Why did the Basque people feel separate from Portugal and Spain?

Answer 1

Geography, history, language, law, politico-economics and society are reasons why the Basque people feel separate from Portugal and Spain.

Specifically, the Basque people claim a small part of the Iberian peninsula, of which Spain claims the lion's claim and Portugal part of the Atlantic coastline. Coastlines, hills and mountains constitute natural separations between the four Basque-speaking provinces of northern Iberia and the rest of the peninsula. A history of interacting with Spaniards on land and sea and of the Portuguese by sea is interspersed with extended, preferred periods of interacting predominantly with fellow Basques.

Geographical isolation and historical integrity are reinforced by language, law, politico-economics and society. The Basque people do not share Portugal's and Spain's membership in the Latin-descended Romance family of languages. They speak a language which thus far is not shown to be related to any other of the world's language.

The Basque language displays indications of a unique world-view in structure and vocabulary even though it is not hostile to loan words, especially from English, French, Latin and Spanish. That world-view also finds expression in Basque law, politico-economics and society. For example, Basque culture is not enamored of rigidly organizing regions into centralized socio-politico-economic entities or of uniquely regarding the eldest son as the heir apparent: it is not uncommon for a daughter or younger son to aspire to the responsibilities, status and wealth which may so easily and so often go unquestionably to the eldest son.