Arabic is a language cluster comprising 30 or so modern varieties. Its various dialects are spoken by around 422 million speakers (native and non-native) in the Arab world, as well as in the Arab diaspora. The number of speakers makes it one of the five most spoken languages in the world.

Arabic is the lingua franca of people who live in countries of the Arab world as well as of Arabs who live in the diaspora, particularly in Latin America (especially Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile and Colombia) or Western Europe (like France, Spain, Germany or Italy).

Cypriot Arabic is a recognized minority language in the EU member state of Cyprus and, along with Maltese, is one of only two extant European varieties of Arabic, though it has its own standard literary form and has no diglossic relationship with Standard Arabic. Maltese is one of the official languages of the EU.

Official language , there are 24 sovereign states where Modern Standard Arabic is an official language. + Sovereign state Population Notes Member of the Arab League Algeria 41,701,000 Co-official with Amazight Yes Bahrain 1,343,000 Official language Yes Chad 10,329,208 Co-official with French Observer Comoros 798,000 Co-official with Comorian and French Yes Djibouti 810,179 Co-official with French Yes Egypt 102,442,939 Official language Yes Iraq 46,118,793 Co-official with Kurdish Yes Jordan 6,655,000 Official language Yes Kuwait 2,789,000 Official language Yes Lebanon 4,965,914 Official language Yes Libya 6,244,174 Official language Yes Mali 21,359,722 Co-official with 12 other languages No Mauritania 3,359,185 Official language Yes Morocco 35,250,000 Co-official language, along with Amazight Yes Oman 4,055,418 Official language Yes Palestine 4,484,000 Official language Yes Qatar 2,155,446 Official language Yes Saudi Arabia 30,770,375 Official language Yes Somalia 10,428,043 Co-official with Somali Yes Sudan 40,235,000 Co-official with English Yes Syria 20,956,000 Official language Yes Tunisia 10,982,754 Official language Yes United Arab Emirates 9,346,129 Official language Yes Yemen 23,833,000 Official language Yes

States with limited recognition and territories where Arabic is an official language + State/Territory Population Notes Somaliland 5,700,000 Co-official with Somali and English Zanzibar 1,303,569 Co-official with Swahili and English Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic 502,585 Co-official with Spanish

National language or recognized minority language As of 2016, there are 5 independent countries where Arabic is a national, working language or a recognized minority language, but not the primary language.

+ Country Population Status Cyprus 875,900 Minority language Eritrea 6,380,803 Working language Iran 83,145,546 Minority language Niger 22,314,743 National language Senegal 16,209,125 National language

Cyprus

Cypriot Arabic (alongside Armenian) is one of the two recognized minority languages of Cyprus, since 2008. It is spoken by the Maronite community, which is a minority in Cyprus especially in the cities Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca.

Cypriot Arabic (also known as Cypriot Maronite Arabic) is taught at the Elementary School of St. Maron, which is located in Anthoupolis southern of Nicosia, Cyprus.Maronite Community of Cyprus: St Maron Elementary School, 11 December 2013, Retrieved 15 January 2018.

Eritrea

Debate exists over the extent of Arabic in Eritrea; the government position is that the language was introduced by the British and is only in use by a professional elite and the Rashaida minority, whereas others have taken the view the language acts as the lingua franca of the country's Muslims. Eritrea is an observer state in the Arab League.

Iran

Arabic is a recognized minority language of Iran. In addition, the constitution recognizes the Arabic language as the language of Islam, giving it a formal status as the language of religion, and regulates its spreading within the Iranian national curriculum. After the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Arabic (as the language of Quran) became mandatory for pupils in Iran. Arabic courses are mandatory starting from 6th year of schooling (1st year of Middle School) until the 11th year (penultimate year of High School).

The local dialects of Arabic spoken by Arab minorities in Iran (like Ahwazi Arabs, Khamseh Arabs, Marsh Arabs as well as Arabs in Khorasan) are Khuzestani Arabic and Mesopotamian Arabic, (also known as Iraqi Arabic) mainly in Khuzestan Province as well as Khorasani Arabic especially in Khorasan Province.

There are several TV channels in Arabic language broadcasting from Iran, namely, Al-Alam, Al-Kawthar TV, iFilm, Ahwazna TV, Al Ahwaz TV and Al-Ahvaz TV. Currently, the sole newspaper in Arabic language published in Iran is Kayhan Al Arabi out of 23 Persian dailies and three English dailies newspapers in Iran.

In 2008, the public university Payame Noor University declared that Arabic will be the "second language" of the university, and that all its services will be offered in Arabic, concurrent with Persian.

Niger

Arabic is one of the recognized national languages in Niger. Arabic is spoken by a minority in Niger especially by the Diffa Arabs (also known as Mahamid Arabs) an Arab nomadic tribespeople who is living in eastern Niger, mostly in the Diffa Region.

Senegal

Arabic is one of the recognized national languages in Senegal. Hassaniya Arabic is spoken by a minority in Senegal.Ethnologue: Ethnologue Languages of the World – Senegal – Languages, Retrieved 31 December 2017.

