Algerian Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Algeria is the largest country in Africa, stretching from the Mediterranean coast deep into the Sahara Desert. Arabic and Tamazight are official languages, and French is widely spoken. Algerians in Birmingham include students, professionals, business owners and families.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 71 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Algerian; and 7,948 people living in the city had been born in North Africa, a group that includes Algeria.

Working for Birmingham

Algerian residents work in engineering, healthcare, hospitality, retail and business, and many are multilingual, speaking Arabic, French and English, a valuable skill in the city's international businesses. Algerian students study at Birmingham's universities, and Algerian cafes and shops add to the life of the city.

Every community that has settled in Birmingham has helped to shape it. Newcomers have filled gaps in the workforce, opened shops and restaurants, and raised children who have gone on to become the city's doctors, teachers, engineers and entrepreneurs. The Algerian community is part of that tradition of hard work and ambition, and of the city's own motto: Forward.

Culture and community life

Eid and Yennayer, the Amazigh new year in January, are celebrated with family meals. Couscous, which Algeria shares with its neighbours and which is recognised by UNESCO, is at the heart of Algerian cooking, and rai music, which began in western Algeria, is enjoyed around the world.

Birmingham's strength lies in its variety, and the Algerian community is a welcome part of it. As the city continues to grow and change, that contribution will remain part of the story of a place that has always looked forward.