Basque Country (cultural region)

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Cultural homeland of the Basque people in the western Pyrenees, divided by the Franco-Spanish border, and covering an area of 20,742 sq km/8,009 sq mi. The Spanish Basque Country (País Vasco) is an autonomous community of central northern Spain; it has a much stronger separatist movement than the French Basque Country to the north. The French Basque Country (Pays Basque) is the area occupied by Basques in the département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques, made up of the small districts of Soule and Labourd (which joined France in 1451) and Lower Navarre (annexed in 1620 by Louis XIII). The total Basque population is approximately 3 million, with about 92% being Spanish citizens.

Orange symbolizes the Sahara Desert. The orange disc represents the sun. Green recalls the country's forests. White stands for the River Niger. Effective date: 23 November 1959. >>