The Arab world (Arabic: العالم العربي; Transliteration: al-`alam al-`arabi) is a term to define all of the Arabic-speaking countries stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the east, and from the Mediterranean Sea in the north to the Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean in the southeast. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language The Arabian Sea ( Arabic: بحر العرب transliterated: Baḥr al-'Arab Sanskrit: सिन्धु सागर transliterated: The Horn of Africa (alternatively Northeast Africa, and sometimes Somali Peninsula; shortened to HOA) is a Peninsula in East Africa The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface It consists of 22 countries and territories with a combined population of some 325 million people spanning two continents.
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Language, politics, and religion
The Arabic language forms a unifying feature of the Arab World. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Though different areas use local dialects of Arabic, all share in the use of the standard classical language (see diglossia). See Arabic languages for the historical family of dialects The Arabic language is a Semitic language with many varieties In Linguistics, diglossia is a situation where in a given society there are two (often closely-related languages one of high prestige, which is generally used This contrasts with the situation in the wider Islamic World, where Arabic retains its cultural prestige primarily as the language of religion and of theological scholarship, but the populace generally do not speak Arabic languages. The term Muslim world (or Islamic world) has several meanings The Arabic language family consists of The Arabic macrolanguage ( ISO 639-3 ara including the living Varieties of Arabic
The linguistic and political denotation inherent in the term "Arab" is generally dominant over genealogical considerations. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding Genealogy (from Greek: el γενεά el-Latn genea, "descent" and el λόγος el-Latn logos, "knowledge" is the study of Thus, individuals with little or no direct ancestry from the Arabian Peninsula could identify as, or be considered to be, Arabs partially by virtue of their mother tongue (see Who is an Arab?). The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab) A first language (also mother tongue, native language, arterial language, or L1) is the language a human being learns from birth The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding However, this definition is disputed by many peoples of non-Arab origins; thus Egyptians for example may or may not identify as Arabs (see Egypt#Identity). This article is about the contemporary North African ethnic group This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics.
The Arab League, a political organization intended to encompass the Arab World, defines as Arab,
| “ | a person whose language is Arabic, who lives in an Arabic speaking country, who is in sympathy with the aspirations of the Arabic speaking peoples. The Arab League ( الجامعة العربية) officially called the League of Arab States ( جامعة الدول العربية | ” |
The Arab League's main goal is to unify politically the Arab populations so defined. The Flag of the League of Arab States is a green banner bearing the seal of the League of Arab States The Arab League ( الجامعة العربية) officially called the League of Arab States ( جامعة الدول العربية Its permanent headquarters are located in Cairo. Cairo () which means "the Vanquisher" or "the Triumphant" is the capital and largest city of Egypt. However, it was moved temporarily to Tunis during the 1980s, after Egypt was expelled due to the Camp David Accords (1978). Tunis ( Arabic: تونس Tūnis) is the Capital of the Tunisian Republic and also the Tunis The Camp David Accords were signed by Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin on September 17,
The majority of people in the Arab World adhere to Islam and the religion has official status in most countries. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Shariah law exists partially in the legal system in some countries, especially in the Arabian peninsula, while others are secular. Sharia ( Arabic: ar شريعة) is the body of Islamic Religious law. The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab) Secularism is generally the assertion that governmental practices or institutions should exist separately from Religion or religious beliefs The majority of the Arab countries adhere to Sunni Islam. Iraq, however, is a Shia majority country (65%), while Lebanon, Yemen, Kuwait, and Bahrain have large Shia minorities. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. In Saudi Arabia, the eastern province Al-Hasa region has Shia minority and the southern province city Najran has Ismalia Shiite minority too. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi Ibadi Islam is practised in Oman and Ibadis make up 75% population of the country. The Ibadi movement or Ibadiyya (Arabic الاباضية al-Ibāḍiyyah is a form of Islam distinct from the Shi'a and Sunni denominations Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast
There are sizable numbers of Christians, living primarily in Lebanon, Egypt, Palestine, Iraq, Jordan, Sudan, and Syria. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Formerly, there were significant minorities of Arab Jews throughout the Arab World; however, the establishment of the state of Israel prompted their subsequent mass emigration and expulsion within a few decades. Antisemitism in the Arab world|Jewish exodus from Arab lands|Arabization Arab Jews ( Arabic: اليهود العرب Al-Yahūd al-`Arab, Hebrew For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Aliyah ( refers to Jewish Immigration to the Land of Israel (and since its establishment in 1948 the State of Israel) Antisemitism in the Arab world|Islam and Antisemitism The Jewish exodus from Arab lands refers to the 20th century expulsion or mass departure of Jews primarily of Sephardi Today small Jewish communities remain, ranging anywhere from ten in Bahrain to 7,000 in Morocco and more than 1,000 in Tunisia. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. Overall, Arabs make up less than one quarter of the world's 1. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding 4 billion Muslims, a group sometimes referred to as the Islamic world. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion The term Muslim world (or Islamic world) has several meanings
Some Arab countries have substantial reserves of petroleum. The Gulf is particularly well-furnished: four Gulf states, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar, are among the top ten oil or gas exporters worldwide. In addition, Algeria, Libya, Iraq, Bahrain, Morocco, Western Sahara, and Sudan all have smaller but significant reserves. Where present, these have had significant effects on regional politics, often enabling rentier states, leading to economic disparities between oil-rich and oil-poor countries, and, particularly in the more sparsely populated states of the Gulf and Libya, triggering extensive labor immigration. A rentier (pronounced / 'rɒntɪeɪ / or / rɑ̃'tɪeɪ / is an individual who depends on income derived from rents which in turn are defined as “a reward for ownership
