History

Basque (Basque: Euskara,

pronounced is the ancestral

language of the Basque peo-

ple, who inhabit the Basque

Country, a region spanning

an area in northeastern Spain

and southwestern France. It is

spoken by 25.7% of Basques

in all territories (665,800 out of

2,589,600). Of these, 614,000

live in the Spanish part of

the Basque country and the

remaining 51,800 live in the

French part.

w

In academic discussions of the

distribution of Basque in Spain

and France, it is customary to

refer to three ancient provinces

in France and four Spanish

provinces. Native speakers

are concentrated in a contigu-

ous area including parts of the

Spanish Autonomous Commu-

nities of the Basque Autono-

mous Community (Spanish:

País Vasco; Euskara: Euskadi)

and Navarre and in the western

half of the French Départe-

ment of Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

The Autonomous Community

of País Vasco/Euskadi is an

administrative entity within

the binational ethnographic

Basque Country incorporating

the traditional Spanish prov-

inces of Biscay, Gipuzkoa, and

Álava, which retain their exist-

ence as politico-administrative

divisions.

These provinces and many

areas of Navarre are heavily

populated by ethnic Basques,

but the Euskara language had,

at least until the 1990s, all but

disappeared from most of

Álava, western parts of Biscay

and central and southern areas

of Navarre. In southwestern

France, the ancient Basque-pop-

ulated provinces were Labourd,

Lower Navarre, and Soule. They

and other regions were consoli-

dated into a single département

in 1790 under the name Basses-

Pyrénées, a name which persisted

until 1970.

A standardized form of the

Basque language, called Euskara

Batua, was developed by the

Basque Language Academy in

the late 1960s. Euskara Batua was

created so that Basque language

could be used—and easily un-

derstood by all Basque speakers.

This standard Basque is taught

and used as a teaching language

(as an option, together with

standard Spanish) at most educa-

tional levels in the Spanish part

of the Basque Country, while the

intensity, status and funding by

state bodies to Basque language

instruction varies depending on

the area.

In France, the Basque language

school Seaska and the associa-

tion for a bilingual (Basque and

French) schooling Ikasbi meet a

wide range of Basque language

educational needs up to the Sixth

Form. while often struggling to

surmount financial and adminis-

trative constraints.

Basque (Basque: Euskara, pronounced is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories (665,800 out of 2,589,600). Of these, 614,000 live in the Spanish part of the Basque country and the remaining 51,800 live in the French part.

In academic discussions of the distribution of Basque in Spain and France, it is customary to refer to three ancient provinces in France and four Spanish prov-inces. Native speakers are concentrated in a contigu-ous area including parts of the Spanish Autonomous Communities of the Basque Autonomous Community (Spanish: País Vasco; Euskara: Euskadi) and Navarre and in the western half of the French Département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The Autonomous Community of País Vasco/Euskadi is an administrative entity within the binational ethnographic Basque Country incorporating the traditional Spanish provinces of Biscay, Gipuzkoa, and Álava, which retain their existence as politico-ad-ministrative divisions.

These provinces and many areas of Navarre are heavily populated by ethnic Basques, but the Euskara language had, at least until the 1990s, all but disappeared from most of Álava, western parts of Biscay and central and southern areas of Navarre. In southwestern France, the

History

ancient Basque-populated provinces were Labourd, Lower Navarre, and Soule. They and other regions were consolidated into a single département in 1790 under the name Basses-Pyrénées, a name which per-sisted until 1970.

A standardized form of the Basque language, called Euskara Batua, was developed by the Basque Lan-guage Academy in the late 1960s. Euskara Batua was created so that Basque language could be used—and easily understood by all Basque speakers. This standard Basque is taught and used as a teaching lan-guage (as an option, together with standard Spanish) at most educational levels in the Spanish part of the Basque Country, while the intensity, status and fund-ing by state bodies to Basque language instruction varies depending on the area.

In France, the Basque language school Seaska and the association for a bilingual (Basque and French) schooling Ikasbi meet a wide range of Basque lan-guage educational needs up to the Sixth Form. while often struggling to surmount financial and adminis-trative constraints.

Basque (Basque: Euskara, pronounced is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories (665,800 out of 2,589,600). Of these, 614,000 live in the Spanish part of the Basque country and the remaining 51,800 live in the French part.

In academic discussions of the distribution of Basque in Spain and France, it is customary to refer to three ancient provinces in France and four Spanish prov-inces. Native speakers are concentrated in a contigu-ous area including parts of the Spanish Autonomous Communities of the Basque Autonomous Community (Spanish: País Vasco; Euskara: Euskadi) and Navarre and in the western half of the French Département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The Autonomous Community of País Vasco/Euskadi is an administrative entity within the binational ethnographic Basque Country incorporating the traditional Spanish provinces of Biscay, Gipuzkoa, and Álava, which retain their existence as politico-ad-ministrative divisions.

