Birmingham is the second largest City in England with a population of 1,016,800 people. It is second only to London with respect to population and economy. Birmigham is situated in the heart of the beautiful English West Midlands countryside. People from Birmingham are known as 'Brummies', a term  derived from the city's nickname of 'Brum'.

In the early 20th century the traditional metalworking industries thrived in Birmingham, as did more modern ones like bicycle making and tyre manufacture. Electrical engineering became an important industry at that time. It was around this period that Birmingham established itself as England's capital of innovation and manufacturing. Birmingham was the powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution in England, a fact which led to it being known as "the workshop of the world" or the "city of a thousand trades". As Birmingham grew in it's manufacturing  and employment capabilities, the city itself began to steadily grow.

The boundaries of Birmingham were extended in 1928 to include Perry Barr. In 1931 they were extended to include Castle Bromwich and Sheldon. By then Birmingham had a population of about 1 million. During World War II Birmingham was, as a major manufacturing centre, an obvious target for German bombing. More than 2,000 people died as a result of the bombing. In the years 1945-54 more than 37,000 council houses were built in Birmingham. By 1970 the number had risen to over 80,000.

Although Birmingham's industrial importance has declined, it has developed into a national commercial centre, being named as the second-best place in the United Kingdom to locate a business.  Birmingham is a national hub for conferences, retail and events along with an established high tech, research and development sector, supported by its three Universities. It is also the fourth-most visited city by foreign visitors in the UK. It is economically thriving and as said already has the second-largest city economy in the UK.

In 2010, Birmingham was ranked as the 55th-most livable city in the world, according to the Mercer Index of worldwide standards of living. The Big City Plan is a large redevelopment plan currently underway in the city centre with the aim of making Birmingham one of the top 20 most liveable cities in the world within 20 years.