Ariège (department)

Ariège
Arièja (Occitan)
From top down: view of Foix (prefecture) and its castle, Montégut-en-Couserans, Erp
Location of Ariège in France
Coordinates: 43°00′N 1°30′E / 43.000°N 1.500°E / 43.000; 1.500
CountryFrance
RegionOccitanie
PrefectureFoix
SubprefecturesPamiers, Saint-Girons
Government
  President of the Departmental CouncilChristine Tequi
Area
  Total
4,890 km2 (1,890 sq mi)
Population
 (2022)
  Total
155,339
  Rank97th
  Density32/km2 (82/sq mi)
DemonymsAriègeois, Ariègeoise
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
  Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
ISO 3166 codeFR-09
Department number09
Largest cityPamiers
Arrondissements3
Cantons13
Communes325
Websitewww.ariege.fr
^1 French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km2

Ariège (French pronunciation: [aʁjɛʒ] ; Occitan: Arièja [aɾiˈɛdʒɔ]) is a department in southwestern France, located in the region of Occitanie. It is named after the river Ariège and its capital is Foix. Ariège is known for its rural landscape, with a population of 153,287 as of 2019. Its INSEE and postal code is 09, hence the department's informal name of le zéro neuf. The inhabitants of the department are known as Ariègeois or Ariègeoises.