide from [[Los Angeles]] to [[Singapore]].<ref name="EmberEmberSkoggard"/> The 1970s also saw the rise of [[reggae]] and [[ska]] in the city with such bands as [[Steel Pulse]], [[UB40]], [[Musical Youth]], [[The Beat (British band)|The Beat]] and [[Beshara (band)|Beshara]], expounding racial unity with politically leftist lyrics and multiracial line-ups, mirroring social currents in Birmingham at that time.
 
Other popular bands from Birmingham include [[Duran Duran]], [[Johnny Foreigner]], [[Fine Young Cannibals]], [[Felt (band)|Felt]], [[Broadcast (band)|Broadcast]], [[Ocean Colour Scene]], [[The Streets]], [[The Twang]], [[King Adora]], [[Dexys Midnight Runners]], and [[Magnum (band)|Magnum]]. Musicians [[Jeff Lynne]], [[Ozzy Osbourne]], [[Tony Iommi]], [[Bill Ward (musician)|Bill Ward]], [[Geezer Butler]], [[John Lodge (musician)|John Lodge]], [[Roy Wood]], [[Joan Armatrading]], [[Toyah Willcox]], [[Denny Laine]], [[Sukshinder Shinda]], [[Apache Indian]], [[Steve Winwood]], [[Jamelia]], [[Oceans Ate Alaska]], [[Fyfe Dangerfield]] and [[Laura Mvula]] all grew up in the city.
 
Since 2012 the [[Digbeth]]-based [[B-Town]] [[indie music]] scene has attracted widespread attention, led by bands such as [[Peace (band)|Peace]] and [[Swim Deep]], with the ''[[NME]]'' comparing Digbeth to London's [[Shoreditch]], and ''[[The Independent]]'' writing in 2012 that "Birmingham is fast becoming the best place in the UK to look to for the most exciting new music."<ref>{{cite news |first=Alison |last=King |title=Forget Madchester, it's all about the B-Town scene |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/forget-madchester-its-all-about-the-btown-scene-8207631.html |work=The Independent |publisher=Independent News and Media |date=13 October 2012 |access-date=27 May 2013 |location=London}}</ref>
 
===Theatre and performing arts===
[[File:Birmingham Hippodrome.jpg|thumb|The [[Birmingham Hippodrome]], home of the [[Birmingham Royal Ballet]], is the UK's busiest single theatre.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.danceconsortium.com/venues/birmingham-hippodrome/ |title=Birmingham Hippodrome |access-date=25 September 2012 |publisher=The Dance Consortium}}; {{cite web |url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/steeleye/business_continuity/prweb2962904.htm |title=Birmingham Hippodrome Achieves Business Continuity with SteelEye LifeKeeper |access-date=25 September 2012 |year=2009 |location=Menlo Park, CA |publisher=Vocus PRW Holdings |work=PRWeb}}; {{cite news |title=Glenn Howells and Mike Hayes join board of Birmingham Hippodrome |url=http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/glenn-howells-mike-hayes-join-3913104 |work=Birmingham Post |publisher=Trinity Mirror Midlands |date=19 April 2012 |access-date=25 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140504090056/http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/glenn-howells-mike-hayes-join-3913104 |archive-date=4 May 2014}}</ref>]]
[[Birmingham Repertory Theatre]] is Britain's longest-established [[producing theatre]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Cochrane |first=Claire |title=The Birmingham Rep – A city's theatre 1962–2002 |year=2003 |publisher=Sir Barry Jackson Trust |isbn=0-9545719-0-8 |page=1}}</ref> presenting a wide variety of work in its three auditoria on [[Centenary Square, Birmingham|Centenary Square]] and touring nationally and internationally.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/browse-regularly-funded-organisations/npo/birmingham-repertory-theatre-company/ |title=Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company |access-date=20 April 2014 |publisher=Arts Council England |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204222151/http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/browse-regularly-funded-organisations/npo/birmingham-repertory-theatre-company/ |archive-date=4 February 2014}}</ref> Other producing theatres in the city include the [[Blue Orange Theatre]] in the [[Jewellery Quarter]]; the [[Old Rep]], home stage of the [[Birmingham Stage Company]]; and [[@ A. E. Harris]], the base of the experimental [[Stan's Cafe]] theatre company, located within a working metal fabricators' factory. Touring [[theatre company|theatre companies]] include the politically radical [[Banner Theatre]], the [[Maverick Theatre Company]] and [[Kindle Theatre]]. The [[Alexandra Theatre (Birmingham)|Alexandra Theatre]] and the [[Birmingham Hippodrome]] host large-scale touring productions, while professional drama is performed on a wide range of stages across the city, including the [[Crescent Theatre]], the [[Custard Factory]], the [[Old Joint Stock Theatre]], [[The Drum (Arts Centre)|the Drum]] in [[Aston]] and the ''[[Mac (Birmingham)|mac]]'' in [[Cannon Hill Park]].
 
The [[Birmingham Royal Ballet]] is one of the United Kingdom's five major [[Ballet company|ballet companies]] and one of three based outside London.<ref>{{cite news |first=Sanjoy |last=Roy |title=Step-by-step guide to dance: Birmingham Royal Ballet |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2009/apr/08/dance-birmingham-royal-ballet |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media |date=8 April 2009 |access-date=30 October 2011 |quote=See also: The Royal Ballet, English National Ballet – the other two of the big three UK ballet companies. |location=London}}</ref> It is resident at the [[Birmingham Hippodrome]] and tours extensively nationally and internationally. The company's associated ballet school – [[Elmhurst School for Dance]] in [[Edgbaston]] – is the oldest vocational dance school in the country.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ballettrust.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15:specialist-dance-schools-up-to-gcse&catid=2:information&Itemid=2 |title=Specialist dance schools up to GCSE |access-date=30 October 2011 |publisher=The Ballet Trust |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112112810/http://www.ballettrust.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15:specialist-dance-schools-up-to-gcse&catid=2:information&Itemid=2 |archive-date=12 January 2012}}</ref>
 
The [[Birmingham Opera Company]] under artistic director [[Graham Vick]] has developed an international reputation for its [[avant-garde]] productions,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/rfo/birmingham-opera-company/ |title=Birmingham Opera Company |date=25 September 2009 |publisher=Arts Council England |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111020164933/http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/rfo/birmingham-opera-company/ |archive-date=20 October 2011}}</ref> which often take place in factories, abandoned buildings and other [[Stage (theatre)#Created and found spaces|found spaces]] around the city.<ref>{{cite journal |last=O'Neill |first=Sinéad |date=Summer–Autumn 2009 |title=Getting out of the House: Unorthodox Performance Spaces in Recent British and Irish Productions |journal=The Opera Quarterly |volume=25 |issue=3–4 |page=291 |url=http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/opera_quarterly/v025/25.3-4.o-neill.pdf |access-date=14 March 2011 |doi=10.1093/oq/kbp045 |s2cid=192050784}}</ref> More conventional seasons by [[Welsh National Opera]] and other visiting opera companies take place regularly at the [[Birmingham Hippodrome]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/rfo/welsh-national-opera/ |title=Welsh National Opera |date=25 September 2009 |publisher=Arts Council England |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919142709/http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/rfo/welsh-national-opera/ |archive-date=19 September 2011}}</ref>
 
The first dedicated comedy club outside of London, [[The Glee Club]], was opened in The Arcadian Centre, city centre, in 1994, and continues to host performances by leading regional, national and international acts.
 
===Literature===
{{Main|Literature of Birmingham}}
[[File:AudenVanVechten1939.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.65|[[W. H. Auden]] grew up in the Birmingham area and resided there for much of his early life.]]
 
Literary figures associated with Birmingham include [[Samuel Johnson]] who stayed in Birmingham for a short period and was born in nearby [[Lichfield]]. [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] worked in the Aston area of Birmingham whilst poet [[Louis MacNeice]] lived in Birmingham for six years. It was whilst staying in Birmingham that American author [[Washington Irving]] produced several of his most famous literary works, such as ''Bracebridge Hall'' and ''The Humorists, A Medley'' which are based on Aston Hall, as well as ''[[The Legend of Sleepy Hollow]]'' and ''[[Rip Van Winkle]]'' .
 
The poet [[W. H. Auden]] grew up in the Harborne area of the city and during the 1930s formed the core of the [[Auden Group]] with Birmingham University lecturer [[Louis MacNeice]]. Other influential poets associated with Birmingham include [[Roi Kwabena]], who was the city's sixth poet laureate,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=23945&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=5247 |title=About the Birmingham Poet Laureate |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609075008/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=23945&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=5247 |archive-date=9 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[Benjamin Zephaniah]], who was born in the city.
 
The author [[J. R. R. Tolkien]] was brought up in the [[Kings Heath]] area of Birmingham.<ref>''Biography'', Ch I, "Bloemfontein". At 9 Ashfield Road, King's Heath.</ref> The award-winning political playwright [[David Edgar (playwright)|David Edgar]] was born in Birmingham,<ref>{{cite web |title=David Edgar |url=https://literature.britishcouncil.org/writer/david-edgar |website=British Council |access-date=9 July 2018}}</ref> and the science fiction author [[John Wyndham]] spent his early childhood in the [[Edgbaston]] area of the city.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://christopher-priest.co.uk/essays/contemporaries-portrayed/john-wyndham-h-g-wells |title=John Wyndham & H G Wells – Christopher Priest |access-date=21 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190722220259/https://christopher-priest.co.uk/essays/contemporaries-portrayed/john-wyndham-h-g-wells |archive-date=22 July 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
Birmingham has a vibrant contemporary literary scene, with local authors including [[David Lodge (author)|David Lodge]], [[Jim Crace]], [[Jonathan Coe]], [[Joel Lane]] and [[Judith Cutler]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www3.shropshire-cc.gov.uk/birmingh.htm |title=Literary connections with Birmingham, Warwickshire |access-date=24 September 2010 |date=October 2009 |work=Literary Heritage West Midlands |publisher=Shropshire Council |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824081317/http://www3.shropshire-cc.gov.uk/birmingh.htm |archive-date=24 August 2010}}</ref> The city's leading contemporary literary publisher is the [[Tindal Street Press]], whose authors include prize-winning novelists [[Catherine O'Flynn]], [[Clare Morrall]] and [[Austin Clarke (novelist)|Austin Clarke]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.booktrade.info/index.php/showarticle/23388 |title=Tindal Street Press Celebrates 10 Years |access-date=25 September 2010 |date=24 September 2009 |publisher=booktrade.info |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719030756/http://www.booktrade.info/index.php/showarticle/23388 |archive-date=19 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
===Art and design===
{{Main|Art of Birmingham}}
[[File:David Cox - Rhyl Sands (Tate version).jpg|thumb|right|''Rhyl Sands'' (c.1854), by [[David Cox (artist)|David Cox]], a major figure in the [[Birmingham School (landscape artists)|Birmingham School]] of landscape artists]]The [[Birmingham School (landscape artists)|Birmingham School]] of [[landscape art]]ists emerged with [[Daniel Bond]] in the 1760s and was to last into the mid 19th century.<ref>{{cite book |last=Grant |first=Maurice Harold |title=A chronological history of the old English landscape painters, in oil, from the 16th century to the 19th century |volume=2 |year=1958 |publisher=F. Lewis |location=Leigh-on-Sea |oclc=499875203 |page=167 |chapter=The Birmingham School of Landscape}}</ref> Its most important figure was [[David Cox (artist)|David Cox]], whose later works make him an important precursor of [[impressionism]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Pillement |first=Georges |editor=Sérullaz, Maurice |title=Phaidon Encyclopedia of Impressionism |year=1978 |publisher=Phaidon |location=Oxford |isbn=0-7148-1897-6 |page=39 |chapter=The Precursors of Impressionism}}</ref> The influence of the [[Royal Birmingham Society of Artists]] and the [[Birmingham School of Art]] made Birmingham an important centre of Victorian art, particularly within the [[Pre-Raphaelite]] and [[Arts and Crafts movement|Arts and Crafts]] movements.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hartnell |first=Roy |title=Pre-Raphaelite Birmingham |year=1996 |publisher=Brewin Books |location=Studley |isbn=1-85858-064-1 |pages=1–3}}</ref> Major figures included the [[Pre-Raphaelite]] and [[symbolist]] [[Edward Burne-Jones]]; [[Walter Langley]], the first of the [[Newlyn School]] painters;<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Fox |first1=Caroline |last2=Greenacre |first2=Francis |year=1985 |title=Painting in Newlyn 1880–1930 |location=London |page=8 |publisher=Barbican Art Gallery |isbn=0-946372-10-1}}</ref> and [[Joseph Southall]], leader of the group of artists and craftsmen known as the [[Birmingham Group (artists)|Birmingham Group]].
 
