Loading ...Countries With Large Arabic Communities
The Arab League is a group of 22 countries with a shared Arabic heritage and population. Formed in 1945, the league consisted of just seven members but has grown to include regions like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and Morocco.
Despite each country in the league being home to Arabic residents, many have sought residence in other countries. This has led to the formation and growth of significant Arabic communities in many non-Arab territories.
Below, we’ve identified eight countries that, despite not having been Arabic in history, have large communities that have settled there for various reasons. In this article, we’ll look at how these communities have grown and how these countries have adapted to welcome Arabic residents.
Brazil
Brazil is home to the largest Arab community outside of countries belonging to the Arab League. These account for 3-5% of the nation’s population and represent between seven and ten million residents.
The first move of Arab residents began in the late 19th century when waves of occupants from Lebanon and Syria decided to relocate to Brazil. These waves brought a swift initial increase in the Arab population, which has steadily increased over time.
The Brazilian government created easy methods to attain citizenship to accommodate the influx of new residents. It also began working on cultural integration programs that helped fuse the Arab and Brazilian cultures. This has led to a tight-knit community that has extended even to financial affairs with the establishment of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, founded in 2003.
Argentina
Like Brazil, Argentina began welcoming Arab residents in the late 19th century. These, too, came predominantly from Syria and Lebanon, leading to significant growth in Arab communities in the country in the early 20th century. This growth has steadily continued.
Today, more than 3.5 million residents are of Arabic descent, accounting for around 8% of the country’s total population. These residents gained citizenship in Argentina relatively easily due to the country’s open immigration policies.
Aiming to make all immigrants feel welcome, the Argentinian government has, over the years, created cultural centres for all Arab descendants and even recognized their cultural contributions through days like National Arab Argentine Day, which takes place on September 25 each year.
Indonesia
The first record of Arab immigrants to Indonesia dates back to the 8th century. However, it wasn’t until the late 18th and early 19th centuries that the country started seeing a higher number of Arab residents applying for citizenship.
The influx of immigration is mostly attributed to a long history of intermarriage between residents and those from Arab countries. This has led to a community of almost five million Arab descendants living in the country.
The Indonesian government has taken many steps to welcome Arab immigrants. Among these are the availability of Arabic language studies in newly established Islamic schools and the recognition of contributions made to trade by Arab-Indonesian residents.
Malaysia
With Arab traders first settling in the country in the 15th century, Malaysia has seen a steady increase in Arab communities, peaking in the early 20th century. This community is small compared to other countries, accounting for just over 300,000 residents, but it remains influential within the region.
Recognizing Arab immigrants as Indigenous members of the community (or Bumiputera), the government is quick to welcome new residents and grant them full citizenship along with all the privileges of belonging to the country.
This extends to supporting Arabic learning in Islamic schools and promoting businesses owned and managed by Arab-Malaysian citizens.
France
France, which has had historical ties with North African countries like Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria for centuries, has a large Arab community of between three and five million residents. This community accounts for 5-8% of the country’s population and continues to grow.
Although it has welcomed Arab immigrants since the 19th century, the country saw significant increases in immigration between 1960 and 1970. This led to the government instituting new accommodation methods to make all new citizens feel at home.
Among the most significant was recognizing Arabic as a language within the country and offering Halal food within public institutes and schools. In 2003, the government established the French Council of the Muslim Faith to help promote the Arabic religion.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has a long history of accepting Arabic immigrants. The largest wave of immigration to the region occurred after World War II in the 1960s. Since then, the country has seen large numbers of immigrants, with an influx of refugees in 2024.
Some of the largest Arab communities in the UK are found in London, Manchester, and Birmingham, with many other areas also housing growing communities. To accommodate them, the UK government has taken several steps toward inclusivity.
The largest of these includes the 1965 Race Relations Act, which was passed when immigration first started increasing and is aimed at dissuading discrimination. This move was followed by the inclusion of Arabic descent in the 2011 UK census. The country also has multiple cultural centres designed explicitly for Arab-English residents. The country has also established havens for refugees, such as the controversial Rwandan refugee camp, to provide safe housing.
United States
Many people from many cultures have sought to make the US their home, with those from Arab countries no different. The US has had multiple waves of immigrants, the earliest between the late 1800s and early 1900s. Secondary and tertiary waves occurred around 1948 and 1965.
These immigrants have led to a sizable Arab community in the country, estimated to be around 3.7 million people. Members of this community have had significant success in contributing toward business, technology, and medicine within the country.
To ensure these residents feel welcome, the US has established April as Arab American Heritage Month, drafted numerous inclusion programs to educate Americans on welcoming immigrants, and increased access to things like Halal food options in schools and other institutes.
Conclusion
Each of the above countries is home to thriving Arab communities that contribute meaningfully to industry and innovation within various industries and politics. However, each country has had to learn how to adapt to cultural and religious differences to help these communities feel welcome.
Some of the largest differences include attitudes toward certain activities. One example is gambling, with Western culture seeing it as acceptable and encouraging players through advertising slogans like “don’t forget to grab a slots bonus,” while Arabic culture frowns on or prohibits the pastime.
Other differences include attitudes toward family structure, education, religion, gender roles, and communication styles. Each of these differences has needed to be carefully navigated to ensure that immigrants feel welcome in the new place they call home.
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