Panamanian Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Panama lies at the narrowest point of the Americas, linking Central and South America, and the Panama Canal, one of the great engineering feats of the modern world, joins the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Spanish is the official language. Panamanians in Britain include students and professionals.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 329 people living in the city had been born in Central America, a group that includes Panama; and 976 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Hispanic or Latin American.

Working for Birmingham

Panamanian residents study and work in fields such as logistics, engineering, finance, business and education. Panama's role in world shipping means that many Panamanians bring knowledge of trade and logistics, an important sector in Birmingham too.

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 Panamanian residents are part of that everyday effort to make Birmingham a better place to live.

Culture and community life

Sancocho, a chicken soup, is the national dish, and the pollera, Panama's embroidered national dress, is worn at festivals. Carnival is celebrated with great energy, and the country's music blends Spanish, African and indigenous traditions.

In a city where scores of languages are spoken, the Panamanian 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.