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Algeria
no. 1 of 10
introduced or naturalised
Algeria is one of the world’s largest date producers, and the Deglet Nour variety from around Biskra and Tolga is an important export. Palms are the backbone of life in the Saharan oases, from the Ziban to the Touat.
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Bahrain
no. 1 of 5
native
Date palm – a symbol of ancient Dilmun and of Bahrain
For thousands of years the palm groves around the springs of northern Bahrain were the mainstay of island life, and the palm appears on ancient Dilmun seals.
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Iraq
no. 1 of 8
native
National tree of Iraq, symbol of Mesopotamia
Date palms were grown in Mesopotamia as early as about 6,000 years ago, and the Sumerians and Babylonians regarded them as the tree of life.
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Libya
no. 1 of 8
introduced or naturalised
The date palm is the most important cultivated tree of Libya’s oases, from Ghadames and Ghat to Kufra and Jalu. Asida drizzled with date syrup is a traditional Libyan festive dish.
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Mauritania
no. 1 of 5
introduced or naturalised
The guetna, the date harvest season in July and August, is one of the most important events in Mauritanian life – whole families leave Nouakchott for the oases to eat fresh dates and relax.
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Palm with crossed swords on the national emblem of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s leading date producers, with more than 30 million palms and hundreds of varieties, such as sukkari, ajwa and khalas.
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Kuwait
no. 2 of 5
cultivated
Date palms have always accompanied Kuwait’s few settlements, and today hundreds of thousands of trees grow on farms and along streets. Dates and Arabic coffee are the foundation of hospitality in Kuwaiti diwaniyas.
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Oman
no. 2 of 8
native
Date palms make up most of Oman’s fruit trees, and their leaves and fibres are woven into mats and baskets and were once used to build houses and boats.
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The date palm gave the people of today’s Emirates food, building material and fibre for weaving, and it was already being cultivated here in the Bronze Age.
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Egypt
no. 3 of 10
introduced or naturalised
Egypt harvests about 1.7 million tonnes of dates a year, more than any other country. Dates from the Siwa and Bahariya oases are famous, as are the Siwi and Zaghloul varieties, and palms accompany villages throughout the Nile Valley.
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Jordan
no. 3 of 5
cultivated
The hot climate of the Jordan Rift Valley, lying several hundred metres below sea level, favours the growing of large, fleshy Medjool dates, which Jordan exports to many countries.
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Tunisia
no. 3 of 8
introduced or naturalised
Tunisia is one of the world’s leading date exporters, mainly of the Deglet Nour variety. The oases of Tozeur, Nefta and Douz are among the country’s best-known tourist attractions.
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Palestine
no. 4 of 5
cultivated
Plantations in the Jordan Valley around Jericho produce Medjool dates, an important Palestinian export.
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Qatar
no. 4 of 5
native
Palm on the emblem of Qatar
Qatar’s emblem shows two crossed swords, a traditional dhow and date palms on an island. Dates served with Arabic coffee are an essential part of Qatari hospitality, and a date market-festival is held in Doha every year.
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Palm fronds – symbol of Palm Sunday
By a tradition dating back to 1586, every year the people of Bordighera and Sanremo deliver bleached and plaited palm fronds (palmurelli) to the Vatican, which the pope carries in the Palm Sunday procession in St Peter’s Square.
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Chad
no. 7 of 8
introduced or naturalised
Dates are the mainstay of life in the oases of northern Chad – they are food, a commodity traded with the people of the Sahel and a source of income for the Toubou.
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Iran
no. 7 of 10
native
Date groves have fed the oases of southern Iran for thousands of years, and hundreds of varieties are grown in the country – from the soft mazafati of Bam to the semi-dry piarom of Hormozgan.
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Morocco
no. 7 of 10
cultivated
Date palms are the basis of life in the oases south of the Atlas, where cereals, vegetables and fruit trees are grown in their shade.
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Sudan
no. 7 of 10
cultivated
Palm growing in northern Sudan has a millennia-old tradition going back to the kingdoms of Kush and Nubia, and palms are the main wealth of farming families there.
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Yemen
no. 7 of 8
introduced or naturalised
Date palms are the mainstay of agriculture in the valleys of Hadramaut and on the coastal Tihama plain, and dates from Wadi Hadramaut and Wadi Do’an are prized throughout the country.
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Israel
no. 8 of 8
cultivated
The date palm is one of the seven biblical species – the “honey” of the Book of Deuteronomy is traditionally identified with date syrup (silan).
