Baztan, Navarre

Historia

Baztan is a municipality from the Chartered Community of Navarre, northern Spain. It is located 58km from Pamplona, the capital of Navarre. It is the largest municipality in Navarre, with around 376.8 km2 and just over 8,000 inhabitants.SettlementsThe capital of the valley is Elizondo, and includes other 14 villages, as follows: Amaiur-MayaAnizArraiozAlmandozArizkunAzpilikuetaBerroetaElbeteaGarzainIruritaLekarozErratzuOronoz-MugairiZigaGeographyThe territory of the Baztan valley extends over an area of 377 square km of which much is common land jointly owned by the residents of the Baztan valley and primarily used as grazing ground for flocks of sheep and herds of semi-wild horses. The Baztan Valley borders with the French Basque regions of Lapurdi and Lower Navarre which is accessed by the Izpegi Pass to the east of the valley and Dantxarinea to the north. This vicinity to France and its ties with its Basque neighbours has greatly characterised the history of the Baztan people over the past centuries. In 2013 there were 7974 people living in the Baztan Valley with 3489 people living in the capital of Elizondo. The remaining population are spread out between the other 14 mountain villages (see above).