Comunidad Autónoma del País Vasco
Euskal Autonomia Erkidegoa

Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: Eusko Abendaren Ereserkia
Capital	Vitoria-Gasteiz
Official language(s)	Spanish and Basque
Area  – Total  – % of Spain	Ranked 14th  7,234 km²  1.4%
Population  – Total (2005)  – % of Spain  – Density	Ranked 7th  2,124,846  4.9%  293.73/km²
Demonym  – English  – Spanish  – Basque	Basque  vasco/a  Euskal Herritar, euskaldun
Statute of Autonomy	25 October 1979
Parliamentary representation  – Congress seats  – Senate seats	19  15
President	Juan José Ibarretxe Markuartu (PNV)
ISO 3166-2	PV
Eusko Jaurlaritza/Gobierno Vasco

Basque Country (Basque Euskadi, Spanish País Vasco) is an autonomous community with the status of historical region within Spain, the capital of which is Vitoria-Gasteiz (Vitoria is the Spanish name, Gasteiz the Basque name). It is part of the larger Basque speaking lands, which are also called the Basque Country (Basque "Euskal Herria"). Basque Country flag Basque Country Northern Basque Country, French Basque Country or Continental Basque Country (French: Pays Basque, Basque: Iparralde) constitutes the Western part of the French department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Basque_Country. ... Image File history File links Euskadi_escudo. ... Ikurriña The Ikurriña flag is a Basque symbol and the official flag of the Basque Country Autonomous Community of Spain. ... An anthem is a composition to an English religious text sung in the context of an Anglican service. ... Eusko Abendaren Ereserkia (Anthem of the Basque Ethnicity) is the official anthem of the Basque Country. ... Image File history File links Localización_de_la_CA_de_Euskadi_(NUTS_ES1). ... This article is about a city that serves as a center of government and politics. ... Haec est Victoria quae vincit (This is Victoria which triumphed) Location Location of Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain Coordinates : 42°51′ N 2°41′ O Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spanish) Spanish name Vitoria-Gasteiz Founded 1181 Postal code 01001-01080... An official language is a language that is given a unique legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... Basque (native name: Euskara) is the language spoken by the Basque people who inhabit the Pyrenees in North-Central Spain and the adjoining region of South-Western France. ... Area is a physical quantity expressing the size of a part of a surface. ... Here is a list of the autonomous communities of Spain in order of area. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here areas between 1,000 km² and 10,000 km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... In physics, density is mass m per unit volume V. For the common case of a homogeneous substance, it is expressed as: where, in SI units: ρ (rho) is the density of the substance, measured in kg·m-3 m is the mass of the substance, measured in kg V is... Here is a list of the autonomous communities of Spain in order of population. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Basque (native name: Euskara) is the language spoken by the Basque people who inhabit the Pyrenees in North-Central Spain and the adjoining region of South-Western France. ... October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by the Smashing Pumpkins, see 1979 (song). ... The Cortes Generales (Spanish for General Courts) is the legislature of Spain. ... ... The Spanish Senate (Spanish: Senado) is the upper house of the Cortes Generales, Spains legislative branch. ... The President of the Basque Country is referred to as Lehendakari (literally, firstlier) in Basque, or Eusko Jaurlaritzako Lehendakari (President of the Basque Government); the Spanish title is Presidente del Gobierno Vasco. ... Juan José Ibarretxe Juan José Ibarretxe Markuartu (born May 15, 1957) is a Basque politician. ... The Basque Nationalist Party is a political party in the Basque region of Spain. ... ISO 3166-2 is the second part of the ISO 3166 standard. ... Basque (native name: Euskara) is the language spoken by the Basque people who inhabit the Pyrenees in North-Central Spain and the adjoining region of South-Western France. ... Spains fifty provinces (provincias) are grouped into seventeen autonomous communities (comunidades autónomas), in addition to two African autonomous cities (ciudades autónomas) (Ceuta and Melilla). ... Historical regions in Spain are those that are granted by the 1978 Constitution a special status as autonomous communities. ... Haec est Victoria quae vincit (This is Victoria which triumphed) Location Location of Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain Coordinates : 42°51′ N 2°41′ O Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spanish) Spanish name Vitoria-Gasteiz Founded 1181 Postal code 01001-01080... The Ikurriña, Basque flag Location of Territory of the Basque Country The Basque Country divided in seven provinces. ...

