Railroads cross the mountains at the ends of the range.
Known to the Spanish as vascos and to the French as basques, the Basques call themselves Euskaldunak and their homeland Euskadi. T he origins of the Basques are still a mystery. Their language is unrelated to any Indo-European language. They are staunchly Roman Catholic and noted for their distinctive folklore, folk theater, games, music, and a light-footed, acrobatic form of dancing. T raditionally a fiercely independent peasant and fishing people, they were known as early as the Middle Ages as skilled boat makers and courageous whale hunters and cod fishermen who often ranged far into the Atlantic.