The [[Birmingham Surrealists]] were among the "harbingers of surrealism" in Britain in the 1930s and the movement's most active members in the 1940s,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Remy |first=Michel |year=2001 |title=Surrealism in Britain |location=London |pages=36, 220 & 284 |publisher=Lund Humphries |isbn=0-85331-825-5}}</ref> while more abstract artists associated with the city included [[Lee Bank]]-born [[David Bomberg]] and [[CoBrA]] member [[William Gear]]. Birmingham artists were prominent in several post-war developments in art: [[Peter Phillips (artist)|Peter Phillips]] was among the central figures in the birth of [[Pop Art]];<ref>{{cite book |last=Livingstone |first=Marco |title=Pop Art: A Continuing History |year=2000 |publisher=Thames & Hudson |location=London |isbn=0-500-28240-4 |page=172}}</ref> [[John Salt]] was the only major European figure among the pioneers of [[photo-realism]];<ref>{{cite news |first=Jon |last=Perks |title=Picture Perfect |url=http://iccoventry.icnetwork.co.uk/0825lifestyle/cityliving/profile/tm_headline=picture-perfect&method=full&objectid=14036618&siteid=50002-name_page.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708223544/http://iccoventry.icnetwork.co.uk/0825lifestyle/cityliving/profile/tm_headline=picture-perfect&method=full&objectid=14036618&siteid=50002-name_page.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 July 2012 |work=Coventry Evening Telegraph |access-date=7 October 2007}}</ref> and the [[BLK Art Group]] used painting, collage and multimedia to examine the politics and culture of [[Black British]] identity. Contemporary artists from the city include the [[Turner Prize]] winner [[Gillian Wearing]] and the Turner Prize shortlisted artists [[Richard Billingham]], [[John Walker (painter)|John Walker]], [[Roger Hiorns]], and conceptual artist [[Pogus Caesar]] whose work has been acquired by the [[Victoria and Albert Museum]], [[National Portrait Gallery, London|National Portrait Gallery]], Wolverhampton Art Gallery and [[Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/turnerprize/history/yearbyyear.shtm |title=The Turner Prize: Year by Year |access-date=22 December 2011 |publisher=Tate Britain |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111209165922/http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/turnerprize/history/yearbyyear.shtm |archive-date=9 December 2011}}</ref>
 
Birmingham's role as a manufacturing and printing centre has supported strong local traditions of [[graphic design]] and [[product design]]. Iconic works by Birmingham designers include the [[Baskerville]] font,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=76113&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=260 |title=John Baskerville of Birmingham |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=29 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012100752/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=76113&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=260 |archive-date=12 October 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Ruskin Pottery]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/_download/CCECMYVI.pdf |title=Ruskin pottery centenary exhibition |publisher=The Geffrye Museum, London |access-date=29 September 2007}}</ref> the [[Acme Whistles|Acme Thunderer]] whistle,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.drcdurham.ca/htm/history_of_the_whistle.htm |title=History of the Whistle |publisher=District Referee Coordinator – Durham |access-date=29 September 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012100044/http://drcdurham.ca/htm/history_of_the_whistle.htm |archive-date=12 October 2007}}</ref> the Art Deco branding of the [[Odeon Cinemas]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://arts.guardian.co.uk/critic/feature/0,1169,717532,00.html |title=The mogul's monuments – How Oscar Deutsch's Odeon cinemas taught Britain to love modern architecture |first=Jonathan |last=Glancey |work=The Guardian |location=UK |date=18 May 2002 |access-date=29 September 2007}}</ref> and the [[Mini]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.designmuseum.org/design/alec-issigonis |title=Alec Issigonis, Automotive Designer (1906–1988) |publisher=Design Museum, London |access-date=29 September 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070913154950/http://www.designmuseum.org/design/alec-issigonis |archive-date=13 September 2007}}</ref>
 
===Museums and galleries===
[[File:Barber-Institute-in-spring-II.jpg|thumb|[[Barber Institute of Fine Arts]]]]
Birmingham has two major public art collections. [[Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery]] is best known for its works by the [[Pre-Raphaelites]], a collection "of outstanding importance".<ref name="fisher-BMAG">{{cite book |last=Fisher |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Fisher (politician) |title=Britain's Best Museums and Galleries: From the Greatest Collections to the Smallest Curiosities |year=2005 |publisher=Penguin Books |location=Harmondsworth |isbn=0-14-101960-3 |pages=208–210 |chapter=Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery}}</ref> It also holds a significant selection of [[old master]]s – including major works by [[Giovanni Bellini|Bellini]], [[Peter Paul Rubens|Rubens]], [[Canaletto]] and [[Claude Lorrain|Claude]] – and particularly strong collections of 17th-century [[Italian Baroque art|Italian Baroque painting]] and English [[watercolour]]s.<ref name="fisher-BMAG"/> Its design holdings include Europe's pre-eminent collections of [[ceramic art|ceramics]] and fine [[metalwork]].<ref name="fisher-BMAG"/> The [[Barber Institute of Fine Arts]] in [[Edgbaston]] is one of the finest small art galleries in the world,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.johansens.com/england/midlands/the-barber-institute-of-fine-arts |title=The Barber Institute of Fine Arts |access-date=20 September 2010 |work=Johansens |publisher=Condé Nast}}{{Dead link|date=April 2011}}</ref> with a collection of exceptional quality representing [[Western art history|Western art]] from the 13th century to the present day.<ref>{{cite book |last=Fisher |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Fisher (politician) |title=Britain's Best Museums and Galleries: From the Greatest Collections to the Smallest Curiosities |year=2005 |publisher=Penguin Books |location=Harmondsworth |isbn=0-14-101960-3 |pages=205–207 |chapter=Barber Institute of Fine Arts}}</ref>
 
[[Birmingham Museums Trust]] runs other museums in the city including [[Aston Hall]], [[Blakesley Hall]], the [[Museum of the Jewellery Quarter]], [[Soho House]] and [[Sarehole Mill]]. The [[Birmingham Back to Backs]] are the last surviving court of back-to-back houses in the city.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/ELibrary?E_LIBRARY_ID=93&a=1157290087529 |title=Back to back in Birmingham |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930222433/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/ELibrary?E_LIBRARY_ID=93&a=1157290087529 |archive-date=30 September 2007}}</ref> [[Cadbury World, Birmingham|Cadbury World]] is a museum showing visitors the stages and steps of chocolate production and the [[history of chocolate]] and [[Cadbury Schweppes|the company]]. The [[Ikon Gallery]] hosts displays of contemporary art, as does [[Eastside Projects]].
 
[[Thinktank, Birmingham|Thinktank]] is Birmingham's main [[science museum]], with a giant screen cinema, a [[planetarium]] and a collection that includes the ''[[Smethwick Engine]]'', the world's oldest working [[steam engine]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.matthewboulton2009.org/index.php/gallery/33-the-smethwick-engine |title=The Smethwick Engine |access-date=19 September 2010 |publisher=The Boulton 2009 Partnership |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727072103/http://www.matthewboulton2009.org/index.php/gallery/33-the-smethwick-engine |archive-date=27 July 2011}}</ref> Other science-based museums include the [[National Sea Life Centre (Birmingham)|National Sea Life Centre]] in [[Brindleyplace]], the [[Lapworth Museum of Geology]] at the [[University of Birmingham]] and the [[Centre of the Earth]] environmental education centre in [[Winson Green]].
 
===Nightlife===
[[File:Digbeth Institute (1).jpg|right|thumb|[[Digbeth Institute]], an influential music venue since the 1960s]]
[[File:Birmingham St Patrick's Day Parade.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Birmingham's St Patrick's Day parade, the largest in Europe outside Dublin,<br />is the city's largest single-day event.]]
Nightlife in Birmingham is mainly concentrated along [[Broad Street, Birmingham|Broad Street]] and into [[Brindleyplace]]. Although in more recent years Broad Street has lost its popularity due to the closing of several clubs; the Arcadian now has more popularity in terms of nightlife. Outside the Broad Street area are many stylish and underground venues. The [[Medicine Bar]] in the [[Custard Factory]], [[Digbeth Institute|hmv Institute]], Rainbow Pub and Air are large clubs and bars in [[Digbeth]]. Around the [[Chinese Quarter]] are areas such as the Arcadian and [[Hurst Street, Birmingham|Hurst Street]] [[Birmingham Gay Village|Gay Village]], that abound with bars and clubs. Summer Row, [[The Mailbox]], [[O2 Academy Birmingham|O2 Academy]] in Bristol Street, Snobs Nightclub, St Philips/Colmore Row, St Paul's Square and the [[Jewellery Quarter]] all have a vibrant night life. There are a number of late night pubs in the [[Irish Quarter]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=24761&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=12535 |title=Nightlife in the City Centre |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080610221029/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=24761&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=12535 |archive-date=10 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Outside the city centre is [[Star City, Birmingham|Star City]] entertainment complex on the former site of [[Nechells]] Power Station.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.memonline.com/news8.html |title=Birmingham's New Leisure Complex |publisher=MEM Online News |access-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212014801/http://www.memonline.com/news8.html |archive-date=12 December 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
===Festivals===
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Birmingham is home to many national, religious and cultural festivals, including a [[Saint George|St. George's Day]] party.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} The city's largest single-day event is its [[St. Patrick's Day]] parade (Europe's second largest, after [[Dublin]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.anysubject.com/st-patricks-day-history-of-st-patricks-day.asp |title=History of St. Patrick's Day |publisher=AnySubject |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080327033548/http://www.anysubject.com/st-patricks-day-history-of-st-patricks-day.asp |archive-date=27 March 2008}}</ref> The [[Nowka Bais]] is a [[Bengali culture|Bengali]] [[boat racing]] festival which takes place annually in Birmingham. It is a leading cultural event in the [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]], United Kingdom attracting not only the [[Bangladeshi diaspora]] but a variety of cultures.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.berkeleygroup.co.uk/news-and-insights/news/2019/st-joseph-makes-a-splash |title=St Joseph makes a splash at the 2019 Nowka Bais |website=Berkeley Group |access-date=5 September 2019 |archive-date=5 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190905132411/https://www.berkeleygroup.co.uk/news-and-insights/news/2019/st-joseph-makes-a-splash |url-status=dead }}</ref> It is also the largest kind of [[boat race]] in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/free-festival-street-food-dragon-14826783 |work=[[Birmingham Mail]] |last=Bentley |first=David |date=29 July 2018 |title=Free festival with street food and dragon boat racing returns to Birmingham}}</ref> Other multicultural events include the Bangla Mela and the Vaisakhi Mela. The Birmingham Heritage Festival is a [[Mardi Gras]] style event in August. [[Caribbean]] and [[African culture]] are celebrated with [[parade]]s and street performances by [[busking|buskers]]. The [[Caribbean]]-style [[Birmingham International Carnival]] takes place in odd-numbered years.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}
 
The UK's largest two-day Gay Pride is [[Birmingham Pride]] (LGBT festival), which is typically held over the [[spring bank holiday]] weekend in May.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.educationuk.org/global/articles/top-uk-lgbt-festivals-events-2016/ |title=The UK's top LGBT festivals and events in 2016 |publisher=British Council |website=educationUK.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412062830/http://www.educationuk.org/global/articles/top-uk-lgbt-festivals-events-2016/ |archive-date=12 April 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.thebfcm.co.uk/birminghams-frankfurt-christmas-market/ |title=Birmingham's Frankfurt Christmas Market |website=Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market |access-date=4 December 2019}}</ref> The streets of Birmingham's gay district pulsate with a carnival parade, live music, a dance arena with DJs, cabaret stage, women's arena and a community village. [[Birmingham Pride]] takes place in the [[Birmingham Gay Village|gay village]]. From 1997 until December 2006, the city hosted an annual arts festival, [[ArtsFest]], the largest free arts festival in the UK at the time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/the-stirrer/tm_method=full&objectid=18192354&siteid=50002-name_page.html |title=Will a fest by any other name smell as sweet? |work=Birmingham Mail |date=1 December 2006 |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309192731/http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-blogs-views/birmingham-mail-columnists/the-stirrer/tm_method%3Dfull%26objectid%3D18192354%26siteid%3D50002-name_page.html |archive-date=9 March 2008}}</ref>
 
The [[Birmingham Tattoo]] is a long-standing military show held annually at the National Indoor Arena.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}
 
The [[Birmingham Comedy Festival]] (since 2001; 10 days in October), has been headlined by such acts as [[Peter Kay]], [[The Fast Show]], [[Jimmy Carr]], [[Lee Evans (comedian)|Lee Evans]] and [[Lenny Henry]].{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}
 
Since 2001, Birmingham has been host to the [[Frankfurt Christmas Market, Birmingham|Frankfurt Christmas Market]]. Modelled on its [[Frankfurt Christmas Market|German counterpart]], it has grown to become the UK's largest outdoor [[Christmas market]] and is the largest German market outside of Germany and Austria,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.enjoyengland.com/attractions/events/calendar/december/christmas-markets.aspx |title=Christmas markets |publisher=Enjoy England |access-date=11 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090908041448/http://www.enjoyengland.com/attractions/events/calendar/december/christmas-markets.aspx |archive-date=8 September 2009}}</ref> attracting over 3.1&nbsp;million visitors in 2010<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghamnewsroom.com/?p=6019 |title=Another Record year for Frankfurt Christmas Market |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=29 September 2010}}</ref> and over 5&nbsp;million visitors in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2012/07/27/birmingham-s-frankfurt-christmas-market-will-be-back-november-15-december-22-97319-31487142/ |title=Birmingham's Frankfurt Christmas Market will be back 15 November – 22 December |work=Birmingham Mail |access-date=18 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130221132814/http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2012/07/27/birmingham-s-frankfurt-christmas-market-will-be-back-november-15-december-22-97319-31487142/ |archive-date=21 February 2013}}</ref>
 
The biennial '''Birmingham International Dance Festival''' (BIDF) started in 2008, organised by DanceXchange and involving indoor and outdoor venues across the city.<ref>{{cite web |title=About BIDF |website=BIDF |date=24 June 2021 |url=https://bidf.co.uk/about-birmingham-international-dance-festival/ |access-date=6 January 2022}}</ref>
 
