of Qatar's overall landmass, Al Shamal is the northernmost municipality, its outermost point being Ras Rakan. It has around 80 km of coastline. According to the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, the municipality accommodates 101 rawdas, 41 wadis, 51 jeris (places where water flows), 77 plains, 13 hills, three highlands, 12 sabkhas, 12 capes, one bay, and three coral reefs. Three islands are found off its shores: Jazirat Al Khuwayr, Jazirat Umm Tais, and the northern extremity of Jazirat Ras Rakan. Abu Dhalouf and Ar Ru'ays were the largest villages on the northern coastline until the 1970s, when the Qatari government enacted a plan to establish Madinat ash Shamal between these two villages. Throughout the 1970s, a road system and a port were built to connect the three villages. Development of Madinat ash Shamal continued through the 1980s and 1990s, whereas urban developments were carried out on the adjacent settlements of Abu Dhalouf and Ar Ru'ays in the 2000s. At present, these three villages are the commercial and administrative centers of the municipality. The majority of Al Shamal's settlements are rural, consisting mainly of small villages and farms. Most of Qatar's archaeological sites, abandoned villages and protected areas can be found in the municipality. Development is mainly oriented towards the three adjacent villages of Madinat ash Shamal, Abu Dhalouf and Ar Ru'ays, and the village of Ain Sinan, with the bulk of development occurring in Madinat ash Shamal. Climate The following is climate data for the town of Ar Ru'ays on the northern coast. Administration The municipality is divided into 3 zones which are then divided into 162 blocks. According to municipal officials, there are approximately 28 rural settlements of varying sizes situated outside the Madinat ash Shamal area. The majority of these settlements are nestled along Al Shamal Road. There is also a high propensity of abandoned villages scattered throughout the municipality. Administrative zones The following zones were recorded in the 2015 population census: Other settlements Other settlements, abandoned villages and sites of interest in Al Shamal include: Ain Al Nuaman – village near the municipality's south-west coast. Ain Mohammed – abandoned village near the municipality's north-west coast. Hosts the Ain Mohammed Fort. Al `Adhbah – village near the municipality's north-east coast. Al `Arish – abandoned fishing village near the municipality's north-west coast. Al Ghariyah – village near the municipality's north-east coast. Al Ghashamiya – village near the municipality's