Economic history of the Arab world

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Economic history of the Arab world addresses the history of economic activity in the Arab world, which stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the east, from the time of its origins in the Arabian Peninsula and spread during the early Muslim conquests and since.

The regions conquered in the Muslim conquest included rich farming regions in the Maghreb, the Nile Valley and the Fertile Crescent. As is true of the world as a whole, agriculture dominated the economy until the modern period, with livestock grazing playing a particularly large role in the Arab world. Significant trade routes included the Silk Road, the spice trade, and the trade in gold, salt, slaves and luxury goods including ivory and feathers out of sub-Saharan Africa. Important pre-modern industries included tanning, pottery, and metalwork.