Other festivals in the city include the Birmingham International Jazz Festival,{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}<!---is this the same as the Birmingham, Sandwell & Westside Jazz Festival? Various sites suggest both have been running from around 1984 or 1985. ---> and "Party in the Park",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghampromotions.com/events/party-in-the-park-june-30th/ |title=Party in the Park |website=birminghampromotions.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615060549/http://www.birminghampromotions.com/events/party-in-the-park-june-30th/ |archive-date=15 June 2013 |url-status=unfit}}</ref> originally a festival hosted by local and regional radio stations which died down in 2007 and has now been brought back to life as an unsigned festival for regional unsigned acts to showcase themselves in a one-day music festival for the whole family.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}
 
===Food and drink===
{{Main|Food and drink in Birmingham}}
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[[File:Simpsons-Edgbaston.jpg|right|thumb|Simpsons in Edgbaston, one of the city's five [[Michelin-starred]] restaurants]]Birmingham's development as a commercial town was originally based around its market for agricultural produce, established by [[royal charter]] in 1166. Despite the industrialisation of subsequent centuries this role has been retained and the [[Birmingham Wholesale Markets]] remain the largest combined wholesale food markets in the country,<ref name="post-2009-03-03">{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghampost.net/news/politics-news/2009/03/03/birmingham-council-set-to-give-green-light-to-digbeth-market-scheme-65233-23047367/ |title=Birmingham Council set to give green light to Digbeth market scheme |access-date=29 October 2009 |last=Dale |first=Paul |date=3 March 2009 |work=Birmingham Post |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105233013/http://www.birminghampost.net/news/politics-news/2009/03/03/birmingham-council-set-to-give-green-light-to-digbeth-market-scheme-65233-23047367/ |archive-date=5 January 2012}}</ref> selling meat, fish, fruit, vegetables and flowers and supplying fresh produce to restaurateurs and independent retailers from as far as {{convert|100|mi|0|abbr=out}} away.<ref>{{cite news |first=Shepherd |last=Mark |title=The Wholesale shebang: traders at Birmingham's Wholesale Market may have a new home at Prupim's Hub by 2012. But that will happen to the existing site? |url=http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=39&storycode=3144234 |work=[[Property Week]] |publisher=United Business Media |date=3 July 2009 |access-date=30 October 2009}}</ref>
 
Birmingham is the only city outside London to have five [[Michelin Guide|Michelin starred]] restaurants: [[Andreas Antona|Simpson's]] in [[Edgbaston]], Carters of [[Moseley]], and [[Glynn Purnell|Purnell's]], Opheem and Adam's in the city centre.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/michelin-guide-results |title=Michelin Guide Results 2018 |website=www.greatbritishchefs.com |date=2018 |access-date=15 May 2018}}</ref>
 
[[List of breweries in Birmingham|Birmingham based breweries]] included [[Ansells]], Davenport's and [[Mitchells & Butlers]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.midlandspubs.co.uk/breweries/birmingham.htm |title=Birmingham Breweries |publisher=Midlands Pubs.co.uk |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517144014/http://www.midlandspubs.co.uk/breweries/birmingham.htm |archive-date=17 May 2008}}</ref> [[Aston Manor Brewery]] is currently the only brewery of any significant size. Many fine Victorian pubs and bars can still be found across the city, whilst there is also a plethora of more modern nightclubs and bars, notably along [[Broad Street, Birmingham|Broad Street]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.broadstreetbid.com/flash/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930105529/http://www.broadstreetbid.com/flash/index.html |archive-date=30 September 2007 |title=BID Broad Street |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
The [[Wing Yip]] food empire first began in the city and now has its headquarters in [[Nechells]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghampost.net/tm_objectid=16631720&method=full&siteid=50002&headline=taste-of-the-orient-sweet-for-wing-yip-name_page.html |title=Taste of the Orient sweet for Wing Yip |publisher=The Birmingham Post Midland Rich List 2006 |date=6 January 2006 |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080309190801/http://www.birminghampost.net/tm_objectid%3D16631720%26method%3Dfull%26siteid%3D50002%26headline%3Dtaste-of-the-orient-sweet-for-wing-yip-name_page.html |archive-date=9 March 2008}}</ref> The [[Balti (food)|Balti]], a type of [[curry]], was invented in the city, which has received much acclaim for the 'Balti Belt' or '[[Balti Triangle]]'.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/balti |title=The Balti Experience |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=19 December 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010208161119/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/balti |archive-date=8 February 2001}}</ref> Famous food brands that originated in Birmingham include [[Typhoo tea]], [[Bird's Custard]], [[Cadbury's|Cadbury's chocolate]] and [[HP Sauce]].
 
There is also a thriving independent and artisan food sector in Birmingham, encompassing microbreweries like Two Towers,<ref>{{cite web |title=Two Towers Brewery |url=http://twotowersbrewery.co.uk/ |publisher=Two Towers |access-date=6 October 2014}}</ref> and collective bakeries such as Loaf.<ref>{{cite web |title=Loaf |url=http://www.loafonline.co.uk/ |website=www.loafonline.co.uk |access-date=6 October 2014}}</ref> Recent years have seen these businesses increasingly showcased at farmers markets,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://visitbirmingham.com/what-to-do/birmingyum/buy/food-markets/ |title=Food & Drink in Birmingham|website = Visit Birmingham|publisher = West Midlands Growth Company}}</ref> popular [[street food]] events<ref>{{cite news |last1=Griffin |first1=Mary |title=Birmingham three times lucky at British Street Food Awards |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/birmingham-three-times-lucky-british-7864193 |access-date=6 October 2014 |work=Birmingham Mail |date=1 October 2014}}</ref> and food festivals including Birmingham Independent Food Fair.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://thebigsleuth.co.uk/get-healthy/ |title=Get Healthy |website=Birmingham Indoor Food Fair}}{{failed verification|date=February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1= Griffin |first1=Mary |title= Food and drink producers gear up for Birmingham's first independent food and drink fair |url=http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/lifestyle/food-drink/food-drink-producers-gear-up-7650716 |access-date=6 October 2014 |work=Birmingham Post |date=22 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010031504/http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/lifestyle/food-drink/food-drink-producers-gear-up-7650716 |archive-date=10 October 2014}}</ref>
 
===Entertainment and leisure===
Birmingham is home to many entertainment and leisure venues, including Europe's largest leisure and entertainment complex [[Star City, Birmingham|Star City]] as well as Europe's first out-of-city-centre entertainment and leisure complex [[Resorts World Birmingham]] owned by the [[Genting Group]]. [[The Mailbox]] which caters for more affluent clients is based within the city.
 
===Architecture===
{{Further|Architecture of Birmingham|List of tallest buildings and structures in Birmingham|Listed buildings in Birmingham}}
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[[File:19 Newhall Street Birmingham (4545534233).jpg|thumb|[[17 & 19 Newhall Street, Birmingham|17 & 19 Newhall Street]], constructed in Birmingham's characteristic Victorian [[red brick and terracotta]] style]]
Birmingham is chiefly a product of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries; its growth began during the [[Industrial Revolution]]. Consequently, relatively few buildings survive from its earlier history and those that do are protected. There are 1,946 [[listed building]]s in [[Listed buildings in Birmingham|Birmingham]] and thirteen [[scheduled ancient monument]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/ELibrary?E_LIBRARY_ID=75&a=1083070309470 |title=Schedule of Nationally Listed Buildings of Historic Interest in Birmingham |publisher=Birmingham City Council Planning Department |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930235342/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/ELibrary?E_LIBRARY_ID=75&a=1083070309470 |archive-date=30 September 2007}}</ref> Birmingham City Council also operate a locally listing scheme for buildings that do not fully meet the criteria for statutorily listed status.
 
Traces of [[medieval]] Birmingham can be seen in the oldest churches, notably the original [[parish church]], [[St Martin in the Bull Ring]]. A few other buildings from the medieval and [[Tudor architecture|Tudor periods]] survive, among them the ''[[Lad in the Lane]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pub-explorer.com/wmids/pub/ladinlaneerdington.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071222043422/http://www.pub-explorer.com/wmids/pub/ladinlaneerdington.htm |archive-date=22 December 2007 |title=The Lad in the Lane, Erdington |publisher=pub-explorer.com |url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[The Old Crown, Birmingham|''The Old Crown'']], the 15th century ''[[Saracen's Head]]'' public house and Old Grammar School in [[Kings Norton]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=2474&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=260 |title=History of Kings Norton |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080521222034/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=2474&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=260 |archive-date=21 May 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[Blakesley Hall]].
 
A number of [[Georgian era|Georgian]] buildings survive, including [[St Philip's Cathedral, Birmingham|St Philip's Cathedral]], [[Soho House]], [[Perrott's Folly]], the [[Birmingham Town Hall|Town Hall]] and much of [[St Paul's Square, Birmingham|St Paul's Square]]. The [[Victorian era]] saw extensive building across the city. Major civic buildings such as the [[Victoria Law Courts, Birmingham|Victoria Law Courts]] (in characteristic [[red brick and terracotta]]), the [[City of Birmingham Council House|Council House]] and the [[Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery|Museum & Art Gallery]] were constructed.<ref>{{cite book |author=Anne Baltz Rodrick |title=Self-Help and Civic Culture: Citizenship in Victorian Birmingham |year=2004 |publisher=Ashgate Publishing |isbn=0-7546-3307-1}}</ref> [[Cathedral of Saint Chad, Birmingham|St Chad's Cathedral]] was the first Roman Catholic cathedral to be built in the UK since the [[English Reformation|Reformation]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2007/04/05/st_chads_feature.shtml |title=Birmingham's hidden jewel |publisher=BBC Birmingham |access-date=7 June 2008}}</ref> Across the city, the need to house the industrial workers gave rise to miles of redbrick streets and terraces, many of [[back-to-back houses]], some of which were later to become inner-city [[slum]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gees.bham.ac.uk/research/cpp/membersfiles/phil/leebankabstract.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080227084303/http://www.gees.bham.ac.uk/research/cpp/membersfiles/phil/leebankabstract.pdf |archive-date=27 February 2008 |title=Tower Block Modernism vs. Urban Morphology: An analysis of Lee Bank, Birmingham |first=Phil |last=Jones |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
[[File:Selfridges Birmingham at night.jpg|thumb|left|The iconic [[Selfridges Building, Birmingham|Selfridges Building]],<br />by architects [[Future Systems]]]]
[[File:The Old Crown Deritend.jpg|thumb|right|[[The Old Crown, Birmingham|The Old Crown Pub]] is one of the oldest buildings in Birmingham.]]
Postwar redevelopment and anti-Victorianism resulted in the loss of dozens of Victorian buildings like [[Birmingham New Street railway station|New Street station]] and the old [[Birmingham Central Library|Central Library]], often replaced by [[brutalism|brutalist]] architecture.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=89806&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=10277 |title=Aerial View of New Street Station 1963 |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511152530/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=89806&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=10277 |archive-date=11 May 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Sir [[Herbert Manzoni]], City Engineer and Surveyor of Birmingham from 1935 until 1963, believed conservation of old buildings was sentimental and that the city did not have any of worth anyway.<ref>Quoted in Andy Foster, Birmingham, Yale University Press, London, p.197</ref> In inner-city areas too, much Victorian housing was demolished and [[urban renewal|redeveloped]]. Existing communities were relocated to [[tower block]] [[Housing estate|estates]] like [[Castle Vale]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=19750&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=1453 |title=Castle Vale |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012100538/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=19750&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=1453 |archive-date=12 October 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
In a partial reaction against the Manzoni years, Birmingham City Council is demolishing some of the brutalist buildings like the Central Library and has an extensive tower block demolition and renovation programme. There has been much redevelopment in the city centre in recent years, including the award-winning<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.future-systems.com/company/awards.html |title=Awards |publisher=Future Systems |access-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531194606/http://www.future-systems.com/company/awards.html |archive-date=31 May 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Future Systems]]' [[Selfridges Building, Birmingham|Selfridges]] building in the [[Bull Ring, Birmingham|Bullring Shopping Centre]], the [[Brindleyplace]] regeneration project, the [[Millennium Point (Birmingham)|Millennium Point]] science and technology centre, and the refurbishment of the iconic [[Rotunda (Birmingham)|Rotunda]] building. Funding for many of these projects has come from the [[European Union]]; the Town Hall for example received £3&nbsp;million in funding from the [[European Regional Development Fund]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thsh.co.uk/page/town-hall-birmingham/ |title=Town Hall, Birmingham |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=21 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091217134925/http://www.thsh.co.uk/page/town-hall-birmingham |archive-date=17 December 2009}}</ref>
 
Highrise development has slowed since the 1970s and mainly in recent years because of enforcements imposed by the [[Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom|Civil Aviation Authority]] on the heights of buildings as they could affect aircraft from the Airport (e.g. [[Beetham Tower, Birmingham|Beetham Tower]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=13971&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=1453 |title=Birmingham High Places document |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609045359/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=13971&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=1453 |archive-date=9 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
===Demonymy and identity===
 
People from Birmingham are called [[Brummie]]s, a term derived from the city's nickname of "Brum", which originates from the city's old name, [[Brummagem]], which in turn is thought to have derived from "Bromwich-ham".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-bru2.htm |title=Brummagem |publisher=Worldwidewords.com |date=13 December 2003 |access-date=7 June 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=William |last=Hutton |title=An History of Birmingham |year=1783}}</ref> The [[Brummie]] [[Accent (dialect)|accent]] and [[dialect]] are particularly distinctive.
 
