Arab World

The

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This booklet was produced by the Arab American National Museum the only museum among the 17,500 museums in the United States that focuses on the history and contributions of Arab Americans with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. To learn more about the Arab American National Museum, visit www.arabamericanmuseum.org. For information on the Institute of Museum and Library Services, visit www.imls.gov.

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The Arab World

The term the Arab World refers to 22 countries that cover a vast area stretching from Morocco and Mauritania in northwestern Africa to Iraq and Kuwait in western Asia. Ten of the Arab countries are located in Africa and 12 are in Asia, with the majority of the Arab population residing in Africa. The Arab World is quite diverse in many ways. Its 22 nations display a wide range of climates and natural resources; diverse demographics, such as levels of income, education and urbanization; and an array of ethnicities and faiths. In addition, there is much diversity within each country. Despite these differences, people of the Arab World have much in common, including history, culture and language. Those commonalities have fostered a shared Arab identity. The Arab World vs. the Middle East The terms the Arab World and the Middle East are often used interchangeably, yet they are not equivalent in meaning. The Middle East, the Near East and the Far East are historical geopolitical terms coined by the colonialist British to refer to countries and their relative distance from England. The Near East refers to countries east of England but relatively close, like Yugoslavia and Greece. The Far East refers to countries that are east of England but very far away, like China and Vietnam. The Middle East refers to countries that are neither very far nor very close to England; in other words, they are in the middle between the Far East and the Near East. In todays common use, the term the Middle East refers to Arab countries in Asia and Africa, and to the non-Arab countries of Turkey, Iran, and Israel; sometimes, Afghanistan is also included.

The Arab World

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The Cradle of Civilization

The region known as the Arab World was the birthplace of some of the earliest and most significant human civilizations. It is the area where humans first domesticated animals, developed writing and legal codes, cultivated land and created irrigation systems. The Arab World is also home to the oldest cities, universities and hospitals on the globe. It is no coincidence that three of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World are located there: the Great Pyramids of Giza near Cairo, built around 2560 B.C.E.; the Lighthouse of Alexandria, also in Egypt, built around 290 B.C.E.; and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in Iraq, built around 600 B.C.E. The city of Petra in Jordan, built around 500 B.C.E., is one of the more recently selected Seven Wonders of the World. The Arab World is also the birthplace of the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Together, these religions have close to three billion followers in every corner of the world. Because of its location, the Arab World was an historic crossroads of travel and trade between the three continents of Asia, Europe and Africa. This led to an exchange of influence and culture, including the spread of various faiths. Among the oldest and most well-known ancient civilizations are the Egyptian kingdoms of the Pharaohs, established around 3100 B.C.E. However, many other ancient civilizations flourished in the region including: The Sumerian civilization (3200-2334 B.C.E.) in southern Mesopotamia (todays southern Iraq) is the birthplace of the worlds first cities and the earliest system of writing.

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The Babylonian civilization (1894-1595 B.C.E.), also in present-day Iraq, developed the first legal code under King Hammurabi in the 17th century B.C.E. Babylonian scholars had significant impact on Greek geometry, mathematics and astronomy. The Phoenicians (1200-800 B.C.E.) prospered on the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine and in modern-day Syria and Lebanon. They gained fame as sailors, traders and manufacturers, particularly of glass. The Phoenicians established colonies along the North African coast and as far away as Spain. The South Arabian kingdoms of Yemen (900-100 B.C.E.) controlled trade in spices and luxury goods between Asia and the Mediterranean. The kingdom of Saba, with Marib as its capital, excelled in trade and agriculture. It also had a remarkable irrigation system with water tunnels in mountains and dams including the legendary Marib Dam which was built in the 8th century B.C.E. The kingdom of Carthage was established around 800 B.C.E. in present-day Tunisia. By the 6th century B.C.E., it had expanded to Sicily and along the north African coast, where the indigenous Berber population helped to advance agriculture, manufacturing, trade and the development of political systems. Many monuments of these civilizations still stand today, such as the Great Pyramids of Egypt, Petra in Jordan and the city of Palmira in Syria. These monuments attract millions of tourists annually. Unfortunately, many artifacts and monuments have been seized by explorers and are exhibited in European museums. Today, most major western museums have sizable collections from ancient Arab cultures as well as Arab/Muslim civilizations. For example, the

