The modern world is conditionally divided into several parts, characterized by some features. Western and eastern, European and Arab cultures have their own geopolitical "binding". Today, the term "Arab countries" refers to states whose majority of the population speaks Arabic.
United Arab States
22 such countries united in an international organization - the League of Arab States. The total area of the territory where the Arabic-speaking population lives is approximately 13 million km22. This formation is located in the zone of connection of three continents - Asia, Africa and Europe. Thus, the Arab countries are practically a single geocultural space, located from the Persian Gulf to the Atlantic Ocean, most of the population of which has Arab roots.
Linguistic and cultural characteristics
The main forming element of any Arab state is the language and culture that develops on its basis. Today this culture is open andinfluenced by others, such as Indian, Mongolian, Andalusian. However, Western traditions have the strongest influence.
Religion
In the Arab community, the religion of Islam plays a dual role. On the one hand, it unites the Arabs in public and political life, and on the other hand, it causes disagreements and even armed conflicts between supporters of various movements inside. It should be understood that Arab and Muslim countries are not identical concepts. In the world, not all Arab states profess Islam; in some, several religious confessions coexist simultaneously. In addition, it should be remembered that Muslim countries include those where the majority of the inhabitants are not Arabs.
Islam is a powerful cultural factor, thanks to which, along with language, the entire Arab world is united, but it can also divide and lead to bloody wars.
Countries of the Arab world
There are a total of 23 Arab countries listed below:
- Republic of Djibouti;
- Algerian Republic;
- Kingdom of Bahrain;
- Kingdom of Jordan;
- Arab Republic of Egypt;
- Republic of Yemen;
- Republic of Iraq;
- Lebanese Republic;
- Union of Comoros;
- State of Kuwait;
- State of Qatar;
- Syrian Arab Republic;
- State of Libya;
- Islamic Republic of Mauritania;
- Kingdom of Morocco;
- United ArabEmirates (UAE);
- Oman;
- Saudi Arabia;
- Republic of South Sudan;
- Federal Republic of Somalia;
- Tunisian Republic;
- Saharan Arab Democratic Republic (Western Sahara);
- Autonomous Region of Palestine.
It should be noted that not all Arab countries, the list of which is presented, are recognized by other states. Thus, the Saharan Arab Democratic Republic, which is not a member of the League of Arab States (LAS), is officially recognized only by fifty countries of the world. Moroccan authorities exercise control over most of its territories.
In addition, the state of Palestine, which is part of the Arab League, is recognized by 129 states. In this country, two areas that do not have a common border: the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Countries of the Arab world are geographically divided into three large groups:
- African (Maghrib);
- Arabian;
- Eastern Mediterranean.
Let's look at each one briefly.
Arab countries of Africa, or the Maghreb
In the strict sense, only those states that are located to the west of Egypt are called the Maghreb (West). However, today it is customary to refer to all North African Arab countries, such as Mauritania, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. Egypt itself is considered the center, the heart of the entire Arab world and is part of the Great Maghreb Arc. In addition to him, it includes countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Mauritania, Libya and Western Sahara.
Countries of the Arabian Peninsula
The largest peninsula on our planet is Arabian. It is on it that most of the countries supplying oil are located. For example, the UAE (United Arab Emirates), consisting of seven independent states. In addition, it is on its territory that such countries leading in oil production as Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar are located. In former times, the countries located on the Arabian Peninsula acted only as transshipment and intermediate points on the trade routes leading to Iraq and Iran. Today, thanks to the huge oil reserves discovered in the middle of the last century, each of the Arab countries of the Arabian region has its own significant political, strategic and economic weight.
In addition, the countries located in the Persian Gulf are the historical centers of the origin and development of Islam, from where it spread to other regions.
Eastern Mediterranean countries
The East Mediterranean Asian region, called Mashrik, includes such countries of the Arab East as the Republic of Iraq, the Kingdom of Jordan, Syria, Libya and Palestine, which has only the status of autonomy. Mashriq has been the most restless, almost constantly warring zone of the Arab world since the formation of the state of Israel in the late forties of the twentieth century. Throughout the 20th century, Arab-Israeli wars and conflicts constantly took place here. Let's dwell in more detailon such states of the Eastern Mediterranean as Iraq, Jordan and Palestine.
Republic of Iraq
This Arab state is located in the valleys of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, in the Mesopotamian lowland, and is washed from the southeast by the waters of the Persian Gulf. The country borders with Kuwait, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. In the north and northeast of Iraq, the Armenian and Iranian highlands are located, which are characterized by high seismic activity.
The country of Iraq, whose capital is Baghdad, is the second largest Arab country in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East region, with a population of over 16 million people.
The 1958 revolution led to the fall of the monarchy in this country, and since 1963 the Arab Socialist Renaissance Party (PASV) began to gain more and more political power. As a result of a fierce struggle in the sixties of the last century, this party came to power in 1979, headed by S. Hussein. This event was a significant stage in the life of the state. It was this politician who managed to eliminate all his rivals and establish a regime of totalitarian power. Hussein, through the liberalization of economic policy and the rallying of the nation on the idea of a "common enemy", managed to ensure the growth of his own popularity and gain almost unlimited power.
Under his leadership, Iraq unleashed a war against Iran in 1980, which lasted until 1988. The turning point came in 2003, when US-led coalition forces invaded Iraq, culminating inwhat was the execution of Saddam Hussein. The consequences of this invasion are still felt today. The once strong country has become a huge arena of warfare, in which there is neither a developed industry nor peace.
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
In southwestern Asia, at the northwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, west of Iraq and south of the Syrian Republic, is the Kingdom of Jordan. The map of the country clearly shows that almost all of its territory consists of desert plateaus and various hills and mountains. Jordan borders on Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Israel and the autonomous region of Palestine. The country has access to the Red Sea. The capital of the state is Amman. In addition, large cities can be distinguished - Ez-Zarqa and Irbid.
From 1953 to 1999, until his death, the country was ruled by King Hussein. Today, the kingdom is led by his son, Abdullah II, who is a representative of the Hashemite dynasty and, as is commonly believed, in the 43rd generation, one of the direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. As a rule, the ruler in Arab countries has unlimited influence, however, in Jordan, the power of the monarch is regulated by the Constitution and Parliament.
Today it is the most peaceful territory of the Arab East in all respects. The main income of this country comes from tourism, as well as assistance from other, richer Arab states.
Palestine
This autonomous region of the eastern Mediterranean consists of two non-adjacent regions: the Gaza Strip, bordering Israel andEgypt, and the West Bank of the Jordan River, which only touches Jordan from the east, and is surrounded by Israeli territory on all other sides. In natural terms, Palestine is divided into several areas: the fertile lowlands, located along the Mediterranean coast, and the hilly highlands, located to the east. In the very east of the country, steppes begin, smoothly turning into the Syrian desert.
In 1988, after many Arab-Israeli military conflicts and the refusal of Jordan and Egypt from claims to the Palestinian territories, the National Council of Palestine announced the creation of an independent state. The first president of the autonomy was the legendary Yasser Arafat, after whose death, in 2005, Mahmoud Abbas, who is still in power, was elected to this post. Today, the ruling party in the Gaza Strip is Hamas, which came to power as a result of winning elections in this autonomy. In the West Bank, the Palestinian National Authority manages all government activities.
Relations between Palestine and Israel are in an extremely tense state and permanently turn into an armed confrontation. The borders of the Palestinian state are controlled by the Israeli armed forces from almost all sides.
