Argentine Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Argentina is the second largest country in South America, stretching from the tropics to the icy tip of Patagonia. Its capital, Buenos Aires, is famous for its culture and nightlife. Spanish is the official language. Argentines in Birmingham include professionals, academics, students and families.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 21 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Argentinian; and 2,281 people living in the city had been born in South America, a group that includes Argentina.

Working for Birmingham

Argentine residents work in engineering, healthcare, research, hospitality, sport and business, and Argentine academics and students contribute to the city's universities. Argentine chefs and restaurants have introduced many Brummies to the pleasures of steak and Malbec wine.

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 Argentine community is part of that tradition of hard work and ambition, and of the city's own motto: Forward.

Culture and community life

Tango, recognised by UNESCO, is Argentina's great gift to world dance, and tango classes are popular in Birmingham. The asado, a slow barbecue shared with friends, is a national ritual, and mate, a herbal tea shared from a gourd, is a symbol of friendship. Football is a national passion.

In a city where scores of languages are spoken, the Argentine community adds another voice to the conversation. Its members, old and new, are helping to make Birmingham the confident, outward-looking city it wants to be.