The Arab World

complete Gate of Ishtar from the Neo-Babylonian Dynasty (625-537 B.C.E.) was shipped to Germany and is currently on display in its own museum in Berlin. The Beginnings of Writing Mesopotamia, an ancient Greek word meaning the land between rivers, was located in modern-day Iraq near the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers. It is here that we find evidence of the origins of written language. Some of the earliest clay tablets, dated to around 3200-3100 B.C.E., were excavated from the site of the ancient city Uruk (modern-day Warka) in southern Iraq. At first, only pictures were used to represent words. Each sign was impressed on wet clay by a sharp instrument. By 2300 B.C.E., writing had become an abstract, wedge-shaped cuneiform script. This would be the conventional way of writing throughout the region for over 3,000 years. In Egypt, during the Pharaohs rule, hieroglyphic writing also began as pictographs (pictures) but later developed into a more complex system of pictographs and phonograms (signs for sounds). Cursive scripts also evolved there. Egyptian hieroglyphics were used as late as 400 C.E.

The Arab-Islamic Empire

Islam, the second-largest religion after Christianity, began in 610 C.E. when the Prophet Muhammad (570-632 C.E.), the son of a well-established tribe in what is today Saudi Arabia, first heard the word of God through the Angel Gabriel. Muslims believe that Muhammad continued to receive revelations from God until his

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death in 632 C.E. These revelations, or words of God, were recorded in the Quran, the holy book of Islam, and serve as the foundation of the religion. Shortly after the death of Prophet Muhammad, this new and emerging religion began to spread swiftly throughout the world. Motivated by their new faith, Arabs established an empire that flourished between the 8th and 15th centuries. Only100 years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, a new Arab-Islamic Empire extended from southern Europe to central Asia. Islam was the official religion of the empire and Arabic, the official language, soon became the language of commerce and science. People living in this empire were Arab, Spanish, Persian, Chinese and Indian. They practiced many religions including Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism. The cultural and religious heritages of all these communities were important elements in this new Arab-Islamic Empire, which prospered and made great contributions to world civilization. The period between the 8th and 13th centuries is known as the Golden Age of Islam. Scholars of the Arab-Islamic Empire, who were diverse in their religious and ethnic identities, preserved the ancient knowledge of previous Persian, Indian and the GrecoRoman civilizations by translating important works in a variety of fields into Arabic. These scholars also made significant discoveries in the fields of medicine, science, mathematics and astronomy. Much of this knowledge was later spread throughout Europe. The arts and architecture of this period flourished as well. Today, certain architectural monuments like the Alhambra in Spain and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem continue to attract worldwide attention.

The Arab World

The Dome of the Rock (David H. Wells/Saudi Aramco World/SAWDIA)

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The Ottoman Empire: The Arab-Islamic Empire started to decline around the 14th century. The non-Arab, Muslim Ottoman Empire, which was located in present-day Turkey, emerged as the new center for economic and military power in the 16th century. Gradually, this emerging empire was able to conquer and rule most of what is known today as the Arab World, except for Morocco. Although Arabs comprised the largest ethnic group within the Ottoman Empire, the Ottomans were able to subjugate and rule the Arabs. By the mid 19th century, Arabs started to organize and call for their independence. Ultimately, the Ottoman Empire started to decline in the late 19th century and met its demise in 1917. Western Colonization: During World War I (1914-1917), Arab governments sided with the Allies Britain, France, Russia and the United States. They joined the fight against the Axis powers of the Ottoman Empire, Germany and Austria-Hungary. Britain and France promised to help the Arabs gain independence from the Ottomans in return for their support. However, these promises were never kept. On the contrary, Britain and France signed a secret document dividing up Arab lands. France took control of Syria and Lebanon and Britain established a mandate to rule Iraq, Jordan and Palestine. This was defined in the famous Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916), which divided parts of the Arab World into the countries that we know today. Most Arab countries gained their independence after World War II. However, western countries, primarily England and France, held colonies in the region until the 1960s.

