Information and statistics

The West Midlands region has an area of just under 13,000 km2 with a population of 5,266,308, which amounts to 9% of the total UK population. Approximately 11.3% of the region’s total population belong to ethnic minorities. Of these, 7.7% are of Asian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin.

There are 2,328,623 people employed in the West Midlands Region and 99,745 unemployed, representing an unemployment rate of just 3.1% (seasonally adjusted). [Source: NOMIS]. The West Midlands Region has a headline Gross Value Added (GVA) figure of £77,343 million (8.1% of the UK total). This equates to a GVA per head of £14,538. [Source: ONS, Region in Figures].

Birmingham, the region’s capital is the UK's second largest city. It has a population of almost 1 million people.
Main cities: Birmingham, Coventry, Hereford, Lichfield, Shrewsburry, Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Worcester.

Getting there: The West Midlands Region is truly at the hub of the nation's road transport system. The M6 passes through the region from London and the South East to the North West and Manchester, the M5 heads South West, and the M40 leads directly to London and the South East. All the major cities and ports in England are within a 5 hour truck drive of Birmingham.

Birmingham International Airport (BHX) is the UK’s 2nd largest airport outside London, and has a proportion of business traffic second only to London’s Heathrow.  Birmingham offers direct flights to over 100 destinations, including all of the main European business centres, daily departures to New York, a twice daily service to Dubai, and frequent operations throughout the Indian sub-continent.

The region’s second airport – Coventry - is primarily a freight handling airport, and is where ParcelForce chose to locate their International Hub. Coventry Airport is ideally located for freight, close to the centre of the UK’s motorway network, providing excellent links from and to all areas of the country.
The region is also at the centre of the UK rail network: Birmingham New Street Station is the UK’s main national rail interchange. Passenger trains from Birmingham’s New Street station to London Euston take 90 minutes and run every 30 minutes throughout the day. There is also a Channel Tunnel freight terminal at Hams Hall that provides direct access to the mainland European rail network.