Arab American

Arab Americans are Americans of Arab ancestry and constitute an ethnicity made up of several waves of immigrants from 22 Arab countries, stretching from Morocco in the west to Oman in the east. Arab-Americans are also Middle-Eastern and North African Americans i.e. terms that do not equate ethnic heritage with nationality but rather a geographic area. Although a highly diverse ethnic group, Arab-Americans descend from a heritage that represents common linguistic, cultural, and political traditions.

Religious Background

While the overwhelming majority of the population of the Middle Eastern region, and, in particular, the countries of the Arab world, are identified as adherents of Islam, the vast majority of Arab-Americans are Christian, not Muslim. Christians account for 77% of the Arab-American population, while Muslims account for 23%. The largest Arab-American religious community is comprised by Maronite Roman Catholics (Eastern Rite) who account for 42%, followed by Orthodox Christians and Muslims, each accounting for 23% of the Arab-American population. Protestant Christians are the smallest religious grouping, accounting for 12% of all Arab-Americans.

Related Topics:
Islam - Christian - Muslim - Maronite - Roman Catholics - Eastern Rite - Orthodox - Protestant

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