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|+Euskal Autonomia Erkidegoa / '''Comunidad Autónoma del País Vasco''' |- | bgcolor="#ffffff" align=center colspan=2 | |- | bgcolor="#c6c6c6" align="center" colspan="2" | |- | Capital | Vitoria-Gasteiz |- | Official Languages | Basque and Spanish |- | Area – Total – % of Spain | Ranked 14th 7 234 Km&2 1,4% |- | Population – Total (2005) – % of Spain – Density | Ranked 7th 2 124 846 4,9% 293,73/km&2 |- | Demonym – English – Spanish – Basque | Basque ''vasco/a'' ''euskal herritar'', ''euskaldun'' |- | GDP | GDP/Cápita 30.680 US$ | |- | ISO 3166-2 | PV |- | Parliamentary representation – Congress Seats – Senate Seats | valign=bottom | 19 3 |- | valign=top | President (Lehendakari) | Juan José Ibarretxe Markuartu ( PNV ) |- | align=center colspan=2 | Eusko Jaurlaritza/Gobierno Vasco |} Basque Country ( Basque ''Euskadi'', Spanish ''País Vasco'') is an Autonomous Community with the status of Historical Region within Spain , the capitall of which is Vitoria (Basque ''Gasteiz''). It is part of the larger Basque native lands, which are also called the Basque Country (Basque "Euskal Herria"). The following Provinces make up Basque Country: Before the Spanish Constitution Of 1978 and its system of autonomous communities, these three provinces were known in Spanish as the ''Provincias Vascongadas'', an antiquated term still used by many. The political structure of the autonomous communities is defined in the Gernika Statute , which was approved in a controversial, and substantially boycotted, referendum on October 25 , 1979. In 2003, the governing Basque Nationalist Party proposed to alter this statute through the Ibarretxe Plan . The project, though approved by majority in the Basque chamber, was rejected without debate in the Spanish Cortes . Government The current Statute configures the autonomous community as a federation of the three constituent provinces, which had been ruled since their incorporation to Castile in 1200 by their own laws and institutions in what is known as the Foral System . This autonomy, similar to the one that enjoyed neighbour Navarre , was severely cut in the 19th century and largely suspended under the Fascist Regime but was restored in its severed form by the Spanish Constitution of 1978. The post-Franco Spanish Constitution Of 1978 acknowleges "historical rights" and attempts compromise in the old conflict between Centralism and Federalism by the establishment of Autonomous Communities (e.g. Castile-León , Catalonia , Valencia , etc). The provincial governments (''diputación foral'') were restored only in the Basque Country and Navarre , but many of their powers were transferred to the new government of the Basque Country autonomous community; however, the provinces still perform tax collection in their respective territories, coordinating with the Basque, Spanish and European governments. Under this system the ''Diputaciones Forales'' (Basque: ''Foru Aldundiak'') administer most of each of the provinces but are coordinated and centralized by the autonomous Basque Government (Basque: ''Eusko Jaurlaritza'', Spanish ''Gobierno Vasco''). The seats of the Basque Parliament and Government are in Vitoria-Gasteiz . But the Statute provides for their transference to Pamplona if Navarre ever decides to join the Basque Autonomous Community. The Parliament is formed by 25 representatives of each one of the three provinces, without considering their respective demographic weight. The Basque Parlament elects the Lehendakari (President) who forms government following regular parliamentary procedures. So far all ''Lehendakaris'' (even those in 1937 and in the exile) have been members of the Basque Nationalist Party (Eusko Alderdi Jeltzalea), moderate and Christian-Democrat , but they haven't always received confortable majorities and have needed to form coalitions often with either pro-Spanish or pro-Basque more left-leaning parties, often governing in a difficult minority position. The current government, lead by (Communist Party of the Basque Homelands). The autonomous community has its own police force (the Ertzaintza ), education and health systems, and A Basque Radio/TV Station . These and other attributions under the Gernika Statute have been slowly and painfully only transferred by Madrid, yet many others remain without been transferred after more than two decades of autonomy. Languages Basque and Spanish are co-official in all territories of the Community, though in many instances, especially those that depend on the central Spanish Government, like tribunals, it is difficult to carry on bureaucracy or judicial processes in any language other than Spanish. Territorial claims The Statute provides for mechanisms for neighbour Navarre, which also has a Basque ethnic background and is claimed as the core of the nation by Basque Nationalists , to join the three western provinces if it wishes to do so. In such a case, the seat of the common administration would be moved to Pamplona. The Basque Government used the " Laurak Bat ", which included the arms of Navarre, as its symbol for many years. Yet tribunals ruled in favor of Navarre and the Basque Government replaced it with an empty red field. But Navarre is just one of the territories that the Basque Country claims in democratic terms, two enclaves and Cantabria respectively, are also claimed. In these cases with clear support by the affected populations. Economy The Basque Country is the wealthiest community of Spain, with GDP per capita being 20.6% higher than that of the European Union average in 2004 {Link without Title} |