These provinces and many areas of Navarre are heavily populated by ethnic Basques, but the Euskara language had, at least until the 1990s, all but disappeared from most of Álava, western parts of Biscay and central and southern areas of Navarre. In southwestern France, the

HI STORY

ancient Basque-populated provinces were Labourd, Lower Navarre, and Soule. They and other regions were consolidated into a single département in 1790 under the name Basses-Pyrénées, a name which per-sisted until 1970.

A standardized form of the Basque language, called Euskara Batua, was developed by the Basque Lan-guage Academy in the late 1960s. Euskara Batua was created so that Basque language could be used—and easily understood by all Basque speakers. This standard Basque is taught and used as a teaching lan-guage (as an option, together with standard Spanish) at most educational levels in the Spanish part of the Basque Country, while the intensity, status and fund-ing by state bodies to Basque language instruction varies depending on the area.

In France, the Basque language school Seaska and the association for a bilingual (Basque and French) schooling Ikasbi meet a wide range of Basque lan-guage educational needs up to the Sixth Form. while often struggling to surmount financial and adminis-trative constraints.

HI STORY

Basque (Basque: Euskara, pronounced is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories (665,800 out of 2,589,600). Of these, 614,000 live in the Spanish part of the Basque country and the remaining 51,800 live in the French part.

In academic discussions of the distribution of Basque in Spain and France, it is customary to refer to three ancient provinces in France and four Spanish prov-inces. Native speakers are concentrated in a contigu-ous area including parts of the Spanish Autonomous Communities of the Basque Autonomous Community (Spanish: País Vasco; Euskara: Euskadi) and Navarre and in the western half of the French Département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The Autonomous Community of País Vasco/Euskadi is an administrative entity within the binational ethnographic Basque Country incorporating the traditional Spanish provinces of Biscay, Gipuzkoa, and Álava, which retain their existence as politico-ad-ministrative divisions.

These provinces and many areas of Navarre are heavily populated by ethnic Basques, but the Euskara language had, at least until the 1990s, all but disappeared from most of Álava, western parts of Biscay and central and southern areas of Navarre. In southwestern France, the

H I S T O R Y

ancient Basque-populated provinces were Labourd, Lower Navarre, and Soule. They and other regions were consolidated into a single département in 1790 under the name Basses-Pyrénées, a name which per-sisted until 1970.

A standardized form of the Basque language, called Euskara Batua, was developed by the Basque Lan-guage Academy in the late 1960s. Euskara Batua was created so that Basque language could be used—and easily understood by all Basque speakers. This standard Basque is taught and used as a teaching lan-guage (as an option, together with standard Spanish) at most educational levels in the Spanish part of the Basque Country, while the intensity, status and fund-ing by state bodies to Basque language instruction varies depending on the area.

In France, the Basque language school Seaska and the association for a bilingual (Basque and French) schooling Ikasbi meet a wide range of Basque lan-guage educational needs up to the Sixth Form. while often struggling to surmount financial and adminis-trative constraints.

H I S T O R Y

Basque (Basque: Euskara, pronounced is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories (665,800 out of 2,589,600). Of these, 614,000 live in the Spanish part of the Basque country and the remaining 51,800 live in the French part.

In academic discussions of the distribution of Basque in Spain and France, it is customary to refer to three ancient provinces in France and four Spanish prov-inces. Native speakers are concentrated in a contigu-ous area including parts of the Spanish Autonomous Communities of the Basque Autonomous Community (Spanish: País Vasco; Euskara: Euskadi) and Navarre and in the western half of the French Département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The Autonomous Community of País Vasco/Euskadi is an administrative entity within the binational ethnographic Basque Country incorporating the traditional Spanish provinces of Biscay, Gipuzkoa, and Álava, which retain their existence as politico-ad-ministrative divisions.

These provinces and many areas of Navarre are heavily populated by ethnic Basques, but the Euskara language had, at least until the 1990s, all but disappeared from most of Álava, western parts of Biscay and central and southern areas of Navarre. In southwestern France, the

H I S -

ancient Basque-populated provinces were Labourd, Lower Navarre, and Soule. They and other regions were consolidated into a single département in 1790 under the name Basses-Pyrénées, a name which per-sisted until 1970.

