Basque is generally classified as a language isolate in Europe and is spoken in the Basque Country of northern Spain and southwestern France.
A language isolate has no demonstrated genealogical relationship with any living language family. Basque has often been compared with nearby or ancient languages, but proposed connections have not been established through accepted historical-linguistic evidence.
Basque is known by its speakers as Euskara. It has several major dialects, and the standardized form called Batua was developed during the 20th century for education, administration, and publishing. Basque grammar differs substantially from that of neighboring Romance languages.
The language survived despite long periods of pressure from Spanish and French. It is co-official with Spanish in the Basque Autonomous Community and parts of Navarre, while its status in France is different. Basque cultural institutions and schools continue to support its use and transmission.