According to UNESCO, the average rate of adult literacy (ages 15 and older) in this region is 66%, and this is one of the lowest rates in the world. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 traditional definition of literacy is considered to be the ability to read and write or the ability to use Language to read, write, listen, In Mauritania, Morocco, and Yemen, the rate is lower than the average, at barely over 50 %. On the other hand, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan record a high adult literacy rate of over 90%. Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern The average rate of adult literacy shows steady improvement, and the absolute number of adult illiterates fell from 64 million to around 58 million between 1990 and 2000-2004. Overall, the gender disparity in adult literacy is high in this region, and of the illiteracy rate, women account for two-thirds, with only 69 literate women for every 100 literate men. The average GPI (Gender Parity Index) for adult literacy is 0. 72, and gender disparity can be observed in Egypt, Morocco, and Yemen. Above all, the GPI of Yemen is only 0. 46 in a 53% adult literacy rate [1]PDF (374 KiB). A kibibyte (a contraction of ki lo bi nary byte) is a unit of Information or Computer storage, established by the International
Literacy rate is higher among the youth than adults. Youth literacy rate (ages 15-24) in the Arab region increased from 63. 9 to 76. 3 % from 1990 to 2002. The average rate of GCC States [2] was 94 %, followed by the Maghreb at 83. The Maghreb (المغرب العربي al-Maġrib al-ʿArabī) also rendered Maghrib (or rarely Moghreb) meaning "place of Sunset 2% and the Mashriq at 73. This article is about the Mashriq region For other uses see Mashriq (disambiguation The Mashriq or Mashreq (also in use Mashrek 6 %. However, more than one third of youth remain illiterate in the Arab LDCs (Comoros, Djibouti, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen) [3]PDF (158 KiB). A kibibyte (a contraction of ki lo bi nary byte) is a unit of Information or Computer storage, established by the International In 2004, the regional average of youth literacy is 89. 9% for male and 80. 1 % for female [4].
The average population growth rate in Arab countries is 2. 3%.
The United Nations published an Arab human development report in 2002, 2003 and 2004. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The Arab Human Development Report is published by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP describing human-development problems and progress in the Arab world These reports, written by researchers from the Arab world, address some sensitive issues in the development of Arab countries: women empowerment, availability of education and information among others.
Non-Arab peoples in the Arab World
Within the most common definition of the Arab World, there are substantial populations who are not Arab either by ethnic or linguistic affiliation, and who often or generally do not consider themselves Arab as such. Nevertheless, most are as indigenous to their areas and related to their local Arabized counterparts, and many, if not most, actually resided in the area before the arrival of true Arabs of the Arabian Peninsula during which the spread of Islam and Arabization of local peoples took place. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Arabization ( Arabic: تعريب) describes a growing cultural influence on a non-Arab area that gradually changes into one that speaks Arabic and/or Certain populations have expressed resentment towards the term "Arab World," and believe that their national and political rights have been unjustly brushed aside by modern governments' focus on Pan-Arabism and promoting an Arab identity. Pan-Arabism is a movement for Unification among the peoples and countries of the Arab World, from the Atlantic Ocean to the In some cases this has led to severe conflicts between the ethnic nationalism of these groups and the Arab nationalism promoted by governments lead by Arab identifying leaders, which sometimes amounted to denying the existence of or forcibly suppressing non-Arab minorities within their borders. Ethnic nationalism is a form of Nationalism wherein the " Nation " is defined in terms of Ethnicity. Arab nationalism ( Arabic: القومية العربية is a Nationalist ideology which rose to prominence amongst Arabs from the early 20th century onwards
In North Africa most of the population is of Berber descent (as opposed to current ethnic identification) as the number of Arabs who settled in North Africa was very small (about 200,000)[1]. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. However, a distinct majority now self-identifies as Arab. Berber and Arab identity in these countries is generally defined by primary language use rather than ancestry. In Morocco, Berber speakers form over 35% of the total population; in Algeria, they represent about 20% of the population, more than half in the eastern region of Kabylie. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Nomenclature The term Berber has been used in Europe since at least the 17th century and is still used today This article focuses on the region in Algeria For the ethnic group see Kabyle people. In Libya, they form about 4% of the population, mainly near the Tunisian border.
There are much smaller isolated Berber communities in Tunisia, Mauritania, and even one oasis in Egypt. Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The nomadic Tuareg people whose traditional areas straddle the borders of several countries in the Sahara desert, are also of Berber origins. The Tuareg (also Twareg or Touareg, Amazigh: Imuhagh / Itargiyen, besides regional ethnyms are a Nomadic The Sahara (الصحراء الكبرى aṣ-ṣaḥrā´ al-kubra, "The Great Desert" is the world's largest hot Desert and the world's second largest Government worries about ethnic separatism, and condescending attitudes towards the mainly rural Berber-speaking areas, led to the Berber communities being denied full linguistic and cultural rights; in Algeria, for example, Berber chairs at universities were closed, and Berber singers were occasionally banned from singing in their own language, although an official Berber radio station continued to operate throughout. These problems have to some extent been redressed in later years in Morocco and Algeria; both have started teaching Berber languages in schools and universities, and Algeria has amended its constitution to declare Berber a fundamental aspect of Algerian identity (along with Islam and Arabness. ) In Libya, however, any suggestion that Berbers might be non-Arab remains taboo.