THE ARAB WORLD TODAY

Today, the Arab World is comprised of 22 countries. Their language, history and culture give them a shared Arab identity. Additionally, all Arab countries are members of the League of Arab States.

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Oil Platform, Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia (Tor Eigeland/Saudi Aramco World/SAWDIA)

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The Arab League The League of Arab States, also known as the Arab League, was established in Cairo, Egypt in 1945 with the primary objective of creating cooperation among Arab countries. At the time, many Arab countries that had recently gained their independence strived to establish closer relationships and cooperation with each other, but wanted at the same time to maintain their independence. Initially, the League was founded by a few Arab countries, but eventually all 22 Arab countries became members. The other main goals of the Arab League, which was modeled after the United Nations, are: to foster political, economic, cultural and social cooperation; to serve as a forum; to coordinate policies; to discuss matters of common concern; and to peacefully settle disputes and solve conflicts among its members. The League also promotes economic integration and fosters cultural exchange among its members; encourages youth through educational programs; helps to advance the roles of women; and promotes the welfare of children.

Geography, Climate and Natural Resources

Because the Arab World covers such a vast area, the geography, climate and natural resources vary from one nation to another. Many Arab countries enjoy the Mediterranean climate of hot summers and rainy winters, with fertile coastal areas. Other countries like Iraq and Egypt have expansive arid regions as well as more fertile lands. Major mountain ranges spread throughout many Arab countries including Yemen, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Palestine. The Atlas Mountains extend across much of the countries of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Major rivers gave birth to the worlds most ancient civilizations - the Nile in Sudan and Egypt; the Euphrates in Syria and Iraq; and the Tigris in Iraq. The Jordan

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River, located between Jordan and the Palestinian West Bank, is where Jesus was baptized and today serves as a holy landmark. Sadly, this modest waterway is shrinking over time, as much of its water is diverted for irrigation. Large deserts dominate some Arab countries like Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the Gulf States. For example, the Sahara Desert covers most of the southern parts of north Africa. Most Arab countries have climatic and geographic variations. For example, Algeria contains both the Mediterranean mountain range and a desert climate. Egypt has one of the most fertile regions, adjacent to the Nile River; it also has very hot and dry areas. In the small nation of Lebanon one can actually ski in the mountains and swim in the sea quite easily in the same day by simply driving 45 miles. The West Bank in Palestine features the lowest point on earth, near the Dead Sea, but also has tall mountains. The Arab World also has a variety of natural resources. Some countries have extremely fertile lands and agriculture is an important source of employment and income. These include the area known as the Fertile Crescent comprised of Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Syria and Iraq. Other Arab countries with important agricultural industries are Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria. The Mediterranean Sea, which borders a large number of Arab countries both in Asia and Africa, supports a wide range of agricultural products. These include a variety of fruits and vegetables, which are exported to other Arab countries as well as Europe. The Mediterranean area is also famous for its olive oil. Egypt in particular is known for the quality of its cotton. Some arid Arab countries are rich in oil, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Libya and the United Arab Emirates. These countries contain the largest oil reserves in the world. Iraq and Algeria are rich in agricultural land and oil, while Algeria itself has significant natural gas deposits. Other natural resources include seafood, minerals, fertilizers, iron, potassium, gold, cotton, coffee, vanilla, tobacco, livestock and leather.

