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Miramar, en Donostia – San Sebastián
Basque Country’s privileged geographic location in the south of Europe, in the green north of Spain, next to France and its small dimension, where everything is nearby, makes it a perfect tourist destination all year round.
Basque Country’s location
The Basque Country keeps its language alive: Basque is the oldest language in Europe and the main feature of its own and unique culture, characterised by love for its land and traditions.
The three Basque regional capitals are good examples of how this identity is expressed:
• Bilbao, more than the Guggenheim, it is a culturally rich and stimulating city that competes with leading European cities in terms of quality and modernity.
• Donostia-San Sebastian, more than a beautiful bay, it is a cosmopolitan city which enjoys the delightful pace of living alongside the sea.
• Vitoria-Gasteiz, more than its cathedral and its old town, it is a city with a rich heritage and modern, well-laid out and friendly urban planning.
The Basque Coast covers 250 km of beaches, rivers, marshlands, cliffs and fishing villages, which reflect abrupt yet generous nature and a living and intensely blue sea.
Our Basque Mountains and Valleys, Basque villages and nature, is the reflection of a thousand-year-old history and traditions which have been kept alive and an incomparable natural landscape in which all the shades of green stand out, and the life in the surroundings.
Rioja Alavesa is a unique region, blessed by the gods. Red and ochre colours bring this land, its wines and its villages to life. Traditional wineries and others designed by famous architects. 12,000 hectares of vineyards offer wines under the denomination recognised as one of the best in the world.
Ysios Vineyards in Laguardia (Rioja Alavesa)
Eating and drinking in any corner of the Basque Country is a luxury that is affordable for all. Basque gastronomy, a “signature cuisine” with many expert chefs, offers an extraordinary and inimitable way of cooking and eating. Authentic and local produce makes cooking an art-form in the Basque Country.
Knowing the Basque Country is knowing the Basque people. It is a way of life, a character and an understanding that combines history and modernity, audacity and nobleness, fun and hard work. Basque people, with a welcoming and open character, freely and wholeheartedly welcome visitors.
“Pelota Vasca”, one of the traditional Basque sports
Seeing and living, knowing and understanding, eating and drinking, resting and experimenting, green and blue, friendly and friend...in the Basque Country everything becomes one’s own, exclusive and unique.
1. Why the Basque Country?
The Basque Country is well known for its vast business capacity which has allowed it to excel as the source of attraction for business.
Well-communicated, with daily connections to the main international airports of the world (Frankfurt, London, Munich, Paris, Istanbul,…), a strategic and trans-border location that further reduces the distances of this small region, a mild climate which contributes to making your stay even more pleasant and, all of this, along with the most modern resources….The Basque Country presents itself as the ideal platform for organising meetings and events of all kinds…and for getting a taste of the many appealing features it has an offer.
Donostia – San Sebastian
When it is a question of winning on agility, closeness is important. In this sense, the Basque Country is ideal because there is no distance over its territory. In addition to the reduced surface area of its geography and the closeness of its urban nucleuses is a finely woven communications network which means access via any type of means is easier.
2. Basque Country in numbers
- Surface area: 7.234,8 km2
- Population (2013) 2.191.682 inhabitants
• Vitoria-Gasteiz (2013) : 241.386 inhabitants
• Bilbao (2013) : 349.356 inhabitants
• Donostia-San Sebastián (2013) : 186.500 inhabitants
- Population density (2013): 301,30 inhabitants /km2
- Birth rate (2012): 9,3 /1.000 inhabitants
- Mortality rate (2012): 9,2 /1.000 inhabitants
- Higher education level (from 30 to 34 years of age 2012) : 41,8%
(EU 27 : 35,68% / Spain: 40,1%)
- Education drop-out rate (from 18 to 24 years of age 2012) : 7,7%
(EU 27 : 12,8% / Spain: 24,9%)
- Crime rate : 41,40/1000 residents
(EU 27 : 55,68/ Spain : 48,86)
Bilbao, the transformation of a city
3. Economic Strength
- Per capita income (2012): 29.460 €
- Distribution of the GDP (2012):
• Farming/fishing : 0,9%
• Construction: 7,2%
• Services: 68,7%
• Industry: 23,3%
Foreign Network in more than 70 countries, organised into five operational areas Africa & Middle East / Latin America / Asia / Europe / North America
- 32,1% Exports on GDP
- Expenditure in R&D (% of the GDP 2012): 2,12%
(EU 27 : 2,06% / Spain: 1,30%)
- Employment rate of the population aged 16-64 (2012): 62,6%
(EU 27 : 64,02% / Spain: 55,4%)
- Pioneering Cluster Policy since 1991: 11 Priority clusters
- 4 Technology parks: 428 companies
- 128 entities in the Basque Science & Technology network
Vitoria – Gasteiz, European Green Capital 2012
4. Tourism & Events
- Events:
Increase of atendees in the last 10 years: 111,6%
2003: 183.311 atendees
2013: 387. 914 atendees
- Quality tourist destination
Evolution of entries and overnight stays
Increase of 44,1% in tourist entries from 2003 to 2013 reaching 2.480.211 entries
Increase of 45,9% in overnight stays from 2003 to 2013 reaching 4.771.609 overnight stays.
Satisfaction and repetition index
46,1% of tourist who visit the Basque Country intend to return (2012).
98% of the tourist that visit the Basque Country will recommend it to family and friends (2012).
INTERESTING LINKS
• Cluster Habic
• Basque Government Tourism
• Vitoria-Gasteiz Tourism
• Bilbao International
• Donostia-SanSebastián Tourism