▁of ▁the ▁bas que ▁conflict . ▁ ▁Ama i ur ▁Senator ▁Ur ko ▁A i art za ▁and ▁Dr ▁Jul en ▁Z ab alo ▁have ▁written ▁that ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁The ▁Bas que ▁Country ▁() ▁is ▁the ▁name ▁given ▁to ▁the ▁ge ographical ▁area ▁located ▁on ▁the ▁sh ores ▁of ▁the ▁Bay ▁of ▁B isc ay ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁two ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁western ▁Py ren ees ▁that ▁sp ans ▁the ▁border ▁between ▁France ▁and ▁Spain . ▁Now ad ays , ▁this ▁area ▁roughly ▁belongs ▁to ▁three ▁different ▁political ▁structures : ▁the ▁Bas que ▁autonom ous ▁community , ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁E usk adi , ▁and ▁Navar re ▁in ▁Spain , ▁and ▁the ▁three ▁Northern ▁Bas que ▁historical ▁provinces ▁( Lab ourd , ▁Lower ▁Navar re ▁and ▁Sou le ), ▁administr atively ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁department ▁of ▁P yr én ées - At l anti ques . ▁Appro xim ately ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁people ▁live ▁in ▁the ▁Bas que ▁Country . ▁ ▁Bas que ▁people ▁have ▁managed ▁to ▁preserve ▁their ▁own ▁ident ifying ▁characteristics ▁such ▁as ▁their ▁own ▁culture ▁and ▁language ▁throughout ▁the ▁centuries ▁and ▁today ▁a ▁large ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁shares ▁a ▁collect ive ▁conscious ness ▁and ▁a ▁desire ▁to ▁be ▁self - g overn ed , ▁either ▁with ▁further ▁political ▁aut onomy ▁or ▁full ▁independence . ▁For ▁instance , ▁the ▁football ▁club ▁Athlet ic ▁Bil ba o , ▁maintain s ▁a ▁signing ▁policy ▁of ▁only ▁rec ruit ing ▁Bas que ▁born ▁or