Cape Coral (pronounced Cape ˈkȯr-əl) is the largest city in Southwest Florida. It is located in Lee County, Florida, United States. With over 400 miles (640 km) of navigable waterways, Cape Coral has more miles of canals than any other city on earth. According to estimates, as of 2009 the city had a population of 167,917. With an area of 120 square miles, Cape Coral is the second largest city in Florida after Jacksonville. The city is one of two major cities that make up the Cape Coral – Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population estimate for the area was 645,899 for 2009. Nearly 75 percent of Florida's population lives within 160 miles of Cape Coral. Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW), the region's mid-hub international airport, is within 15 miles. Interstate 75 passes within 10 miles of the city and connects northward to Tampa and on to the Midwestern states; and southeastward to Miami/Fort Lauderdale. Through I-75, Cape Coral has access to international sea ports on both the Atlantic and Gulf Coast. Cape Coral is one of the largest entirely master-planned communities in the nation. Founded in 1957 and incorporated in 1970, Cape Coral was designed to be a “water wonderland” strategically located between Tampa and Miami on the Gulf of Mexico, about a 3.5-hour drive southwest of Orlando. Only about 45% of the city’s residential lots were developed by the year 2009. At build-out, the Cape’s population is estimated to be more than 400,000. Cape Coral has more than 60 square miles of unimproved commercial and residential land within its total 120 square mile city boundary. Cape Coral is among the safest cities in Florida with populations over 150,000 according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Its quality of life,low home prices, and waterfront living have attracted residents from all over the world. Cape Coral offers a broad range of educational, cultural and recreational opportunities. The city has seven golf courses and is home to the popular Sun Splash Family Waterpark. The area is known by birding enthusiasts for a wide variety of wildlife and the largest population of burrowing owls in the state of Florida.