Bni Chiker
Bni Chiker
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Town | |
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  Bni Chiker Location within Morocco  Bni Chiker Location within Africa | |
| Coordinates: 35°16′25″N 3°00′54″W / 35.273529°N 3.015069°W | |
| Country |  Morocco |
| Region | Oriental |
| Province | Nador Province |
| Area | |
• Total | 55.8 sq mi (144.4 km2) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 22.763 |
| • Density | 408/sq mi (157.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (WEST) |
Bni Chiker or Beni Chiker[a] is a town in Nador Province, Morocco. At the time of the 2024 census, it had a population of 22,763.[2]
Beni chiker was first mentioned in the 16th Century.[3] A large proportion of the population is Riffian Berber.
The native name Ayt Shishar is a combination of 'Ayt', which indicates tribal affiliation in Berber languages, and 'Shishar'. 'Ayt' corresponds to the Arabic Banu, meaning "sons of". The etymology of 'Shishar' on the other hand is disputed. It has been proposed that it may be derived from the Arabic word shukr, meaning 'thankfulness', or that it is of Berber origin.
The names might be traced to the name of an eponymous ancestor named Achichar, who is said to have belonged to the Riffian Botouya tribe. Another theory derives the name from a contraction of the old Riffian words 'achich', meaning challenge, and 'ar', meaning 'lion', thus giving the meaning 'challenger of the lion'.[4]
It is the birthplace of the writer Mohammed Choukri (1935-2003) and of Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, who on 16 May 2012 was appointed Minister of Women's Rights and Government spokesperson in the Ayrault government in France.
Bni Chiker is known largely for its tourist hotspots such as the beaches Charrana, Cara Blanca and Mina Rosita.
References
- ↑ https://books.openedition.org/editionsmsh/15280
- ↑ https://citypopulation.de/en/morocco/oriental/admin/nador/3810503__bni_chiker/
- ↑ Al Figuigui, H. (1999). "Guelaya ou Qelaya". Encyclopédie berbère. Vol. 21. OpenEdition Journals. pp. 3224–3229. doi:10.4000/encyclopedieberbere.1805. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
- ↑ كمال سليمان سليماني (2025). "من أجل إسترجاع الإسم الأصلي: "آيت شيشار" بدل "بني شيكر"" [For the restoration of the original name: “Ayt Shishar” instead of “Beni Chiker”]. RifDia (in Arabic). Retrieved 29 August 2026.
- ↑ Tarifit: Ait Shishar[1]
Arabic: بني شيكر
Standard Moroccan Tamazight: ⴰⵢⵜ ⵛⵉⵛⴰⵔ, romanized: Ayt Cicar
Capital: Nador | ||
| Municipalities |  | |
| Rural communes | ||