In the northern regions of Iraq (15-20%) and Syria (5-10%) live the Kurds, a mountain people who speak Kurdish, a language closely related to Persian, but not directly to Arabic, except insofar as like Persian, it has absorbed Arabic vocabulary. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية The Kurdish language (Kurdish Kurdî or کوردی is a term used for the language spoken by Kurds. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language The nationalist aspiration for self-rule or for a state of Kurdistan has created conflict between Kurdish minorities and their governments. History See also History of the Kurdish people Ancient period See also Hurrians, Guti, Mannaeans, Medes
In Eritrea, most are not of Arab origin, except the Rashaida Arabs, but of either Semitic origin (The Tigrinya Habesha people) or Cushitic origin. Eritrea () ( Ge'ez: ኤርትራ ʾErtrā, Arabic: إرتريا Iritriya) officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in The Rashaida are a Bedouin people populating either side of the Red Sea. In Linguistics and Ethnology, Semitic (from the Biblical " Shem " Hebrew שם translated as "name" Arabic: ساميّ Tigrinya ( Ge'ez: ትግርኛ tigriññā) also spelled Tigrigna, Tigrina, less commonly Tigrinian, Tigrinyan, is The term Habesha ( Ge'ez ሐበሻ ḥabaśā, Amh hābešā, Tgn The Cushitic languages are a branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken in the Horn of Africa. The people of Semitic origin are said to be descendants of ancient South Arabian people who migrated to Eritrea 3000 or so years ago. In Linguistics and Ethnology, Semitic (from the Biblical " Shem " Hebrew שם translated as "name" Arabic: ساميّ Eritrea () ( Ge'ez: ኤርትራ ʾErtrā, Arabic: إرتريا Iritriya) officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in They are to some extent culturally influenced by the Arabs, just like the Egyptians, Somali, and North Africans. This article is about the contemporary North African ethnic group North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan
Somalia is a Muslim country, but many Somalis just recognize themselves as a Somali instead of Arab despite centuries-old ties to Arabia and the fact that most of the somali clans ancestors are made up by the muslims that fled Mecca to East Africa during Prophet Muahammed's persecution in Mecca . Somalia ( Soomaaliya; الصومال) officially the Somali Republic ( Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya, جمهورية الصومال) and formerly known Somalis ( Soomaaliyeed, الصوماليون are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab) Although Somalia joined the Arab League in 1974 and Arabic is spoken by many Somalis in commerce, religion and education, the country's official language is Somali. Somalia ( Soomaaliya; الصومال) officially the Somali Republic ( Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya, جمهورية الصومال) and formerly known The Arab League ( الجامعة العربية) officially called the League of Arab States ( جامعة الدول العربية Somali ( Af Soomaali, الصوماليه is a member of the East Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by ethnic Somalis The population is also predominantly comprised of ethnic Somalis with large communities of Indian, Iranian, Indonesian and Portuguese. Somalis ( Soomaaliyeed, الصوماليون are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula.
Egypt's largest ethnic group is the Egyptians who today speak Egyptian Arabic. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. This article is about the contemporary North African ethnic group However because Egyptians are of non-Arab ancestry, many do not identify as Arabs (Egypt#Identity). This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics.
Djibouti, whose demographics are approximately 60% Somali and 35% Afar, is in a similar position. Djibouti ( جيبوتي Jībūtī, Somali: Jabuuti) officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Somalis ( Soomaaliyeed, الصوماليون are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. Afar (Afar alphabet Qafár Feera ዐፋር ʿāfār, عفار Amh Arabic is one of the official languages, 94% of its population is Muslim, and Djibouti has a close proximity on the Red Sea and Arabia, and 5% of the population is Yemeni Arab. The Red Sea is a Salt water Inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab)
Other examples of non-Arab peoples originating in what is often labeled the Arab World include the Turkmen of Iraq, Assyrians and Jews (most of whom fled to Israel after its creation in 1948). The Iraqi Turkmen (also spelled Turkomen, Turcoman, and Turkman) ( Turkish: Irak Türkmenleri) are a distinct Turkic The Assyrians are an Ethnic group whose origins lie in what is today Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Antisemitism in the Arab world|Islam and Antisemitism The Jewish exodus from Arab lands refers to the 20th century expulsion or mass departure of Jews primarily of Sephardi For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Since most Arab League states are products of colonialism, their borders rarely reflect distinct ethnic or geographic boundaries. The Arab League ( الجامعة العربية) officially called the League of Arab States ( جامعة الدول العربية Thus, many peripheral states of the Arab World have border-straddling minorities of non-Arab peoples. This is the case with Iranians in Iraq (most of whom fled in the Iraq-Iran War) and the non-Arab (often called black Africans) peoples in Sudan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa.
Many Arab countries in the Persian Gulf have sizable (10 - 30%) non-Arab populations, usually of a temporary nature, at least in theory. Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Oman has a sizeable Persian speaking minority. The same countries also have Hindi-Urdu speakers and Filipinos as sizable minority. Balochi speakers are a good size minority in Oman. Countries like Bahrain, UAE, Oman and Kuwait have significant non-Muslim / non-Arab minorities (10 - 20%) like Hindus and Christians from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and the Philippines.
