Arab Spring facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arab Spring
Protesters in Tunisia (January 2011)
Date	17 December 2010 – 2012
Location	North Africa, Middle East (i.e. MENA or "Arab world") Tunisia: President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali removed from power and government overthrown. Egypt: President Hosni Mubarak removed from power and government overthrown. Libya: Leader Muammar Gaddafi killed after a civil war and foreign military help. The government was overthrown. Yemen: President Ali Abdullah Saleh removed from power. A new national unity government took over. Syria: President Bashar al-Assad faced a civil uprising. This led to armed fighting and a full-scale civil war. Bahrain: Civil uprising against the government was stopped by authorities and Saudi Arabia and its allies. Kuwait, Lebanon and Oman: Government changes were made because of protests. Morocco, Jordan and Palestine: Changes to the constitution were made because of protests. Saudi Arabia, Mauritania, Sudan and other Arab countries: Protests happened.
Casualties
Death(s)	Over 61,080 people died (International estimate; see table below)

The Arab Spring (in Arabic: Arabic: الربيع العربي, meaning ar-rabīˁ al-ˁarabī) was a big wave of protests and changes across the Arab world. It started on December 18, 2010. People were upset because their governments did not give them many rights. They also felt that their lives were not good because of how their countries were run.

The Arab Spring led to many leaders being removed from power. By 2012, most of the governments involved had either been replaced or had stopped the protests.

A few years after the Arab Spring, a period called the Arab Winter began. Many countries went back to having leaders who limited people's rights. Also, some terrorist groups became stronger. Many protests have continued since then.

Where Did the Arab Spring Happen?

Countries with Major Changes

The protests led to rulers being forced out of power in Tunisia, Egypt (twice), Libya, and Yemen. Big uprisings also happened in Bahrain and Syria.

Countries with Large Protests

Many large protests took place in Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, and Sudan.

Countries with Smaller Protests

Smaller protests were seen in Mauritania, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Western Sahara, and Palestine. There were even minor protests in countries not part of the Arab World, like Iran and Israel.

Related Conflicts and Spillover

There were border clashes in Israel. Protests by the Arab minority happened in Iran's Khuzestan in 2011. Weapons and fighters from the Libyan civil war also caused a conflict in Mali in North Africa. Fighting in Lebanon was linked to the uprising in Syria.

What Happened During the Arab Spring?

How Protests Were Organized

The protests used similar methods of peaceful resistance. These included strikes, demonstrations, marches, and rallies. People were very good at using social media to organize, share information, and raise awareness. This helped them fight against government attempts to stop them or block the internet.

Government Responses to Protests

Many Arab Spring protests were met with violence from authorities. Pro-government groups and people who disagreed with the protests also used force. Sometimes, the protesters fought back with violence too. A main slogan of the demonstrators was Ash-sha`b yurid isqat an-nizam, which means "the people want to bring down the government."

Historical Comparisons

Some people compared the Arab Spring movements to other big historical events. These included the Revolutions of 1989 in Eastern Europe or the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states.

      Government overthrown       Sustained civil disorder and governmental changes       Protests and governmental changes
      Major protests       Minor protests       Protests outside the Arab world

Where Did the Name "Arab Spring" Come From?

The term Arab Spring was first used to describe these events by the American political magazine Foreign Policy. Marc Lynch, a writer for the magazine, believes he might have created the term in an article on January 6, 2011. However, Joseph Massad from Al Jazeera said the term was part of a US plan to guide the movement towards American-style liberal democracy. Because some Islamist political parties became popular before the protests, the events are sometimes also called "Islamist Spring" or "Islamist Winter."

What is the Arab Winter?

The series of protests and changes across the Middle East and North Africa is known as the "Arab Spring." Sometimes it's also called the "Arab Spring and Winter." Not all people involved in the protests were Arab. The first protests started in Tunisia on December 18, 2010. This happened after Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire to protest police corruption and unfair treatment. These protests then caused similar unrest in other parts of the world, like a chain reaction.

Images for kids

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  Celebrations in Tahrir Square after Omar Suleiman announced Hosni Mubarak's resignation.

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  Thousands of demonstrators gather in Bayda.

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  Anti-government demonstrations in Baniyas.

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  Protesters on Avenue Habib Bourguiba, downtown Tunis on January 14, 2011. This was just hours before President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali left the country.

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  Protesters in Aden calling for the return of South Yemen during the Arab Spring.

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  Yemeni capital Sanaa after Saudi Arabian-led airstrikes against the Shia Houthis, October 2015.

See also

In Spanish: Primavera Árabe (2010-2012) para niños