Native speakers:
* Arabic is the official language of 26 countries, primarily in the Middle East and North Africa. This includes countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Algeria, and Sudan.
* Estimates suggest around 300 million people worldwide speak Arabic as their native language. This number varies depending on the source and how "native" is defined.
Second language speakers:
* Many more people speak Arabic as a second language, especially in areas with significant Arab populations or historical ties. This includes countries like Chad, Eritrea, Lebanon, and even some parts of Spain.
* Arabic is also studied and spoken by many people around the world for religious, cultural, or professional reasons. The Quran, the central religious text of Islam, is written in Arabic, and many Muslims around the world learn Arabic to read and understand it.
Dialects:
* It's important to note that Arabic is not a single, uniform language. It has many different dialects, some of which are mutually unintelligible. The most common and widely understood dialect is Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), which is used in formal settings and in media.
In summary, Arabic is spoken by a large and diverse population across the globe, both as a native language and a second language. Its cultural and religious significance also contributes to its widespread use and study.