Arab refers to people who share a common cultural and linguistic heritage centered on the Arabic language. Arabs originally came from the Arabian Peninsula (modern-day Saudi Arabia and nearby regions), but today Arab communities exist across a vast area of the Middle East and North Africa, from Morocco in the west to Iraq in the east.

What makes someone Arab isn't their religion, their appearance, or even where they live today. It's about language and culture. Arab countries share the Arabic language, though it has different dialects in different places, similar to how English sounds different in Texas, London, and Australia. They also share certain cultural traditions in music, poetry, food, and family life, though each Arab country has its own unique customs too.

Today, over 400 million Arabs live across more than 20 countries. Some are Muslim, some are Christian, and some practice other religions. Some are wealthy, some are not. What unites many of them is a shared language and cultural heritage.