mamlakat

Mamlakat is a term used in Arabic and some related languages to denote a kingdom or sovereign state. The word is derived from the Arabic root M-L-K, related to sovereignty and possession. The feminine noun mamlaka means dominion or realm, and with the definite article it becomes al-Mamlakah, meaning “the Kingdom.” In English transliteration, the form mamlakat is often used as part of official titles.

In modern usage, mamlakat appears in the official names of several monarchies in the Arab world. Examples include Al-Mamlakah as-Sa‘ūdiyyah (the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), Al-Mamlakah al-Maġhribiyyah (the Kingdom of Morocco), Al-Mamlakah al-Urduniyya (the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan), and Al-Mamlakah al-Baḥrayniyyah (the Kingdom of Bahrain). The pattern is common in Arabic administration and diplomacy, signaling a constitutional or monarchical realm.

Beyond Arabic, the term also appears as a loanword in Persian, Urdu, and other languages to mean “kingdom” or “state,” especially in formal or historical contexts. In these languages it may appear in scholarly or legal writing to describe monarchies or in translations of Arabic titles. Outside of such contexts, mamlakat is not typically used as a standalone country name, but it remains a recognizable linguistic marker of royal or sovereign status in related vocabularies.