QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE BACKGROUND OF THE BASQUES

With BC-CNS-Basque Court

By Cronkite News Service

Here are some facts about the Basque people:

Most Basques live in regions of Spain and France surrounding the Pyrenees mountain range. Their origins aren’t certain, some historians theorize that they are descendents of ancient residents of the Iberian Peninsula.

Their language has a similarly mysterious origin. It isn’t related to any known language family.

Basques traditionally follow a pastoral lifestyle, which is the reason that many who came to the American West worked herding sheep.

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Source: Center for Basque Studies, University of Nevada, Reno