There’s a common source of confusion when people encounter what are called “Arabic numerals.” The numerals most of the world uses today — 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 — are called Arabic numerals in English, because they were transmitted to Europe through Arabic-speaking scholars in the medieval period. However, the numerals actually used in most Arabic-speaking countries today look quite different. These are called Eastern Arabic numerals or Arabic-Indic numerals.
Western Arabic Numerals (0–9)
The numerals 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 are technically “Western Arabic numerals” or “Hindu-Arabic numerals.” They are derived from the Indian numeral system and were popularised in the West through Latin translations of Arabic mathematical texts in the 10th–12th centuries. Today they are used universally in mathematics, science, and increasingly in everyday text throughout the Arab world.
Eastern Arabic Numerals (٠–٩)
The numerals ٠، ١، ٢، ٣، ٤، ٥، ٦، ٧، ٨، ٩ are the forms used in traditional Arabic typography and in the Quran. They are still the primary numeral forms in everyday printed text in many Arab countries, particularly Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf states. Here is the full comparison:
| Western (Latin) | Eastern Arabic | Unicode |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | ٠ | U+0660 |
| 1 | ١ | U+0661 |
| 2 | ٢ | U+0662 |
| 3 | ٣ | U+0663 |
| 4 | ٤ | U+0664 |
| 5 | ٥ | U+0665 |
| 6 | ٦ | U+0666 |
| 7 | ٧ | U+0667 |
| 8 | ٨ | U+0668 |
| 9 | ٩ | U+0669 |
Which System Is Used Where?
Usage varies by country and context. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and most Gulf states use Eastern Arabic numerals in newspapers, books, and official documents, but Western numerals in scientific and technical contexts. Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya (Maghrebi countries) use Western numerals almost exclusively in everyday writing, influenced by their French colonial history. The Quran and religious texts always use Eastern Arabic numerals.
Typing Eastern Arabic Numerals
On keyboard-arabic.org, the top row of the virtual keyboard includes the Eastern Arabic numerals ١ through ٩ and ٠. They are also accessible via your physical keyboard’s number row when the page is active. This lets you combine Eastern Arabic numerals naturally within your Arabic text.