==Transport==
{{Main|Transport in Birmingham}}
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[[File:Spaghetti-Junction-Crop.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Gravelly Hill Interchange]], where the [[M6 motorway]] meets the [[A38(M) motorway|Aston Expressway]], is the original [[Spaghetti Junction]].]]
Partly due to its central location, Birmingham is a major transport hub on the motorway, railway and [[canal]] networks.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/canals |title=Canals in Birmingham |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514002530/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/canals |archive-date=14 May 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
===Roads===
The city is served by the [[M5 motorway|M5]], [[M6 motorway|M6]], [[M40 motorway|M40]] and [[M42 motorway|M42]] motorways, and possibly the most well known motorway junction in the United Kingdom: [[Gravelly Hill Interchange|Spaghetti Junction]], a colloquial name for the Gravelly Hill Interchange.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/heritage/england/birmingham/article_1.shtml |title=Dad, are we nearly there yet? |publisher=BBC |access-date=7 June 2008}}</ref> The M6 passes through the city on the [[Bromford Viaduct]], which at {{convert|5.6|km|mi|order=flip}} is the longest bridge in the UK.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cgeinfo.com/knowledge-base/list-of-longest-bridges-in-the-world/ |title=List of longest bridges in the world |access-date=14 October 2012 |date=12 May 2012 |publisher=cgeinfo – A News Portal for Central Government Employees |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130207141446/http://www.cgeinfo.com/knowledge-base/list-of-longest-bridges-in-the-world/ |archive-date=7 February 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Birmingham introduced a [[Clean Air Zone]] from 1 June 2021, which charges polluting vehicles to travel into the city centre.<ref name=birminghamcleanair>{{cite web |url=https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20076/pollution/1763/a_clean_air_zone_for_birmingham/3 |title=A clean air zone for Birmingham |access-date=15 April 2021 |publisher=Birmingham City Council |website=birmingham.gov.uk}}</ref>
 
===Air===
[[Birmingham Airport]], located {{convert|6|mi|km}} east of the city centre in the neighbouring borough of [[Metropolitan Borough of Solihull|Solihull]], is the [[Busiest airports in the United Kingdom by total passenger traffic|seventh busiest airport]] by passenger traffic in the UK and the third busiest outside the London area, after [[Manchester Airport|Manchester]] and [[Edinburgh Airport|Edinburgh]]. It is a major base for [[Flybe]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Flybe Announces New Headquaters and First Crew Base |url=https://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/media-information/news/2021/11/flybe-announces-new-birmingham-headquarters-and-first-crew-base/ |website=Birmingham Airport|access-date=26 April 2022}}</ref> [[Ryanair]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Our Network |url=https://corporate.ryanair.com/network/ |website=Ryanair Corporate |access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> and [[TUI Airways]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Flight Timetable |url=https://www.tuiholidays.ie/flight/timetable |website=Tui Airways |access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> Airline services operate from Birmingham to many destinations in Europe, Africa, the Americas, Middle East, Asia and Oceania.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/~/media/Files/Pdfs/global/timetables/scheduled-timetable.ashx |title=Scheduled Timetable |access-date=7 November 2010 |year=2010 |publisher=Birmingham Airport |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101202032909/http://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/~/media/Files/Pdfs/global/timetables/scheduled-timetable.ashx |archive-date=2 December 2010}}</ref>
 
In addition to Birmingham Airport, Birmingham is also served by [[East Midlands Airport]], located approximately 39 miles northeast from Birmingham in the town of [[Castle Donington]].
 
===Public transport===
Birmingham's local [[public transport]] network is co-ordinated by [[Transport for West Midlands]] (TfWM) which is a branch of the [[West Midlands Combined Authority]].<ref name="2017 WMtt">{{cite web |title=West Midlands Travel Trends 2017 |url=https://corporate.tfwm.org.uk/media/2857/wm-travel-trends-2017.pdf |publisher=Transport for West Midlands |access-date=16 February 2022}}</ref>
 
Birmingham has a high level of public transport usage; in 2015, 63% of morning peak trips into Birmingham were made by public transport, with the remaining 37% made by private car. Rail was the most popular public transport mode, accounting for 36.4% of journeys, followed by buses at 26.3% and the Metro at 0.3%.<ref name="2017 WMtt"/>
 
[[File:2015-09-23 New St East Entrance.jpg|thumb|[[Birmingham New Street railway station|Birmingham New Street]] is the largest and busiest railway station in the UK outside London.]]
There is currently no underground system in Birmingham; it is the largest city in Europe not to have one. In recent years, ideas of an underground system have started to appear, but none so far have been planned in earnest primarily due to the ongoing expansion of the West Midlands Metro tram network being viewed as a higher priority.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://centro.journalistpresslounge.com/centro/news/index.cfm/fuseaction/details/id/2F2640E8-1109-B563-070D7BCF5BCAB3CB/cnt/1/ref/main/type/News%20releases/ses/1.cfm |title=Council support for Midland Metro expansion follows outcome of Birmingham underground study |publisher=Centro |date=25 October 2005 |access-date=18 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070831041630/http://centro.journalistpresslounge.com/centro/news/index.cfm/fuseaction/details/id/2F2640E8-1109-B563-070D7BCF5BCAB3CB/cnt/1/ref/main/type/News%20releases/ses/1.cfm |archive-date=31 August 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
====Railway====
The main railway station in the city is [[Birmingham New Street railway station|Birmingham New Street]], which is the [[List of busiest railway stations in Great Britain|busiest railway station]] in the UK outside London, both for passenger entries/exits and for passenger interchanges.<ref>{{cite web |title=Estimates of Station Usage 2012/13 |url=http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/10786/station-usage-2012-13.pdf |pages=20–21 |publisher=Office of Rail Regulation |date=February 2014 |access-date=27 April 2014}}</ref> It is the national hub for [[CrossCountry]], the most extensive long-distance train network in Britain,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/tickets-timetables/routes |title=Routes |access-date=26 May 2013 |publisher=CrossCountry |quote=We cross more of the country than any other train company&nbsp;... The [[CrossCountry]] network has Birmingham at its heart and stretches from Aberdeen to Penzance |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130519133010/http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/tickets-timetables/routes |archive-date=19 May 2013}}</ref> and a major destination for [[Avanti West Coast]] services from [[Euston railway station|London Euston]], [[Glasgow Central station|Glasgow Central]] and [[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Edinburgh Waverley]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/routes-stations/ |title=Our routes & stations |access-date=19 May 2013 |publisher=Virgin Trains |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515045638/http://www.virgintrains.co.uk/routes-stations/ |archive-date=15 May 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Birmingham Moor Street railway station|Birmingham Moor Street]] and [[Birmingham Snow Hill railway station|Birmingham Snow Hill]] form the northern termini for [[Chiltern Railways]] express trains running from [[Marylebone station|London Marylebone]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/sites/default/files/CR100901P%20Route%20Map%20(8a).pdf |title=Our routes |access-date=26 May 2013 |publisher=Chiltern Railways |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130810192838/http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/sites/default/files/CR100901P%20Route%20Map%20%288a%29.pdf |archive-date=10 August 2013}}</ref> [[Birmingham Curzon Street railway station|Curzon Street railway station]], currently under construction, will be the terminus for trains to the city on [[High Speed 2]], the first phase of which will open around 2030.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/879445/full-business-case-hs2-phase-one.pdf |title=Full Business Case: High Speed 2 Phase One |date=15 April 2020 |website=Department for Transport |pages=132–133 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200423060936/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/879445/full-business-case-hs2-phase-one.pdf |archive-date=23 April 2020 |access-date=15 April 2020}}</ref>
 
Birmingham and the surrounding region have a network of [[Urban_rail_in_the_United_Kingdom#Birmingham|local and suburban railways]], mostly operated by [[West Midlands Trains]]. There are a total of [[List of railway stations in the West Midlands|70 railway stations]] within the West Midlands county, [[:Category:Railway stations in Birmingham, West Midlands|34 of which]] are within Birmingham's city boundaries. Suburban railway lines in Birmingham include the [[Cross-City Line]], the [[Chase Line]], the [[Snow Hill Lines]] and the [[Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford line|Birmingham loop]]. In 2016/17, there were nearly 55 million rail passenger journeys within the TfWM area, a big increase over the 23 million back in 2000/01.<ref name="2017 WMtt"/>
 
====Tram====
[[File:Tram at St Chads stop (2) May19.jpg|thumb|upright|The [[West Midlands Metro]] is the growing tram system in Birmingham.]]
 
Historically, Birmingham had a substantial [[tram]] system operated by [[Birmingham Corporation Tramways]] which was closed in 1953. In 1999, trams returned to the city with the [[West Midlands Metro]] (formerly known as the ''Midland Metro'') which operates a line between [[Library tram stop|Library]] in Central Birmingham and [[Wolverhampton]] via [[Bilston]], [[Wednesbury]] and [[West Bromwich]]. Expansion of the West Midlands Metro system is underway with extensions to the existing line and new lines being constructed.<ref name="2017 WMtt"/>
 
====Bus====
[[File:Route 33.jpg|thumb|left|National Express West Midlands operates most of the major bus routes in Birmingham.]]
261 million bus journeys were made in the TfWM area in 2016/17, a decrease from 319 million in 2009/10.<ref name="2017 WMtt"/>
 
Bus routes are mainly operated commercially by private companies, although TfWM subsidises some socially necessary services. [[National Express West Midlands]], accounts for nearly 80% of all bus journeys in Birmingham, though there are around 40 other, smaller registered bus companies.<ref name="2017 WMtt"/> The [[National Express West Midlands Birmingham Outer Circle|number 11 outer circle]] bus route, which operates in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions around the outskirts of the city, is the longest urban bus route in Europe, being over {{convert|26|mi|km}} long<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2005/06/27/number_11_bus_feature.shtml |title=The amazing number 11 bus |publisher=BBC Birmingham |date=27 June 2005 |access-date=7 June 2008}}</ref> with 272 bus stops.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=61780&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=9&MENU_ID=276&CONTENT_TITLE=Route%2011%20Bus%20Showcase |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208133513/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=61780&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=9&MENU_ID=276&CONTENT_TITLE=Route%2011%20Bus%20Showcase |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 December 2008 |title=Route 11 Bus Showcase |publisher=Birmingham City Council |date=21 June 2005 |first=Barbara |last=Elsom |access-date=7 June 2008 |quote=Since 2001 231 bus stops out of 272 have been upgraded to Showcase standards&nbsp;...}}</ref>
 
The [[National Express]] headquarters are located in [[Digbeth]], in offices above [[Birmingham Coach Station]], which forms the national hub of the company's coach network.  The bus division is based in [[Bordesley Green]], just outside of the city centre.
 
Until 1974, the other major bus operator in Birmingham was [[Midland Red]] who had a number of bus depots both in Birmingham and the wider metropolitan area. After selling the West Midlands based operations to WMPTE, the company and its succesors continued to serve Birmingham on many routes from outside the West Midlands County. However by April 2022, only two routes remain which are the 110 from [[Tamworth, Staffordshire|Tamworth]] which is operated by Arriva Midlands and the 144 from [[Worcester, England|Worcester]] operated by First Worcestershire.
 
===Canals===
An extensive [[Transport in Birmingham#Canals|canal system]] still remains in Birmingham from the Industrial Revolution. The city has more miles of canal than [[Venice]], though the canals in Birmingham are a less prominent and essential feature due to the larger size of the city and the fact that few of its buildings are accessed by canal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.canalvoyagers.com/2012/does-birmingham-have-more-canals-than-venice/ |title=Does Birmingham Have More Canals Than Venice? |date=2 February 2012 |access-date=15 April 2014}}</ref> The canals are mainly used today for leisure purposes;<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tZyjmzy4RhkC&pg=PA6 |title=Long-term Benefits and Performance of Dams: Proceedings of the 13th Conference of the British Dam Society |date=2004 |publisher=Thomas Telford |isbn=978-0-7277-3268-2 |editor-last=Hewlett |editor-first=Henry |pages=6 |language=en |quote=The canals are now mainly used for recreation, with many canal boats being used for sedate leisure...}}</ref> canalside regeneration schemes such as [[Brindleyplace]] have turned the canals into a tourist attraction.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.expressandstar.com/entertainment/2015/10/20/the-regeneration-of-birminghams-canalside/ |title=The regeneration of Birmingham's canalside |website=Express & Star |language=en |access-date=7 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Vescovi |first=Francesco |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6ymMEsu9CPYC&pg=PA91 |title=Designing the Urban Renaissance: Sustainable and competitive place making in England |date=12 January 2013 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-94-007-5631-1 |pages=61 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Kennedy |first=Liam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3u5THLySefwC&pg=PA78 |title=Remaking Birmingham: The Visual Culture of Urban Regeneration |date=15 April 2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-134-44257-7 |pages=78 |language=en}}</ref>
 
