Eusko-argentinarrak (Basque) | |
|---|---|
  | |
 Basque Festival inBuenos Aires | |
| Total population | |
| c. 3,000,000[1] – 3,500,000[2] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Throughout Argentina | |
| Languages | |
| Predominantly inSpanish Minority speakBasque and/orFrench | |
| Religion | |
| PredominantlyRoman Catholicism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Basques Basque Uruguayans · Basque Americans |
Basque Argentines areArgentine citizens ofBasque descent or people from Basque residing inArgentina. Basque Argentines are one of the largest Basque diaspora groups in the world outside theBasque Country (Euskadi,Navarre and theFrench side).
Basque settlement in Argentina took place in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when many immigrants arrived in Argentina from theBasque Country.Basque people had already played a large part in the conquest and development of Argentina as a Spanish colony and in its independence, includingJuan de Garay, the founder of the capitalBuenos Aires.
Between 1857 and 1940 more than 2 million Spanish people emigrated to Argentina, mostly fromGalicia and the Basque Country, which is a region in the westernPyrenees mountains straddling parts of France and Spain. Both Spanish and French Basques (includingNavarrans) arrived in Argentina as part of a widerBasque diaspora.
Today, around 10% of the Argentine population are of Basque descent. The destination of the majority of Basque emigrants was Argentina, with Basque culture contributing much to Argentine culture.[3]
There are Basque cultural centres (Euskal Etxeak) in most large cities, as well as pelota courts and Basque language schools. Buenos Aires has a major Basque centre, theLaurak Bat, and a cultural foundation, the Juan de Garay Institute, named after the city's Basque founder. Politicians from theBasque Countryautonomous community of Spain, including thelehendakari, are regular visitors to the country, and the Basque government has diplomatic representation in Argentina, currentlyMaría Elisa Díaz de Mendibil.
Many places have been given Basque names, including thecity of Ezeiza and its surroundingpartido, best known as the location of Argentina's main international airport,Ministro Pistarini. The seaside resort ofNecochea is a major centre of Basque culture and also has a Basque name. SeveralPresidents of Argentina have been of Basque descent, includingJusto José de Urquiza,José Evaristo Uriburu,Hipólito Yrigoyen,José Félix Uriburu andPedro Eugenio Aramburu, not to mention other figures, notably Eva Perón,Che Guevara,Maxima Zorreguieta and well-knownfootball players asJulio Olarticoechea,Sergio Goycochea orGonzalo Higuaín. There are an estimated 15,000 Basque surnames in Argentina.[3]
