The term Arab, in its most general application, refers to those who speak Arabic as their native language. Prior to the 7th century this word referred mainly to the inhabitants of Arabia, which today encompasses the nations of the Arabian Peninsula. Subsequent political and military expansion left Arabs as the dominant social group in most parts of the Middle East and North Africa, and many of the indigenous peoples of these regions began to adopt the Arabic language and Arab ways of life.

Arab Society

The family is the basic unit of Arab society, and Arabs tend to be known by the family to which they belong. Family life, like all of Arab society, is both patrilineal and patriarchal. This means that not only are kinship and inheritance patterns tracked through the father's line (patrilineal), but also that the father or eldest male has absolute authority over the family (patriarchy) (see family). Most marriages are monogamous—one husband and one wife—but in Saudi Arabia and some African countries a man may legally have as many as four wives. In earlier times marriages were often arranged by parents for their children. This practice is rare today, though the opinion of the parents—particularly the father—remains important in matters such as marriage, which is viewed as a family decision.

In many regions, Arabs still distinguish among themselves on the basis of descent, tribal affiliation, and social status. A tribe is a collection of families headed by a sheikh, or sheik. In earlier times the sheikh had an obligation to protect the tribe's weak and poor. When disputes arose within or between tribes, the matter was put before an arbiter familiar with tribal customs. Although these practices still live on in a few regions unaffected by central government, in most parts of the Arab world tribal life has given way to political structures similar to those found in most areas of Europe and the Americas.

The members of nomadic tribes are called Bedouins (see nomad). These tribes once made up about one fifth of the Arab population in the Middle East and North Africa. Today, the traditional Bedouin culture is found among a very small number of people. Those who continue to follow this lifestyle live on the coarse grasslands and deserts that make up much of the terrain in that part of the world. Most Bedouin today are animal herders who move their families, belongings, and animal stock from region to region depending upon the season and grazing areas.

Most Arabs are farmers or city dwellers. Those who live in towns and cities engage in businesses and commerce. In parts of the Persian Gulf and North Africa, many work for the petroleum industry, which has become a major factor in the economy of those regions.

One of the most powerful factors in the Arab world is Islam. More than 90 percent of Arabs are Muslims, and Islam was the driving force behind the Arab conquests of the 7th century. This religion shapes many social attitudes and customs, and it influences the system of justice in most of the countries in which it is the dominant or official religion. Toward the end of the 20th century, new and more conservative interpretations of Islam led to the return of highly traditional and modest forms of dress and behavior for men and, especially, women. This was true even in urban areas where dress codes and lifestyles had become much freer. In the smaller towns and desert areas, however, social attitudes remained traditional.

Both men and women in Arab society tend toward modesty in their clothing, though there is considerable diversity from both a regional and individual perspective. In most parts of the Arab world, rural women wear a dark robe and a shawl or veil called a hijab to cover their hair. Very conservative women may also wear a niqab, a veil that covers part of the face. Some women in urban areas who maintain a conservative lifestyle may also dress this way. It is also not unusual to find urban women who combine modern and traditional garb and wear contemporary, westernized dresses or jeans but still cover their heads with a hijab. Men's clothing also ranges from highly traditional to contemporary. They may wear a long robe called a jallabiyah, or perhaps ample trousers with the long shirt known as a thawb. In the cities, some men opt for wearing westernized clothing ranging from blue jeans to business suits and ties. Like women, men tend to keep their heads covered, and they traditionally wear a cap called a thagiyah covered by a kaffiyeh, which is held in place with a thick cord known as an ?iqal. The kaffiyeh is a cloth that usually is shoulder-length, protecting the head and neck from the hot sun. This scarf-like head covering is seen on men throughout the eastern Arab world in both rural and urban areas.

Past and Present

The history of the Arab peoples since the founding of Islam may be divided into two major periods: that of the caliphate from 632 to 1924 and the era of modern Arab nationalism since 1924.

From 632 to 732 the Arab tribes united to conquer the region that includes the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain. Although frequently torn by internal power struggles, this phase of the caliphate lasted until most of the Arab world was conquered by the Ottoman Turks early in the 16th century. The Ottoman Empire was dismantled after World War I, and the caliphate was abolished by the new Turkish government in 1924. (See also caliphate; Ottoman Empire.)

Arab nationalism began to grow early in the 20th century, partly inspired by European ideas of nationhood. The essence of Arab nationalism was defined in 1938 as including all who are Arab in their language, culture, and loyalty. Although this nationalism ideally transcends national boundaries, Arab states have frequently been at odds with one another.

To consolidate Arab unity, the Arab League was founded in 1945. The member states are Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, The Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and the Palestinian Authority. After 1948 the unity of the league coalesced around opposition to Israel (see Israel). Egypt, one of the founding members of the league, was suspended in 1979 for signing a treaty with Israel but was officially readmitted in 1989. The aims of the league were to strengthen and coordinate political, military, economic, cultural, and social programs. Various forces tended to disrupt unity and render the league almost powerless, however. The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 and the subsequent international conflict caused a deep rift as members took different sides in the war (see Persian Gulf War).

Other associations have been established among various member states of the Arab world. In 1981, the Gulf Cooperation Council was formed by Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, in order to cultivate closer economic and military ties among the nations of the Arabian Peninsula. Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia established a common market, known as the Arab Maghrib Union, on Feb. 17, 1989, to boost trade among North African countries by allowing free movement across borders. Another regional common market, the Arab Cooperation Council, was created by Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and North Yemen, also in 1989.