Basque

Basque refers to the Basque people and their language, spoken in the Basque Country, a region that straddles parts of northern Spain and southwestern France. The Basque people form one of the oldest ethnic groups in Europe, with a distinct cultural and linguistic tradition that survives amid influence from surrounding Iberian and French communities. The Basque Country includes several autonomous territories in Spain and areas in France, and Basque identity is expressed through language, festivals, cuisine, sports, and regional institutions.

The Basque language, Euskara, is a language isolate with no verified proven relation to neighboring Indo-European languages. Its origins remain unsettled, and it has undergone significant changes through contact with Romance languages, especially Spanish and French. During much of the 20th century it faced suppression in certain areas, but revival efforts from the 1960s onward fostered standardization and bilingual education. Standard Basque, Euskara Batua, was developed to unify dialects for schooling and media. In Spain, Basque enjoys co-official status in the Basque Autonomous Community and in parts of Navarre; in France, Basque has no official status, and usage varies by locality.

Demographically, Basque speakers are concentrated in the Basque Country and Navarre, with smaller communities in France and a diaspora worldwide. Estimates vary, but hundreds of thousands speak Basque across the region and beyond, with ongoing efforts to promote bilingual education, media, and public life.

Culturally, Basque society is noted for its sport traditions (such as pelota), distinctive music and dances, agricultural and seaside livelihoods, and a cuisine featuring seafood and pintxos. Basque literature, cinema, and regional festivals contribute to a robust regional identity within a broader European context.