Basque Country
One of Spain’s richest regions, with its own language, police and parliament. Unlike almost every other region of Spain, it collects its own taxes and pays Madrid for the services Madrid still provides.
Written from cited sourcesLast checked 28 September 2026Suggest a correction
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Three historic provinces
The Basque Country lies at the western end of the Pyrenees, on the Bay of Biscay. It is made up of three provinces: Álava (Araba), Bizkaia (Biscay) and Gipuzkoa. Navarre lies to the east, and the Basque areas of France are across the Pyrenees.[1] The coast is industrial, with Bilbao one of Spain’s leading financial centres, while Álava in the south is more agricultural.[1]
The three provinces are called Historical Territories. For centuries they kept their own laws and privileges, the fueros. The Spanish parliament largely abolished those in 1876, after the provinces backed the Carlist side in a civil war.[2] Basque nationalism grew in the late 19th century, and the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) was founded in 1894.[2][3]
Autonomy won, lost and won back
A first statute of autonomy came on 5 October 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, and the PNV formed a Basque government allied with the Republic. After Franco’s victory the statute was abolished in 1939, and many PNV leaders went into exile.[1]
After Franco’s death, the Statute of Gernika was approved by referendum on 25 October 1979, with 94.6% in favour on a turnout of 58.86%. It came into force on 22 December 1979.[2] The PNV led the Basque government for almost 30 years, until 2009, and returned to power in 2012.[1]
ETA
In 1959 young members of the PNV who wanted armed struggle broke away and founded ETA (“Basque Homeland and Liberty”).[3] From 1968 it carried out assassinations, and its bombings and assassinations increased after democracy returned, mostly targeting military officers, judges and officials.[3] The fight against it had its own abuses: in 1983 Spanish security forces kidnapped and murdered two ETA members, part of what many called a “dirty war”, and two officials were convicted for it in 2000.[3]
ETA declared a permanent end to its armed activity in October 2011 and announced in May 2018 that it had disbanded. Over half a century it killed more than 800 people.[3]
A region that collects its own taxes
Since 1878 the Basque provinces have had an Economic Agreement with the Spanish state. Each province sets and collects most of its own taxes, and the Basque Country pays Madrid a yearly “quota” for the things Spain still runs, such as the army and foreign affairs.[4] The quota follows the Basque Country’s share of Spain’s wealth, 6.24%, and is owed whatever the region’s own finances.[4] Franco suspended the agreement in Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia; it was restored there in 1981.[4]
The Basque government also runs its own police force and controls matters such as culture, social welfare, transport and tourism.[2] Basque and Spanish are both official. Spanish is the first language of more than 70% of people and Basque of about 18%. Basque is strongest in Gipuzkoa.[2] Most people say they feel equally Basque and Spanish.[2]
Timeline
1876
Fueros abolished
Spain largely ends the Basque provinces’ old laws.[2]
1878
Economic Agreement
The provinces start collecting their own taxes for the state.[4][2]
1894
PNV founded
The Basque Nationalist Party is founded.[3]
19365 October 1936
First statute
The Basque Country gets autonomy during the civil war.[1]
1939
Franco
The statute is abolished.[1]
1959
ETA founded
Young PNV members break away to form ETA.[3]
197925 October 1979
Statute of Gernika
94.6% vote for the new statute.[2]
2011
ETA stops
ETA declares a definitive end to its armed activity.[3]
2018
ETA disbands
ETA announces its dissolution.[3]
More autonomous regions
Sources
- [1]Basque Country · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- [2]Basque Country · World Autonomies (Eurac Research)
- [3]ETA · Encyclopaedia Britannica
- [4]The Economic Agreement in a few words · Ad Concordiam (Concierto Económico)
- [5]Autonomous Community of the Basque Country (relation 349042) · OpenStreetMap contributors
Outline for the map, cut to the 1:50m Spain and simplified.
Map geometry from Natural Earth via world-atlas. See credits.