The following provinces make up Basque Country: In addition to its seventeen autonomous communities, Spain is divided into fifty provinces. ...

• Araba (Spanish Álava), capital Vitoria-Gasteiz
• Bizkaia (Spanish Vizcaya), capital Bilbao
• Gipuzkoa (Spanish Guipúzcoa), capital Donostia (Spanish San Sebastián)

Before the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and its system of autonomous communities, these three provinces were known in Spanish as the Provincias Vascongadas. The political structure of the autonomous communities is defined in the Gernika Statute, which was approved by the majority in a controversial—and substantially boycotted—referendum on October 25, 1979. In 2003, the governing Basque Nationalist Party proposed to alter this statute through the Ibarretxe Plan. The project, though approved by majority in the Basque chamber, was rejected in the Spanish Cortes. Álava (Basque Araba, Spanish Álava) is a Spain, in the southern part of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. ... Haec est Victoria quae vincit (This is Victoria which triumphed) Location Location of Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain Coordinates : 42°51′ N 2°41′ O Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spanish) Spanish name Vitoria-Gasteiz Founded 1181 Postal code 01001-01080... Biscay (Basque Bizkaia, Spanish: Vizcaya) is a province of northern Spain, in the northwestern part of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. ... La Muy Noble y Muy Leal e Invicta (The most noble and most loyal and undefeated) Location Location of Bilbao in Spain and Biscay Coordinates : 43,15° n. ... Guipuscoa province. ... Location Location of Donostia-San Sebastian in Spain Coordinates : 43º 19 17 w. ... The Spanish Constitution of 1978 is the culmination of the Spanish transition to democracy. ... The Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country is the legal document organizing the political system of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country (Basque: Euzkadi) which includes the provinces of Alava, Vizcaya and Guipuzcoa. ... October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Basque Nationalist Party is a political party in the Basque region of Spain. ... This page may meet Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... The Cortes Generales (Spanish for General Courts) is the legislature of Spain. ...

Government

The current laws configure the autonomous community as a federation of the three constituent provinces, which had been ruled locally since their incorporation to Castile in 1200 by their own laws and institutions in what is known as the Foral System. This autonomy, similar to the one for Navarre, was curtailed in the 19th century, largely suspended under Franco, but restored by the Spanish Constitution of 1978. The fuero is a Spanish legal term and concept; there is a similar Portuguese term, the foral. ... Capital Pamplona (Basque: Iruña) Official language(s) Spanish; Basque co-official in the north of community. ... The Spanish Civil War officially ended on 1 April 1939, the day Francisco Franco announced the end of hostilities. ... The Spanish Constitution of 1978 is the culmination of the Spanish transition to democracy. ...

The post-Franco Spanish Constitution of 1978 acknowledges "historical rights" and attempts compromise in the old conflict between centralism and federalism by the establishment of autonomous communities (e.g. Castile-Leon, Catalonia, Valencia, etc). The provincial governments (diputación foral) were restored only in the Basque Country and Navarre, but many of their powers were transferred to the new government of the Basque Country and Navarra autonomous communities; however, the provinces still perform tax collection in their respective territories, coordinating with the Basque, Spanish and European governments. Centralization is the process by which the activities of an organization, particularly those regarding decision-making, become concentrated within a particular location and/or group. ... Political federalism is a political philosophy in which a group of members are bound together (Latin: foedus, covenant) with a governing representative head. ... Autonomous communities of Spain. ... Capital Valladolid Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 1st  94,223 km²  18,6% Population  â€“ Total (2005)  â€“ % of Spain  â€“ Density Ranked 6th  2,510,849  5. ... Anthem: Capital Barcelona Official language(s) Catalan,Spanish and Aranese. ... Capital Valencia Official language(s) Valencian and Spanish Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 8th  23,255 km²  4. ... Capital Pamplona (Basque: Iruña) Official language(s) Spanish; Basque co-official in the north of community. ...

