Yemeni Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Yemen lies at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula and is home to the ancient city of Sana'a and a rich tradition of trade in coffee and frankincense. Yemeni men first came to Birmingham in the 1950s and 1960s to work in the city's factories and foundries, and families followed.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 9,495 people living in the city had been born in Middle Eastern countries other than Iran and Iraq, a group that includes Yemen; and 19,996 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Arab.

Working for Birmingham

Yemeni workers helped power Birmingham's industries for decades. Today their children and grandchildren work as doctors, teachers, engineers, business owners and public servants, and Yemeni-run shops, cafes and restaurants serve neighbourhoods across the city. Community associations offer advice, education and support to families.

Birmingham grew rich as the city of a thousand trades, and that spirit of making and doing is still strong. Today the trades sit alongside healthcare, education, finance, law, logistics and technology. The Yemeni community brings energy to that mix, from people starting small businesses to those caring for patients, teaching in classrooms and keeping homes and workplaces in good repair.

Culture and community life

Yemeni coffee culture is famous, since the port of Mocha gave its name to a style of coffee. Dishes such as mandi and fahsa are shared at family gatherings, and Eid is celebrated with generosity. Yemeni poetry and music, including the traditional oud, are treasured parts of the culture.

Like so many of the communities that make up modern Birmingham, the Yemeni 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.