Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough located in the West Midlands County of England. It serves as the largest local authority district in England by population and is recognized as the second-largest city in Britain, often referred to as the "second city" of the United Kingdom. As of 2024, the city proper has a population of 1.2 million people.
The city borders the Black Country to its west and forms part of the West Midlands conurbation along with Wolverhampton and towns such as Walsall, West Bromwich, Dudley, and Solihull. The Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield is incorporated within the city limits to the north and northeast. While the urban area population stands at 2.7 million, the wider metropolitan area reaches a population of 4.3 million.
Geographically, Birmingham is situated west of the city of Coventry, which it shares a border with across the Meriden Gap. To the north, the cathedral city of Lichfield lies beyond the M6 Toll road. The city's significant size and regional connectivity make it a central hub within the West Midlands region.