Under this system the Diputaciones Forales (Basque: Foru Aldundiak) administer most of each of the provinces but are coordinated and centralized by the autonomous Basque Government (Basque: Eusko Jaurlaritza, Spanish Gobierno Vasco).

The seats of the Basque Parliament and Government are in Vitoria-Gasteiz, but the Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country provides for their transference to Pamplona if Navarre ever decides to join the Basque Autonomous Community. The Parliament is composed of 25 representatives from each of the three provinces. The Basque Parliament elects the Lehendakari (President) who forms a government following regular parliamentary procedures. So far all Lehendakaris (even those in 1937 and during the exile) have been members of the Basque Nationalist Party (Eusko Alderdi Jeltzalea) (moderate and Christian-Democrat) since 1978. Despite their continued leadership role, they have not always enjoyed majorities for their party and have needed to form coalitions with either Spain wide parties or left-leaning Basque nationalist parties, often governing in a difficult minority position.^{[citation needed]} Haec est Victoria quae vincit (This is Victoria which triumphed) Location Location of Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain Coordinates : 42°51′ N 2°41′ O Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spanish) Spanish name Vitoria-Gasteiz Founded 1181 Postal code 01001-01080... The Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country is the legal document organizing the political system of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country (Basque: Euzkadi) which includes the provinces of Alava, Vizcaya and Guipuzcoa. ... Pamplona (Basque: Iruñea or Iruña) is the capital city of Navarre, Spain. ... The President of the Basque Country is referred to as Lehendakari (literally, firstlier) in Basque, or Eusko Jaurlaritzako Lehendakari (President of the Basque Government); the Spanish title is Presidente del Gobierno Vasco. ... The Basque Nationalist Party is a political party in the Basque region of Spain. ... Christian Democracy is a political ideology, born at the end of the 19th century, largely as a result of the papal encyclical Rerum Novarum of Pope Leo XIII, in which the Vatican recognizes workers misery and agrees that something should be done about it, in reaction to the rise of...

The current government, led by Juan José Ibarretxe (Eusko Alderdi Jeltzalea) is supported also by left-leaning nationalists of Eusko Alkartasuna (Basque Solidarity) and Communist-dominated Ezker Batua (United Left). Both non-regional parties, Partido Socialista de Euskadi (federated to the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) and Partido Popular (People's Party) are again in the opposition as are the radical nationalists of the Basque National Liberation Movement. The radical nationalists ran this time under the umbrella of a new formation that included the Euskal Herrialdeetako Alderdi Komunista (Communist Party of the Basque Homelands). Juan José Ibarretxe Juan José Ibarretxe Markuartu (born May 15, 1957) is a Basque politician. ... Eusko Alkartasuna, Basque and Spanish regional political party, translated as Basque Solidarity and abbreviated as EA, is a party which describes itself as a Basque national, democratic, popular, progressive and non-denominational party. ... United Left (Izquierda Unida) is a political coalition that was organized in 1986 during the mobilizations in Spain against NATO. It was formed by several groups of leftists, greens, left-wing socialists and republicans, but was always dominated by the Communist Party of Spain (PCE). ... José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero in a meeting in San Sebastián The Spanish Socialist Workers Party, commonly abbreviated by its Spanish initials, PSOE (Partido Socialista Obrero Español), is a major party in Spain and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in 1833. ... From the left: Mariano Rajoy, Josep Piqué and José María Aznar during the proclamation act of Josep Piqué in September 2003 The Peoples Party (Spanish: Partido Popular) is a large liberal-conservative political party in Spain. ... The Communist Party of the Basque Homelands (Spanish: Partido Comunista de las Tierras Vascas, Euskera: Euskal Herrialdeetako Alderdi Komunista, acronym: EHAK-PCTV) is a communist nationalist party in the Basque Country, that had limited electoral activities prior to 2005, but rose to national prominence when its leadership adopted the program...