==Education==
{{Main|Education in Birmingham}}
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===Further and higher education===
[[File:BirminghamUniversityChancellorsCourt.jpg|thumb|right|[[University of Birmingham]]]]
Birmingham is home to five universities: [[Aston University]], [[University of Birmingham]], [[Birmingham City University]], [[University College Birmingham]] and [[Newman University, Birmingham|Newman University]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Universities in Birmingham |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=SystemAdmin%2FCFPageLayout&cid=1223092631015&packedargs=website%3D4&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FCFWrapper&rendermode=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110208191443/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=SystemAdmin%2FCFPageLayout&cid=1223092631015&packedargs=website%3D4&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FCFWrapper&rendermode=live |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 February 2011 |website=birmingham.gov.uk |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=20 December 2014}}</ref> The city also hosts major campuses of the [[University of Law]] and [[BPP University]], as well as the [[Open University]]'s West Midlands regional base.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www3.open.ac.uk/contact/details.aspx?contactid=4 |title=The Open University in the West Midlands |access-date=24 February 2013 |publisher=The Open University |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121210010021/http://www3.open.ac.uk/contact/details.aspx?contactid=4 |archive-date=10 December 2012}}</ref> In 2011 Birmingham had 78,259 full-time students from all over the world aged 18–74 resident in the city during term time, more than any other city in the United Kingdom outside London.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-and-quick-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-the-united-kingdom---part-2/rft-ks501uk.xls |title=2011 Census: KS501UK Qualifications and students, local authorities in the United Kingdom (Excel sheet 293Kb) |access-date=29 March 2014 |date=4 December 2013 |work=2011 Census, Key Statistics and Quick Statistics for local authorities in the United Kingdom – Part 2 |publisher=Office for National Statistics}}</ref> Birmingham has 32,690 [[academic research|research students]], also the highest number of any major city outside London.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.centreforcities.org/assets/files/09-12-17%20Birmingham%20University%20Challenge.pdf |title=University Challenge: Growing the Knowledge Economy in Birmingham |access-date=20 April 2014 |last=Aldred |first=Tom |year=2009 |location=London |publisher=Centre for Cities |page=12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111215357/http://www.centreforcities.org/assets/files/09-12-17%20Birmingham%20University%20Challenge.pdf |archive-date=11 November 2013}}</ref>
[[File:Aston_University_(8097149310).jpg|thumb|left|[[Aston University]]]]
The [[Birmingham Business School (University of Birmingham)|Birmingham Business School]], established by [[William Ashley (economic historian)|Sir William Ashley]] in 1902, is the oldest graduate-level [[business school]] in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite news |title=Birmingham Business School |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/student/postgraduate/business-schools/birmingham-business-school-1206244.html |work=The Independent |date=12 December 2010 |access-date=5 November 2011 |location=London}}</ref> Another top business school in the city includes [[Aston Business School]], one of fewer than 1% of business schools globally to be granted [[triple accreditation]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://guardian.uk.studylink.com/display/provider/provider-info.html?pid=pid-si-20-ast |title=Aston Business School |access-date=26 January 2008 |work=EducationGuardian.co.uk |publisher=StudyLink |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716160108/http://guardian.uk.studylink.com/display/provider/provider-info.html?pid=pid-si-20-ast |archive-date=16 July 2011}}</ref> and [[Birmingham City Business School]]. [[Royal Birmingham Conservatoire]], part of Birmingham City University, offers professional training in music and acting.


Birmingham is an important centre for religious education. [[St Mary's College, Oscott]] is one of the three [[seminary|seminaries]] of the [[Catholic Church in England and Wales]];<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comefollowme.org.uk/vocations/priesthood/preparing.html |title=Preparing Yourself |access-date=24 February 2013 |publisher=Portsmouth Catholic Diocese |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304123019/http://www.comefollowme.org.uk/vocations/priesthood/preparing.html |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre|Woodbrooke]] is the only [[Quaker]] study centre in Europe;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ealingquakers.org.uk/courses___retreats.html |title=Courses and Retreats |access-date=6 November 2011 |publisher=Ealing Quaker Meeting |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122041003/http://www.ealingquakers.org.uk/courses___retreats.html |archive-date=22 January 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[Queen's College, Edgbaston]] is an ecumenical [[theological college]] serving the [[Church of England]], the [[Methodist Church]] and the [[United Reformed Church]].
== History ==
[[File:Bell Edison Telephone Building.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] building in Birmingham, faced with [[terracotta]] [[tiles]]]]


[[Birmingham Metropolitan College]] is one of the largest [[further education]] colleges in the country,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sutcol.ac.uk |title=Sutton Coldfield College |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322022536/http://www.sutcol.ac.uk/ |archive-date=22 March 2009}}</ref> with fourteen campuses spread across Birmingham and into the [[Black Country]] and [[Worcestershire]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bmetc.ac.uk/about-us/campuses |title=Our Campuses |access-date=5 April 2014 |publisher=Birmingham Metropolitan College}}</ref> [[South & City College Birmingham]] has nine campuses spread throughout the city.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sccb.ac.uk/about-us/campuses |title=Campuses |access-date=5 April 2014 |publisher=South and City College Birmingham}}</ref> [[Bournville College]] is based in a £66&nbsp;million, 4.2 acre campus in [[Longbridge]] that opened in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bournville.ac.uk/the-college/ |title=The College |access-date=5 April 2014 |publisher=Bournville College |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140326083541/http://www.bournville.ac.uk/the-college/ |archive-date=26 March 2014}}</ref> [[Fircroft College]] is a residential college based in a former Edwardian mansion in [[Selly Oak]], founded in 1909 around a strong commitment to social justice, with many courses aimed at students with few prior formal qualifications.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fircroft.ac.uk/about-us |title=About Us |access-date=5 April 2014 |publisher=Fircroft College |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407095308/http://fircroft.ac.uk/about-us |archive-date=7 April 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Queen Alexandra College]] is a specialist college based in [[Harborne]] offering further education to [[visually impaired]] or [[disabled]] students from all over the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.qac.ac.uk/college.htm |title=The College |access-date=5 April 2014 |publisher=Queen Alexandra College |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407085908/http://www.qac.ac.uk/college.htm |archive-date=7 April 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
Birmingham began as a small town in 1166.  
[[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]] gave city status to Birmingham in 1889.


===Primary and secondary education===
Many [[industry|industries]] were developed in Birmingham during the 18th and 19th centuries. These included making [[weapon]]s and food.
[[File:Moseley School.jpg|thumb|right|[[Moseley School]], one of the largest of the city's 77 secondary schools]] [[Birmingham City Council]] is England's largest [[local education authority]], directly or indirectly responsible for 25 nursery schools, 328 primary schools, 77 secondary schools<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bgfl.org/services/nqt/primsec.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050910123350/http://bgfl.org/services/nqt/primsec.htm |archive-date=10 September 2005 |title=Birmingham City Council Primary and Secondary |publisher=Birmingham Grid for Learning (BGfL) |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and 29 [[special school]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bgfl.org/services/nqt/sen.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051127123847/http://bgfl.org/services/nqt/sen.htm |archive-date=27 November 2005 |title=Birmingham City Council Special Needs Schools |publisher=Birmingham Grid for Learning (BGfL) |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and providing around 3,500 [[adult education]] courses throughout the year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/adulteducation |title=Birmingham Adult Education Service |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010173416/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/adulteducation |archive-date=10 October 2008}}</ref> Most of Birmingham's [[state school#United Kingdom|state schools]] are [[Community school (England and Wales)|community school]]s run directly by [[Birmingham City Council]] in its role as [[local education authority]] (LEA), although there are also [[voluntary aided school|voluntary aided]] schools within the state system. Since the 1970s, most secondary schools in Birmingham have been 11-–-16/18 comprehensive schools, while post [[GCSE]] students have the choice of continuing their education in either a school's sixth form or at a further education college.


[[King Edward's School, Birmingham]], founded in 1552 by King Edward VI, is one of the oldest schools in the city, teaching [[GCSE]] and [[International Baccalaureate|IB]], with alumni including J R R Tolkien, author of the ''Lord of the Rings'' books and ''The Hobbit''.<ref>{{cite web |title=History of the School |url=https://kes.org.uk/about-us/history-of-the-school/ |website=King Edward's School |access-date=6 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Biography |url=https://www.tolkiensociety.org/author/biography/ |website=The Tolkien Society |date=27 October 2016 |access-date=6 May 2020}}</ref> Independent schools in the city include the [[Birmingham Blue Coat School]], [[King Edward VI High School for Girls, Birmingham|King Edward VI High School for Girls]] and [[Edgbaston High School for Girls]]. [[Bishop Vesey's Grammar School]] was founded by Bishop Vesey in 1527.<ref>{{cite book |title=A History of Bishop Vesey's Grammar School – The First 375 Years (1527–1902) |last=Osborne |first=Kerry}}</ref>
Birmingham manufacturing industry played a big role in the war effort in [[World War I]] and [[World War II]]. The WWII [[spitfire]] aeroplane was made in Birmingham. In 2000, a statue of [[Sentinel (sculpture)|stylised spitfires]] was erected next to the old factory site. The factory now makes Jaguar cars.
Birmingham had a large car making industry. It has declined since the 1980s. It remains the home town for [[Jaguar (car)|Jaguar]] and [[Land Rover]] cars.


==Public services==
In 1974, twenty-one people were killed in the [[Birmingham pub bombings]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Birmingham bombings 40 years on: what can we learn from IRA terror?|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11245150/The-Birmingham-bombings-40-years-on-what-can-we-learn-from-IRA-terror.html|access-date=2021-02-08|website=The Telegraph|language=en-GB}}</ref>
In Birmingham [[library|libraries]], [[leisure centre]]s, [[Parks and open spaces in Birmingham|parks]], [[play area]]s, [[transport]], [[street cleaning]] and [[waste collection]] face cuts among other services. [[Albert Bore]], leader of Birmingham City Council called on the government to change radically how local services are funded and provided. It is claimed government cuts to local authorities have hit Birmingham disproportionately.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/dec/09/birmingham-council-unable-fund-statutory-services |title=Birmingham council says it may soon be unable to fund statutory services |first=Steven |last=Morris |work=The Guardian |date=9 December 2013}}</ref> [[Child protection]] services within Birmingham were rated "inadequate" by [[OFSTED]] for four years running between 2009 and 2013, with 20 child deaths since 2007 being investigated.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-26764251 |title=Birmingham City Council Children's Services to get commissioner |access-date=5 April 2014 |date=27 March 2014 |work=BBC News}}</ref> In March 2014 the government announced that independent commissioner would be appointed to oversee improvements to children's services within the city.<ref>{{cite news |first=Steven |last=Morris |title=Birmingham children's services gets independent oversight after tragedies |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/mar/27/birmingham-children-services-independent-commissioner |publisher=Guardian News and Media |date=27 March 2014 |access-date=5 April 2014}}</ref>


===Library services===
== Transport ==
[[File:LibraryOfBirmingham-Levels.jpg|right|thumb|The [[Library of Birmingham]] is the new home for the largest municipal library in Europe.]]The former [[Birmingham Central Library]], opened in 1972, was considered to be the largest municipal library in Europe.<ref>{{cite news |title=Preston bus station on UK monument 'at risk' list |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15180978 |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=5 October 2011 |access-date=5 November 2011}}; {{cite web |url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about/news/birmingham-library/ |title=Birmingham Central Library |access-date=5 November 2011 |date=23 November 2009 |publisher=English Heritage}}</ref> Six of its collections were [[Designation Scheme|designated]] by the [[Arts Council England]] as being "pre-eminent collections of national and international importance", out of only eight collections to be so recognised in local authority libraries nationwide.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite/designatedcollections?packedargs=website%3D4&rendermode=live |title=Designated Library Status for Central Library |access-date=30 September 2012 |publisher=Birmingham City Council |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110124954/http://birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite/designatedcollections?packedargs=website%3D4&rendermode=live |archive-date=10 November 2012}}</ref> A new [[Library of Birmingham]] in [[Centenary Square]], replacing Central Library, was opened on 3 September 2013. It was designed by the Dutch architects [[Mecanoo]] and has been described as "a kind of public forum&nbsp;... a memorial, a shrine, to the book and to literature".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://hughpearman.com/library-birmingham-2/ |title=The Library of Birmingham |last=Pearman |first=Hugh |author-link=Hugh Pearman (architecture critic) |website=HughPearman.com |date=1 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004142908/http://hughpearman.com/library-birmingham-2/ |archive-date=4 October 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref> This library faces cuts, due to reduced funding from Central government.<ref name="BirminghamMail23/1/2014"/>


There are 41 local libraries in Birmingham, plus a regular mobile library service.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/mobilelibrary |title=Birmingham Mobile Library Service |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100324200749/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/mobilelibrary |archive-date=24 March 2010}}</ref> The library service has 4&nbsp;million visitors annually.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=1787&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=5255 |title=Facts about Birmingham Library Service |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609080413/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=1787&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=5255 |archive-date=9 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Due to budget cuts, four of the branch libraries risk closure whilst services may be reduced elsewhere.<ref name="BirminghamMail23/1/2014">{{Cite web |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/four-birmingham-libraries-facing-closure-6556612 |title=Four Birmingham libraries facing closure because of budget cuts |first=Neil |last=Elkes |date=23 January 2014 |website=birminghammail}}</ref>
=== Grand Union Canal ===
Birmingham was an important stagine-post in the Victorian industrial [[canal]] system. Today it is the northern terminus of the [[Grand Union Canal]] to [[London]]. Heavy goods (as coal surely is) are most economically moved on water. No other form of transport is so efficient.  