A standardized form of the Basque language, called Euskara Batua, was developed by the Basque Lan-guage Academy in the late 1960s. Euskara Batua was created so that Basque language could be used—and easily understood by all Basque speakers. This standard Basque is taught and used as a teaching lan-guage (as an option, together with standard Spanish) at most educational levels in the Spanish part of the Basque Country, while the intensity, status and fund-ing by state bodies to Basque language instruction varies depending on the area.

In France, the Basque language school Seaska and the association for a bilingual (Basque and French) schooling Ikasbi meet a wide range of Basque lan-guage educational needs up to the Sixth Form. while often struggling to surmount financial and adminis-trative constraints.

T O R Y

Basque (Basque: Euskara, pronounced is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories (665,800 out of 2,589,600). Of these, 614,000 live in the Spanish part of the Basque country and the remaining 51,800 live in the French part.

In academic discussions of the distribution of Basque in Spain and France, it is customary to refer to three ancient provinces in France and four Spanish prov-inces. Native speakers are concentrated in a contigu-ous area including parts of the Spanish Autonomous Communities of the Basque Autonomous Community (Spanish: País Vasco; Euskara: Euskadi) and Navarre and in the western half of the French Département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The Autonomous Community of País Vasco/Euskadi is an administrative entity within the binational ethnographic Basque Country incorporating the traditional Spanish provinces of Biscay, Gipuzkoa, and Álava, which retain their existence as politico-ad-ministrative divisions.

These provinces and many areas of Navarre are heavily populated by ethnic Basques, but the Euskara language had, at least until the 1990s, all but disappeared from most of Álava, western parts of Biscay and central and southern areas of Navarre. In southwestern France, the

H I S -

T O R Y

ancient Basque-populated provinces were Labourd, Lower Navarre, and Soule. They and other regions were consolidated into a single département in 1790 under the name Basses-Pyrénées, a name which per-sisted until 1970.

A standardized form of the Basque language, called Euskara Batua, was developed by the Basque Lan-guage Academy in the late 1960s. Euskara Batua was created so that Basque language could be used—and easily understood by all Basque speakers. This standard Basque is taught and used as a teaching lan-guage (as an option, together with standard Spanish) at most educational levels in the Spanish part of the Basque Country, while the intensity, status and fund-ing by state bodies to Basque language instruction varies depending on the area.

In France, the Basque language school Seaska and the association for a bilingual (Basque and French) schooling Ikasbi meet a wide range of Basque lan-guage educational needs up to the Sixth Form. while often struggling to surmount financial and adminis-trative constraints.

T O R Y

Basque (Basque: Euskara, pronounced is the ances-tral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in north-eastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories (665,800 out of 2,589,600). Of these, 614,000 live in the Spanish part of the Basque country and the remaining 51,800 live in the French part.

In academic discussions of the distribution of Basque in Spain and France, it is customary to refer to three ancient provinces in France and four Spanish prov-inces. Native speakers are concentrated in a contigu-ous area including parts of the Spanish Autonomous Communities of the Basque Autonomous Community (Spanish: País Vasco; Euskara: Euskadi) and Navarre and in the western half of the French Département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The Autonomous Community of País Vasco/Euskadi is an administrative entity with-in the binational ethnographic Basque Country incor-porating the traditional Spanish provinces of Biscay, Gipuzkoa, and Álava, which retain their existence as politico-administrative divisions.

These provinces and many areas of Navarre are heav-ily populated by ethnic Basques, but the Euskara lan-guage had, at least until the 1990s, all but disappeared from most of Álava, western parts of Biscay and cen-tral and southern areas of Navarre. In southwestern

H I S T O R Y

France, the ancient Basque-populated provinces were Labourd, Lower Navarre, and Soule. They and other regions were consolidated into a single dépar-tement in 1790 under the name Basses-Pyrénées, a name which persisted until 1970.

A standardized form of the Basque language, called Euskara Batua, was developed by the Basque Lan-guage Academy in the late 1960s. Euskara Batua was created so that Basque language could be used—and easily understood by all Basque speakers. This standard Basque is taught and used as a teaching lan-guage (as an option, together with standard Spanish) at most educational levels in the Spanish part of the Basque Country, while the intensity, status and fund-ing by state bodies to Basque language instruction varies depending on the area.

In France, the Basque language school Seaska and the association for a bilingual (Basque and French) schooling Ikasbi meet a wide range of Basque lan-guage educational needs up to the Sixth Form. while often struggling to surmount financial and adminis-trative constraints.

Basque (Basque: Euskara, pronounced is the ances-tral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in north-eastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories (665,800 out of 2,589,600). Of these, 614,000 live in the Spanish part of the Basque country and the remaining 51,800 live in the French part.