Many countries bordering the core Arab world like Chad, Israel, Turkey, Iran, and Mali have sizable Arab minorities. Chad (Tchad تشاد Tshād) officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a Landlocked country in Central Africa. Mali, officially the Republic of Mali (République du Mali is a Landlocked nation in Western Africa.
States & Territories
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Palestine, as administered by the Palestinian Authority, is recognized as a state by over 100[5] countries in addition to being a full-fledged member of the Arab League and many other international organizations. Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's The Kingdom of Bahrain (in مملكة البحرين,, literally Kingdom of the Two Seas) is an Island country in the Persian Gulf The Comoros (ˈkɒməroʊz; جزر القمر Juzur al-Qumur) officially the Union of the Comoros (Union des Comores الإتّحاد القمريّ Djibouti ( جيبوتي Jībūtī, Somali: Jabuuti) officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Eritrea () ( Ge'ez: ኤርትራ ʾErtrā, Arabic: إرتريا Iritriya) officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern The State of Kuwait ( دولة الكويت IPA [dawlatt̪ alkuwajt̪]) is a sovereign Arab Emirate on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast Qatar ( قطر; ˈqɑtˁɑr local pronunciation giṭar officially the State of Qatar (Arabic دولة قطر transliterated The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi Somalia ( Soomaaliya; الصومال) officially the Somali Republic ( Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya, جمهورية الصومال) and formerly known Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. Western Sahara ( Arabic: الصحراء الغربية; transliterated: as-Ṣaḥrā' al-Gharbīyah; Sahara Occidental is a territory Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. However, the UN, Israel, USA, and the EU do not recognize the State of Palestine as an operational state, referring instead to the Palestinian Territories, under which name the Palestinian Authority sits as an observer member of the UN. Proposals for a Palestinian state (دولة فلسطين refer to the proposed establishment of an independent state for the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, which is currently Name There are differences of opinion as to what the Palestinian territories should be called
The territory of Western Sahara is disputed between Morocco and the Polisario Front, which declared independence and a government-in-exile, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), following the withdrawal of Spanish forces. Western Sahara ( Arabic: الصحراء الغربية; transliterated: as-Ṣaḥrā' al-Gharbīyah; Sahara Occidental is a territory Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa The Polisario, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Po pular de Li beración de Sa The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic ( SADR) (' الجمهورية العربية الصحراوية الديمقراطية) is a partially SADR, although having won support from many sub-Saharan African countries and full membership in the African Union, is not recognized by the Arab League. The African Union (abbreviated AU in English, and UA in its other working languages is a Confederation consisting of 53 African The Arab League ( الجامعة العربية) officially called the League of Arab States ( جامعة الدول العربية Generally, there has not been international support or recognition for the Moroccan annexation, nor for the establishment of an independent state. The Western powers and the UN support a negotiated settlement between the parties, and many if not most countries maintain a careful diplomatic ambiguity with respect to each parties' claims, pending a final settlement. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security
While Comoros is a member state of the Arab League and many of their inhabitants speak Arabic, Arabic is not the primary language in this country. The Comoros (ˈkɒməroʊz; جزر القمر Juzur al-Qumur) officially the Union of the Comoros (Union des Comores الإتّحاد القمريّ Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language The predominate language in Somalia and Djibouti is Somali which predominatly consists of Arabic and some influences of Hindi, Farsi and other cushitik languages found in east africa and is a part of the larger Afro-Asiatic family of languages that also includes Arabic and Hebrew. Somali ( Af Soomaali, الصوماليه is a member of the East Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by ethnic Somalis The Afro-Asiatic languages constitute a Language family with about 375 languages ( SIL estimate and more than 300 million speakers spread throughout North Africa Similarly, while the Maltese language is closely related to Tunisian Arabic, the people of Malta do not use standard Arabic nor do they consider themselves Arab. Maltese (Maltese Malti is the National language of Malta, and a co-official language of the country alongside English, Tunisian Arabic is a Maghrebi Dialect of the Arabic language, spoken by some 11 million people Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands
Chad, Eritrea, and Israel all recognize standard Arabic as an official language, but none of them are members of the Arab League, though Eritrea is an observer in the Arab League. Chad (Tchad تشاد Tshād) officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a Landlocked country in Central Africa. Eritrea () ( Ge'ez: ኤርትራ ʾErtrā, Arabic: إرتريا Iritriya) officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Eritrea () ( Ge'ez: ኤርትራ ʾErtrā, Arabic: إرتريا Iritriya) officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in Mali and Senegal, West African countries which are neither a part of the Arab League nor the Arab world, recognize Hassaniya (the Arabic dialect of their Berber minorities) as a national language. Mali, officially the Republic of Mali (République du Mali is a Landlocked nation in Western Africa. Senegal (le Sénégal officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa. A national language is a Language (or language variant, ie Dialect) which has some connection - de facto or de jure - with Likewise, Egypt recognizes the Masri variant of its own Arabic, but does not accord it similarly official status.
Different forms of government are represented in the Arab World: Some of the countries are monarchies: Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. See also Form of government This article lists forms of government and Political systems according to a series of different ways of categorising them A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or The other Arab countries are all republics. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its With the exception of Lebanon, and recently Mauritania, democratic elections throughout the Arab World are generally viewed as compromised, due to outright vote rigging, intimidation of opposition parties, and severe restraints on civil liberties and political dissent.
