Sidi Ifni

Sidi Ifni (Berber: Ifni, ⵉⴼⵏⵉ, Arabic: سيدي إفني) is a city on the west coast of Morocco. It is next to the Atlantic Ocean and has about 20,051 people living there. The city is famous for its fishing, which is the main job for many people.

Sidi Ifni is in the Guelmim-Oued Noun region and is part of the Sidi Ifni Province. Most people there belong to the Shilha group, especially from the Aït Baâmrane tribe.

In 2000, a large fishing port was built. This port helps the city send fish to other parts of the world.

History

The Aït Baâmrane tribe lived in the area around Sidi Ifni for a long time. They worked with animals and traded with people from Europe and northern Morocco.

In 1476, people from Spain built a small settlement called Santa Cruz de la Mar Pequeña nearby. Later, in 1860, after a war, Morocco gave Sidi Ifni to Spain. Spain controlled the area until 1969, when it was returned to Morocco. Today, Sidi Ifni is part of Morocco.

Ifni protests

In June 2008, there were big protests in Sidi Ifni. Many people wanted jobs at the port but were not hired. The protests caused problems, and police came to help. Sadly, some people were hurt during these events.

An international news group told stories about what happened. There were concerns about how people were treated during the protests. Some groups talked about these concerns, which led to discussions between different groups in the country.

Unique sea cable car system

Remains of the offshore cable car end station

In the 1960s, Spanish authorities built a special system to help ships unload goods near Sidi Ifni. The water was too shallow for ships to reach the shore, so they built a strong concrete platform 550 metres out to sea. From there, cargo and people were lifted from ships and moved on carts hanging from large steel cables to a station closer to town. This system worked for a few years but stopped when Spain gave the area to Morocco. Though the cables are gone now, you can still see some of the old stations and tall supports.

Climate

Sidi Ifni has a hot desert climate, so the weather is mild to warm all year. The Canary Current nearby means there is very little rain. When it does rain, it usually happens in the winter, from November to April. The rain is often linked to changes in the North Atlantic Oscillation, which can bring storms to the area.