The Arabic language, with its elegant script and rich history, unites many nations and cultures. Stretching across the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond, the Arabic-speaking world presents a worthy avenue for those looking to understand global connections, whether for travel, business, or connecting with heritage.
At Remitly, we champion the connections that span borders and are dedicated to making international money transfers simpler and more secure. This guide aims to shed light on the countries where Arabic holds official status, and the fascinating interplay between Modern Standard Arabic and its many dialects.
Definition of Arabic-speaking countries
An Arabic-speaking country is generally understood to be a sovereign nation where Arabic is recognized as an official language. This designation means that Arabic is used in government, formal education, legal systems, and the media. These countries are primarily situated in what is broadly known as the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and many are members of the League of Arab States (often referred to as the Arab League).
Importance of Arabic as an official language
Arabic’s role as an official language is deeply rooted in the shared cultural, historical, and, for many, religious identity of these nations. As the language of the Quran, Arabic holds a central place in Islam. Its official status in these countries helps preserve its rich literary heritage, reinforces national and regional identity, and serves as a unifying linguistic force in formal communication across a wide geographic expanse.
Overview of the Arabic language’s global presence
Arabic is a major world language, spoken by over 400 million people as their first language, and by many more as a second language. It is ranked the third most spoken language globally, just after English and French. Beyond the countries where it holds official status, many Arabic-speaking communities exist around the world due to historical migrations and modern diaspora movements, contributing to the cultural fabric of nations in Europe, the Americas, and other parts of Asia and Africa.
Sovereign states with Arabic as the official language
There are 22 member states in the Arab League that recognize Arabic as an official language. When including a few other nations where Arabic also holds this status, the total rises to 25 countries. These include:
List of countries where Arabic is officially recognized
- Algeria
- Bahrain
- Chad (co-official with French)
- Comoros (co-official with Comorian and French)
- Djibouti (co-official with French)
- Egypt
- Eritrea (co-official with Tigrinya; English also widely used)
- Iraq (co-official with Kurdish in the Kurdistan region)
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Mauritania
- Morocco (co-official with Tamazight/Berber)
- Oman
- Palestine
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Somalia (co-official with Somali)
- Sudan (co-official with English)
- Syria
- Tanzania (co-official in Zanzibar with Swahili and English)
- Tunisia
- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- Yemen
Breakdown by regions: Middle East and North Africa
The majority of these nations are located within two primary geopolitical regions:
- The Middle East (Western Asia): This encompasses countries on the Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen) and in the Levant (Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Iraq).
- North Africa: This region includes Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, and Sudan.
Special status of Arabic-speaking regions
The influence and presence of Arabic extend beyond nations where it is the primary official language.
Territories with limited recognition where Arabic is prominent
In certain territories with unique political statuses or limited international recognition, Arabic often functions as a de facto official language or is spoken widely by the inhabitants. For example, Hassaniya Arabic is the predominant language in Western Sahara. The use and status of Arabic in these areas are closely tied to their specific historical and political narratives.
Co-official language areas
As mentioned previously, Arabic shares official status with other languages in several countries. This co-official status reflects the multilingual and multicultural nature of these societies. In nations like Chad (with French), Morocco (with Amazigh), Iraq (with Kurdish), and Eritrea (with Tigrinya), Arabic fulfills specific roles in government, education, or inter-community communication, coexisting with other officially recognized languages. Israel also recognizes Arabic as having a special status, and it is spoken by a large portion of its population.
Influence of Arabic on minority languages
Throughout history, Arabic has had a deep lexical and sometimes structural influence on many other languages, especially those within regions of historical Arab or Islamic influence.
- Vocabulary borrowing: Languages such as Persian (Farsi), Urdu, Turkish, Swahili, Spanish, Portuguese, and Maltese have incorporated thousands of Arabic loanwords. English also contains many words of Arabic origin (e.g., “algebra,” “alcohol,” “cotton,” “magazine”), often borrowed via other European languages.
- Script adaptation: For many centuries, languages like Persian, Urdu, and Ottoman Turkish used modified forms of the Arabic script.
Modern standard Arabic vs. dialects
A key aspect of understanding the Arabic language is the distinction between its formal and vernacular forms.
Explanation of modern standard Arabic and its use
Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), known in Arabic as al-fuṣḥā (الفصحى), is the standardized literary form of Arabic used throughout the Arabic-speaking world. It is derived from Classical Arabic, the language of the Quran and early Islamic literature. It is the language of:
- Formal education (schools, universities)
- Most written materials (books, newspapers, official documents)
- Formal news broadcasts, political speeches, and religious sermons
It also serves as a common linguistic denominator, enabling communication across different Arabic-speaking regions in formal settings.
Common dialects and their geographical distribution
While MSA is the language of formal discourse, colloquial Arabic dialects (العامية, al-ʿāmmiyya, or الدارجة, ad-dārija) are the mother tongues spoken in everyday life. These dialects vary significantly from MSA and from each other, sometimes to the extent that mutual understanding between speakers of distant dialects can be challenging without resorting to MSA or a more widely understood dialect like Egyptian. Major dialect groups include:
- Egyptian Arabic (Masri): Spoken in Egypt; widely understood due to Egypt’s prominent role in regional film and music
- Levantine Arabic (Shami): Spoken in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine. You can learn about Lebanon, like the National Dish of Lebanon, Kibbeh.
