Arabs in Greece

Arabs in Greece

Regions with significant populations
Athens, Thessaloniki
Languages
Arabic language Greek language
Religion
Islam
Related ethnic groups
Arab people, Arab diaspora, Egyptians, Iraqis, Lebanese, Syrians, Palestinians, Jordanians

Arabs in Greece (Greek: Άραβες στην Ελλάδα, Arabic: العرب في اليونان‎‎), known as Araves, are the people from Arab countries, particularly Lebanon, Syria, the Palestinian Territories, Iraq, Jordan, many of whom are Christian, and also small groups from Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Libya and Sudan, who emigrated from their native nations and currently reside in Greece. Greece has a significant Arab population of about 30,800 people. Mainly from Egypt, Libyans, Iraqis and Lebanon. There are also many Arabs from Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The majority tend to live in Athens. However, they can be found in all the parts of the country.

In addition, Greece has people from Arab countries, who have the status of refugees (e.g. refugees of the Syrian civil war) or illegal immigrants (Algerians of mainly Berber descent and usually mistakenly called Arabs) trying to immigrate to Western Europe.

Arabs and the Byzantine Empire

In 904, the Arabs sacked Thessaloniki, their greatest achievement in Greece, while four years later they were defeated by Byzantine general Himerios in the Aegean. Nikephoros Phokas noted in 961 the increase of Arabs in Greece.