===Emergency services===
=== Motorways ===
Law enforcement in Birmingham is carried out by [[West Midlands Police]], whose headquarters are at [[Lloyd House, Birmingham|Lloyd House]] in the city centre. With 87.92 recorded offences per 1000 population in 2009–10, Birmingham's crime rate is above the average for [[England and Wales]], but lower than any of England's other major [[Core Cities Group|core cities]] and lower than many smaller cities such as [[Oxford]], [[Cambridge]] or [[Brighton]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/ia/atlas.html |title=Recorded crime >> Total recorded offences >> 2009–10 |publisher=Home Office |access-date=19 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415180307/http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/ia/atlas.html |archive-date=15 April 2010}}</ref> Fire and rescue services in Birmingham are provided by [[West Midlands Fire Service]] and emergency medical care by [[West Midlands Ambulance Service]].
[[File:Spaghetti-Junction-Crop.jpg|thumb|[[Gravelly Hill Interchange|Spaghetti Junction]]]]The [[M40 motorway]] connects to London via [[Oxford]]. The [[M6 motorway]] also connects Birmingham to London (via the [[M1 motorway|M1]]) and to the north-west of England and Scotland. Junction 6 of the M6 is also one of Birmingham's landmarks, and probably the most notable motorway junction in the UK, [[Gravelly Hill Interchange|Spaghetti Junction]], officially called the Gravelly Hill Interchange. Other motorways are:
* The [[A38 road|A38(M)]] which links Spaghetti Junction to the city centre
*The [[M5 motorway|M5]], connecting Birmingham to the south-west of England
*The [[M42 motorway|M42]], which connects Birmingham to [[Tamworth, Staffordshire|Tamworth]] and the [[East Midlands]]
*The [[M6 Toll]], which enables through traffic on the M6 to bypass Birmingham and [[Wolverhampton]].


===Healthcare===
Birmingham, unlike London and [[Manchester]], does not have a single orbital motorway. Instead, three motorways form a box which surrounds most of the city. These are:
{{see also|Healthcare in West Midlands}}
*The [[M42 motorway|M42]] to the south and east. In the middle, the [[M40 motorway|M40]] ends. It has priority for traffic going from the M40 to the M42 west. The M40 goes off south to [[Warwick]], [[Oxford]], [[High Wycombe]], [[Uxbridge]] and London.
[[File:Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, England-7March2011.jpg|right|thumb|The [[Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham|Queen Elizabeth Hospital]] in [[Edgbaston]] houses the largest single floor [[critical care unit]] in the world.]]
*The [[M5 motorway|M5]] which forms the western section.
There are several major [[National Health Service]] hospitals in Birmingham. The [[Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham|Queen Elizabeth Hospital]], adjacent to the [[Birmingham Medical School]] in [[Edgbaston]], is one of the largest [[teaching hospital]]s in the United Kingdom with over 1,200 beds. It is a major trauma centre offering services to the extended West Midlands region and houses the largest single-floor [[critical care unit]] in the world, with 100 beds.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10317818 |title=First patients at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital |access-date=30 September 2012 |date=16 June 2010 |work=BBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100717130358/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10317818 |archive-date=17 July 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> The hospital has the largest solid&nbsp;organ transplantation&nbsp;programme in Europe as well as the largest&nbsp;renal transplant programme in the United Kingdom and it is a national specialist centre for liver, heart and lung transplantation, as well as cancer studies. It is the home of the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine for military personnel injured in conflict zones.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Militarymedicine/Pages/RCDM.aspx |title=Military care in the NHS |access-date=30 September 2012 |year=2011 |publisher=National Health Service}}</ref>
*The [[M6 motorway|M6]] which forms the northern section. The M5 ends on the M6.
[[File:A38(M) Aston Expressway.jpg|thumb|The [[A38(M) motorway|A38(M) Aston Expressway]]]]
Other major roads passing through Birmingham include:
*The [[A34 road (England)|A34]] from [[Manchester]] to [[Winchester, Hampshire|Winchester]]
*The [[A38 road|A38]] from [[Mansfield]] to [[Bodmin]]
*The [[A41 road|A41]] from London to [[Birkenhead]]
*The [[A45 road|A45]] from Birmingham to [[Thrapston]] (formerly to [[Felixstowe]])
*The [[A47 road|A47]] from Birmingham to [[Great Yarmouth]]
*The [[A4540 road|A4540]] 'Middleway' ring road
*The [[A4040 road|A4040]] Outer Ring Road


Other [[District General Hospital|general hospitals]] in the city include [[Heartlands Hospital]] in [[Bordesley Green]], [[Good Hope Hospital]] in [[Sutton Coldfield]] and [[City Hospital, Birmingham|City Hospital]] in [[Winson Green]]. There are also many specialist hospitals, such as [[Birmingham Children's Hospital]], [[Birmingham Women's Hospital]], [[Birmingham Dental Hospital]], and the [[Royal Orthopaedic Hospital]].
== Famous people from Birmingham ==
* [[Gabriel Agbonlahor]], footballer
* [[Geoff Bunn]], artist
* [[Geezer Butler]], musician and [[Black Sabbath]] member
* [[Jasper Carrott]], comedian
* [[Tony Iommi]], musician and [[Black Sabbath]] member
* [[Jeff Lynne]], musician and [[record producer]], co-founder of [[Electric Light Orchestra]]
* [[Bill Oddie]], television personality
* [[Ozzy Osbourne]], singer, and [[Black Sabbath]] member
* [[James and Oliver Phelps]], actors, famous for playing Fred and George Weasley in the [[Harry Potter]] film series
* [[J.R.R. Tolkien]], author
* [[Julie Walters]], actor
* [[Steve Winwood]], musician
*Matthew Stansfield - member of the conservatives party
*[[Richard Hammond]] - Motoring journalist, TV presenter


Birmingham saw the first ever use of [[radiography]] in an [[Surgery operation|operation]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/xray |title=Major John Hall-Edwards |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928204852/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/xray |archive-date=28 September 2012}}</ref> and the UK's first ever [[Atrial septal defect|hole-in-the-heart]] operation was performed at [[Birmingham Children's Hospital]].
== Famous pop and rock groups from Birmingham ==
* [[Black Sabbath]], heavy metal rock group
* [[Dexys Midnight Runners]], pop group
* [[Duran Duran]], pop group
* [[Judas Priest]], rock group
* [[Moody Blues]], pop group
* [[The Move]], pop group
* [[UB40]], pop group
* [[Wizzard]], pop group


===Water supply===
==References==
The [[Birmingham Corporation Water Department]] was set up in 1876 to supply water to Birmingham, up until 1974 when its responsibilities were transferred to [[Severn Trent Water]]. Most of Birmingham's water is supplied by the [[Elan aqueduct]],<ref>{{cite journal |year=1901 |title="THE BIRMINGHAM WATERWORKS." Lecture by JAMES MANSERGH, President of the Congress. |journal=International Engineering Congress 1901 : Glasgow. Report of the Proceedings and Abstracts of the Papers Read. |url=http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/international-engineering-congress-1901--glasgow/report-of-the-proceedings-and-abstracts-of-the-papers-read-hci/page-23-report-of-the-proceedings-and-abstracts-of-the-papers-read-hci.shtml}}</ref> opened in 1904; water is fed by gravity to [[Frankley Reservoir]], [[Frankley]], and [[Bartley Reservoir]], [[Bartley Green]], from [[Elan Valley Reservoirs|reservoirs in the Elan Valley]], Wales.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://history.powys.org.uk/history/rhayader/aqueduct1.html |title=Powys Digital History Project: Elan Valley Dams |access-date=9 May 2012}}</ref>
{{reflist}}
 
===Energy from waste===
Within Birmingham the [[Tyseley Energy from Waste Plant]], a large [[incineration]] plant built in 1996 for [[Veolia]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.veoliaenvironmentalservices.co.uk/Birmingham/Facilities/Energy-recovery |title=Veolia: Energy recovery |access-date=15 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317230706/http://www.veoliaenvironmentalservices.co.uk/Birmingham/Facilities/Energy-recovery/ |archive-date=17 March 2012}}</ref> burns some 366,414 tonnes of household waste annually and produces 166,230 MWh of electricity for the [[National Grid (UK)|National Grid]] along with 282,013 tonnes of carbon dioxide.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghamfoe.org.uk/waste-recycling-news/birmingham-s-big-burner |title=Friends of the Earth news article: Birminghams big burner |access-date=15 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131124102501/http://www.birminghamfoe.org.uk/waste-recycling-news/birmingham-s-big-burner |archive-date=24 November 2013}}</ref>
 
==Sport==
<!--
#### Please keep this section short; add new material to the sub-article ####
-->{{Main|Sport in Birmingham}}
[[File:AstonvillavsBirmingham06.JPG|thumb|right|[[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]] vs [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]] in the [[Second City derby]] at [[Villa Park]]]]
Birmingham has played an important part in the history of modern sport. The [[Football League]] – the world's first league [[association football|football]] competition – was founded by Birmingham resident and [[Aston Villa]] director [[William McGregor (football)|William McGregor]], who wrote to fellow club directors in 1888 proposing "that ten or twelve of the most prominent clubs in England combine to arrange home-and-away fixtures each season".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/History/HistoryDetail/0,,10794~1357277,00.html |title=History of the Football League |publisher=The Football League |access-date=30 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209043226/http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/History/HistoryDetail/0%2C%2C10794~1357277%2C00.html |archive-date=9 February 2009}}</ref> The modern game of [[tennis]] was developed between 1859 and 1865 by [[Harry Gem]] and his friend [[Augurio Perera]] at Perera's house in [[Edgbaston]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghamcivicsociety.org.uk/lawntennis.htm |title=Lawn Tennis and Major T. H. Gem |publisher=Birmingham Civic Society |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080209134422/http://www.birminghamcivicsociety.org.uk/lawntennis.htm |archive-date=9 February 2008}}</ref> with the [[Edgbaston Archery and Lawn Tennis Society]] remaining the oldest tennis club in the world.<ref>{{cite news |first=Anna |last=Tyzack |title=The True Home of Tennis |url=http://www.countrylife.co.uk/news/culture/article/79487/The_True_Home_of_Tennis.html |work=Country Life |publisher=IPC Media |date=22 June 2005 |access-date=17 January 2009}}</ref> The [[Birmingham and District Premier League|Birmingham and District Cricket League]] is the oldest cricket league in the world,<ref>{{cite book |last=Davis |first=Alex E |title=First in the field: the history of the world's first cricket league: the Birmingham and District Cricket League, formed 1888 |year=1988 |publisher=Brewin Books |isbn=0-947731-34-2}}</ref> and Birmingham was the host for the first ever Cricket World Cup, a [[Women's Cricket World Cup]] in 1973.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.icc-europe.org/DATABASE/ARTICLES/articles/000035/003593.shtml |title=ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier schedule |publisher=International Cricket Council |access-date=14 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080402102254/http://www.icc-europe.org/DATABASE/ARTICLES/articles/000035/003593.shtml |archive-date=2 April 2008}}</ref> Birmingham was the first city to be named National City of Sport by the [[UK Sport|Sports Council]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marketingbirmingham.com/media_office/fun_facts/fun_facts_sport/ |title=Birmingham – We love our sport |publisher=Marketing Birmingham |access-date=7 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608151649/http://www.marketingbirmingham.com/media_office/fun_facts/fun_facts_sport/ |archive-date=8 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Birmingham was selected ahead of London and [[Manchester]] to bid for the [[1992 Summer Olympics]],<ref>{{cite journal |last=Hill |first=Christopher R. |year=1994 |publisher=The Hansard Society |title=The Politics of Manchester's Olympic Bid |journal=Parliamentary Affairs |volume=47 |issue=3 |pages=338–354 |issn=0031-2290 |url=http://pa.oxfordjournals.org/content/47/3/338.full.pdf+html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525190146/http://pa.oxfordjournals.org/content/47/3/338.full.pdf+html |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 May 2012 |access-date=24 October 2010}}</ref> but was unsuccessful in the final selection process, which was won by [[Barcelona]].<ref>{{cite book |first1=Kristine |last1=Toohey |first2=Anthony |last2=James Veal |title=The Olympic games: a social science perspective |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ywy9aslk3M8C&pg=PA223 |access-date=24 October 2010 |year=2007 |publisher=CABI |isbn=978-0-85199-809-1 |page=223}}</ref>
 
[[File:Edgbaston - view of new stand from the north.jpg|thumb|left|[[Test cricket]] at [[Edgbaston Cricket Ground]]]]Today, the city is home of two of the country's oldest professional [[association football|football]] teams: [[Aston Villa F.C.]], which was founded in 1874 and plays at [[Villa Park]]; and [[Birmingham City F.C.]], which was founded in 1875 and plays at [[St Andrew's (stadium)|St Andrew's]]. Rivalry between the clubs is fierce and the fixture between the two is called the [[Second City derby]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.footballderbies.com/honours/index.php?id=27 |title=The Second City derby |website=FootballDerbies.com |access-date=30 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070607183955/http://www.footballderbies.com/honours/index.php?id=27 |archive-date=7 June 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref> Aston Villa currently play in the [[Premier League]] while Birmingham City currently play in the [[EFL Championship|Championship]]. [[West Bromwich Albion]] also draw support within the Birmingham area, being located at [[The Hawthorns]] just outside the city boundaries in [[Sandwell]]. Rival football team [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] also played briefly at St Andrew's  for two seasons between 2019 and 2021 due to an ongoing dispute with [[Wasps RFC|their landlords]] over use of the [[Coventry Building Society Arena]].
 