- Maghrebi Arabic (Darija): Spoken in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya; often includes Berber and French influences. If you’re planning a trip, check out the Morocco Visa Guide.
- Gulf Arabic (Khaliji): Spoken in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, parts of Saudi Arabia, and Oman
- Iraqi Arabic (Baghdadi/Mesopotamian): Spoken in Iraq.
- Yemeni Arabic: Spoken in Yemen
- Sudanese Arabic: Spoken in Sudan. Find out more about Sudanese culture with Ful Medames: Sudan’s National Dish.
Still, numerous local sub-dialects exist within these broader groupings.
Cultural significance of regional dialects
Regional dialects are powerful markers of local identity and cultural heritage. They are rich with unique expressions, proverbs, poetry, and humor that capture the specific history and social fabric of each area. While MSA provides a unifying formal language, the dialects are the beating heart of daily communication and cultural expression.
Key highlights of Arabic-speaking nations
The Arabic-speaking world is a region of immense diversity and historical depth.
Countries with the largest populations of Arabic speakers
- Egypt: Approximately 118 million people, making up about 23.7% of the total Arab League population
- Sudan: Around 51 million people, about 10.3% of the total
- Algeria: About 47.5 million people, roughly 9.5%
- Iraq: Approximately 47 million people, 9.4%
- Yemen: Around 41.7 million people, 8.3%
- Morocco: About 38.4 million people, 7.7%
- Saudi Arabia: Approximately 32.4 million people, 6.5%
- Syria: Around 25.9 million people, 5.2%
- Somalia: About 19.4 million people, 3.9%
- Tunisia: Approximately 12.4 million people, 2.5%
Prominent cultural and historical contributions
The Arabic-speaking civilization has a long and storied history of contributions to global knowledge and culture, particularly during the Islamic Golden Age:
- Science and mathematics: Groundbreaking advancements were made in algebra (from Arabic al-jabr), algorithms (named after the scholar al-Khwarizmi), astronomy, medicine (e.g., Ibn Sina/Avicenna), optics (Ibn al-Haytham), and chemistry. Scholars translated and significantly built upon classical Greek, Indian, and Persian knowledge.
- Philosophy: Influential philosophers like Ibn Rushd (Averroes) and al-Farabi shaped thought in both the Islamic world and medieval Europe.
- Literature and poetry: Arabic poetry boasts a rich pre-Islamic and Islamic tradition. Epic tales such as “One Thousand and One Nights” have become part of world literature.
- Art and architecture: Islamic art, characterized by calligraphy, geometric designs, and arabesques, has produced stunning mosques, palaces, and artworks.
- Trade and navigation: Arab mariners and merchants were pivotal in global trade networks, connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe, and advancing cartography and navigation techniques.
Economic influence in the global market
- Energy resources: Several Gulf nations (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq) and North African countries (Algeria, Libya) are among the world’s leading producers and exporters of oil and natural gas, wielding considerable influence in global energy markets.
- Trade, finance, and logistics: Hubs like Dubai (UAE) have become major international centers for finance, trade, aviation, and logistics.
- Tourism: Countries like Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, UAE, and Tunisia have well-developed tourism sectors, drawing visitors to their historical sites, cultural attractions, and natural scenery.
- Diversification efforts: Many nations are actively pursuing economic diversification strategies to reduce reliance on hydrocarbons, investing in renewable energy, technology, manufacturing, financial services, and knowledge-based industries.
FAQs
Is Arabic spoken identically across all Arabic-speaking countries?
No, it is not. While Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) serves as the formal, written, and official language understood across the region, everyday spoken Arabic varies widely. There are numerous regional dialects (like Egyptian, Levantine, Maghrebi, Gulf, etc.), which can be quite different from each other in terms of pronunciation, vocabulary, and even some grammar.
If I learn Modern Standard Arabic, will people understand me?
Yes, if you speak Modern Standard Arabic, educated individuals throughout the Arabic-speaking world will generally understand you, as it’s the language of media, education, and formal settings. You’ll also be able to read newspapers and books. However, for casual, everyday conversations, most people will use their local dialect. While they’ll understand your MSA, responding in pure MSA might sound very formal. Learning some basics of a major dialect can greatly enhance communication.
What are some common misconceptions about the Arabic-speaking world?
- One common misconception is viewing the Arabic-speaking world as a monolithic entity. In reality, it’s incredibly diverse, with a vast range of cultures, traditions, levels of religious observance, political systems, and socio-economic conditions across more than 20 countries.
- Another is equating “Arab” with “Muslim”; while Islam originated in Arabia and Arabic is the language of the Quran, there are many Arab Christians, Arab Jews, and Arabs of other faiths or no faith, just as there are many Muslims worldwide who are not Arab and do not speak Arabic as their first language.