Perpignan is a commune and the préfecture (administrative capital city) of the Pyrénées-Orientales département in southern France. Perpignan was the capital of the former province and county of Roussillon (Rosselló in Catalan). Population (2004) : 116,700 (Perpignanais) in the city proper. The metropolitan area had a total population of 249,016 in 1999 and more than 300,000 inhabitants today.