Libyan Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Libya lies on Africa's Mediterranean coast between Egypt and Tunisia, and most of the country is covered by the Sahara Desert. It has spectacular Roman ruins at Leptis Magna and Sabratha. Arabic is the main language. Many Libyans have come to Britain to study, especially in medicine and engineering.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 7,948 people living in the city had been born in North Africa, a group that includes Libya.

Working for Birmingham

Libyan doctors and dentists have trained in Birmingham and other British cities for decades, and some have stayed to serve patients in the NHS. Libyan engineers, academics and students contribute to the city's universities, and Libyan families run businesses in food and retail.

Much of the work that keeps Birmingham moving happens out of sight: the night shift on a hospital ward, the early start on a building site, the plumber who fixes a boiler on a winter evening, the teaching assistant who helps a child learn to read. People from every community in the city do these jobs, and Libyan residents are part of that everyday effort to make Birmingham a better place to live.

Culture and community life

Eid is the most important celebration, and Libyan cooking is known for couscous, bazeen and sharba, a spiced soup served during Ramadan. Libyan hospitality is famous, and tea is served strong and sweet. Traditional music and poetry are treasured parts of the culture.

Like so many of the communities that make up modern Birmingham, the Libyan community shows how a city can be home to many cultures at once. Its members are proud of where they come from, and just as proud to be Brummies.