A Beginner’s Guide to the Arab World
The Arab World, despite being a popular and influential part of the world, remains a source of mystery to many across the globe.
Many myths and misconceptions surround the Arab World. This article attempts to dispel these misconceptions and acquire authentic information about this fascinating and prominent region.
Let's unveil these truths together!
One of the biggest misconceptions about the Arab World is that it is located in the Middle East, and many use the words "Arab" and "Middle Eastern" synonymously. While there is some truth to it, this detail is misleading. Unbeknownst to many, the Arab World covers a huge territory of twenty-two (22) countries spanning two continents: Asia and Africa.
The Asian part is mainly located in West Asia. This mass of land is commonly known as the Middle East, which is composed of two major sub-regions: the Arabian Peninsula and the Levant.
The African part of the Arab World covers the Horn of Africa and its North.
Here is a list of all Arab countries based on their geographical locations:
South West Asia - this region includes
Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Yemen.
North Africa - this region includes
Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, and Mauritania.
Horn of Africa - this region includes
Somalia, Djibouti, and Eritrea.
Religion
The second biggest misconception about the Arab World revolves around religion. In the minds of many, the words "Arab" and "Islam" are strictly synonymous. The truth, however, is quite different. While it is true that Islam was born in the Arabian Peninsula, thus native to the Middle East, not all Arabs adhere to the Islamic faith.
Christianity, also native to the Middle East, is prominent in the region. Middle Eastern Christians are the direct descendants of the first followers of Christ, all of whom were born in modern-day Occupied Palestine. The vast majority of Middle Easterners are Muslim, but this does not mean that Islam is the only religion that exists in this region.
Race
Another myth that is widely believed is that all Arabs are the same, hence they all belong to the same race. A simple look at the map of the Arab World suggests otherwise. The most common trait that unites all Arabs is the Arabic language. They can be racially different but will still be categorised as Arabs due to their shared cultural, historical, or linguistic traits. Arabs are native to West Asia, North Africa, and the Horn of Africa, so, naturally, people of these regions can look drastically different from each other, each carrying a different genetic pool.
Languages & Dialects
Despite having a common native language, not all Arabs speak the same way. This may be shocking to know given the fact that the most important feature uniting Arabs is their language – Arabic. The case here is that of diglossia, which means that written and formal language is different from the one spoken daily.
What makes this even more confusing yet captivating is the existence of multiple dialects. Each Arab country has its distinct dialect, and while all Arabs can speak the standard version of the language, nobody ever uses it in their daily speech.
This means that, in total, there are twenty-two (22) different dialects found within the Arab World. According to many sources, all Arabic dialects fall within five (5) major varieties: Maghrebi (spoken in Northern Africa), Egyptian, Levantine (spoken in the Levant), Mesopotamian (spoken mainly in Iraq), and Peninsular (spoken in the Arabian Peninsula). Fear not, however, for dialects from the same variety tend to share strikingly similar linguistic features.
In addition, it is usually assumed that all Arabs live in the desert. It is a fact that a big chunk of the Arab World is made up of sand, but that is not all it has to offer. A selection of Arab countries is also Mediterranean, meaning it features attractive beaches. Moreover, many of these countries' landscapes consist of mountains, hills, and green lands. The Arab World is, indeed, an extremely diverse piece of land with multiple races and landscapes that make it truly fascinating.
Conclusion
Although Arab countries share many similarities, they have significant differences that set them apart. This vast region is not a monolith. It is a combination of over twenty (20) countries with distinctive ethnic, cultural, linguistic, geographic, and even physical features, making each one of them worth discovering.