[[Warwickshire County Cricket Club]] play at [[Edgbaston Cricket Ground]], which also hosts [[test cricket]] and [[one day international]]s and is the largest cricket ground in the United Kingdom after [[Lord's]].<ref name="ECB">{{cite web |url=http://ecb.co.uk/news/england/edgbaston,4190,BA.html |title=Edgbaston at the cutting edge |last=Barnett |first=Rob |publisher=England and Wales Cricket Board |date=10 August 2011 |access-date=15 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008005922/http://ecb.co.uk/news/england/edgbaston%2C4190%2CBA.html |archive-date=8 October 2011}}</ref> Edgbaston was the scene of the highest ever score by a batsman in [[first-class cricket]], when [[Brian Lara]] scored 501 not out for Warwickshire in 1994.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thebears.co.uk/history/alumni/brianlara.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071204030409/http://www.thebears.co.uk/history/alumni/brianlara.shtml |archive-date=4 December 2007 |title=Alumni – Brian Lara |publisher=Warwickshire County Cricket Club |access-date=7 June 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
Birmingham is also home to professional [[Rugby Union]] clubs such as [[Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club|Birmingham Moseley]] and [[Birmingham & Solihull R.F.C.|Birmingham & Solihull]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://moseleyrugby.co.uk/ |title=Moseley Rugby |access-date=18 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.beesrugby.com/ |title=Birmingham & Solihull |access-date=18 June 2020}}</ref> The city also has a semiprofessional [[Rugby League]] club, the [[Midlands Hurricanes]] as well as an amateur club the [[Birmingham Bulldogs]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.birminghambulldogs.co.uk/ |title=Birmingham Bulldogs |access-date=18 June 2020}}</ref> The city is also home to one of the oldest [[American football]] teams in the [[BAFA National Leagues]], the [[Birmingham Bulls (American football)|Birmingham Bulls]].
 
[[File:NationalIndoorArena.jpg|thumb|right|[[Aviva Indoor Grand Prix|International athletics]] at the [[National Indoor Arena]]]]Two major championship [[golf course]]s lie on the city's outskirts. [[The Belfry]] near [[Sutton Coldfield]] is the headquarters of the [[Professional Golfers' Association (Great Britain and Ireland)|Professional Golfers' Association]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pga.info/TheProfessionalGolfersAssociation/26363077.htm |title=Contact the PGA |access-date=17 September 2011 |publisher=The Professional Golfers Association |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902083242/http://www.pga.info/TheProfessionalGolfersAssociation/26363077.htm |archive-date=2 September 2011}}</ref> and has hosted the [[Ryder Cup]] more times than any other venue.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.golf-monthly.co.uk/travel/uk/251753/england-birmingham.html |title=England – Birmingham |access-date=17 September 2011 |last=Bisset |first=Fergus |work=Golf Monthly |date=15 April 2008 |publisher=IPC Media}}</ref> The [[Forest of Arden Hotel and Country Club]] near [[Birmingham Airport, England|Birmingham Airport]] is also a regular host of tournaments on the [[PGA European Tour]], including the [[British Masters]] and the [[English Open]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.marriottgolf.com/leisure/golf-courses/forest-of-arden-country-club/default.jsp?loc=IM59*1-1LK67J |title=Forest of Arden Country Club: Golf offerings and general information |access-date=17 September 2011 |publisher=Marriott International}}</ref>
 
The [[AEGON Classic]] is, alongside [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]] and [[AEGON International|Eastbourne]], one of only three UK tennis tournaments on the [[Women's Tennis Association|WTA Tour]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wtatour.com/page/Calendar/0,,12781,00.html |title=2010 WTA Tour Tournament Calendar |access-date=23 October 2010 |year=2010 |work=Sony Ericsson WTA Tour – Official Site of Women's Professional Tennis |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110011431/http://www.wtatour.com/page/Calendar/0%2C%2C12781%2C00.html |archive-date=10 November 2010}}</ref> It is played annually at the [[Edgbaston Priory Club]], which in 2010 announced plans for a multimillion-pound redevelopment, including a new showcase centre court and a museum celebrating the game's Birmingham origins.<ref>{{cite news |first=Nick |last=McCarthy |title=Edgbaston Priory Tennis Club planning multi-million pound transformation |url=http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2010/06/03/edgbaston-priory-tennis-club-planning-multi-million-pound-transformation-65233-26579605/ |work=Birmingham Post |publisher=Trinity Mirror Midlands |date=3 June 2010 |access-date=23 October 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100908141631/http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2010/06/03/edgbaston-priory-tennis-club-planning-multi-million-pound-transformation-65233-26579605/ |archive-date=8 September 2010}}</ref>
 
The [[Alexander Stadium]] in [[Perry Barr]] is the headquarters of [[UK Athletics]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Find us |url=http://www.uka.org.uk/governance/find-us/ |publisher=UK Athletics |access-date=26 November 2011 |archive-date=29 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170529220821/http://www.uka.org.uk/governance/find-us/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> and one of only two British venues to host fixtures in the elite international [[IAAF Diamond League]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.diamondleague.com/en/Event-Calendar/ |title=Samsung Diamond League Calendar of Events |access-date=18 September 2011 |publisher=Samsung Diamond League |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110907112207/http://www.diamondleague.com/en/Event-Calendar/ |archive-date=7 September 2011}}</ref> It is also the home of [[Birchfield Harriers]], which has many international athletes among its members. The [[National Indoor Arena]] hosted the [[2007 European Athletics Indoor Championships]] and the [[World Athletics Indoor Championships|2003 and 2018 World Indoor Championships]], as well as hosting the annual [[Aviva Indoor Grand Prix]] – the only British indoor athletics fixture to qualify as an [[IAAF Indoor Permit Meetings|IAAF Indoor Permit Meeting]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iaaf.org/WIM10/results/index.html |title=Permit Events |access-date=18 September 2011 |publisher=IAAF Permit Indoor Meetings |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027110335/http://iaaf.org/WIM10/results/index.html |archive-date=27 October 2011}}</ref> – and a wide variety of other sporting events.
 
Professional [[boxing]], [[field hockey|hockey]], [[skateboarding]], [[stock-car racing]], [[greyhound racing]] and [[Motorcycle speedway|speedway]] also take place within the city.
 
Since 1994 Birmingham has hosted the [[All England Open Badminton Championships]] at [[Arena Birmingham]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allenglandbadminton.com/championship-info/# |title=All England Open Badminton Championship |publisher=All England Badminton |access-date=18 June 2020}}</ref>
 
=== Commonwealth Games ===
Birmingham will host the [[2022 Commonwealth Games]]. The Games are expected to take place between 27 July and 7 August 2022. Birmingham has a wealth of existing sports venues, arenas and conference halls that are ideal for hosting sport during the Games. [[Alexander Stadium]], which will host the ceremonies and athletics, will be renovated and the capacity will be increased to 40,000 seats. The 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham are expected to generate a £526&nbsp;million boost to the West Midlands regional economy.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/index.php/articles/1059667/birmingham-to-get-526-million-boost-from-2022-commonwealth-games |title=Birmingham to get £526&nbsp;million boost from 2022 Commonwealth Games |first=Bill |last=Howell |website=www.insidethegames.biz |date=2 January 2018 |access-date=2 January 2018}}</ref> The official handover to Birmingham took place at the Gold Coast [[2018 Commonwealth Games]] closing ceremony on 15 April 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.accessaa.co.uk/birmingham-commonwealth-games-2022/ |title=Birmingham to host Commonwealth Games 2022 – Access All Areas |date=2 January 2018 |work=Access All Areas |access-date=2 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103072639/http://www.accessaa.co.uk/birmingham-commonwealth-games-2022/ |archive-date=3 January 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
==Media==
{{Main|Media in Birmingham}}
[[File:ElectricCinema.jpg|thumb|upright|[[The Electric, Birmingham|The Electric]] is the oldest working cinema in the UK.]]
 
Birmingham has several major local newspapers – the daily ''[[Birmingham Mail]]'' and the weekly ''[[Birmingham Post]]'' and ''[[Sunday Mercury]]'', all owned by [[Reach plc]]. ''Forward'' is a [[freesheet]] produced by [[Birmingham City Council]], which is distributed to homes in the city. Birmingham is also the hub for various national [[ethnic]] media, lifestyle magazines, digital news platforms, and the base for two regional [[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]] editions (East and West Midlands).
 
Birmingham has three mainstream digital-only news publishers, ''I Am Birmingham'', ''Birmingham Updates'' and ''Second City''.
 
Birmingham has a long cinematic history; [[The Electric, Birmingham|The Electric]] on Station Street is the oldest working cinema in the UK.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theelectric.co.uk/ |title=The Electric Cinema website |access-date=7 June 2008}}</ref> Birmingham is the location for several British and international film productions including ''[[Felicia's Journey (film)|Felicia's Journey]]'' of 1999, which used locations in Birmingham that were used in ''[[Take Me High]]'' of 1973 to contrast the changes in the city.<ref>{{cite book |title=Remaking Birmingham: The Visual Culture of Urban Regeneration |url=https://archive.org/details/remakingbirmingh00kenn |url-access=limited |first=Liam |last=Kennedy |page=[https://archive.org/details/remakingbirmingh00kenn/page/n127 115] |year=2004 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=0-415-28838-X}}</ref>
 
[[File:Mailbox at Night.jpg|thumb|left|[[The Mailbox]], headquarters of [[BBC Birmingham]]]]
The [[BBC]] has two facilities in the city. [[The Mailbox]], in the city centre, is the national headquarters of [[BBC English Regions]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/england/about.shtml |title=About Us – Information about BBC English Regions |publisher=BBC |access-date=7 June 2008}}</ref> and the headquarters of [[BBC West Midlands]] and the [[BBC Birmingham]] network production centre. These were previously located at the [[Pebble Mill Studios]] in [[Edgbaston]]. The BBC Drama Village, based in [[Selly Oak]], is a production facility specialising in [[BBC television drama|television drama]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/05_may/09/drama_village.shtml |title=Lights, campus, action for BBC Birmingham's Television Drama Village |publisher=BBC Press Release |date=9 May 2005 |access-date=7 June 2008}}</ref>
 
[[ITV Central|Central/ATV]] studios in Birmingham was the location for the recording of various programmes for ITV, including ''[[Tiswas]]'' and ''[[Crossroads (soap opera)|Crossroads]]'', until the complex was closed in 1997,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.transdiffusion.org/emc/studioone/circles.php |title=Ever Decreasing Circles |first=Lee |last=Carey |publisher=Studio One |access-date=10 May 2008 |date=1 February 2003 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506154335/http://www.transdiffusion.org/emc/studioone/circles.php |archive-date=6 May 2008}}</ref> and Central moved to its current Gas Street studios. Central's output from Birmingham now consists of only the ''West'' and ''East'' editions of the regional news programme ''[[ITV News Central]]''.
 
The city is served by numerous national and regional radio stations, as well as [[hyperlocal]] radio stations. These include [[Free Radio Birmingham]] and [[Greatest Hits West Midlands]], [[Capital Birmingham]], [[Heart West Midlands]], [[Absolute Radio]], [[Smooth Radio (2014)|Smooth Radio]]. The city has a [[community radio]] scene, with stations including [[Big City Radio]], [[New Style Radio 98.7FM|New Style Radio]], Brum Radio, [[Switch Radio]], [[Scratch Radio]], Raaj FM, and Unity FM.
 
''[[The Archers]]'', the world's longest running radio soap, is recorded in Birmingham for [[BBC Radio 4]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6124558.stm |title=The Archers airs 15,000th episode |work=BBC News |date=7 November 2006 |access-date=28 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070320222654/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6124558.stm |archive-date=20 March 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref> BBC Birmingham studios additionally produce shows for [[BBC WM|BBC Radio WM]] and [[BBC Asian Network]] in the city.
 
