Basque Country (greater region) facts for kids
The Basque Country (called Euskal Herria in Basque) is a special region in Southwestern Europe. It is found partly in France and partly in Spain.
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What is the Basque Country?
This area is the homeland of the Basque people. It sits at the western end of the Pyrenees mountains, right by the Bay of Biscay. The Basque Country has seven main parts, making its borders a bit tricky. Four of these parts are in Spain, and three are in France.
A Look at Basque History
Ancient Times: When Did the Basques Arrive?
No one knows exactly when the Basque people first came to Europe. Some historians think they have been here since the Neolithic period. This was a time at the end of the Stone Age when people started farming. Others believe they were here even earlier than that!
The first written records about the Basque Country come from the time of the Roman Empire. Even then, the Basque people already spoke their own unique language. When the Western Roman Empire started to fall apart, the Basque Country was quite cut off. This helped protect it from the invading Goths.
The Middle Ages: Splitting Up
During the time when Muslim armies moved into Southern Europe, the Basque Country became divided. It split into two main areas: the Castilian lands and the Navarrese lands. Later, a war with France caused the Navarrese area to split again.
After the Reconquista (a long period when Christian kingdoms took back land from Muslim rule in Spain), the Castilian Basque lands and Navarre joined the new country of Spain. Since then, Basque people in the Spanish part have had their own government. They have also worked to reunite with the northern parts of the Basque Country in France.
The Basque Country Today
Today, three of the Basque areas in Spain form a special region called the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. These areas are Araba, Bizkaia, and Gipuzkoa. This political unit is one of 17 similar communities in Spain.
The fourth Basque area in Spain, Navarra, is its own separate autonomous community.
The three areas in the northern (French) Basque Country are Lapurdi (Labourd), Nafarroa Beherea (Basse-Navarre), and Zuberoa/Xiberoa (Soule).
People and Places
The entire Basque region covers about 20,664 square kilometers (7978 sq mi). The Autonomous Community of the Basque Country is 7,234 square kilometers (2793 sq mi). About 2,000,000 people live there, which is about 5% of Spain's total population.
People in the Basque Country speak both Basque and Spanish. The largest city is Bilbao, but the capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz.
Famous People from the Basque Country
- Miguel de Unamuno
- Maurice Ravel (his mother was Basque)
- Che Guevara (his mother was Basque)
- St. Ignatius Loyola
- Louis Daguerre
- Pío Baroja
Major Cities in the Basque Country
Images for kids
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Euler diagram of the Basque Country
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The town of Maule (Mauléon) in Soule
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San Sebastián or Donostia in the Basque language
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A railway line in Navarre
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A dolmen (ancient stone monument) in Bilar, Álava
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Horses in the Bianditz mountains, between Navarre and Gipuzkoa
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The Basque Country's historic districts in the early 18th century
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Percentage of people who speak Basque fluently. Areas where Basque is not a native language are shown in the 0–20% range.
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Percentage of students in Basque language schools (2000–2005)
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Opening of the school year at Mondragon Unibertsitatea
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The auditorium building of the University of the Basque Country in Bilbao
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The law school of the University of Navarre
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A match between Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid. Athletic Bilbao only uses Basque players.
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See also
In Spanish: Euskal Herria para niños
