Y
F T ra n sf o
A B B Y Y.c
bu
to
re
he
C
lic
k
he
k
lic
C
w.
om
w
w
w
w
rm
y
ABB
PD
re
to
Y
2.0
2.0
bu
y
rm
er
Y
F T ra n sf o
ABB
PD
er
Y
Basque Country
Euskadi
1
w.
A B B Y Y.c
om
Y
F T ra n sf o
A B B Y Y.c
bu
to
re
he
C
lic
k
he
k
lic
C
w.
om
w
w
w
w
rm
y
ABB
PD
re
to
Y
2.0
2.0
bu
y
rm
er
Y
F T ra n sf o
ABB
PD
er
Y
THE COUNTRY
Basque Country is made up of three provinces:
o Araba: whose capital is Vitoria-Gasteiz-----214.234 inhabitants.
o Gipuzkoa: whose capital is San Sebastian- Donosti-----176.008
inhabitants.
o Bizkaia: whose capital is Bilbao-----358.875 inhabitants.
It is a small and densely populated territory, very active, with commercial
and fishing activities.
The landscapes of the Basque Country offer spectacular green hue.
Cantabric rugged coastline and Atlantic climate with its typical
“xirimiri”(very thin rain) and moderate temperatures.
It also conserves natural paradise. Its unique history to shape the specific
character of the Basque Country, including its conversion into an economic
engine of the peninsula following the industrial development of the XIX century.
The Basque country has a very peculiar folklore, which is manifested in
their festivities. Basque cuisine is among the best in the peninsula, known for its
richness and variety.
PEOPLE IN THE BASQUE COUNTRY:
The greatest pleasure for the Basque is the good food and good drink.
The Basques are very sociable, very open-minded, love to meet people from all
over and talk a lot. Some people speak in a very loud voice and that gives to all
the Basques the reputation of "speaking very strong". Basque people make
sense of their own traditions and cultures.
Treatment of the Basques to tourists is of special kindness. The quality of
accommodation is high and Basque cuisine is exquisite.
2
w.
A B B Y Y.c
om
Y
F T ra n sf o
A B B Y Y.c
bu
to
re
he
C
lic
k
he
k
lic
C
w.
om
w
w
w
w
rm
y
ABB
PD
re
to
Y
2.0
2.0
bu
y
rm
er
Y
F T ra n sf o
ABB
PD
er
Y
Young people in the Basque country
q
RELIGION
Although the Basque people has been very Catholic, gradually this
tradition is losing. Most people who go to the church is usually old, and most
young people have become non-practicing Catholics.
In addition to emigration there are new churches and religions in the
Basque Country.
q
TRANSPORTS
The Basque Country have an extensive network of communications and
transport by road, rail and air, allowing a fast and easy transport. Their
international airports and their connections by rail, road and sea, communicate
this community with the outside world.
We have two important airports: Vitoria (transportation of goods) and
Loiu airport (Bilbao), for passengers.
In addition to this, a high-speed rail link is being built in this moment. That
will allow the Basque capital to be communicated among them in half an hour,
and will facilitate the communication by rail with the rest of Spain and Europe.
Moreover, transport in the capitals of the Basque country is of great
importance and the Government is working hard on it trying to stop using cars in
cities. Thus, in Vitoria-Gasteiz there are buses and tram, in Bilbao there are
buses, trams and the subway, and in San Sebastian there are buses. Besides
that, there are buses and trains linking the entire Basque Country.
q
ACCOMMODATION
The Basque Country has a great offer in terms of accommodation:
hotels, motels, apartments, hostels and houses (which, together with the farm
holidays, one of the most attractive offers of the Basque Country).
Campsites and shelters used mostly by young people and finally, the
Basque farmhouse (typical Basque house)
3
w.
