The Basque Country presents wide ranging service coverage with significant geographic accessibility for most of its inhabitants. However, a simple geographic study on its location shows us that this accessibility varies according to the territory. Territorial patterns applied in some cases have drastic consequences. (Note*)
Good accessibility for most
Distance by road to the closest school offering Basque (km)
Public or basic services are an inherent right for all people. The distance or proximity of these services is fundamental to find out its coverage level. The high demographic concentration in a few developed nuclei, along with an important institutional and social initiative means that our municipalities and neighbourhoods have multiple services (health, education, culture, business). The average distance to a health centre is 2.7 km, to a primary school 2.7 km and to a shop 1.3 km.
However, these indices are not as positive if we look at services related to our identity. The average distance to an infant or primary school in the Basque language is 7.4 km and to a Basque academy is 9.7km.
Education, health and shops
Distance by road to closest retail stablishment (km)
240 municipalities do not have an infant or primary school, having to travel 10 km on average to get to one, often even further (Ollaran 28 km, Petilla 28 km, Gazteluberri 27 km, Nabaskoze 21 km, Goñerri 20 km, Bidankoze 20 km…). However, when talking about education in the Basque language, these figures get considerably worse.
Health services, even considering some doctor's surgeries, give a similar picture, as there are 71 municipalities with a basic health service within 10 km and when referring to specialist health centres, the situation is even worse. The districts with the greatest distance problems are in the North Basque Country: Basabürüa (18.5 km), Ostibarre (15.2 km), Arbela (13.2 km)…
Regarding shops, there are 174 municipalities with no shops and the average distance to the nearest shop is 5 km (the average in the Basque Country is 1.3 km). Although the situation is changing and other types of services (mobile shops) can provide this service, the data gives us an approximate idea of the distance between developed areas and the furthest municipalities in terms of buying basic products. A special mention should go to municipalities in Navarre (Petilla 28km, Gazteluberri 21km, Urraulgoiti 16km…) and some districts (municipalities in Lumbier with an average distance of 5.9 km, Arbaila with 4.5 km, Amikuze with 4.4 km…).
Fading identityIf we analyse accessibility to the strategic infrastructures to maintain and strengthen Basque speaking identity, the image is even more significant. There are 415 municipalities that do not have a school in the actual municipality; for 210 of them, their closest centre is over 10 km away. Until the Aloze Ikastola opened, thanks to a social initiative in 2011-2012, the municipalities in this area (Basabürüa) were, on average, 40 km away from an ikastola. 47km from Santagrazi, 43 km from Larrañe... The situation is similar in other districts of Zuberoa and Navarre.
In terms of accessing a Basque language academy, we come across the same situation. Despite there being 686 centres to learn Basque, 578 municipalities do not have this service in their actual municipality and have to travel an average of 11 km to reach their closest Basque academy. There is a group of 84 municipalities that are over 20km from their closest Basque academy (Lanestosa 43.7 km, Gazteluberri 42 km, Valdegobia/Gaubea 41 km, etc.)
A new pattern is requiredAccessibility to basic services marks out a territorial pattern that decides, in practice, which rights can be exercised and which cannot. Health, particularly referring to old people, or education for new generations (therefore affecting generational relief in the municipality) is seriously affected in many areas. This observation has to be understood alongside other aspects, partly due to the difficulty in these areas to maintain and recover their identity and on the other hand, the territorial approach that they adopt.
Note: This text is purely informative, aiming to make it easier to read the data being presented. The text has been written by the Gaindegia technical team and does not reflect Udalbiltza's opinion.
