Situated in the Aquitaine region in south-west France , this department is called Pyrenees-Atlantiques due to its geographical location. It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Pyrenees Mountains to the South. Specified proximity with Spain , this department has always conserved special economical and cultural links with the neighbouring country. Initially, the Pyrenees-At antiques department composed the former provinces of Barn, Gaston and Guyenne. The southern part of the department shapes the homeland for the French Basque community. The Basques have a extensive tradition in this part of France and this presence is very evident in the local Basque language, history and local culture.