After World War II, the movement known as Pan-Arabism sought to unite all Arabic-speaking countries into one political entity. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Pan-Arabism is a movement for Unification among the peoples and countries of the Arab World, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Only Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and North Yemen attempted the short-lived unification. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab North Yemen is a term currently used to designate both the Yemen Arab Republic (1962–1990 and its predecessor the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen Historical divisions, competing local nationalisms, and geographical sprawl were major reasons for the failure of Pan-Arabism. Arab Nationalism was another strong force in the region which peaked during the mid 20th century and was professed by many leaders in Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Syria, and Iraq. Arab nationalism ( Arabic: القومية العربية is a Nationalist ideology which rose to prominence amongst Arabs from the early 20th century onwards
Arab Nationalist leaders included Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Ahmed Ben Bella of Algeria, Michel Aflaq, Salah al-Din al-Bitar, Zaki al-Arsuzi, Constantin Zureiq, Shukri al-Kuwatli, Hafez al-Assad and Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Saddam Hussein and Ahmad Hassan al-Bakr of Iraq, Muammar al-Gaddafi of Libya, Habib Bourguiba of Tunisia, Mehdi Ben Barka of Morocco, and Shakib Arslan of Lebanon. Gamal Abdel Nasser (جمال عبد الناصر Gamāl ‘Abd an-Nāṣir; - January 15 1918 September 28 1970) was the second President Mohamed Ahmed Ben Bella (Muhammad Ahmad Bin Balla (أحمد بن بلّة (born December 25 1918, Maghnia, Algeria) was the first President Michel Aflaq ( Arabic: ميشيل عفلق Mīšīl ʿAflaq, born Damascus 1910 died Paris June 23, 1989) was the Salah ad-Din al-Bitar ( صلاح الدين البيطار) (born Damascus 1912 died Paris 21 July 1980) was a Syrian Zakī al-Arsūzī (in Arabic: زكي الأرسوزي born Lattakia June 1899 died Damascus July 1968 was a Syrian political activist and writer Constantin Zureiq (قسطنطين زريق (born Damascus 1909-2000 a prominent Arab intellectual and academic was one of the pioneering theorists of modern Shukri al-Quwatli (1891 Damascus, Syria &mdash June 30, 1967, Beirut, Lebanon) ( Arabic: شكري القوتلي was Hafez al-Assad (حافظ الأسد) ( October 6, 1930 &ndash June 10, 2000) was president of Syria, for three Dr Bashar al-Assad (بشار الأسد) (born 11 September, 1965) is the President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Regional Secretary Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti ( Arabic: ar صدام حسين عبد المجيد التكريتي --> April 28 1937 &ndash December 30 General Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr ( Arabic أحمد حسن البكر) ( July 1, 1914 – October 4, 1982) was Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi 1 (معمر القذافي) (born 7 June 1942) also known as Colonel Gaddafi Habib Bourguiba (حبيب بورقيبة Ḥabīb Būrqība ( August 3, 1903 &ndash April 6, 2000) was a Tunisian statesman and the Mehdi Ben Barka (born 1920 – Disappeared October 29, 1965) (المهدي بن بركة was a Moroccan politician, head of the left-wing Shakaib Arslan (1869&ndash1946 was a Druze prince ( Amir) from Lebanon who was known as Amir al-Bayān ( Arabic for "Prince of The various Arab states maintain close ties but national identities have been strengthened by the political realities of the past 60 years, making a single Arab nationalistic state less and less feasible. Moreover, the upsurge in political Islam and led to a greater emphasis on pan-Islamic identity amongst many Arab Muslims. As such, Arab nationalists who once opposed Islamic movements now pander to them for political survival. [6]
Modern Boundaries
Many of the modern borders of the Arab World were drawn by European imperial powers during the 19th and early 20th century. However, some of the larger states (in particular Egypt and Syria) have historically maintained geographically definable boundaries, on which some of the modern states are roughly based. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية The 14th century Egyptian historian Al-Maqrizi, for instance, defines Egypt's boundaries as extending from the Mediterranean in the north to lower Nubia in the south; and between the Red Sea in the east and the oases of the Western/Libyan desert. Taqi al-Din Ahmad ibn 'Ali ibn 'Abd al-Qadir ibn Muhammad al-Maqrizi (1364 &ndash 1442 Arabic: ar تقى الدين أحمد بن على بن عبد القادر بن محمد This article is about the region in Africa for other uses see Nubia (disambiguation. The Red Sea is a Salt water Inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. The Libyan Desert (24 degrees North 25 degrees East (الصحراء الليبية is an African Desert that is located in the northern and eastern part of the The modern borders of Egypt, therefore, are not a creation of European powers, and are at least in part based on historically definable entities which are in turn based on certain cultural and ethnic identifications.
