Aveyron

Aveyron Avairon (Occitan)
Department of France
From top down, left to right: Conques, prefecture building in Rodez, Castle of Belcastel, the river Aveyron in Villefranche-de-Rouergue and Peyre
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Aveyron in France
Coordinates: 44°15′N 02°42′E / 44.250°N 2.700°E / 44.250; 2.700
Country	France
Region	Occitania
Prefecture	Rodez
Subprefectures	Millau Villefranche-de-Rouergue
Government
• President of the Departmental Council	Arnaud Viala[1] (UDI)
Area 1
• Total	8,735 km2 (3,373 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[2]
• Total	279,649
• Rank	79th
• Density	32/km2 (83/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Department number	12
Arrondissements	3
Cantons	23
Communes	285
^1 French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries and lakes, ponds and glaciers larger than 1 km2

Aveyron (French pronunciation: [avɛʁɔ̃] ^ⓘ; Occitan: Avairon; [aβajˈɾu]) is a department in the region of Occitania, Southern France. It was named after the river Aveyron. Its inhabitants are known as Aveyronnais (masculine) or Aveyronnaises (feminine) in French.^[3] The inhabitants of Aveyron's prefecture, Rodez, are called Ruthénois, based upon the first Celtic settlers in the area, the Ruteni. With an area of 8,735 square kilometres (3,373 sq mi) and a population of 279,595, Aveyron is a largely rural department with a population density of 32 per square kilometer (83/sq mi).^[4]