 On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Cherbourg-en-Cotentin.The city is a Maritime prefecture and sub-prefecture of la Manche.Due to its union, it is the most populated city in its department with 37,121 inhabitants (over 85,000 with its suburbs) making it the first city of the department before the Saint-Lô prefecture and the second in the region after Caen.