At other times, kings, 'emirs' or 'sheiks' were placed as semi-autonomous rulers over the newly created nation states, usually chosen by the same imperial powers that for some drew the new borders, for services rendered to European powers like the British Empire e. Emir ( Arabic: ar أمير;, female أميرة; emira;) ( Farsi and Urdu: امیر) For the online game see Jennifer Government NationStates. The nation-state is a certain form of State that derives its legitimacy The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. g. Sherif Hussein ibn Ali. Sayyid Hussein bin Ali, GCB (1854 &mdash June 4, 1931) ( حسین بن علی; Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī) was the Sharif Many African States did not attain independence until the 1960s from France after bloody insurgencies for their freedom. These struggles were settled by the imperial powers approving the form of independence given, so as a consequence almost all of these borders have remained. Some of these borders were agreed upon without consultation of those individuals that had served the colonial interests of Britain or France. One such agreement solely between Britain and France (to the exclusion of Sherif Hussein ibn Ali), signed in total secrecy until Lenin released the full text, was the Sykes-Picot Agreement. Sayyid Hussein bin Ali, GCB (1854 &mdash June 4, 1931) ( حسین بن علی; Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī) was the Sharif Another influential document written without the consensus of the local population was the Balfour Declaration. Balfour Declaration of 1917 (dated November 2 1917) was a Classified formal statement of Policy by the British government stating
As former director of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, Efraim Halevy, now a director at the Hebrew University said,
The borders, which if you look on the maps of the middle-east are very straight lines, were drawn by British and French draftsmen who sat with maps and drew the lines of the frontiers with rulers. The Mossad ( HaMossad leModi'in v'leTafkidim Meyuhadim) (המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים - Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations If the ruler for some reason or other moved on the map, because of some person's hand shaking, then the frontier moved (with the hand).
– [7]
He went on to give an example,
There was a famous story about a British consul, a lady named Gertrude Bell who drew the map between Iraq and Jordan, using transparent paper. Gertrude Margaret Lowthian Bell CBE ( July 14, 1868 – July 12, 1926) was a British writer traveller political analyst She turned to talk to somebody and as she was turning the paper moved and the ruler moved and that added considerable territory to the (new) Jordanians
– [8]
Historian Jim Crow, of Newcastle University, has said:
Without that imperial carve-up, Iraq would not be in the state it is in today. Newcastle University is a leading research intensive University located in Newcastle upon Tyne in the north-east of England. . . Gertrude Bell was one of two or three Britons who were instrumental in the creation of the Arab states in the Middle East that were favourable to Britain.
– [9]
Modern Economies
As of 2006, the Arab World accounts for two-fifth of the gross domestic product and three-fifth of the trade of the wider Muslim World. The term Muslim world (or Islamic world) has several meanings
The Arab states are mostly, although not exclusively, developing economies and derive their export revenues from oil and gas, or the sale of other raw materials. Recent years have seen significant economic growth in the Arab World, due largely to an increase in oil and gas prices, which tripled between 2001 and 2006, but also due to efforts by some states to diversify their economic base. Industrial production has risen, for example the amount of steel produced between 2004 and 2005 rose from 8. 4 to 19 million tonnes. (Source: Opening speech of Mahmoud Khoudri, Algeria's Industry Minister, at the 37th General Assembly of the Iron & Steel Arab Union, Algiers, May 2006). Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's However even 19 million tons pa still only represents 1. 7% of global steel production, and remains inferior to the production of countries like Brazil. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld (source: www. worldsteel. org).
The main economic organisations in the Arab World are the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), comprising the states in the Gulf, and the Union of the Arab Maghreb (UMA), made up of North African States. The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf ( CCASG; مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council The GCC has achieved some success in financial and monetary terms, including plans to establish a common currency in the Gulf region. Since its foundation in 1989, the UMA's most significant accomplishment has been the establishment of a 7000 km highway crossing North Africa from Mauritania to Libya's border with Egypt. Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The central stretch of the highway, expected to be completed in 2010, will cross Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. In recent years a new term has been coined to define a greater economic region: the MENA region (standing for Middle East and North Africa) is becoming increasingly popular, especially with support from the current US administration.
Saudi Arabia remains the top Arab economy in terms of total GDP. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi It is Asia's eleventh largest economy, followed by Egypt and Algeria, which were also the second and third largest economies in Africa (after South Africa), in 2006. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa In terms of GDP per capita, Qatar is the richest developing country in the world. Qatar ( قطر; ˈqɑtˁɑr local pronunciation giṭar officially the State of Qatar (Arabic دولة قطر transliterated (Source: CIA World Factbook, GDP by country classification)
Geography
The Arab World stretches across more than 12. The World Factbook ( ISSN; also known as the CIA World Factbook) is an annual publication of the Central Intelligence Agency of the 9 million square kilometers (5 million square miles) of North Africa and the part of North-East Africa and South-West Asia called the Middle East. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The Asian part of the Arab world is called the Mashreq. This article is about the Mashriq region For other uses see Mashriq (disambiguation The Mashriq or Mashreq (also in use Mashrek The North African part of the Arab World to the west of Egypt and Sudan is known as the Maghreb. The Maghreb (المغرب العربي al-Maġrib al-ʿArabī) also rendered Maghrib (or rarely Moghreb) meaning "place of Sunset
Its total area is the size of the entire Spanish-speaking Western Hemisphere (12. The Maghreb (المغرب العربي al-Maġrib al-ʿArabī) also rendered Maghrib (or rarely Moghreb) meaning "place of Sunset This article is about the Mashriq region For other uses see Mashriq (disambiguation The Mashriq or Mashreq (also in use Mashrek 9 million km²), larger than Europe (10. 4 million km²), Canada (10 million km²), China (9. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National 6 million km²), the United States (9. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 6 million km²), Brazil (8. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld 7 million km²). Only Russia – at 17 million km², the largest country in the world – and arguably Anglophone North America (eighteen million square kilometers) are larger geocultural units. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending
The term "Arab" often connotes the Middle East, but the larger (and more populous) part of the Arab World is North Africa. Its eight million square kilometers include the two largest countries of the African continent, Sudan (2. Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. 5 million km²) in the southeast of the region and Algeria (2. Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's 4 million km²) in the center, each about three-quarters the size of India, or about one-and-a-half times the size of Alaska, the largest state in the United States. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent The largest country in the Arab Middle East is Saudi Arabia (2 million km²). The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi
At the other extreme, the smallest autonomous mainland Arab country in North Africa and the Middle East is Lebanon (10,452 km²), and the smallest island Arab country is Bahrain (665 km²). Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية The Kingdom of Bahrain (in مملكة البحرين,, literally Kingdom of the Two Seas) is an Island country in the Persian Gulf
Notably, every Arab country borders a sea or ocean, with the exception of the Arab region of northern Chad.
