Caribbean British

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A Caribbean British person is someone who is British by residence or citizenship and who has ancestry originating from the Caribbean. Many Caribbean British people were born in the UK and have Caribbean ancestry while others immigrated to the UK. Caribbean British people account for 1.14% of the population in the UK, with another several hundred thousand more mixed race people with Caribbean ancestry. British Caribbean people are the second largest subgroup of Black British people.

1 Demographics and Cultural Profile
2 See also

[edit] Demographics and Cultural Profile

[edit] Settlement

After the World War II many Caribbeans migrated to the UK, and the Netherlands. As a result of the losses during World War II, the British government began to encourage mass immigration from the countries of the British empire and Commonwealth to fill shortages in the labour market. [4] The 1948 British Nationality Act gave British citizenship to all people living in Commonwealth countries, and full rights of entry and settlement in Britain.[5] Many West Indians were attracted by better prospects in what was often referred to as the mother country.The cities with the largest Caribbean British populations are: London, Birmingham, Nottingham and Manchester.

[edit] Languages

Many Caribbean British people often keep hold of their Caribbean tongues, whether it be patois or creole. Many of the Caribbean countries used to part of the British Empire so immigrants from the Caribbean are generally fluent in English.

[edit] Community Businesses

Caribbean restaurants can now also be found in London where West Indian communities reside, serving traditional Caribbean dishes such as jerk chicken, fried fish, ackee and saltfish, plantain, steamed cabbage and rice and peas. There are many Caribbean stores in England especially in London.

[edit] Entertainment

Culturally the community is best known for the annual Notting Hill Carnival, now a true multi-cultural experience, attracting 1.5 million people from Britain and around the world, making it the largest street festival in Europe.