Although there has been sporadic migration from the Middle East to Britain since the 17th century, the real growth of the UK Lebanese population began in 1975, with the start of the civil war in Lebanon which drove thousands of people away. The exodus was aggravated in 1982 with the Israeli invasion. At the same time, many Lebanese expatriates who were based in West Africa, in particular Nigeria, left for Britain as subsequent military governments took control in those areas.