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The U.S. Camel Military Corps Deserts and camels are often used to depict stereotypes of Arabs and Arab culture. As mentioned earlier, large deserts dominate the landscape of many Arab countries. Before the invention of modern transportation, camels, which can travel for days without food or water, were used as a mode of transportation in parts of the Arab World. Following the end of the Mexican-American War in 1848, the U.S. acquired a substantial parcel of land, known as the Mexican Cession, through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Included in this land was the present state of Arizona. With this acquisition, crossing the desert during the Gold Rush presented both an opportunity and a challenge. At a time before railroads connected the east and west coasts, crossing the country required horses, mules and oxen - animals which required plenty of water. The scarcity of water in the Southwest prompted Secretary of War Jefferson Davis to propose to Congress the creation of a Camel Military Corps. The plan aimed to utilize camels to help build and supply a wagon route from Texas to California. Hadj Ali is a well-known Arab who came to America in the 19th century. He was brought from Syria by Major Henry Wayne upon the recommendation of Secretary of War Jefferson Davis. Hadj Alis skills in training camels were needed to help run the famous Camel Corps, which would build and supply a wagon route from Texas to California. The soldiers called him Hi Jolly because they couldnt properly pronounce his name. In 1880, Ali became a U.S. citizen with the name Philip Tedro. The Arizona State Highway Department erected a monument at his gravesite in 1935 to commemorate his contributions.

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Population
The Arab World is home to an estimated 300 million people, the majority of whom live in Africa. The population concentration varies from one Arab country to another. For example, Egypt has a very large population with an estimated 85 million citizens. Since oil tends to be found in desert regions, some of the oil-producing countries, including Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States, tend to be scarcely populated. The Palestinian Gaza Strip, on the other hand, has one of the highest population concentrations in the world because of its small size and the large number of Palestinian refugees who reside there. Diversity within the Arab population is also found in demographics such as wealth, education and social class. While the Arab oilproducing nations have some of the highest per-capita income in the world, others including the Palestinian Gaza Strip, Sudan and Somalia are quite poor. A significant gap between the rich and the poor is also found within each Arab country.

Urbanization
Until the mid-20th century, more than half the population in the Arab World lived and worked in rural areas. Agriculture served as the main sector of employment. Many of the villages in the Arab World are hundreds of years old. People in any given village are often related to each other and can trace their roots to the same family. Although many people in the villages have been moving to urban areas in search of better jobs and educational opportunities, agriculture continues to be an important source of employment and income in many Arab countries. As in the rest of the world, urbanization in the Arab World has occurred rapidly over the last 50-60 years. In 1960, only about 34% of Arabs lived in cities. By 1990, the figure was at least 54% and by

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Cairo Street (Dick Doughty/Saudi Aramco World/SAWDIA)

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2000, roughly 60%. Though a high degree of urbanization in the Arab World is a relatively recent phenomenon, urban life in the Arab World is as old as human civilization. Some of the oldest cities in the world are found in Arab countries. Damascus, one of oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, is approximately 4,000 years old. The Arab World is home to some of the most culturally and symbolically significant cities on the globe. Cairo, Jerusalem, Baghdad, Casablanca, Beirut and Damascus are among the largest, best-known and most-visited cosmopolitan cities. Cairo, the largest city in the Arab World, has a metropolitan population of more than 12 million people. These cities are vibrant and contain many restaurants, coffee shops, libraries, universities, theaters, concert halls and art galleries. Both modern and traditional arts are found in these cities. Some Arab artists are world renowned, including musicians Marcel Khalifah and Anwar Brahim; poets Mahmoud Darwish and Adonis; writers Naguib Mahfouz and Emil Habibi; and visual artists Fateh Moudarres and Dia Azzawi, to mention only a few. Because most major Arab cities are centuries old, traditional marketplaces known as souks are still found in almost every city. During business hours, the souks are lively, with a delightful array of sights, sounds, and smells. Most often, the souk is a maze of alleys and small stores that line the streets exhibiting products. The souk is organized by trade and includes butcher shops, bakeries, spice stores, perfumeries, blacksmiths, tanneries and many of the beautiful crafts for which the Arab World is famous. These crafts include glassworks, colorful ceramics, finely engraved gold and silver jewelry, delicately carved wood and ivory, carpets and textiles, and copper or brass works inlaid with gold, silver or wire. Some of these traditions are hundreds, even thousands, of years old and reflect the rich legacy of craftsmanship in the Arab World. Examples of these crafts can also be found in museums around the world, including major museums in the United States.

