Languages
Arabic Speaking Countries 2026
Country | Arabic Speakers↓ | Population | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Egypt | 82,449,200 | 120,101,175 |
 | Algeria | 40,100,000 | 48,028,334 |
 | Sudan | 28,164,500 | 53,282,719 |
 | Saudi Arabia | 27,178,770 | 35,165,787 |
 | Morocco | 25,003,930 | 38,762,441 |
 | Iraq | 22,908,120 | 48,007,437 |
 | Syria | 17,951,639 | 26,472,497 |
 | Yemen | 14,671,000 | 42,961,653 |
 | Tunisia | 10,800,500 | 12,415,138 |
 | Jordan | 5,083,300 | 11,589,532 |
 | Libya | 4,526,000 | 7,539,851 |
 | Lebanon | 4,180,000 | 5,897,467 |
 | Somalia | 3,788,000 | 20,305,907 |
 | Palestine | 3,762,076 | 5,692,790 |
 | United Arab Emirates | 3,607,600 | 11,574,682 |
 | Mauritania | 3,140,000 | 5,461,319 |
 | Oman | 2,518,816 | 5,671,458 |
 | Kuwait | 1,735,000 | 5,102,773 |
 | Chad | 1,320,000 | 21,560,380 |
 | Qatar | 1,215,900 | 3,173,559 |
 | Bahrain | 690,302 | 1,675,572 |
 | Eritrea | 249,700 | 3,682,669 |
 | Djibouti | 97,900 | 1,199,459 |
| Total | 305,142,253 |
There are a total of 25 independent states and territories that has Arabic as their native language. The most populous of these is Egypt. The country of Egypt has a population of around 90 million people. Over 93% of the total population – or over 82 million people – in Egypt speak Arabic, which is the official language of the nation.
There are six independent nations where Arabic is either the national language or an official minority language. However, it is not the primary language. In Cyprus, Iran and Turkey, Arabic is a minority language. In Mali, Niger and Senegal, it is the national language.
There are also four independent nations where Arabic is officially recognized in the constitution and has a special status. This applies to Iran, Israel, Pakistan and the Philippines.
In addition to the independent countries that recognize Arabic as an official language, there are nine non-sovereign entities and regions where Arabic is an official or de facto official language.
These regions include Azawad, Iraqi Kurdistan, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Khatumo, Puntland, Rojava, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Somaliland and the Syrian opposition.
