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Die Arabische
Welt / Arabischsprachige Länder
Unter dem Begriff Arabien
werden heute 22 Länder zusammengefaßt. Auf
dem südwestlichen Teil des asiatischen Kontinents
liegen davon folgende Länder: Libanon, Syrien,
Jordanien, "Palästina", Irak, Jemen,
Saudi-Arabien, Oman, Vereinigte Arabische Emirate,
Katar, Bahrain und Kuwait. Die übrigen arabischen
Länder befinden sich in Nord Afrika: Marokko,
Mauretanien, Algerien, Tunesien, Libyen, Ägypten,
Sudan, Dschibuti und Somalia.
Es sind vor allem Gemeinsamkeiten historischer, religiöser
sowie kultureller und geographischer Art welche die
Zusammenfassung unter dem Begriff Arabien begründen.
K. Itani
Ausführliches über die "Arabische Welt"
können Sie hier lesen. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabische_Welt |
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Introduction of the arab world
The Arab world stretches from the Atlantic
coast of northern Africa in the west to the Arabian Sea in the east, and from
the Mediterranean Sea in the north
to Central Africa in the south, covering
an area of 14.2 million square kilometers.
Straddling two continents; both Africa and Asia, the Arab world encompasses
a region that has made it one of the world's most strategic
areas. It's long stretches of coastlines gives it access
to vital waterways such as the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Arabian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
While the Arab world is dominated by dry
climatic conditions, the existence of mountain ranges
permits seasonal rainfall. The Atlas range in northwest Africa (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) forms a barrier between
the Sahara Desert and the coastal areas.
Other important mountain ranges are the Lebanon ranges and the Zagros Mountains to the east of
Iraq.
Given the preponderance of arid conditions, reliable
sources of water are immensely important whether rivers
or springs, from which oasis are formed. Foremost among
the river valleys are the Nile and the Tigris-Euphrates.
The population of the Arab world is 273 million, and
is a youthful one. Agriculture is the primary economic
activity in the Arab world. The most important
food crops are wheat, barley, rice, maize and millet.
These are largely consumed within the region, while
cotton, sugarcane, sugar beets and sesame are exported
as cash crops.
Contrary to popular belief, only a few Arab countries possess petroleum
and natural gas resources. Other natural resources
include iron-ore, lead, phosphate, cobalt and manganese.
The Arab world is one of the first
regions in which man first enjoyed a settled form of
society,
cultivating grain and raising livestock, establishing
cities
and promoting diverse skills and occupations. In such
a setting, rich and complex cultures were nourished
such as ancient Egypt, Sumer, Assyria, Babylonia and Phoenicia.
The Arab world is one of the first
regions in which man first enjoyed a settled form of
society, cultivating grain and raising livestock, establishing
cities
and promoting diverse skills and occupations. In such
a setting, rich and complex cultures were nourished such as
ancient Egypt, Sumer, Assyria, Babylonia and Phoenicia.
The Prophet Muhammad appeared in the
seventh century AD carrying the message of Islam. His followers
soon spread the new faith in the West, across North Africa into Spain and France, and in the East, to the
borders of China. But these Muslim believers were not merely
conquerors. They rapidly established a new and dynamic
civilization that for centuries
was the only bright light in an otherwise culturally
and intellectually stagnant world. While Europe was experiencing its "Dark
Ages," the Arab/Islamic Empire was at its
apogee. It was the same Islamic civilization, with
its many contributions to science and the humanities
that paved the way for the rise of the West to its
present prominence.
The Arab world today is a rich composite
of many and diverse influences. Various ethnic, linguistic and religious
groups inhabit the region. Yet, Islam and the Arabic language constitute its
two predominant cultural features. The Arab people, spread over a vast
area, enjoy common bonds of history and tradition.
Members of twenty-one different countries, the Arabs consider themselves to be
part of one nation.
The Arab
people are further united through their membership
and participation in the League of Arab States. One of the
oldest regional organizations in the world, the Arab League was founded on March22,
1945, even before the formal establishment of the United Nations. The primary objective
of the Arab League, as it is commonly
called, is maximum integration among the Arab countries through coordination
of their activities in the political sphere as well
as in the fields of economics, social services, education,
communications, development, technology and industrialization.
The Arab world in the twentieth century
is a region in transition-developing, modernizing and
building the foundation for its own renaissance. Its
great and ancient cities- Cairo, Damascus and Baghdad - with populations well
into the millions, are rapidly expanding their municipal services, communications
and other facilities. New construction is evident everywhere
as high-rise buildings replace the covered bazaars of former times.
The Arab countries with natural resources,
especially petroleum, are devoting large funds to development
programs in nearly every field while at the same time
providing their less fortunate sister states with financial
assistance to help them modernize. Scores of thousands
of young Arabs are studying in old and new
universities in their own countries or abroad, particularly
in the United States where there are an
estimated 60.000 Arab students. They are specializing
in professions and disciplines that will enhance the
progress of their homeland.
In spite of all of this development and modernization,
the Arab world is also dedicated to
preserving its traditions and values, which are largely
rooted in Islam. Its people are reaching
out for progress while trying to avoid the confusion
that so often accompanies rapid change.
This present collection is intended to offer the reader
a glimpse of some of the major contributions made by
the Arabs
to world civilization. Its purpose
is not merely to acknowledge a great cultural debt,
but also to stimulate interest in a region and its
people based on mutual respect and understanding.
Source:
League of the Arab States |