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Souk in Taif, Saudi Arabia (Khalil Abou El-Nasr/Saudi Aramco World/SAWDIA)

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Al-Hamadiyah in Damascus is one of the most famous souks in the Arab World. A covered market, this souk extends for over a mile. It contains hundreds of shops and small, family-owned factories. The famous Damask silk originated here and continues to be produced in Europe and the United States.

Language
Arabic, a Semitic language like Hebrew and Aramaic, is the 6th most common native language in the world. Classical Arabic, which is mostly written Arabic, is the official language used by governments, newspapers and books. Spoken Arabic, or colloquial Arabic, refers to the different dialects used throughout the Arab World. The Arabic language is written from right to left. There are 28 letters in the Arabic alphabet and each letter has a different form, depending on its location in a word. Some letters do not exist in English, which makes it hard for non-Arabs to pronounce. Likewise, some English letters, like P and V, are not found in Arabic and some Arabs have hard time pronouncing them. Arabic is the native language of the overwhelming majority of the 300 million people who live in the Arab World. This shared language is a very powerful unifying force, as it allows people from these countries not only to communicate easily with each other, but also to read the same newspapers, magazines and books; listen to the same radio programs, watch the same television programs and movies; attend universities; and work in any one of the Arab countries without having to learn a new language. Over the many centuries, this unifying language created a strong bond and an Arab identity among the diverse populations of the Arab World. Although Arabic is the predominant language in the Arab World, many other languages are also spoken by minorities including Chaldeans, Armenians, Kurds and Berbers.

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Culture
Arabs also share many cultural traditions. The most important traditions involve religion, family and hospitality. In most Arab countries, the family is considered the most important institution and children are greatly valued. However, it is hard to speak of a typical Arab family since family relationships and sizes vary from one region to another. In spite of these differences, the Arab family, which often includes grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins (extended family) continues to play a very important role in providing economic and social support to its members. The extended family, for example, often resolves conflicts among its members, such as finance and inheritance disputes, divorce-related issues, custody of children and domestic violence. Extended families also provide support for orphans or children of divorced families. Family members who are financially secure are expected to provide support to those who are less fortunate. Further, families support the newly married by covering the cost of weddings and establishing new households. Arab families continue to have strong respect and appreciation for their elders, whose status increases with age. The opinion of elders is often sought, and they play an important role in supporting family members and in mediating conflicts. Adults are expected to take care of their parents and in most cases, parents live with one of their married children. Rarely do Arab elders live alone. Typically, children continue to live at home until they get married, unless they find jobs or attend colleges in different cities. Children are extremely valued; Arab families tend to have more children than the European families and rural Arab families tend to have more children than urban Arab families.

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The Arab World

Because of the continued importance of the extended family, the Arab familys well-being and interests are valued and emphasized more than that of the individual. Also, marriage is seen not only as a union between two individuals but as a union between two families.

Women and Gender Roles

The first feminist movement was established in Egypt by Huda Shaarawi (1879-1947). In 1914, she founded the Intellectual Association of Egyptian Women. In 1923, she founded the Egyptian Feminist Union, widely credited with setting the stage for later feminist movements in the Arab World. Shaarawi was also an activist member of the Wafd, the Egyptian national political party that lead the struggle to end British control of Egypt; she played an important role in mobilizing women to participate in the national movement. In 1920, she became the president of the Wafdist Womens Central Committee. Since the early 20th century, Arab women have been mobilizing for economic, social and political equality, and they have made some significant gains. In almost every Arab nation there are organizations and movements that strive to address womens issues. While much progress has been made in each Arab country, there remains much more to be accomplished. The latest victory was the 2009 election of three women to the Kuwaiti Parliament. Arab womens roles vary from one country to another, as well as within each country. A wide gap continues to exist between rural and urban areas. For example, in many rural areas, women have the burden of working in the field and in the home. In some rural areas, women and men take care of the land together, but women are

