It lies entirely on the Cotentin Peninsula and has 144 communes.

[2] Its population is 186,735 (2021), and its area is 1,643.9 km2 (634.7 sq mi).

[3] The communes of the arrondissement of Cherbourg, and their INSEE codes, are:[2] The arrondissement of Cherbourg was created in 1811.

[5] As a result of the reorganisation of the cantons of France which came into effect in 2015, the borders of the cantons are no longer related to the borders of the arrondissements.

The cantons of the arrondissement of Cherbourg were, as of January 2015:[6]