The autonomous community has its own police force (the Ertzaintza),controls the education and health systems, and has a Basque radio/TV station. These and other powers under the Gernika Statute have recently transferred by the Cortes Generales. Ertzaintza is the police force of the Basque Country, one of the autonomous communities of Spain. ... ETB (also EiTB) is short for Euskal Irrati Telebista (Basque Radio-television), the name of the Basque Countrys public broadcast service. ... The Cortes Generales (Spanish for General Courts) is the legislature of Spain. ...

Languages

Basque and Spanish are co-official in all territories of the Community, though in many instances, especially those that depend on the central Spanish Government, like tribunals, it is difficult to carry on bureaucracy or judicial processes in any language other than Spanish. Basque (native name: Euskara) is the language spoken by the Basque people who inhabit the Pyrenees in North-Central Spain and the adjoining region of South-Western France. ...

A 1984 language census showed that of the 2.1 million people in the Basque Country autonomous region, 23 percent could understand Basque, 21 percent could speak it, but only 13 percent could read the language and only 10 percent could write it. [1]

Territorial claims

The Statute provides for mechanisms for neighbor Navarre, which also has a Basque ethnic background and is claimed as the core of the nation by Basque nationalists, to join the three western provinces if it wishes to do so. In such a case, the seat of the common administration would be moved to Pamplona. The Gernika oak is a symbol of Basque freedoms. ...

The Basque Government used the "Laurak Bat", which included the arms of Navarre, as its symbol for many years. Yet tribunals ruled in favor of Navarre and the Basque Government replaced it with an empty red field.

But Navarre is just one of the territories that the Basque Country nationalist government claims in democratic terms; there are also two enclaves Treviño (Basque: Trebiñu) and Valle de Villaverde (Basque: Villaverde-Turtzioz), which are completely surrounded by Basque territory but belong to the neighbour communities of Castile-Leon and Cantabria respectively, are also claimed. Capital Valladolid Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 1st  94,223 km²  18,6% Population  â€“ Total (2005)  â€“ % of Spain  â€“ Density Ranked 6th  2,510,849  5. ... Anthem: Himno de Cantabria Capital Santander Official language(s) Spanish Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 15th  5,321 km²  1. ...

Economy

The Basque Country is one of the wealthiest regions in Spain, with GDP per capita being 20.6% higher than that of the European Union average in 2004, at $30,680 USD[2]

Major cities

• Bilbao, Vitoria-Gasteiz,Donostia-San Sebastián

La Muy Noble y Muy Leal e Invicta (The most noble and most loyal and undefeated) Location Location of Bilbao in Spain and Biscay Coordinates : 43,15° n. ... Haec est Victoria quae vincit (This is Victoria which triumphed) Location Location of Vitoria-Gasteiz in Spain Coordinates : 42°51′ N 2°41′ O Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spanish) Spanish name Vitoria-Gasteiz Founded 1181 Postal code 01001-01080... ...

See also

Basque Portal

• Basque Country (historical territory)
• Basque language
• Basque people
• Kingdom of Navarre

Image File history File links Lauburu. ... The Ikurriña, Basque flag Location of Territory of the Basque Country The Basque Country divided in seven provinces. ... Basque (native name: Euskara) is the language spoken by the Basque people who inhabit the Pyrenees in North-Central Spain and the adjoining region of South-Western France. ... Languages Basque - few monoglots Spanish - 1,525,000 monoglots French - 150,000 monoglots Basque-Spanish - 600,000 speakers Basque-French - 76,000 speakers [4] other native languages Religions Traditionally Roman Catholic The Basques (Basque: Euskaldunak) are an indigenous people[] who inhabit parts of both Spain and France. ... The Kingdom of Navarre (Basque: Nafarroako Erresuma) was a European state which occupied lands on either side of the Pyrenees alongside the Atlantic Ocean. ...

External links

• Basque Government

Traditional provinces of Euskal Herria / Basque Country
Hegoalde: Gipuzkoa | Araba | Bizkaia | Nafarroa Iparralde: Lapurdi | Nafarroa Beherea | Zuberoa