Special status according to the constitution As of 2018, there are 5 independent countries where Arabic has a special status according to the constitution. + Country Population Official language(s) Other recognizedlanguage(s) Iran 83,145,546 Persian Arabic Israel 9,149,960 Hebrew Arabic Pakistan 218,396,000 Urdu and English Arabic Philippines 100,981,437 Filipino and English "Regional Languages", Spanish, Arabic South Africa 60,142,978 English, isiZulu, isiXhosa, Afrikaans, Sepedi, Setswana, South African Sign Language, Sesotho, Xitsonga, siSwati (Swazi), Tshivenda, isiNdebele Khoi, Nama, San, German, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Portuguese, Tamil, Telegu, Urdu, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Arabic

Iran

The constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran recognizes the Arabic language as the language of Islam, giving it a formal status as the language of religion, and regulates its spreading within the Iranian national curriculum. The constitution declares in Chapter II: (The Official Language, Script, Calendar, and Flag of the Country) in Article 16 "Since the language of the Qur`an and Islamic texts and teachings is Arabic, ..., it must be taught after elementary level, in all classes of secondary school and in all areas of study."Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran: Iran (Islamic Republic of)`s Constitution of 1979. – Article: 16 Official or national languages, 1979, retrieved 25 July 2018

Israel

Arabic was an official language of Mandatory Palestine and was retained as an official language when the State of Israel was founded in 1948. In 2018, the Knesset upgraded the status of Hebrew from official to State language of Israel, and gave Arabic a special status in the State by adopting the relevant Basic Law. The Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People (an Israeli Basic Law which specifies the nature of the State of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish People) states in No. 4 (B) that "The Arabic language has a special status in the state; Regulating the use of Arabic in state institutions or by them will be set in law." The law declares in No. 4 (C): "This clause does not harm the status given to the Arabic language before this law came into effect." The law was adopted by the Knesset 62 in favor, 55 against and two abstentions on 19 July 2018.

Arabic is an indigenous language in the territory which form the State of Israel and which is still the lingua franca of Arab citizens of Israel as well as of Arab foreigners (especially Palestinians who have only a Palestinian passport, not recognized by many countries. Thus, they consider Palestinians stateless). In addition, Arabic is spoken by Jews in Israel who immigrated from Arab countries to Israel (as Aliyah) and got the Israeli citizenship according to the Israeli Nationality Law of 1952.

Arabic names are shown on some seals of Arabic majority cities.

It is semi-official and used in ethnically mixed cities including Jerusalem, Haifa, and Tel Aviv-Yafo, as well as on most highway signage, official websites, and public buildings in areas with significant Arabic-speaking populations.

Pakistan

According to the Constitution of Pakistan of 1956 the two languages Urdu, as well as Bengali (at that time the lingua franca in the territory which is today the independent state Bangladesh) became the national languages in the new founded state Islamic Republic of Pakistan. General Ayub Khan the second President of Pakistan advocated the institution of Arabic language teaching as part of national planning. "Ayub`s educational plan emphasized Urdu and English as the primary language of Pakistan, but additionally recommended that Arabic be a secondary language of instruction along with English." This recommendation was purely for religious reasons, as Pakistan is not an Arab country.

The Arabic language is mentioned in the constitution of Pakistan. It declares in article 31 No. 2 that "The State shall endeavour, as respects the Muslims of Pakistan (a) to make the teaching of the Holy Quran and Islamiat compulsory, to encourage and facilitate the learning of Arabic language ..."Constitution of Pakistan: Constitution of Pakistan, 1973 – Article: 31 Islamic way of life, 1973, retrieved 13 June 2018

The National Education Policy 2017 declares in article 3.7.4 that: “Arabic as compulsory part will be integrated in Islamiyat from Middle to Higher Secondary level to enable the students to understand the Holy Quran.“ Furthermore, it specifies in article 3.7.6: “Arabic as elective subject shall be offered properly at Secondary and Higher Secondary level with Arabic literature and grammar in its course to enable the learners to have command in the language.“ This law is also valid for private schools as it defines in article 3.7.12: “The curriculum in Islamiyat, Arabic and Moral Education of public sector will be adopted by the private institutions to make uniformity in the society.“Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training: National Education Policy 2017, p. 25, retrieved 19 June 2018

In 2021, Pakistan's upper house of parliament approved the ‘Compulsory Teaching of the Arabic Language Bill 2020’ which makes the teaching of Arabic mandatory at all primary and secondary schools in the capital, Islamabad.Arab News: Senate approves bill making Arabic classes compulsory at Islamabad schools, 1 February 2021, Retrieved 27 March 2021. The text of the bill says that Arabic should be taught from the first to the fifth grade and Arabic grammar should be taught from the sixth grade to the eleventh grade.Senate of Pakistan: The Islamabad Compulsory Teaching of the Arabic Language, Bill, 2020, 1 February 2021, Retrieved 27 March 2021.Pakistan Today: Arabic language bill sails through Senate, 1 February 2021, Retrieved 27 March 2021. The main reasons given are that Arabic would open up more job opportunities for Pakistanis in the Middle East and lead to lower unemployment and increased remittances and that Arabic is the language of the Quran, so making Arabic compulsory in school will help improve the understanding of it.Gulf News: Pakistan parliament approves compulsory Arabic classes in Islamabad schools, 2 February 2021, Retrieved 27 March 2021.

Philippines

The Arabic language is mentioned in the Philippine constitution of 1986. It specifies that "Spanish and Arabic shall be promoted on a voluntary and optional basis."