Caen is a city and commune located in northwestern France, situated approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) inland from the coast. It serves as the prefecture of the department of Calvados.
The city proper has a population of 105,512 inhabitants, while its functional urban area encompasses 470,000 people. This makes Caen the second largest urban area in Normandy and the 19th largest in France. It is also ranked as the third largest commune in Normandy, following Le Havre and Rouen.