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Ethnologue: Languages of the World
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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Europe > Spain > Basque

Basque

A language of Spain

ISO 639-3: eus
This ISO 639-3 code has undergone change through the merging of one or more retired code elements. For more information, see the code change history documentation.

Population  580,000 in Spain (1991 L. Trask). 2,000,000 residents of 3 provinces of Basque territory; 25% born outside territory, 40% in territory born to Basque parents. 4,400,000 in Spain have Basque surname; 19% live in Basque country. Population total all countries: 658,960.
Region  France-Spain border, 3 Basque provinces: Alava (Araba), Bizkaia (Biskay), and Gipuzkoa of Autonomous Basque Community (CAV); north central Spain, Autonomous Region of Navarra (Nafarroa), north area. Also in Australia, Costa Rica, France, Mexico, Philippines, United States.
Language map  Portugal and Spain
Alternate names   Euskara, Euskera, Vascuense
Dialects  Gipuzkera (Guipuzcoan, Guipuzcoano, Gipuzkoan), Alto Navarro Septentrional (High Navarrese, Upper Navarran), Alto Navarro Meridional, Biscayan (Vizcaino), Roncalese, Alavan. Some inherent intelligibility among regional varieties except Souletin. Regional varieties sometimes preferred for oral use, but strong desire for Batua unified standard.
Classification  Basque
Language use  Official regional language. All ages. Also use Spanish.
Language development  Newspapers. Radio programs. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1855–1998.
Writing system  Latin script.
Comments  ‘Euzkadi’ name of Basque region, not language. Alavan no longer spoken. SOV; prepositions; genitives, articles, adjectives, numerals, relatives after noun heads; question word initial; verb affix gender agreement obligatory; prefix marks causative; comparative shown lexically. Christian.

Also spoken in:

France

Language name   Basque
Population  76,200 in France (1991). 45,000 Labourdin, 22,500 Lower Navarro, 8,700 Souletin. Ethnic population: 730,000 (Johnstone 1993).
Region  Pyrénées Atlantiques Province (French-Spanish border), Labourd (Lapurdi) and Basse-Navarre departments, Bayonne and Soule areas.
Language map  Andorra and France
Dialects  Navarro-Labourdin (Labourdin, Lapurdiera, Eastern Low Navarrese, Benaffarera, Bajo Navarro Oriental, Western Low Navarrese, Bajo Navarro Occidental), Souletin (Souletino, Suletino, Xiberoera, Zuberoera, Suberoan).
Language use  Recognized as a regional language in France. A few schools use Basque as an instructional language, others offer it as a subject. All domains. All ages. Also use French.
Comments  Christian.