== Notable people ==
{{Main list|List of people from Birmingham}}
 
==International relations==
 
Birmingham has nine [[Town twinning|sister cities]];<ref name="BCC partner cities">{{cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite/eia?packedargs=website%3D4&rendermode=live |title=Partner Cities |publisher=Birmingham City Council |access-date=25 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104171730/http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite/eia?packedargs=website%3D4&rendermode=live |archive-date=4 November 2014}}</ref>
 
{{Div col}}
* [[Lyon]], France (since 1951)<ref name="Lyon">{{cite web |url=http://www.lyon.fr/vdl/sections/en/villes_partenaires/villes_partenaires_2/?aIndex=1 |title=Partner Cities of Lyon and Greater Lyon |publisher=2008 Mairie de Lyon |access-date=17 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719003816/http://www.lyon.fr/vdl/sections/en/villes_partenaires/villes_partenaires_2/?aIndex=1 |archive-date=19 July 2009}}</ref><ref name="Archant twinning">{{cite web |url=http://www.completefrance.com/language-culture/twin-towns |title=British towns twinned with French towns |access-date=11 July 2013 |work=Archant Community Media Ltd |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705094933/http://www.completefrance.com/language-culture/twin-towns |archive-date=5 July 2013}}</ref>
* [[Frankfurt am Main]], Germany (since 1966)<ref name="Frankfurt am Main">{{cite web |url=http://www.frankfurt.de/sixcms/detail.php?id=502645 |title=Frankfurt -Partner Cities |website=www.frankfurt.de |publisher=Stadt Frankfurt am Main |access-date=17 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071107080201/http://www.frankfurt.de/sixcms/detail.php?id=502645 |archive-date=7 November 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
* [[Milan]], Italy (since 1974)<ref name="Milan">{{cite web |url=http://www.comune.milano.it/portale/wps/portal/CDM?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/wps/wcm/connect/ContentLibrary/In%20Comune/In%20Comune/Citt%20Gemellate |title=Milano – Città Gemellate |publisher=2008 Municipality of Milan (Comune di Milano) |access-date=17 July 2009 |archive-date=10 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140410020744/http://www.comune.milano.it/portale/wps/portal/CDM?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=%2Fwps%2Fwcm%2Fconnect%2FContentLibrary%2FIn%20Comune%2FIn%20Comune%2FCitt%20Gemellate |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Changchun]], China (since 1983)
* [[Leipzig]], Germany (since 1992)<ref name="Lepzig">{{Cite web |url=https://distinctlybirmingham.com/partner-cities/ |title=Partner Cities &#124; Distinctly Birmingham |website=distinctlybirmingham.com}}</ref>
* [[Chicago]], United States (since 1993)
* [[Johannesburg]], South Africa (since 1997)
* [[Guangzhou]], China (since 2006)
* [[Nanjing]], China (since 2007)
{{Colend}}
 
Birmingham was twinned with [[Zaporizhzhia]], in Ukraine, in the late [[Soviet Union]] period. This is noted in Ukrainian<ref>[[Zaporizhzhia|Міста-побратими м. Запоріжжя (Twin Cities Zaporizhzhia). City of Zaporizhzhia (in Ukrainian)]]</ref> and in Birmingham public records.<ref>[https://birmingham.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/OPAC/BIBENQ?BRN=1105068 Zaporozhe : Birmingham's twin city in the USSR]</ref>
 
==See also==
* [[Honorary Freedom of the City of Birmingham]]
 
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
 
== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist|35em}}
 
=== Sources ===
{{refbegin|35em}}
* {{Citation |last=Bassett |first=Steven |title=Anglo-Saxon Birmingham |journal=Midland History |volume=25 |issue=25 |year=2000 |publisher=University of Birmingham |pages=1–27 |url = http://www.midlandhistory.bham.ac.uk/issues/2000/bassetts.pdf |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090316044800/http://www.midlandhistory.bham.ac.uk/issues/2000/bassetts.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 March 2009 |issn=0047-729X |access-date=11 August 2009 |doi=10.1179/mdh.2000.25.1.1 |s2cid=161966142 }}
* {{cite book |last=Berg |first=Maxine |editor1-first=Maxine |editor1-last=Berg |title=Markets and Manufacture in Early Industrial Europe |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NfkNAAAAQAAJ |access-date=27 November 2011 |year=1991 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=0-415-03720-4 |pages=173–202 |chapter=Commerce and Creativity in Eighteenth-Century Birmingham |chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NfkNAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA173 }}
* {{cite book |last=Briggs |first=Asa |author-link = Asa Briggs |title = Victorian Cities |orig-year=1963 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=_mWoFbgJsg8C |access-date=17 December 2011 |year=1965 |publisher = University of California Press |location = Berkeley, CA |isbn=0-520-07922-1 |chapter=Birmingham: The making of a Civic Gospel |chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=_mWoFbgJsg8C&pg=PA184 }}
* {{citation |last=Gelling |first=Margaret |year=1956 |title=Some notes on the place-names of Birmingham and the surrounding district |journal = Transactions & Proceedings, Birmingham Archaeological Society |issue=72 |pages=14–17 |issn=0140-4202 }}
* {{Citation |last=Gelling |first=Margaret |year=1992 |title = The West Midlands in the early Middle Ages |series=Studies in the early history of Britain |location=Leicester |publisher=Leicester University Press |isbn=978-0-7185-1170-8 }}
* {{cite book |last=Hodder |first=Mike |title = Birmingham: the hidden history |year=2004 |publisher=Tempus Publishing |location=Stroud |isbn=0-7524-3135-8}}
* {{cite book |last=Holt |first=Richard |title=The early history of the town of Birmingham, 1166–1600 |series=Dugdale Society Occasional Papers |year=1986 |publisher=Printed for the Dugdale Society by D. Stanford, Printer to the University |location=Oxford |isbn=0-85220-062-5 }}
* {{cite book |last=Hopkins |first=Eric |title=Birmingham: The First Manufacturing Town in the World, 1760–1840 |year=1989 |publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson |location=London |isbn=0-297-79473-6 }}
* {{cite book |last=Jones |first=Peter M. |title=Industrial Enlightenment: Science, technology and culture in Birmingham and the West Midlands, 1760–1820 |year=2008 |publisher=Manchester University Press |location=Manchester |isbn=978-0-7190-7770-8 }}
* {{cite book |last=Leather |first=Peter |title=A brief history of Birmingham |year=2001 |publisher=Brewin Books |location=Studley |isbn=1-85858-187-7}}
* {{Citation |last=Thorpe |first=H. |year=1950 |publication-date=1970 |contribution=The Growth of Settlement before the Norman Conquest |editor1-last=Kinvig |editor1-first=R. H. |editor2-last=Smith |editor2-first=J. G. |editor3-last=Wise |editor3-first=M. J. |title=Birmingham and its Regional Setting: A Scientific Survey |publisher=S. R. Publishers Limited |pages=87–97 |isbn=978-0-85409-607-7 }}
* {{cite book |last=Uglow |first=Jenny |title = The Lunar Men: The Inventors of the Modern World 1730–1810 |orig-year=2002 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kZcsXTQntrkC |access-date=27 April 2014 |year=2011 |publisher=Faber & Faber |location=London |isbn=978-0-571-26667-8 }}
* {{cite book |last=Upton |first=Chris |year=1993 |title=A History of Birmingham |publisher=Phillimore |location=Chichester |isbn=0-85033-870-0 }}
* {{cite book |last=Ward |first=Roger |title=City-state and nation: Birmingham's political history, 1830–1940 |year=2005 |publisher=Phillimore |location=Chichester |isbn=1-86077-320-6 }}
{{refend}}
 
==External links==
* [https://www.birmingham.gov.uk Birmingham City Council]
* [https://www.visitbirmingham.com Visitbirmingham.com - Tourism website]
 
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== External links ==
* [http://www.birmingham.gov.uk Birmingham City Council]
* [http://www.birmingham.org.uk Birmingham tourism site]


[[Category:Birmingham, West Midlands| ]]<!--please leave the empty space as standard-->
{{English Cities|nocat=yes}}
[[Category:Cities in the West Midlands (region)]]
{{authority control}}
[[Category:Towns in the West Midlands (county)]]
[[Category:Birmingham| ]]
[[Category:Metropolitan boroughs of the West Midlands (county)]]
[[Category:NUTS 3 statistical regions of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 6th century]]
[[Category:6th-century establishments in England]]

Latest revision as of 02:59, 15 October 2022

This article is about the UK city. For the US city, see Birmingham, Alabama. For other uses, see Birmingham (disambiguation).
Birmingham
City and Metropolitan borough
Birmingham City Centre from the south
Library of Birmingham
Birmingham Town Hall
St Philip's Cathedral
University of Birmingham
St Martin's church and Selfridges department store in the Bull Ring
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
Coat of arms of Birmingham
Coat of arms
Etymology: Old English Beormingahām (home or settlement of the Beormingas)
Nicknames: 
  • Brum
  • Brummagem
  • Second city
  • City of a thousand trades
  • Workshop of the world
  • Venice of the north
Motto: 
Forward
Birmingham shown in the West Midlands county
Birmingham shown in the West Midlands county
Birmingham is located in England
Birmingham
Birmingham
Location in England
Birmingham is located in the United Kingdom
Birmingham
Birmingham
Location in the United Kingdom
Birmingham is located in Europe
Birmingham
Birmingham
Location in Europe
Coordinates: 52°28′59″N 1°53′37″W / 52.48306°N 1.89361°W / 52.48306; -1.89361Coordinates: 52°28′59″N 1°53′37″W / 52.48306°N 1.89361°W / 52.48306; -1.89361
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Constituent country England
RegionWest Midlands
Ceremonial countyTemplate:Country data West Midlands
Historic countyTemplate:Country data Warwickshire
Settlementc. 600
Seigneurial borough1166
Municipal borough1838
City status14 January 1889
Metropolitan borough1 April 1974
Administrative HQThe Council House,
Victoria Square
Government
 • TypeMetropolitan borough
 • BodyBirmingham City Council
 • LeadershipLeader and cabinet
 • ExecutiveTemplate:English district control
 • LeaderVacant (Deputy Leader Ian Ward, acting)
 • Lord MayorAnne Underwood
 • Chief Executive (Interim)Stella Manzie CBE
Area
 • CityFormatting error: invalid input when rounding sq mi (Template:English district area km2)
 • Urban
231.2 sq mi (598.9 km2)
 • Rank[[List of English districts by area|Template:English district area rank]]
Elevation
460 ft (140 m)
Population
 (Template:English statistics year)
 • CityTemplate:English district population
 • Rank[[List of English districts by population|Template:English district rank]]
 • Urban
2,440,986 (3rd)
 • Metro
4,332,629 (List of metropolitan areas in Europe)
DemonymBrummie
Time zoneUTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
Postcode
B
Area code0121
ISO 3166 codeGB-BIR
GSS codeE08000025
NUTS 3 codeUKG31
ONS code00CN
OS grid referenceTemplate:Gbmappingsmall
MotorwaysM6
M6 Toll
M5
M42
A38(M)
Ethnicity
(2011 Census) [1]
  • 57.9% White (53.1% White British)
  • 26.6% Asian
  • 8.9% Black
  • 4.4% Mixed Race
  • 2.0% Other
International airportsBirmingham (BHX)
Major railway stationsBirmingham New Street (A)
Birmingham Moor Street (B)
Birmingham Snow Hill (C1)
GDPUS$ 121.1 billion[2] (2nd)
– Per capitaUS$ 31,572[2]
Councillors120
MPs
Websitewww.birmingham.gov.uk

Birmingham (/ˈbɜːrmɪŋəm/ (About this soundlisten)[3] BUR-ming-əm) is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. It is the second-largest metropolitan area and city in the United Kingdom. About 1.1 million people live in Birmingham. Around 4.3 million people live in its metropolitan area.[4][5][6] Many people call it the "second city" of the United Kingdom.[7][8][9]

History[edit]

A Victorian building in Birmingham, faced with terracotta tiles

Birmingham began as a small town in 1166. Queen Victoria gave city status to Birmingham in 1889.

Many industries were developed in Birmingham during the 18th and 19th centuries. These included making weapons and food.

Birmingham manufacturing industry played a big role in the war effort in World War I and World War II. The WWII spitfire aeroplane was made in Birmingham. In 2000, a statue of stylised spitfires was erected next to the old factory site. The factory now makes Jaguar cars. Birmingham had a large car making industry. It has declined since the 1980s. It remains the home town for Jaguar and Land Rover cars.

In 1974, twenty-one people were killed in the Birmingham pub bombings.[10]

Transport[edit]

Grand Union Canal[edit]

Birmingham was an important stagine-post in the Victorian industrial canal system. Today it is the northern terminus of the Grand Union Canal to London. Heavy goods (as coal surely is) are most economically moved on water. No other form of transport is so efficient.

Motorways[edit]

Spaghetti Junction

The M40 motorway connects to London via Oxford. The M6 motorway also connects Birmingham to London (via the M1) and to the north-west of England and Scotland. Junction 6 of the M6 is also one of Birmingham's landmarks, and probably the most notable motorway junction in the UK, Spaghetti Junction, officially called the Gravelly Hill Interchange. Other motorways are:

  • The A38(M) which links Spaghetti Junction to the city centre
  • The M5, connecting Birmingham to the south-west of England
  • The M42, which connects Birmingham to Tamworth and the East Midlands
  • The M6 Toll, which enables through traffic on the M6 to bypass Birmingham and Wolverhampton.

Birmingham, unlike London and Manchester, does not have a single orbital motorway. Instead, three motorways form a box which surrounds most of the city. These are:

  • The M42 to the south and east. In the middle, the M40 ends. It has priority for traffic going from the M40 to the M42 west. The M40 goes off south to Warwick, Oxford, High Wycombe, Uxbridge and London.
  • The M5 which forms the western section.
  • The M6 which forms the northern section. The M5 ends on the M6.
The A38(M) Aston Expressway

Other major roads passing through Birmingham include:

Famous people from Birmingham[edit]

Famous pop and rock groups from Birmingham[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ "2011 Census: Key Statistics for Local Authorities in England and Wales". ONS. Retrieved 25 December 2012
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Global city GDP 2014". Brookings Institution. Archived from the original on 4 June 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "Birmingham". Wordreference.com.
  4. ↑ "POPULATION OF BIRMINGHAM 2017 (UK)". Country Digest. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  5. ↑ "Population and Census". Birmingham City Council. 7 July 2014. Archived from the original on 26 November 2015.
  6. ↑ "2011 Census: Population and household estimates fact file, unrounded estimates, local authorities in England and Wales (Excel sheet 708Kb)" (xls). Office for National Statistics. 24 September 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  7. ↑ "England's second city: Birmingham". Britain Magazine. 24 May 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  8. ↑ "Nation's 'second city', Birmingham, is UK's fastest growing regional tourist destination, according to figures". This is Money. 24 October 2015. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  9. ↑ "An ode to Birmingham: how can the UK's second city fix its image problem?". The Guardian. 12 July 2014. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  10. ↑ "The Birmingham bombings 40 years on: what can we learn from IRA terror?". The Telegraph. Retrieved 8 February 2021.

External links[edit]

Template:English Cities

Retrieved from "https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Birmingham&oldid=357053"