birmingham | postalcode | b_postcode_area <sep> birmingham ( (listen) bur-ming-əm) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of west midlands in england it is the second-largest city in the united kingdom with a population of 1145 million in the city proper, 292 million in the west midlands metropolitan county, and approximately 43 million in the wider metropolitan area it is the largest uk metropolitan area outside of london birmingham is commonly referred to as the second city of the united kingdomlocated in the west midlands region of england, approximately 100 miles (160 km) from london, birmingham is considered to be the social, cultural, financial and commercial centre of the midlands distinctively, birmingham only has small rivers flowing through it, mainly the river tame and its tributaries river rea and river cole – one of the closest main rivers is the severn, approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of the city centre 
birmingham has the postcode area 'b'.birmingham is the second-largest city in the b area outside of london