v. Spanish País Vasco Autonomous community (pop., 2001: 2,082,587) and historical region, northern Spain. Bounded by the Bay of Biscay, it consists of the modern provinces of Vizcaya (Biscay), Álava, and Guipúzcoa and has an area of 2,793 sq mi (7,234 sq km); its capital is Vitoria-Gasteiz. Inhabited by Basques, the area retained virtual autonomy until the 19th century, when it suffered repression under Alfonso XII. A separatist movement succeeded in regaining Basque autonomy in 1936 under the short-lived Republican government, but autonomy was withdrawn by Francisco Franco in 1939. Though limited autonomy was granted in 1980, a campaign of terrorism against the Spanish government continued. Álava is an agricultural region, while metallurgical industry is concentrated around Bilbao. French Pays Basque Cultural region, extreme southwestern France. It extends from the Anie Peak of the Pyrenees to the coast around Biarritz on the Bay of Biscay. The region has been largely spared the problems associated with Basque separatism in Spain's Basque Country. Fishing and tourism are economic mainstays
Language spoken by an estimated 1,000,000 Basque people living in the Basque Country of north-central Spain and southwestern France. About 200,000 Basques live in other parts of the world. The only remnant of the languages spoken in western Europe before incursions by Indo-European-speaking peoples, Basque has no known linguistic relatives; linguists call it a language isolate. Its grammar is markedly distinct from that of all other western European languages. Basque is sparsely attested before the 16th century, when the first book in the language was printed (1545), though it has maintained a continuous literary tradition since then
A woman's close-fitting bodice. a piece of underwear for a woman that covers her body from under her arms to the top of her legs (baste, from basta ; influenced by Basque ). Spanish Vasco Member of a people of unknown origin living in Spain and France along the Bay of Biscay and in the western Pyrenees mountains in the region of the Basque Country. About 850,000 true Basques live in Spain and another 130,000 in France. Physically the Basques are similar to other Western European peoples; the Basque language, however, is not Indo-European. The Basques have sought autonomy from Spain since the 19th century. A national government was proclaimed in the Spanish Civil War, which saw the brutal bombing of Guernica (1937). After the war, the government and many Basques went into exile as Francisco Franco abolished their special privileges. The Basque separatist movement was rekindled after Franco's death and the establishment of a liberal Spanish monarchy in 1975. Despite the granting of limited autonomy in 1978, the more militant separatists, including the terrorist ETA (Basque Homeland and Liberty), continued a campaign for complete independence. Basque Country Pays Basque Basque language Balboa Vasco Núñez de País Vasco Gama Vasco da 1st count da Vidigueira
the language of the Basque people; of no known relation to any other language a member of a people of unknown origin living in the western Pyrenees in France and Spain
When used in reference to a MetaPhysical Orientation as to Tradition, Culture or Preferred Flavour, which is primarily defined, usually selfdefined by it's members and/or adherents which holds teachings originating in and/or interpolations thereon as a primary or critical parameter of their Spiritual Paradigm
a terrorist organization organized in 1959 by student activists who were dissatisfied with the moderate nationalis of the traditional Basque party; want to create on independent homeland in Spain's western Pyrenees; "in 1968 ETA launched a campaign of political assassinations of government officials