Arab League facts for kids

Quick facts for kids League of Arab States جامعة الدول العربية (Arabic) Jāmiʿat ad-Duwal al-ʿArabiyya
Flag Emblem
Member states shown in dark green
Headquarters	Cairo
Official languages	Arabic
Type	Regional organization
Members	Algeria  Bahrain  Comoros  Djibouti  Egypt  Iraq  Jordan  Kuwait  Lebanon  Libya  Mauritania  Morocco  Oman  Palestine  Qatar  Saudi Arabia  Somalia  Sudan  Syria  Tunisia  United Arab Emirates  Yemen
Leaders
• Secretary-General	Ahmed Aboul Gheit
• Parliament Speaker	Ali Al-Daqbaashi
Legislature	Arab Parliament
Establishment
• Alexandria Protocol	22 March 1945
• Joint Defence and Economic Co-operation Treaty	18 June 1950
• Casablanca Protocol	11 September 1965
• Agreement for Judicial Cooperation	6 April 1983
• Greater Free Trade Area	2 January 2005
Area
• Total area	13,132,327 km2 (5,070,420 sq mi) (2nd)
Population
• 2025 estimate	481,233,000 (3rd)
• Density	36.64/km2 (94.9/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2025 estimate
• Total	$9.423 trillion
• Per capita	$19,581
GDP (nominal)	2025 estimate
• Total	$3.546 trillion (7th)
• Per capita	$7,369
Currency	Algerian dinar Bahraini dinar Comorian franc Djiboutian franc Egyptian pound Iraqi dinar Jordanian dinar Kuwaiti dinar Lebanese pound Libyan dinar Mauritanian ouguiya Moroccan dirham Omani rial Qatari riyal Saudi riyal Somali shilling Sudanese pound Syrian pound Tunisian dinar UAE dirham Yemeni rial
Time zone	UTC+0 to +4

The Arab League, officially called the League of Arab States, is a group of countries in the Arab world. It was started in Cairo, Egypt, on March 22, 1945. Seven countries were the first members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan (now Jordan), Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and North Yemen. Today, the Arab League has 22 member countries.

The main goal of the Arab League is to bring its member countries closer. They work together to protect their independence and discuss important issues. The organization helps with political, economic, and cultural projects. It also helps solve disagreements between member states.

Each member country gets one vote in the Arab League Council. Decisions are only binding for the countries that vote for them. In 1950, members also agreed to work together on military defense. In 2015, they decided to create a Joint Arab Force. This force helps fight extremism and other threats if a member country asks for help.

History of the Arab League

The Arab League was created on March 22, 1945. Its first main office was in Cairo, Egypt. The goal was to be a group of Arab countries working together. They wanted to improve their economies, solve problems, and coordinate their political goals. More countries joined later.

One of their first big actions was to try and prevent Palestine from being divided. The Arab League has tried to encourage cooperation among its members. However, it has faced challenges in achieving full unity. Leaders often want to keep their own country's power and independence.

Where the Arab League Is Located

Joining dates of member states; the Comoros (circled) joined in 1993.
     1940s      1950s      1960s      1970s

The countries of the Arab League cover a huge area, over 13 million square kilometers. This area is spread across two continents: Africa and Asia. Much of it is made up of dry deserts, like the Sahara.

But there are also very fertile lands. These include the Nile Valley and the Fertile Crescent. The region also has deep forests in southern Arabia. The world's longest river, the Nile, flows through some of these countries.

Who Are the Members?

The Arab League's founding document, called the Charter, says that independent Arab states can join. In 1945, there were seven members. Now, there are 22 member countries. Eight of these are in Africa.

There are also 7 observer states. These countries can join some meetings but do not have voting rights.

When Members Are Suspended

Sometimes, a country's membership in the Arab League can be paused.

• Egypt was suspended in 1979 because of a peace treaty with Israel. The League's main office moved from Cairo to Tunis. Egypt was welcomed back in 1989, and the office returned to Cairo.
• Libya was suspended in 2011 during its civil war. Its membership was restored later that year.
• Syria was suspended in 2011 due to its civil war. In May 2023, Syria's membership was brought back.

