Arab immigration to the United States began when Arabs accompanied Spanish explorers to the US in the 15th century. During the Revolutionary War, horses exported from Algeria replenished the American cavalry and Morocco was the first country to officially recognize the independence of the United States in 1787 in what is known as the "treaty of Friendship". However, Arabs did not start immigrating to the United States in significant numbers until the 19th century. Since the first major wave of Arab immigration in the late 19th century, the majority of Arab immigrants have settled in or near large cities. Roughly 94 percent of all Arab immigrants live in metropolitan areas, and nearly one third of all Arab Americans live in or around just three cities: New York, Los Angeles and Detroit. Whi