Moroccan Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Morocco lies in the north-west corner of Africa, just across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain. It is famous for the cities of Marrakech and Fes, the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara. Arabic and Tamazight are official languages, and French is widely spoken. Moroccans in Birmingham include families, students and professionals.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 266 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Moroccan; and 7,948 people living in the city had been born in North Africa, a group that includes Morocco.

Working for Birmingham

Moroccan residents work in hospitality, healthcare, education, retail and business, and many speak Arabic, French and English. Moroccan restaurants and cafes are popular in Birmingham, and Moroccan-heritage professionals work in the city's hospitals, schools and offices.

The city's future rests on the same things as its past: skills, enterprise and people willing to put in the hours. Whether in a hospital, a classroom, a lecture theatre, a van full of tools or a shop on a busy high street, Moroccan residents are helping to build that future, and to make Birmingham a stronger, fairer and more welcoming city.

Culture and community life

Moroccan cooking, with its tagines, couscous and pastilla, is one of the world's great cuisines, and mint tea is served as a sign of welcome. Eid is the highlight of the year, and Moroccan crafts, from zellige tiles to leather and carpets, are admired around the world.

For anyone who wants to learn more, the best introduction is the simplest one: say hello. Birmingham's communities are at their best when they meet, share food and learn from one another, and the Moroccan community is a warm part of that everyday exchange.