Dates are a critical agricultural crop in the UAE, with over 33 million Phoenix date palms in Abu Dhabi Emirate which produce over 900,000 metric tons a year. This platter of dates at a market in Dubai, UAE, is typical when they are in season from July through November. They are available in three varieties: soft, semi-dry and dry. They are very sweet and sometimes garnished with date syrup (seen in the upper left corner). The date palm was also the inspiration for constructing the man-made Palm Islands which are so large that they can be seen from the moon.