Question 1

Is Saudi Arabia in Africa?

Accepted Answer

No, Saudi Arabia is not an African country. It is an independent state of Asia located on the Arabian Peninsula. There are some observations, especially on the map, that Saudi Arabia is part of Africa. The reason maybe its proximity to other African countries like Eritrea and Egypt. Yet, Saudi Arabia is officially and geographically an Asian state. It is in the West Asian region and separated from Africa by the Gulf of Aqaba. The Red Sea also demarcated Saudi Arabia from Africa. Another aspect that Saudi Arabia is an actual Asian state is that its borders are other Asian countries. Eight other Asian states are bordering Saudi Arabia like Yemen, Oman, and Iraq. It is on the largest Peninsula in the world, Arabian Peninsula. The said Peninsula is also a territory of Asia. You will also discover that Saudi Arabia is a member of Asian organizations. It is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which is affiliated with the Asian continent. It is in ally with other Asian countries practicing Muslim religion, Islam. Together they form Islam oriented organizations. Saudi Arabia is culturally Asian, as well. It shares the same cultures, traditions, and customs with other Asian states. Qatar, Iraq, United Arab Emirates have the same culture like Saudi Arabia. So, Saudi Arabia is an Asian state geographically, culturally, and diplomatically.

Question 2

How many Arab countries are in Africa?

Accepted Answer

There are nine Arab countries in Africa. They are called the Arab world and are all members of the Arab League. Most of these countries are in North Africa and the Horn of Africa. The Arab League is an organization that comprises countries in Africa and West Asia. The League desires to develop closer relations among Arab states. It aims to secure and protect the sovereignty of each member country. The Arab League preserves the Arabic language, as well as its cultures and customs. So, what countries in Africa are members of the Arab League? What makes them a member of this organization? What sets them apart from other countries in Africa? Algeria The country is predominantly Muslim. It shares the same history, language, customs, and traditions with the Islamic World. As part of the Arab League, Algeria is considered the largest country in the organization. As an estimate, three-fourths of the country is Arab. It was the result of the intensive interaction of Algeria with the Middle East. In 1991, the Arabic language was declared as the official language of Algeria. Even though its population is generally Muslim, it also has Amazigh (Berber). The Arabization of the county began in the 8th and 11th centuries during the Arab invasions. It resulted in the outright Arabization of the Amazigh and the introduction of Islam. Comoros Islands Comoros Island is a member of the Arab League. It is the only country located in the Southern Hemisphere. Other organizations Comoros became a member of are African Union and Indian Ocean Commission. It is also a part of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Generally, the people living in Comoros are diverse. Some are of Malay blood, Arab, as well as Persian. It is multilingual with Comorian, French, and Arabic as official languages. So, you would ask, why French? French colonized the country in the past. French is even the language of administration in the country. Yet, most of the Comorians are practicing Islam as their state religion. Djibouti It is part of the African Union. Moreover, a member of the Arab League as well. The country was a former French colony, so people know how to speak French. The official language in Djibouti is French and Arabic. The population is comprised of Arabs, French, Ethiopians, and Italians. The country is predominantly practicing Islam as its official religion. 94% of the country are Muslims, while 6% are Christian. So, why a more significant percentage of the population are Muslims instead of Christians? Well, Islam entered the country across the Red Sea in the Horn of Africa. In the early years of colonialism, there are no Christians in the country. The Islam religion became a unifying force among the ethnic groups against colonialism. Today, Islam shaped the values and customs of people in Djiboutian. Egypt Of course, the Arab Republic of Egypt is an Arab country. It is part of the Arab League. The official language is Arabic. Egypt is one of the intellectual and cultural centers of the Arab and the Islamic world. It played a very significant role in Middle Eastern politics in modern times. The Islamization of Egypt was intense. It occurred as a by-product of the Muslim conquest of Roman Egypt by the Arabs. The people living in Egypt at that time underwent a large-scale conversion. They are converted from Christianity to Islam religion. Those who did not want to convert were imposed heavy taxes. After the intense Islamization, Arabization came next. It made Islam the dominant faith in the country. Most of the Egyptians incorporated Arab ways and traditions into their lives. Morocco The country is a member of the Arab League, the Union for the Mediterranean, and the African Union. The leading religion in the country is Islam. Almost 99% of the population are Muslims. Yet, its official language is Berber and Arabic. Other main languages are being spoken like Tamazight and French. The latter is the language of business, administration, and diplomacy in the country. Morocco is a cultural melting pot as well. Its culture is a blend of Berber, Arab, Jews, European, and West African. Somalia The country is a member of the Arab League. It is predominantly Muslims for a very long time. Somalia’s official language is Arabic, along with Somali. Yet, most Somalis are not fluent in the Arabic language. The Arabic influence in Somalia can be dated back to trade within the Arabian Peninsula. Somalis and Arabs were right trading partners then. The transfer of culture, religions, and beliefs became easy through trade. Arabic is so strong that most Somalis identify themselves as Arabs, not Africans. The country joined the Arab League in 1974. It is the first non-Arab member of the organization. Sudan The Republic of Sudan is another member of the Arab League. It is an Arab state in North Africa and bordered by Egypt to the north, Red Sea to the Northeast. On the other side, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east and South Sudan to the South. So, how did Sudan become an Arab country? Well, intermarriage played a crucial role. The inhabitants interacted with the migrants from the Arabian Peninsula. Due to these intermarriages, the passing of Arab cultures and beliefs happened. It started the Arabization of the Sudanese. At present, most of the country falls under Arabs, and the minority is of African ethnicity. The ethnic minority includes Nubians, Beja, Fur, among others. Tunisia Most of the people living in Tunisia are Arab Berber. Yet, the country is culturally diverse due to the wave of migration that happened. It is a mixture of races like Phoenicians, sub-Saharan Africans, Jews, Romans, and Arabs. Tunisia endured years of conquering and conversion among the Muslims. In the 17th century, the Arabs converted the Berber to Islam. Since then, the country underwent Islamic dynasties and empire ruling. The influence, culture, and belief system made the country Arabic.

