1) Base types in Python include integers, floats, booleans, strings, bytes, lists, tuples, dictionaries, sets, and None. These types support various operations like indexing, slicing, membership testing, and type conversions.
2) Common loop statements in Python are for loops and while loops. For loops iterate over sequences, while loops repeat as long as a condition is true. Loop control statements like break, continue, and else can be used to control loop execution.
3) Functions are defined using the def keyword and can take parameters and return values. Functions allow for code reusability and organization. Built-in functions operate on containers to provide functionality like sorting, summing, and converting between types.