Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough.
Birmingham -LRB- -LSB- ˈbɜːmɪŋəm -RSB- -RRB- is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands , England .. West Midlands. West Midlands ( county ). Birmingham. Birmingham Airport. city. city status in the United Kingdom. metropolitan borough. metropolitan borough. England. England. It is the largest and most populous British city outside London , with a population of 1,101,360 in 2014 .. city. city status in the United Kingdom. most populous British city. List of cities in the United Kingdom. London. London. A medium-sized market town in the medieval period , Birmingham grew to international prominence in the 18th century at the heart of the Midlands Enlightenment and subsequent Industrial Revolution , which saw the town at the forefront of worldwide advances in science , technology , and economic development , producing a series of innovations that laid many of the foundations of modern industrial society .. Birmingham. Birmingham Airport. market town. market town. Midlands Enlightenment. Midlands Enlightenment. Industrial Revolution. Industrial Revolution. industrial society. industrial society. By 1791 it was being hailed as `` the first manufacturing town in the world '' .. Birmingham 's distinctive economic profile , with thousands of small workshops practising a wide variety of specialised and highly skilled trades , encouraged exceptional levels of creativity and innovation and provided a diverse and resilient economic base for industrial prosperity that was to last into the final quarter of the 20th century .. Birmingham. Birmingham Airport. Perhaps the most important invention in British history , the industrial steam engine , was invented in Birmingham .. Birmingham. Birmingham Airport. Its resulting high level of social mobility also fostered a culture of broad-based political radicalism , that under leaders from Thomas Attwood to Joseph Chamberlain was to give it a political influence unparalleled in Britain outside London , and a pivotal role in the development of British democracy .. London. London. social mobility. social mobility. political radicalism. political radicalism. Thomas Attwood. Thomas Attwood. Joseph Chamberlain. Joseph Chamberlain. From the summer of 1940 to the spring of 1943 , Birmingham was bombed heavily by the German Luftwaffe in what is known as the Birmingham Blitz .. Birmingham. Birmingham Airport. German Luftwaffe. Luftwaffe. Birmingham Blitz. Birmingham Blitz. The damage done to the city 's infrastructure , in addition to a deliberate policy of demolition and new building by planners , led to extensive demolition and redevelopment in subsequent decades .. city. city status in the United Kingdom. Today Birmingham 's economy is dominated by the service sector .. Birmingham. Birmingham Airport. service sector. service sector. The city is a major international commercial centre , ranked as a gamma + world city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network ; and an important transport , retail , events and conference hub .. city. city status in the United Kingdom. world city. world city. Globalization and World Cities Research Network. Globalization and World Cities Research Network. Its metropolitan economy is the second largest in the United Kingdom with a GDP of $ 121.1 bn -LRB- 2014 -RRB- , and its six universities make it the largest centre of higher education in the country outside London .. GDP. GDP. London. London. metropolitan economy. metropolitan economy. second largest in the United Kingdom. List of metropolitan economies in the United Kingdom. higher education. higher education. Birmingham 's major cultural institutions -- including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra , the Birmingham Royal Ballet , the Birmingham Repertory Theatre , the Library of Birmingham and the Barber Institute of Fine Arts -- enjoy international reputations , and the city has vibrant and influential grassroots art , music , literary and culinary scenes .. City. City status in the United Kingdom. Library of Birmingham. Library of Birmingham. Birmingham. Birmingham Airport. city. city status in the United Kingdom. City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Birmingham Royal Ballet. Birmingham Royal Ballet. Birmingham Repertory Theatre. Birmingham Repertory Theatre. Barber Institute of Fine Arts. Barber Institute of Fine Arts. art. Art of Birmingham. music. Popular music of Birmingham. literary. Literature of Birmingham. culinary. Food and drink in Birmingham. Birmingham is the fourth-most visited city in the UK by foreign visitors .. Birmingham. Birmingham Airport. city. city status in the United Kingdom. Birmingham 's sporting heritage can be felt worldwide , with the concept of the Football League and lawn tennis both originating from the city .. Birmingham. Birmingham Airport. city. city status in the United Kingdom. Its most successful football club Aston Villa has won seven league titles and one European Cup with the other professional club being Birmingham City .. City. City status in the United Kingdom. Birmingham. Birmingham Airport. Aston Villa. Aston Villa F.C.. Birmingham City. Birmingham City F.C.. People from Birmingham are called Brummies , a term derived from the city 's nickname of Brum .. Birmingham. Birmingham Airport. city. city status in the United Kingdom. This originates from the city 's dialect name , Brummagem , which may in turn have been derived from one of the city 's earlier names , Bromwicham .. city. city status in the United Kingdom. Brummagem. Brummagem. dialect. dialect. There is a distinctive Brummie accent and dialect .. Brummie. Brummie. accent. Accent ( dialect ). dialect. dialect