A B B Y Y.c
om
Y
F T ra n sf o
A B B Y Y.c
bu
to
re
he
C
lic
k
he
k
lic
C
w.
om
w
w
w
w
rm
y
ABB
PD
re
to
Y
2.0
2.0
bu
y
rm
er
Y
F T ra n sf o
ABB
PD
er
Y
q
SHOPPING
Bilbao is the main shopping of Bizkaia and in particular the Indautxu
neighborhood. Donostia is famous for its jewelery and its leather goods. VitoriaGasteiz have the medieval town and centre areas, which are places of
concentration commercial hosting a large number of gift shops, handicrafts,
antiques, fashion, young, etc..
Furthermore gradually shopping malls are spreading over the country,
and little by little, more and more people go for shopping to them.
q
TOURISM
Most tourists visit our country during the summer.
Tourism in Gipuzkoa
focuses on spring and
summer, by the attractive of
“La Concha Beach” in San
Sebastian, the famous San
Sebastian Film Festival and
the old part of the city.
La Concha Beach in San Sebastian
Tourism in Alava is related to
the business world, but lately the
wineries arte trying to attract tourism.
Marques del Riscal Winery
Traditionally, Bizkaia had
business tourism due to the
industry, but gradually it has
become a province of services, and
with support from the Guggenheim
Museum and all that has been
invested, Bilbao has become an
attractive place for tourism.
The Guggenhein Museum in Bilbao
4
w.
A B B Y Y.c
om
Y
F T ra n sf o
A B B Y Y.c
bu
to
re
he
C
lic
k
he
k
lic
C
w.
om
w
w
w
w
rm
y
ABB
PD
re
to
Y
2.0
2.0
bu
y
rm
er
Y
F T ra n sf o
ABB
PD
er
Y
The enormous natural wealth of the Basque country is reflected in the
many protected areas. The estuary of Mundaka is the hub-and-truly exceptional
enclave of "Biosphere Reserve" Urdaibai. And the natural park of Urkiola is very
representative of the Basque Country, it is a natural environmental protection
that takes care of the natural landscape.
Do not forget that the Basque Country is known as a place that is distinct
for its gastronomy with its exquisite cuisine.
q
SPORTS
The most important Basque sport is “Pelota vasca” (see picture bellow,
the man in red shirt). Also the main sport, as elsewhere in Europe, is football.
There are also very popular and traditional rural sports (Herri Kirolak) and
there are great athletes in other sports at international level, especially in rock
climbing, athletics, sailing and rugby, as well as in surfing. There are beaches
with large waves, and a test of the "Billabong Pro” Surfing World Championship,
is usually held in Mundaka which meets for two weeks the best surfers in the
world.
Mundaka Surf Championship
q
FAMILIES
The Basque people are home-lovers and they like being at home. They
love to share hobbies and vacations together and are traditional families.
By traditional we mean to say that the Basques traditionally married, had
children and formed a family, including his parents and so were large families
including: grandparents, grandmothers, mothers, fathers, uncles, aunts, sisters,
brothers, nephews, nieces and cousins. However gradually the families are
becoming smaller and the concept of traditional family is modernized. Today
most young married couples only have one or two children.
5
w.
A B B Y Y.c
om
Y
F T ra n sf o
A B B Y Y.c
bu
to
re
he
C
lic
k
he
k
lic
C
w.
om
w
w
w
w
rm
y
ABB
PD
re
to
Y
2.0
2.0
bu
y
rm
er
Y
F T ra n sf o
ABB
PD
er
Y
THE LANGUAGE
There are two official languages: Basque (only in the Basque Country)
and Spanish (across Spain).
The majority of the population speaks Spanish because of the political
and cultural influences from the rest of Spain. And Basque is more used in rural
areas (villages) and in mountainous areas. Basque is the only non-Roman
language in the peninsula and probably the oldest of the European continent,
but nobody knows its origins.
However, although Spanish is mostly practiced, Basque is included in:
greetings, songs, events, expressions, etc.
And today the Basque country is doing a great effort to achieve that this
two languages can be used in the institutions, in public hospitals and in schools.
Yet there remains a long way to get the two languages are at the same level,
and the Government is trying to get this by the schooling of young people, and
the aim for these young people is being able to use both languages.