How the Arab League Works

Headquarters of the Arab League, Cairo.

The Arab League is a political group that helps its members work together. It aims to solve problems between countries without outside help. The League's rules say that Arab countries should work as one nation. However, each country still keeps its own independence.

The League has supported the people of Palestine since it started. In 1964, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was formed. Palestine, represented by the PLO, became a full member of the Arab League. Today, the State of Palestine is a full member.

In 2002, the Arab League proposed a peace plan for the conflict between Arabs and Israel. This plan offered full normal relations with Israel. In return, Israel would need to leave occupied lands and recognize an independent Palestinian state.

The Arab League also works with other groups, like the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF). This helps Arab countries work together on big projects. These projects can include railways or nuclear power.

In 2015, the Arab League supported military action in Yemen. In 2018, they asked Turkish forces to leave northern Syria. In 2019, they spoke out against plans to take over parts of the West Bank. In 2020, the League did not condemn the UAE's decision to normalize ties with Israel. In 2024, the Arab League supported South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

Meetings of Leaders

The leaders of the Arab League countries meet regularly at summits. These meetings are important for discussing common issues and making decisions.

Regular Summits

No.	Date	Host Country	Host City
1	13–17 January 1964	United Arab Republic	Cairo
2	5–11 September 1964	United Arab Republic	Alexandria
3	13–17 September 1965	Morocco	Casablanca
4	29 August 1967	Sudan	Khartoum
5	21–23 December 1969	Morocco	Rabat
6	26–28 November 1973	Algeria	Algiers
7	29 October 1974	Morocco	Rabat
8	25–26 October 1976	Egypt	Cairo
9	2–5 November 1978	Iraq	Baghdad
10	20–22 November 1979	Tunisia	Tunis
11	21–22 November 1980	Jordan	Amman
12	6–9 September 1982	Morocco	Fes
13	1985	Morocco	Casablanca
14	1987	Jordan	Amman
15	June 1988	Algeria	Algiers
16	1989	Morocco	Casablanca
17	1990	Iraq	Baghdad
18	1996	Egypt	Cairo
19	27–28 March 2001	Jordan	Amman
20	27–28 March 2002	Lebanon	Beirut
21	1 March 2003	Egypt	Sharm el-Sheikh
22	22–23 May 2004	Tunisia	Tunis
23	22–23 March 2005	Algeria	Algiers
24	28–30 March 2006	Sudan	Khartoum
25	27–28 March 2007	Saudi Arabia	Riyadh
26	29–30 March 2008	Syria	Damascus
27	28–30 March 2009	Qatar	Doha
28	27–28 March 2010	Libya	Sirte
29	27–29 March 2012	Iraq	Baghdad
30	21–27 March 2013	Qatar	Doha
31	25–26 March 2014	Kuwait	Kuwait City
32	28–29 March 2015	Egypt	Sharm El Sheikh
33	20 July 2016	Mauritania	Nouakchott
34	23–29 March 2017	Jordan	Amman
35	15 April 2018	Saudi Arabia	Dhahran
36	31 March 2019	Tunisia	Tunis
37	1 November 2022	Algeria	Algiers
38	19 May 2023	Saudi Arabia	Jeddah
39	16 May 2024	Bahrain	Manama
40	17 May 2025	Iraq	Baghdad

Emergency Summits

Sometimes, leaders meet for emergency summits to discuss urgent issues.

No.	Date	Host Country	Host City
1	21–27 September 1970	United Arab Republic	Cairo
2	17–28 October 1976	Saudi Arabia	Riyadh
3	7–9 September 1985	Morocco	Casablanca
4	8–12 November 1987	Jordan	Amman
5	7–9 June 1988	Algeria	Algiers
6	23–26 June 1989	Morocco	Casablanca
7	28–30 May 1990	Iraq	Baghdad
8	9–10 August 1990	Egypt	Cairo
9	22–23 June 1996	Egypt	Cairo
10	21–22 October 2000	Egypt	Cairo
11	7 January 2016	Saudi Arabia	Riyadh
12	11 November 2023	Saudi Arabia	Riyadh
13	4 March 2025	Egypt	Cairo

Economic Resources and Trade

The Arab League countries have many important resources. Some members have huge amounts of oil and natural gas. There are also large fertile lands, like in southern Sudan, which is called the "food basket of the Arab World."