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still responsible for taking care of the home and children. In urban areas, a wide gap exists between women in terms of their role and positioning in society, depending on their education and social class. However, the vast majority of Arab women continue to take care of the home while men are financially responsible for their families. Education, which is seen by many advocates as the key to womens equality, has been among the most visible areas in which Arab women have made significant gains. With compulsory education and the relatively inexpensive tuition at Arab colleges and universities, many Arab women are seeking higher education. Due to better education and higher costs of living, more Arab women are joining the labor force. Arab women occupy a variety of jobs, from the highly professional to the unskilled laborer, all depending on their level of education and skills. While Arab societies continue to be mostly male dominated, a few women are occupying higher government positions, including legislators and diplomats. Others work as scientists and university professors. In major urban areas, women dominate certain fields such as non-government organizations, philanthropy, education, and arts and culture.

Religious Traditions
Religion is extremely important in Arab culture. After all, the Arab World is the birthplace of the three monotheistic religions (belief in a single God): Judaism, Christianity and Islam. While Islam is often thought of being very different from the other two, these three religions are actually very similar and share many beliefs, practices and traditions. They all believe in one God. Each one has a holy book that guides their daily life (the Torah, the Bible and the Quran). All three religions have a communal house of worship (synagogue, church and mosque). And all three embrace some dietary restrictions and/or fasting; emphasize the collective good; and promote good deeds and charity.

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While the majority of Arabs are Muslim, many are also Christian and Jewish. The Arab World is home to a large number of Arab Christians. It is also home to the worlds oldest churches and earliest Christians. Arab Christian churches include Coptic, Maronite, Malkite, Syrian Orthodox and Syrian Catholic. Almost half of Lebanons population is Christian, while large numbers of Arab Christians also live in Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine and Egypt. Many of these Christians celebrate their holidays according to the Eastern Orthodox calendar. Since the birth of Judaism, there have been sizable Arab Jewish communities living in many Arab countries, including Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco. After the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, most of these communities gradually moved to the new country. Today, the size of Jewish communities in Arab countries is rather small. Some continue to live in Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon and Syria.

Minorities in the Arab World

The Arab World is also home to significant communities that have their own ethnic identity, language and culture. Some of these minorities are Muslim and others are Christian. Some are indigenous, while others took refuge in the Arab World for political and religious reasons. Chaldeans are a Christian ethnic minority in Iraq. Their native language is Aramaic, the language believed to be spoken by Jesus Christ. Chaldeans come from three main villages in northern Iraq, the largest of which is Telkaife. Many live in Iraqs urban areas and speak Arabic. Large numbers of Chaldeans have left Iraq since the 1950s. Today, large Chaldean communities are found in the Detroit and San Diego metropolitan areas.

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Assyrians are another Christian minority. Their native language is similar to the Chaldeans. Assyrians are an indigenous population that lives in Iraq and Syria (and the non-Arab country of Iran). The Kurds are an indigenous minority who live in Iraq and Syria (as well as Turkey and Iran). This Muslim group has its own language and culture. The Kurds often dominate the news as they try to gain political autonomy. The Berbers are another indigenous group that lives in the north African countries of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. This Muslim minority has its own language and culture. It traces its roots in the region back more than 3,000 years. Other minorities, both Muslim and Christian, migrated to the Arab World in the early 20th century. Armenians came to the Arab World starting around 1900. They took refuge in a number of Arab countries after the Armenian genocide. They live mostly in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Egypt. Armenians have been very successful in preserving their own culture and language. They also have their own schools and churches. The Circassians and Chechnyans are two Muslim groups who arrived in the Arab World at the turn of the 20th century following the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. They live mostly in Jordan and Palestine, while some reside in Iraq, Syria and Egypt.

