Chilean Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Chile is a long, narrow country along the Pacific coast of South America, stretching from the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth, to the glaciers of Patagonia. Spanish is the official language. Some Chileans came to Britain as refugees in the 1970s, and more recent arrivals include students and professionals.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 2,281 people living in the city had been born in South America, a group that includes Chile; and 976 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Hispanic or Latin American.

Working for Birmingham

Chilean residents work in education, engineering, healthcare, research and business, and Chilean academics and students contribute to the city's universities. Chile's world-class astronomy, mining and wine industries mean many Chileans bring specialist skills.

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, Chilean residents are helping to build that future, and to make Birmingham a stronger, fairer and more welcoming city.

Culture and community life

Chile has produced two Nobel Prize-winning poets, Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda, and poetry is deeply valued. Empanadas and pastel de choclo are family favourites, and Fiestas Patrias in September are celebrated with the cueca, the national dance.

Birmingham's strength lies in its variety, and the Chilean 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.