CURIOSITIES
q
Basque people have the tradition of going out with friends or family to
bars where they take a wine or a small beer with a small snack. It’s like
going on a tour taberns or pubs.
q
They gather in societies.
q
The most of celebrations focus on lunches, dinners, etc.
ECONOMY
The Basque Country is a relatively small autonomous community but with
a wide range of employment that can integrate or make up or incorporate more
than 7.000 industrial companies and of advanced services, as well as exporting
companies. On the other hand it possesses a high index of agriculture.
It is a producing country of many products, as Txakolí, Potatoes,
Gernika's Pepper, which have managed to be on of exportation.
It is the main autonomous community of Spain as for production and
metal transformation, with 33 % of the factories its territory and the first one at
industries wastebaskets (with 26 % of the plants).
We have a few perspectives with a view for the future: as the industrial
diversification, the modification of the productive equipment of our industry, the
rationalization of the energetic consumption, the diversification of the demand
and of the offer of energy.
The pollution of the environment is nowadays one of the problems most
worrying of the planet. It’s such a big problem that it is affecting the whole
atmosphere.
6
w.
A B B Y Y.c
om
Y
F T ra n sf o
A B B Y Y.c
bu
to
re
he
C
lic
k
he
k
lic
C
w.
om
w
w
w
w
rm
y
ABB
PD
re
to
Y
2.0
2.0
bu
y
rm
er
Y
F T ra n sf o
ABB
PD
er
Y
After the cultural activities, the shopping is the second activity in
importance for the foreign tourist, followed by the sports practice, the attending
to sports spectacles, the lottery and another type of activities that come to
complete the offer of leisure and entertainment.
One of the distinctive features of the tourism that comes to the Basque
country is the weight that year after year has the increasing form of the
business tourism.
CULTURE OF BUSINESS
Basque businessman/businesswoman is very direct and punctual. It must
be clear and precise in his/her expositions.
He/she likes to see the negotiation inside a context of friendship.
Through the first names are used in day after day in the business, it’s
habitual to use a more formal direction (Mr. , Mrs., gentleman …) in formal
occasions or when we go to a person of a hierarchic top level. The advisable
thing is to ask how he/she would prefer being addressed.
Employment of business cards is important and meetings are often
interrupted. People usually speak at the same time.
TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
1. - When speaking
·
·
·
·
Be short, simple and direct phrases.
The tone of voice must be duty high and clear.
Do not use the irony.
It’s necessary to speak slowly and naturalness.
2.-To reinforce the message
·
·
·
It’s advisable to look at the eyes at the moment of speaking.
Use of the strongest intonation in key words helps to gain the interest
and attention of the public.
Repeat the principal ideas in a different way to transmit the principal
ideas.
3.-Effective presentations
·
·
·
Acquire safety to speak in public.
Adapt the message to the public, that is to say, to prepare the meeting,
assembly, round table …
Emphasize the principal points and to understand the principal idea.
7
w.
A B B Y Y.c
om
Y
F T ra n sf o
A B B Y Y.c
bu
to
re
he
C
lic
k
he
k
lic
C
w.
om
w
w
w
w
rm
y
ABB
PD
re
to
Y
2.0
2.0
bu
y
rm
er
Y
F T ra n sf o
ABB
PD
er
Y
·
·
·
·
Order ideas and select resources to report, to convince, to defend ideas,
to improvise.
Use of graphs, schemes and leaflets will help us to improve and make
the meeting be comfortable.
Improve the interventions in assemblies, chats and public acts and
especially to the mass media, specially radio and TV.
Acquire skills to take part in discussions
BASIC BASQUE AND SPANISH WORDS
It is always convenient to know the words that are daily used at the
moment of visiting a country.
Here there are the common ones:
Ingles
Hello
Good Morning
Good Evening
Goodbye
Yes/No
Please
Thank You
Wine
Grape
Castellano
Hola
Buenos Dias
Buenas Noches
Adios
Si/No
Por Favor
Gracias
Vino
Uva
Euskera
Kaixo
Egun on
Gabon
Agur
Bai/Ez
Mesedez
Eskerrik asko
Ardoa
Mahatsa
8
w.
A B B Y Y.c
om