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The Arab World: Honoring the Past, Embracing the Future

The Ancient Library of Alexandria
The first public library in the world was founded in Alexandria, Egypt around 295 B.C.E. by the king of Egypt, Ptolemy I. The library was greatly expanded by Ptolemy II (308-246 B.C.E.) and many regarded him as its true founder. Various ancient accounts placed its holdings at somewhere between 100,000 to 700,000 documents. Many important thinkers and scientists worked for the library such as Euclid, Archimedes and Aristophanes. Eratosthenes of Cyrene, the first scientist to calculate the diameter of the earth, was head of the library for a time. Ptolemys desire was to have a universal library comprised of writings of all nations. Egyptian spiritual leaders were encouraged to record their traditions and heritage and make them available for use by others. Classified catalogues of the librarys contents were carefully drawn up and large numbers of scholars were charged with the copying of these works. The Library of Alexandria became one of the great centers of literature and learning in the world. Sadly, the library was destroyed by fire during the siege of Alexandria by Julius Caesar in 48 B.C.E.

The Modern Library of Alexandria

In order to revive the great tradition of the ancient Library of Alexandria, a proposal was presented in the 1980s to construct a new library. This was done with the support of UNESCO the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

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The library took seven years to construct. Although an archaeological investigation found no traces of the ancient librarys foundations, a site was chosen close to what was believed to be its original location. Construction began in 1995, and the library opened in 2002. The new librarys design is bold and dramatic. It consists of four basement levels and six upper floors. The 10th floor is the highest point of a sweeping circular roof that slopes down dramatically at one end. The four basement levels are below the water table and sunk to protect the precious contents of the library. On the interior, slender columns support high roofs to form elegant spaces. The curved exterior walls are of gray granite from the ancient quarries of Aswan in the south of Egypt. These surfaces are carved with letters from all known alphabets to symbolize the literature and learning of the worlds many cultures.

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Frequently Asked Questions about the Arab World

1. What is the Arab World? The Arab World is a set of 22 countries; 10 in Africa and 12 in Asia. The countries of the Arab World are Palestine, Egypt, Yemen, Morocco, Mauritania, Djibouti, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Libya, Tunisia, Kuwait, Somalia, Sudan, Lebanon, Qatar, Comoros Islands and Algeria. 2. Can the term the Middle East be used interchangeably with the Arab World? No. The Middle East is an historical geopolitical term coined by the British and includes countries that are not Arab such as Iran, Turkey and Israel. It also excludes several Arab countries. 3. How many of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World are found in the Arab World? Three: the Great Pyramids of Giza near Cairo, Egypt; the Lighthouse of Alexandria, also in Egypt; and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in modern-day Iraq. 4. What defines an Arab country? Countries in the Arab World have three unifying characteristics: all Arab countries belong to the Arab League of States; all use Arabic as their official language (except for Somalia); and they have a shared culture and history.

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5. What do Arabs look like? Because of the diverse geography, climate and history of the Arab World, physical features of Arabs vary widely. Some Arabs may have very fair skin and light eyes, while others have dark skin and brown or black eyes. 6. What is the role of the family in Arab culture? Family is considered to be the most important economic and social unit among Arabs. In most Arab countries, the extended family, which includes grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins, continues to play an important role as a unit. For that reason, the greater emphasis is placed on the well-being of the family over that of the individual. 7. Are all Arabs Muslim? No. Although a majority of Arabs in the Arab World are Muslim, there are significant numbers of Arab Christians and some Arab Jews. Other religions are also practiced in the Arab World. 8. Are all Arab countries wealthy? There are several oil-producing nations in the Arab World that are extremely wealthy. The Arab World is also the home of poverty-stricken places such as Somalia, Sudan and the Palestinian Gaza Strip. 9. What languages are found in the Arab World? Arabic is the official language of 21 of the 22 Arab countries (all but Somalia) and is spoken by 92% of the population. English and French are also commonly spoken by Arabs. Because of the large minority populations, several other languages such as Armenian, Aramaic and Kurdish are also spoken.