Question 3

Is the Arabian Peninsula in Africa or Asia?

Accepted Answer

Geographically speaking, the Arabian Peninsula is a territory of Asia. The Red Sea separates Africa from Arabia. If you look closely at the map, the Arabian Peninsula has more land connections to Asia than to Africa. The PeninsulaPeninsula includes the countries of Iraq and Jordan. Yet, politically speaking, parts of the Arabian Peninsula are the following: Bahrain Kuwait Oman Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Yemen Geologically, the Arabian Peninsula has its tectonic plate. It is better to be called the Arabian continent. As seen on the map, the subcontinent is incrementally moving away from Africa because of the Red Sea. Moreover, there is no evidence that Africa formerly owned the PeninsulaPeninsula. Thus, the Arabian Peninsula is a part of Asia now and then. Much of the countries in the Arabian Peninsula are also members of the Arab League. They are practicing Islam as the official religion and Arabic as the official language.

Question 4

What separates Africa from Saudi Arabia?

Accepted Answer

Africa and Saudi Arabia seem to be very close to each other geographically. Thus, many of us might confuse that Saudi Arabia is part of Africa, or some countries in Arabia are part of Africa. These two are divided by an inland sea connected with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. The inland body of water that separates Africa from Saudi Arabia is the Red Sea. The Red Sea is the ultimate demarcation line between the two. It is considered the hottest and saltiest seawater in the world. The Red Sea is bordered by Egypt, Sudan, and Eritrea on the west and Saudi Arabia and Yemen. It is one of the most crucial bodies of waters between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. It served as a connecting waterway between the two. Through the Red Sea, Africa and Asia interacted with each other and established trade. Islamization and Arabization of countries in North Africa became possible through the Red Sea. The Red Sea saw North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula. Without this vital body of water, trade and religion will not be imported to Africa. Egyptian maritime commerce began through the Red Sea as well. Canals were dug between the Nile River and the Red Sea in the past. It also facilitated trade and transportation of essential possessions during colonization. It is a significant trade route for British commerce then. Today, the Red Sea is one of the world’s busiest trade routes between various countries. There are established ports in the area from both Asia and Africa. The Al-ʿAqaba, Jordan; Elat, Israel; Jiddah, Saudi Arabia; and Al-Hudaydah, Yemen in Asia. In Africa, ports are Suez, Egypt, Port Sudan, and Eritrea.

Question 5

Which country is between Saudi Arabia and Africa?

Accepted Answer

No country is between Saudi Arabia and Africa. The Red Sea demarcated it. Both have their respective territories and practicing independent policies as well. The Red Sea is bordered by North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula. On the west, you will see countries Egypt, Sudan, and Eritrea bordering the Red Sea. In the east, there is Saudi Arabia and Yemen. All these countries are part of the Arab League, formed by members with Arabic as the language. The members are also inscribed with Islam, religion, customs, and traditions. The Arab League members are bonded by language and religion. But each exhibits a different history, growth, and development. At present, those parts of the Arabian Peninsula are more developed than those in Africa. The reason is that the PeninsulaPeninsula itself is rich with natural oil reserves. When you visit this part of Asia, most of these countries are highly dependent on oil and gas. The production and refining of oil and gas are the pillar of the economy in the Peninsula. Most of the cities demonstrated wealth and richness because of the oil industry. Yet, territorial disputes are on the other side of the Red Sea, North Africa, and Horn of Africa regions. Many countries in this part of Africa are experiencing poverty except Egypt. Some of these countries have recently gained independence and still developing. At the same time, some have not recovered from the colonization in the past. Countries are experiencing both political and economic crises at the same time. In Somalia’s case, it was even considered a failed state while Djibouti as a loser of the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia and Eritreans are in dispute, making trade and commerce difficult.

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