In academic discussions of the distribution of Basque in Spain and France, it is customary to refer to three ancient provinces in France and four Spanish prov-inces. Native speakers are concentrated in a contigu-ous area including parts of the Spanish Autonomous Communities of the Basque Autonomous Community (Spanish: País Vasco; Euskara: Euskadi) and Navarre and in the western half of the French Département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The Autonomous Community of País Vasco/Euskadi is an administrative entity with-in the binational ethnographic Basque Country incor-porating the traditional Spanish provinces of Biscay, Gipuzkoa, and Álava, which retain their existence as politico-administrative divisions.

These provinces and many areas of Navarre are heav-ily populated by ethnic Basques, but the Euskara lan-guage had, at least until the 1990s, all but disappeared from most of Álava, western parts of Biscay and cen-tral and southern areas of Navarre. In southwestern

H I S T O R Y

France, the ancient Basque-populated provinces were Labourd, Lower Navarre, and Soule. They and other regions were consolidated into a single dépar-tement in 1790 under the name Basses-Pyrénées, a name which persisted until 1970.

A standardized form of the Basque language, called Euskara Batua, was developed by the Basque Lan-guage Academy in the late 1960s. Euskara Batua was created so that Basque language could be used—and easily understood by all Basque speakers. This standard Basque is taught and used as a teaching lan-guage (as an option, together with standard Spanish) at most educational levels in the Spanish part of the Basque Country, while the intensity, status and fund-ing by state bodies to Basque language instruction varies depending on the area.

In France, the Basque language school Seaska and the association for a bilingual (Basque and French) schooling Ikasbi meet a wide range of Basque lan-guage educational needs up to the Sixth Form. while often struggling to surmount financial and adminis-trative constraints.

Basque (Basque: Euskara, pronounced is the ances-tral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in north-eastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories (665,800 out of 2,589,600). Of these, 614,000 live in the Spanish part of the Basque country and the remaining 51,800 live in the French part.

In academic discussions of the distribution of Basque in Spain and France, it is customary to refer to three ancient provinces in France and four Spanish prov-inces. Native speakers are concentrated in a contigu-ous area including parts of the Spanish Autonomous Communities of the Basque Autonomous Community (Spanish: País Vasco; Euskara: Euskadi) and Navarre and in the western half of the French Département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The Autonomous Community of País Vasco/Euskadi is an administrative entity with-in the binational ethnographic Basque Country incor-porating the traditional Spanish provinces of Biscay, Gipuzkoa, and Álava, which retain their existence as politico-administrative divisions.

These provinces and many areas of Navarre are heav-ily populated by ethnic Basques, but the Euskara lan-guage had, at least until the 1990s, all but disappeared from most of Álava, western parts of Biscay and cen-tral and southern areas of Navarre. In southwestern

H I S T O R Y

Basque (Basque: Euskara, pronounced

Basque (Basque: Euskara, pronounced

Basque (Basque: Euskara, pronounced

France, the ancient Basque-populated provinces were Labourd, Lower Navarre, and Soule. They and other regions were consolidated into a single dépar-tement in 1790 under the name Basses-Pyrénées, a name which persisted until 1970.

A standardized form of the Basque language, called Euskara Batua, was developed by the Basque Lan-guage Academy in the late 1960s. Euskara Batua was created so that Basque language could be used—and easily understood by all Basque speakers. This standard Basque is taught and used as a teaching lan-guage (as an option, together with standard Spanish) at most educational levels in the Spanish part of the Basque Country, while the intensity, status and fund-ing by state bodies to Basque language instruction varies depending on the area.

In France, the Basque language school Seaska and the association for a bilingual (Basque and French) schooling Ikasbi meet a wide range of Basque lan-guage educational needs up to the Sixth Form. while often struggling to surmount financial and adminis-trative constraints.

Basque (Basque: Euskara, pronounced is the ances-tral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in north-eastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories (665,800 out of 2,589,600). Of these, 614,000 live in the Spanish part of the Basque country and the remaining 51,800 live in the French part.

In academic discussions of the distribution of Basque in Spain and France, it is customary to refer to three ancient provinces in France and four Spanish prov-inces. Native speakers are concentrated in a contigu-ous area including parts of the Spanish Autonomous Communities of the Basque Autonomous Community (Spanish: País Vasco; Euskara: Euskadi) and Navarre and in the western half of the French Département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The Autonomous Community of País Vasco/Euskadi is an administrative entity with-in the binational ethnographic Basque Country incor-porating the traditional Spanish provinces of Biscay, Gipuzkoa, and Álava, which retain their existence as politico-administrative divisions.

