Basque settlement in Argentina

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Basque settlement in Argentina took place in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when many immigrants arrived in Argentina from the Basque Country. Basque people had already played a large part in the conquest and development of Argentina as a Spanish colony and in its independence, not least Juan de Garay, the founder of Buenos Aires.

Between 1857 and 1940 more than 2 million Spanish people emigrated to Argentina, mostly from Galicia and the Basque Country, which is a region in the western Pyrenees mountains straddling parts of France and Spain. Both Spanish and French Basques (including Navarrans) arrived in Argentina as part of a wider Basque 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.

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, the Laurak Bat, and a cultural foundation, the Juan de Garay Institute, named after the city's Basque founder. Politicians from the Basque Country autonomous community of Spain, including the lehendakari, are regular visitors to the country, and the Basque government has diplomatic representation in Argentina, currently María Elisa Díaz de Mendibil.

Many places have been given Basque names, including the main international airport, Ezeiza. The seaside resort of Necochea is a major centre of Basque culture and also has a Basque name. Several of Argentina's Presidents have been of Basque descent, including Irigoyen, Aramburu and Urquiza, not to mention other figures, notably Eva Perón and Che Guevara. There are an estimated 15,000 Basque surnames in Argentina.