With an area covering 103.4 square miles and a population of over 1 million, Birmingham is the second largest city in England. It is the most multicultural city in the United Kingdom, with a White population of only just under 70%.
The site of Birmingham was founded in the 6th Century by the Anglo-Saxons, but it didn't become a city until 1889.
Birmingham's motto is "Forward", and nicknames of the city include: "Brum", "
Brummagem", "Second City", "City of a Thousand Trades", and "Workshop of the World", as it has been the site of many industrial inventions and revolutions throughout history. Natives of the city are known as "Brummies".
Birmingham has many sports teams, including two of the oldest professional football teams in the world. Birmingham City FC,
Aston Villa FC and
West Bromwich Albion are the three biggest football teams, for rugby union there is the Pertemps Bees and
Moseley Rugby Club, for cricket there is Warwickshire County Cricket Club, and for basketball there is the Birmingham Panthers (formerly the Birmingham Bullets).
Although it is England's second largest city, it has the lowest crime rates than the other eight major cities of England (London, Manchester, Liverpool, Nottingham, Bristol, Sheffield, Leeds and Newcastle).
Birmingham is a wonderful and interesting city, which was once notorious for its uglyness, but since the 1970s the city has transformed into an attractive modern city, thanks to Birmingham City Council's urban redevelopment projects.
Nice areas - City Centre,
Sutton Coldfield, Bournville, Harborne,
Hall Green,
Moseley.
Areas to avoid - Aston, Bordesley Green, Small Heath, Handsworth.