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Key Terms
B.C.E. (Before Common Era) another term for B.C., which means before Christ. The Gregorian calendar, used throughout most of the world, is based on the birthdate of Jesus Christ. C.E. (Common Era) another term for A.D., which stands for anno domini or in the year of our Lord, indicating this era began with the birth of Jesus. Chaldeans Christians who come from three main villages in northern Iraq. Chaldeans speak Aramaic, but the majority of them also speak Arabic. Cradle of Civilization refers to a specific area in modern-day Iraq considered to be the birthplace of some of the earliest and most significant human civilizations. Colonialism a political-economic phenomenon whereby various European nations explored, conquered, settled and exploited large areas of the world. Fertile Crescent a fertile region in the Arab World comprised of Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan and Iraq. Mesopotamia The literal meaning is between rivers, referring to the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers in modern-day Iraq. Middle East An historical geopolitical term coined by the British. The term Middle East cannot be used interchangeably with the Arab World, as it excludes several Arab countries and includes some non-Arab countries. Monotheism the belief that there is only one God. Semitic a sub-family of Afro-Asiatic languages that includes the Arabic, Hebrew and Aramaic languages. Quran the holy book of Muslims. Its original language is Arabic.

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Timeline
3200-3100 B.C.E. The beginning of writing; the earliest clay tablets were developed in what is today Iraq Egyptian kingdoms of the Pharaohs established The Great Pyramids of Giza near Cairo were built The Babylonians, in what is now Iraq, developed the first legal code under King Hammurabi Judaism is created Christianity started. The current Gregorian calendar used by most of the world is based on the birthdate of Jesus Christ The Prophet Muhammad started receiving revelations from God; the beginning of Islam The Golden Age of the Arab-Islamic Empire The Ottoman Empire rules most of the Arab World The British promise the Arabs an independent Arab nation. This nation was to include the present-day countries of Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Palestine and Israel.

3100 B.C.E.

2560 B.C.E.

1894-1595 B.C.E.

1500 B.C.E. 1 C.E.

610

700 -1200 1500- 1917

1915

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1917

The British issue the Balfour Declaration which promises their support for the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine The British and the French implement the Sakes-Picot Agreement, signed secretly between them in 1916, dividing parts of the Arab World among them. This was in direct contradiction of the British agreement with Sherif Hussein to help the Arabs gain their independence once World War I was over.

1919

1948 State of Israel was established on part of historic Palestine. An estimated 800,000 Palestinians become refugees in the Palestinian West Bank and Gaza Strip, as well as the neighboring countries of Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. 1967 Arab-Israeli War breaks out. Israel occupies the Palestinian territories of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. Israel also takes over parts of Syria and Egypt. 1975 An 18-year civil war breaks out in Lebanon, greatly increasing the number of Lebanese immigrants to the United States. Egypt and Israel sign peace treaty

1979

1982 Israel invades and occupies the southern part of Lebanon 1990 Iraq invades Kuwait 1991 The U.S.-led military coalition launches the Gulf War to remove Iraq from Kuwait. Many Iraqis fled Iraq in the years following the war as a result of U.S. sanctions against Iraq.

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1993 Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) sign the Oslo Accord. This peace agreement calls on Israel to withdraw from Palestinian territories it has occupied since 1967 in exchange for PLO recognition of Israel. 2003 United States goes to war with Iraq. An estimated four million Iraqis become refugees; one million fled to Jordan, 1.5 million fled to Syria. 2007 The Jordanian city of Petra, built in 500 B.C.E., was selected as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World 2009 U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a major address to the Arab and Muslim worlds in Cairo, Egypt

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Arab World Additional Resources

Arab American Encyclopedia, Anan Ameri and Dawn Ramey, Editors. Gale Publishing, 2000 Telling Our Story: The Arab American National Museum, Anan Ameri, 2007 Georgetown University Center for Contemporary Arab Studies: www.ccas.georgetown.edu Arab American Institute: www.aaiusa.com American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee: www.adc.org

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Notes

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The Arab World

Notes

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