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in brief
Basque Country
Basque Country/Euskal Herria
General information
Population: 2.900.000 inhabitants (est)
Area: 20.500 km² (est)
Institutions: Navarra, Euskadi and Iparralde
State administration: Spain and France
Major cities: Iruñea, Bilbo, Donosti, Gazteiz, Baiona
Territorial language: Basque
Official language: Basque, Spanish and French
Major religion: Christianity (Catholicism)
The Basque Country
The area of the Basque Country under French administration is known as Iparralde. Some of the euskaldun (Basque nationalist) parties have a good chance of seeing their candidates elected as town councillors.
One of the main Basque parties in Iparralde is Abertzaleen Batasuna (Patriot’s Unity), which represents the secessionist left and is banned in Spain. It holds a number of town councils and has one regional councillor, Jean-Michel Galant, from Saint-Etienne-de-Baïgorry.
Euzko Alderdi Jeltzalea – Parti National Basque (Basque Nationalist Party), which heads the Government of Euskadi, also holds several town councils in Iparralde but does not have any regional councillors.
Another party based in Hegoalde, or the Southern Basque Country, that is taking part in the local elections in France is Eusko Alkartasuna (Basque Solidarity), although it tends to attract a smaller share of the vote.