Arabs in France

Arabs in France
عرب فرنسا

Regions with significant populations
Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Montpellier, Toulouse
Languages
French, Arabic
Religion
Majority Sunni Islam Minority: Shia Islam, Roman Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, Agnosticism, Others

Arabs in France are people of Arab descent living in France.

Demographics

French people of Arab origin (predominantly from Maghreb but also some from Mashreq areas of the Arab world) in France forms the second largest ethnic group after French people of French origin.

There are no official figures concerning the demographics of French people of Arab descent because ethnic statistics are forbidden in France.

Most immigration was in the 1960s and the early 1970s, a period of economic growth, but many of them managed to bring their families after 1973. They have settled mainly in the industrial regions in France, especially the Paris region, but also in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Languedoc-Roussillon, Alsace, Rhône-Alpes and Corsica.

Notable people

Many French people have Maghrebi ancestry since the Arabs in France are predominantly Maghrebis.

Entertainment

Cinema

• Tahar Rahim
• Hafsia Herzi
• Abdellatif Kechiche
• Roschdy Zem
• Leïla Bekhti
• Ismaël Ferroukhi
• Kad Merad
• Rachid Bouchareb
• Nabil Ayouch
• Sabrina Ouazani
• Jamel Debbouze
• Yasmine Belmadi
• Ramzy Bedia
• Salim Kéchiouche
• Rayane Bensetti

Music

• Cheb Khaled
• Wallen
• Amel Bent
• Amina Annabi
• Indila
• Najoua Belyzel
• Kayna Samet
• Lââm
• Chico Bouchikhi
• Rachid Taha
• Faudel
• DJ Abdel
• Freeman
• Rim'K
• Mister You
• Niro
• Tunisiano
• Ali
• Médine
• La Fouine
• Nessbeal
• Lacrim
• Kamelanc'
• Sinik

Sports

• Adil Rami, football player for AC Milan
• Samir Nasri, football player for Manchester City
• Mehdi Benatia, football player for Bayern Munchen
• Hatem Ben Arfa, football player for Newcastle United
• Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad, middle-distance runner
• Bouabdellah Tahri, middle-distance and long-distance runner

Politics

• Azouz Begag, sociologist and politician for various parties, e.g. Mouvement Démocrate
• Kader Arif, Minister of Veterans (Socialist Party)
• Bariza Khiari, member of the French Senate (Socialist Party)
• Myriam El Khomri, current Minister of Labour (Socialist Party)
• Rachida Dati, member of the European Parliament and former Minister of Justice (Union for a Popular Movement)

Lebanese

Many notable French people are of Lebanese ancestry.

Politics

• Éric Besson
• Élie Aboud
• Henri Jibrayel
• Antoine Karam
• Serge Ayoub

Business

• Carlos Ghosn
• Jacques Saadé

Scientists

• André Choulika
• Eid Hourany
• Nabil Gholam

Journalism

• Antoine Sfeir

Writer

• Andrée Chedid
• Amin Maalouf
• Gilbert Achcar

Entertainment

Cinema

• Philippe Aractingi
• Thomas Langmann
• Jean-Pierre Rassam
• Julien Rassam

Music

• Matthieu Chedid
• RAmez
• Abdel Rahman El Bacha
• Warda Al-Jazairia
• Ibrahim Maalouf
• Princess Sarah (singer)
• Louis Chedid
• Guy Béart

Fashion

• Reem Acra

Sports

• Ali Hallab

See also

• Beur
• Maghrebis in France
  • Maghrebian community of Paris
• Berbers in France
• Arabs in Europe
• Racism in France