While smaller Arab groups like the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have achieved a lot economically, the Arab League is also working on big projects. One example is the Arab Gas Pipeline. This pipeline transports gas from Egypt and Iraq to other countries like Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.

Tourism is also a fast-growing industry in the region. Countries like Egypt, UAE, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Jordan are popular tourist spots. Telecommunications is another industry that is growing steadily.

A free trade agreement called GAFTA was completed in 2008. This agreement made 95% of all Arab products tax-free when traded between member countries.

Connecting Countries Through Transport

The Arab League region has different ways of transport.

• The Arabian Peninsula and the Near East are well-connected by air, sea, roads, and railways.
• The Nile Valley (Egypt and Sudan) is improving its river transport. A new railway system is also being built to connect cities in Egypt and Sudan.
• The Maghreb region has a long railway line. It runs from southern Morocco to Tripoli in Western Libya.
• The Horn of Africa (Djibouti and Somalia) is close to the Arabian Peninsula. There are plans for a huge bridge, the Bridge of the Horns, to connect these two regions. This would make trade even easier.
• The Comoros islands are not physically connected to other Arab states. However, they still trade with other Arab League members.

Education and Literacy

Literacy means being able to read and write. Many countries estimate how many people are literate. The Persian Gulf region has seen a lot of growth because of oil. This has helped build more schools and universities.

Here is a list of literacy rates in Arab League countries:

Rank	Country	Literacy rate
1	Qatar	97.3
2	Palestine	96.5
3	Kuwait	96.3
4	Bahrain	95.7
5	Jordan	95.4
6	Saudi Arabia	94.4
7	Lebanon	93.9
8	United Arab Emirates	93.8
9	Oman	91.1
10	Libya	91
11	Syria	86.4
12	Iraq	85.7
13	Tunisia	81.8
14	Comoros	81.8
15	Algeria	80.2
16	Sudan	75.9
17	Egypt	73.8
18	Yemen	70.1
19	Djibouti	70.0
20	Morocco	68.5
21	Mauritania	52.1
22	Somalia	44–72

People and Languages

The Arab League countries are home to many different groups of people. While Egyptians are the largest group, there are also Arabs, Berbers, Kurds, Somalis, and others. Each group has its own unique culture, language, and traditions.

As of July 2013, about 359 million people lived in the Arab League states. The population in this region is growing quickly. Egypt is the most populated member, with over 100 million people. The Comoros is the least populated, with about 850,000 people.

Languages Spoken

The official language of the Arab League is Literary Arabic. This language is based on Classical Arabic. However, many member countries also have other official or national languages. These include Somali, Afar, Comorian, French, English, Berber, and Kurdish. In most countries, people also speak different local Arabic dialects.

Culture and Sports

Sports Events

The Pan-Arab Games are the biggest sports event in the Arab world. Athletes from all Arab countries come together to compete in many different sports.

The Union of Arab Football Associations organizes football tournaments. These include the Arab Cup for national teams and the Arab Club Champions Cup for club teams. There are also Arab sports groups for basketball, volleyball, handball, and swimming, among others.

Images for kids

• 

  Arab League of states establishment memorial stamp. Showing flags of the 8 establishing countries: Kingdom of Egypt, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Yemen, Syrian Republic, Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Lebanese Republic and Palestine

• 

       Recognition of both Israel and Palestinian State      Recognition of Palestinian State, with some relations to Israel      Recognition of Palestinian State only

• 

  Administrative divisions in the Arab League.

• 

  OAPEC Members

• 

  2013 Arab League Summit Logo

See also

In Spanish: Liga Árabe para niños