The most defensible answer is 11 Arab Nobel laureates through 2021, according to one recent summary of Arab Nobel winners. Another public roundup says there have been over 20 Arab Nobel laureates overall, but that broader figure appears to use a wider definition and should be treated carefully.

Why the numbers differ

The count changes because sources use different definitions of “Arab”:

  • Some count only people who are clearly Arab by nationality or identity.
  • Some include people with Arab origins or ties to Arab countries.
  • Some count individual laureates, while others count awards or prizes.

A list focused on Arab Nobel laureates also notes the first Arab recipient was Anwar Sadat in 1978 and the most recent listed recipient was Nadia Murad in 2018.

Best short answer

If you mean recognized Arab Nobel laureates as commonly listed in Arab-world summaries , the answer is 11. If you want, I can also give you the names by category, such as Peace, Literature, and Science.