For listing sites related exclusively to this geographic area. Punta Gorda lies on the southwest coast of Florida where the Peace River flows into Charlotte Harbor. The county seat of Charlotte County, Punta Gorda has a population of about 13,000 in its 14 square miles of land. With its State Historic District status, Punta Gorda places an emphasis on historic preservation, and has been repeatedly named one of the best places to live in national surveys. The name "Punta Gorda" means "fat point" in Spanish, so named by early Spanish explorers after the wide point of land that juts into the harbor.