Historical boundaries
The political borders of the Arab World have wandered, leaving Arab minorities in non-Arab countries of the Sahel and the Horn of Africa as well as in the Middle Eastern countries of Turkey and Iran, and also leaving non-Arab minorities in Arab countries. See also Sahel Tunisia, a region of eastern Tunisia. The Sahel or Sahel Belt (from Arabic ساحل sāḥil The Horn of Africa (alternatively Northeast Africa, and sometimes Somali Peninsula; shortened to HOA) is a Peninsula in East Africa Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. However, the basic geography of sea, desert, and mountain provide the enduring natural boundaries for this region.
.PNG/180px-Abbasids_Dynasty_750_-_1258_(AD).PNG)
The Arab World straddles two continents, Africa and Asia, and is oriented mainly along an east-west axis, dividing it into African and Asian areas.
Arab Africa
Arab Africa—or more commonly Arab North Africa, though this is redundant—is roughly a long trapezoid, narrower at the top, that comprises the entire northern third of the continent. It is surrounded by water on three sides (west, north, and east) and desert or desert scrubland on the fourth (south).
In the west, it is bounded by the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. From northeast to southwest, Morocco, Western Sahara (annexed and occupied by Morocco), and Mauritania make up the roughly 2,000 kilometers of Arab Atlantic coastline. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Western Sahara ( Arabic: الصحراء الغربية; transliterated: as-Ṣaḥrā' al-Gharbīyah; Sahara Occidental is a territory Annexation ( Latin ad, to and nexus, joining is the legal incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity (either adjacent or non-contiguous Belligerent military occupation occurs when the control and authority over a territory passes to a hostile army. Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country The southwestern sweep of the coast is gentle but substantial, such that Mauritania's capital, Nouakchott (18°N, 16°W), is far enough west to share longitude with Iceland (13-22°W). Nouakchott ( Arabic: or translation from [[Berber languages|Berber] "The place of the winds"] Nawākšūṭ is the Capital and by far the largest Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( Nouakchott is the westernmost capital of the Arab World and the third-westernmost in Africa, and sits on the Atlantic fringe of the southwestern Sahara. Next south along the coast from Mauritania is Senegal, whose abrupt border belies the gradient in culture from Arab to Negroid African that historically characterizes this part of West Africa. Senegal (le Sénégal officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa. West Africa or Western Africa is the Westernmost Region of the African Continent.
Arab Africa's boundary to the north is again a continental boundary, the Mediterranean Sea. This boundary begins in the west with the narrow Strait of Gibraltar, the thirteen kilometer wide channel that connects the Mediterranean with the Atlantic to the west, and separates Morocco from Spain to the north. The Strait of Gibraltar ( Arabic: مضيق جبل طارق Spanish: Estrecho de Gibraltar) is the Strait that connects the Atlantic Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. East along the coast from Morocco are Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya, followed by Egypt, which forms the region's (and the continent's) northeastern corner. The coast turns briefly but sharply south at Tunisia, slopes more gently southeastward through the Libyan capital of Tripoli, and bumps north through Libya's second city, Benghazi, before turning straight east again through Egypt's second city, Alexandria, at the mouth of the Nile. Tripolis ( Arabic: طرابلس Ṭarābulus - also طرابلس الغرب Ṭarā-bu-lus al-Gharb Libyan vernacular: Benghazi or Bengasi ( Arabic بنغازي, transliterated Banġāzī,) is the second largest city in Libya and the Alexandria ( Egyptian Arabic: اسكندريه Eskendereyya; Standard Arabic: ar الإسكندرية Al-Iskandariyya; Ἀλεξάνδρεια Along with the spine of Italy to its north, Tunisia thus marks the junction of western and eastern Mediterranean, and a cultural transition as well: west of Tunisia begins the region of the Arab World known as the Maghreb. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Maghreb (المغرب العربي al-Maġrib al-ʿArabī) also rendered Maghrib (or rarely Moghreb) meaning "place of Sunset
Historically the 4,000-kilometer Mediterranean boundary has fluttered. Population centers north of it in Europe have invited contact and Arab exploration—mostly friendly, though sometimes not. Islands and peninsulas near the Arab coast have changed hands. The islands of Sicily and Malta lie just a hundred kilometers east of the Tunisian city of Carthage, which has been a point of contact with Europe since its founding in the first millennium B. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands Carthage (Καρχηδών Karkhēdōn, Carthago from the Phoenician קרת חדשת phn-Latn Qart-ḥadašt meaning new town) refers C. E. ; both Sicily and Malta at times have been part of the Arab World. Just across the Strait of Gibraltar from Morocco, regions of the Iberian peninsula were part of the Arab World throughout the Middle Ages, extending the northern boundary at times to the foothills of the Pyrenees and leaving a substantial mark on local and wider European and Western culture. The Pyrenees (Pirineos French: Pyrénées; Catalan: Pirineus; Occitan: Pirenèus; Aragonese: Perinés
The northern boundary of the African Arab World has also fluttered briefly in the other direction, first through the Crusades and later through the imperial involvement of France, Britain, Spain, and Italy. The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Another visitor from northern shores, Turkey, controlled the east of the region for centuries, though not as a colonizer. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Spain still maintains two small enclaves, Ceuta and Melilla, along the otherwise Moroccan coast. Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain located on the Mediterranean, on the North African side of the Strait of Gibraltar, which Melilla is an autonomous city of Spain located on the Mediterranean, on the North African coast Overall this wave has ebbed, though like the Arab expansion north it has left its mark. The proximity of North Africa to Europe has always encouraged interaction, and this continues with Arab immigration to Europe and European interest in the Arab countries today. However, population centers and the physical fact of the sea keeps this boundary of the Arab World settled on the Mediterranean coastline.
