Cape Coral, city, Lee County, southwestern Florida, on the Caloosahatchee River, near Fort Myers; incorporated 1970. A residential city built on about 644 km (about 400 mi) of canals, its early growth was attributed to the influx of many retired persons. The booming population in the 1980s created a more diversified population. Population 32,103 (1980); 74,991 (1990); 102,286 (2000).