These provinces and many areas of Navarre are heav-ily populated by ethnic Basques, but the Euskara lan-guage had, at least until the 1990s, all but disappeared from most of Álava, western parts of Biscay and cen-tral and southern areas of Navarre. In southwestern

H I S T O R YB

asque (Basque:

Euskara, pronounced

Basque (B

asque: E

uskara, pronounced B

asque (Basque:

Euskara, pronounced

France, the ancient Basque-populated provinces were Labourd, Lower Navarre, and Soule. They and other regions were consolidated into a single dépar-tement in 1790 under the name Basses-Pyrénées, a name which persisted until 1970.

A standardized form of the Basque language, called Euskara Batua, was developed by the Basque Lan-guage Academy in the late 1960s. Euskara Batua was created so that Basque language could be used—and easily understood by all Basque speakers. This standard Basque is taught and used as a teaching lan-guage (as an option, together with standard Spanish) at most educational levels in the Spanish part of the Basque Country, while the intensity, status and fund-ing by state bodies to Basque language instruction varies depending on the area.

In France, the Basque language school Seaska and the association for a bilingual (Basque and French) schooling Ikasbi meet a wide range of Basque lan-guage educational needs up to the Sixth Form. while often struggling to surmount financial and adminis-trative constraints.

Basque (Basque: Euskara, pronounced is the ances-tral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in north-eastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories (665,800 out of 2,589,600). Of these, 614,000 live in the Spanish part of the Basque country and the remaining 51,800 live in the French part.

In academic discussions of the distribution of Basque in Spain and France, it is customary to refer to three ancient provinces in France and four Spanish prov-inces. Native speakers are concentrated in a contigu-ous area including parts of the Spanish Autonomous Communities of the Basque Autonomous Community (Spanish: País Vasco; Euskara: Euskadi) and Navarre and in the western half of the French Département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The Autonomous Community of País Vasco/Euskadi is an administrative entity with-in the binational ethnographic Basque Country incor-porating the traditional Spanish provinces of Biscay, Gipuzkoa, and Álava, which retain their existence as politico-administrative divisions.

These provinces and many areas of Navarre are heav-ily populated by ethnic Basques, but the Euskara lan-guage had, at least until the 1990s, all but disappeared from most of Álava, western parts of Biscay and cen-tral and southern areas of Navarre. In southwestern

H I S T O R YR

ef 1: Fluent speakers 5-15%

Ref 2:

Fluent speakers 15-40%

Ref 7:

Fluent speakers 40-70%

France, the ancient Basque-populated provinces were Labourd, Lower Navarre, and Soule. They and other regions were consolidated into a single dépar-tement in 1790 under the name Basses-Pyrénées, a name which persisted until 1970.

A standardized form of the Basque language, called Euskara Batua, was developed by the Basque Lan-guage Academy in the late 1960s. Euskara Batua was created so that Basque language could be used—and easily understood by all Basque speakers. This standard Basque is taught and used as a teaching lan-guage (as an option, together with standard Spanish) at most educational levels in the Spanish part of the Basque Country, while the intensity, status and fund-ing by state bodies to Basque language instruction varies depending on the area.

In France, the Basque language school Seaska and the association for a bilingual (Basque and French) schooling Ikasbi meet a wide range of Basque lan-guage educational needs up to the Sixth Form. while often struggling to surmount financial and adminis-trative constraints.

The modern dialects of Basque according to 21st-century dialectology.

D I A L E C T

Western (Biscayan)

Central (Gipuzkoan)

Upper Navarrese

Lower Navarrese-Lapurdian

Souletin (Zuberoan)

Ref 1:

Ref 2:

Ref 3:

Ref 4:

Ref 5:

The modern dialects of Basque according to 21st-century dialectology.

D I A L E C T

Ref 1: Western (Biscayan)

Ref 2: Central (Gipuzkoan)

Ref 3: Upper Navarrese

Ref 4: Lower Navarrese-Lapurdian

Ref 5: Souletin (Zuberoan)

Ref 1: Western (Biscayan)

Ref 2: Central (Gipuzkoan)

Ref 3: Upper Navarrese

Ref 4: Lower Navarrese-Lapurdian

Ref 5: Souletin (Zuberoan)

The modern dialects of Basque according to 21st-century dialectology.

D I A L E C T

Ref 1: Western (Biscayan)

Ref 2: Central (Gipuzkoan)

Ref 3: Upper Navarrese

Ref 4: Lower Navarrese-Lapurdian

Ref 5: Souletin (Zuberoan)

Ref 1: Western (Biscayan)

Ref 2: Central (Gipuzkoan)

Ref 3: Upper Navarrese

Ref 4: Lower Navarrese-Lapurdian

Ref 5: Souletin (Zuberoan)