Charlotte County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. Its county seat is Punta Gorda. Charlotte County is the sole county in the Punta Gorda MS A. It was established in 1921 and was named for the Bay of Charlotte Harbor. Charlotte Harbor Estuary is an important natual preserve and one of the most productive in Florida. Charlotte County has a total area of approximately 859 square miles of which 81% is land and 19% water. As of the 2000 census, there were 141,627 people, 63,864 households, and 44,130 families residing in Charlotte County, FL.