To the east, the Red Sea defines the boundary between Africa and Asia, and thus also between Arab Africa and the Arab Middle East. The Red Sea is a Salt water Inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. This sea is a long and narrow waterway with a northwest tilt, stretching 2,300 kilometers from Egypt's Sinai peninsula southeast to the Bab-el-Mandeb strait between Djibouti in Africa and Yemen in Arabia but on average just 150 kilometers wide. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai ( Coptic: sina; Egyptian Arabic: sina سينا Arabic, sina'a سيناء The Bab-el-Mandeb (variously Transliterated Mandab or Mandib, and with article "el-" given also as "al-" with or without connecting Djibouti ( جيبوتي Jībūtī, Somali: Jabuuti) officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya Though the sea is navigable along its length, historically much contact between Arab Africa and the Arab Middle East has been either overland across the Sinai or by sea across the Mediterranean or the narrow Bab al Mendeb strait. From northwest to southeast, Egypt, Sudan, and Eritrea form the African coastline, with Djibouti marking Bab al Mendeb's African shore. Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. Eritrea () ( Ge'ez: ኤርትራ ʾErtrā, Arabic: إرتريا Iritriya) officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in
Southeast along the coast from Djibouti is Somalia, but the Somali coast soon makes a 90-degree turn and heads northeast, mirroring a bend in the coast of Yemen across the water to the north and defining the south coast of the Gulf of Aden. The Somali coast then takes a hairpin turn back southwest to complete the horn of Africa. For six months of the year the monsoon winds blow from up equatorial Somalia, past Arabia and over the small Yemeni archipelago of Socotra, to rain on India; they then switch directions and blow back. A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months Socotra or Soqotra ( Arabic سقطرى; Suquṭra) is a small Archipelago of four islands and islets in the Indian Ocean India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Hence the east- and especially southeast-coast boundary of Arab Africa has historically been a gateway for maritime trade and cultural exchange with both East Africa and the subcontinent. East Africa is the Easternmost Region of the African Continent. The trade winds also help explain the presence of the Comoros islands, an Arab-African country, off the coast of Mozambique, near Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, the southernmost part of the Arab World. Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique (Moçambique or República de Moçambique, ʁɛ'publikɐ d musɐ̃'bik is a country in southeastern Africa Madagascar, or Republic of Madagascar (older name Malagasy Republic) is an Island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface
The southern boundary of Arab North Africa is the stripe of scrubland known as the Sahel, that crosses the continent south of the Sahara, dipping further south in Sudan in the east. See also Sahel Tunisia, a region of eastern Tunisia. The Sahel or Sahel Belt (from Arabic ساحل sāḥil
Arabia and the Arab Middle East
The Asian or Middle Eastern Arab World comprises the Arabian Peninsula, Bilad al-Sham or the Levant, and Iraq, more broadly or narrowly defined. The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab) The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab) The traditional Arabic term Bilad al-Sham ( Arabic: بلاد الشام, also transliterated bilad-ush-sham etc See also Names of the Levant The Levant (lə'vænt is a geographical term that denotes a large area in Western Asia, roughly bounded on the north by the The peninsula is roughly a tilted rectangle that leans back against the slope of northeast Africa, the long axis pointing toward Turkey and Europe.
References
- Hourani, Albert (1991). Albert Habib Hourani (ألبرت حبيب حوراني March 31, 1915 &ndash January 17, 1993) was one of the most prominent scholars of A History of the Arab Peoples. Cambridge, MA: Warner Books.
- Reader, John (1997). Africa: A Biography of the Continent. New York: Vintage.
- Saint-Prot, Charles, French Policy toward the Arab World Abu Dhabi: ECSSR, 2003
See also
- Afro-Arab
- Arab diaspora
- Arab Empire
- Arab League
- Arabic influence on the Spanish language
- Arabic literature
- Arabs
- Greater Middle East
- List of countries where Arabic is an official language
- Muslim world
- Sykes-Picot Agreement
External links
- ArabLand.com - Directories of all Arab World countries
- Chronology of Events in the Middle East from 1908 to 1966
- NITLE Arab World Resource Site
- Araboo.com - Arab World Directory
- Arab - Arab Articles
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