 It was officially incorporated as a city in 1888.With a metropolitan population of approximately 219,207 (as of 1 July 2017), the St. John's Metropolitan Area is Canada's 20th largest metropolitan area and the second largest Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) in Atlantic Canada, after Halifax.The city has a rich history, having played a role in the French and Indian War, the American Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812.