Arabic/ English Words
Arabian Food
Geography of Arab World
Arab Inventions
Arab Countries and Rulers
100
An intoxicating substance that may or may not be commonly consumed by college students.
Alcohol. This word comes from the Arabic word for a fine powder used in alchemy. As alchemy evolved to include distillation, the word changed as well.
100
This beverage is very commonly offered to visitors in Morocco upon their arrival.
Tea. Tea is a huge part of Arab culture; many countries have an extremely sweet recipe that is used in celebrations or special occasions.
100
The smallest Arab country.
Bahrain. Bahrain is the most prolific book publisher in the Arab world, publishing at a rate of about 185 books per million people in 2005 compared to 7 per million in the rest of the Arab world.
100
A device that is used to capture images.
Camera. Ibn al-Haitham discovered the basic principle of the pinhole camera that makes up the modern mechanisms within cameras today.
100
This country contains the site of ancient Babylon.
Iraq. Babylon is said to be the home of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which were one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
200
A very sour citrus fruit.
Lemon. The Arabs introduced the cultivation of lemons to the Mediterranean region in the mid-medieval era.
200
A pastry that includes honey, phyllo dough, crushed nuts, butter, and cinnamon.
Baklava. This dessert is said to have come from the Ottoman Empire, where the Sultan used to present it to the Janissaries, or elite soldiers, on the 15th of the month of Ramadan.
200
This country contains the lowest point in the Arab world.
Jordan. This lowest point is the Dead Sea at 400 meters below sea level.
200
The value that equates to nothing.
Zero. The Arabs were the first to create equations that equated to zero; this is now called “algebra.”
200
Which country has an evergreen as their national emblem?
Lebanon. The cedrus libani, or Cedar of Lebanon, is mentioned 75 times in the Old Testament of the Bible.
300
A confection that, while popular all year round, is particularly popular during Easter and Halloween.
Candy. Before the discovery of sugar, people in the Middle East used to coat fruit in honey to create “candy.”
300
A substance similar to cream cheese or yogurt that is typically mixed with oil and spread on pita; also known as “strained yogurt.”
Labneh. There is a Mexican version of this dish called “jocoque seco.”
300
In what country did the weather hit the hottest temperature ever recorded in the Arab world?
Sudan. The temperature hit 121.3 degrees Fahrenheit on June 25, 2010, breaking a record previously set in 1987.
300
A place of higher education that grants degrees beyond the bachelor degree.
University. The first university was founded in 859 by a young princess named Fatima al-Fahiri from Morocco.
300
In which country does Ferrari own the largest indoor theme park?
The United Arab Emirates. Ferrari World includes the Rosso, which is the world’s fastest rollercoaster, reaching 150 mph in 5 seconds.
400
A climbing plant that is known for its heavy, sweet scent and small white flowers.
Jasmine. Jasmine is the symbolic flower of Damascus in Syria, which is known as the City of Jasmine.
400
An Arabian salad that includes pieces of fried or toasted pita chips.
Fattoush. This dish belongs to the family of dishes known as fattat which all have stale bread as their base.
400
The contested territory that lies between Morocco and Mauritania.
Western Sahara. This is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world with a population of just over 500,000.
400
A written order to a bank to transfer and pay a certain amount of money.
Cheque (check). Traders in the Arab world have been known to use the check system since the 9th century, as transporting the paper check was much safer and practical.
400
What country’s king is the only one who can claim to be a direct descendent from Muhammad?
Jordan. Jordan is one of the most secular states in the Arab world and, though it largely consists of Muslims, it also contains a population of Christians who are represented in the Jordanian government.