Umm Salal (; also spelled Umm Slal) is a municipality in the State of Qatar. It contains several historic places, such as Barzan Tower. The municipal headquarters Umm Salal is located in Umm Salal Ali, about 10 km from the coast and 15 km north of Doha, the Qatari capital. Etymology The first word of Umm Salal is Arabic for "mother", while salal refers to large rocks or stones. Hence, the area's name translates literally to "mother of rocks". It was named for the numerous rock formations found in the area. History As a municipality, Umm Salal was established in 1972, alongside Qatar's 4 other initial municipalities. On 29 November 1974, the municipal headquarters was inaugurated under the supervision of Mohammad bin Jaber Al Thani, a former minister of the Municipality and Urban Planning, alongside Abdulaziz Al-Ghanem, who was Umm Salal's municipal council representative. Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Thani served as the first head of the municipal council. As of 2017, Rashid Ahmed Al-Kaabi is the mayor of Umm Salal Municipality. Geography Umm Salal shares land borders with Doha to the southeast, Al Rayyan to the south, Al-Shahaniya to the west, Al Khor to the north, and Al Daayen to the east. It does not have a coastline. Occupying roughly 2.7% of Qatar's territory, the municipality is relatively small in size. Its landscape consists of many open spaces and rock formations. The northern portion of the municipality is largely agricultural due to the presence of a large aquifer, and it accommodates a number of small villages and farms. Saina Al-Humaidi, found at a distance of 5 km north of Umm Salal Ali, is the main urban settlement located in the north. Government land grants have expanded the boundaries of Saina Al-Humaidi in recent years, and it is being developed as a residential center for the nearby rural communities. In the municipality's southern portion, Umm Salal Mohammed constitutes part of Metropolitan Doha. Slightly to the north is Umm Salal Ali, which is also considered to be within Metropolitan Doha's boundaries, albeit to a much lesser extent. These two towns have fueled a large part of the municipality's southern growth. Umm Salal's eastern and western segments are divided by the path of the national utilities corridor. Desert mainly dominates the western section, and it has few settlements. The eastern section is highly urbanized and is adjacent to Al Shamal Road. According to