Hernando County covers approximately 312,000 acres of area (477 sq. miles) including the cities of Brooksville and Weeki Wachee. Unincorporated areas include Spring Hill, Ridge Manor, Ridge Manor West, Bayport, Aripeka, Lake Lindsey and Hernando Beach. The county stretches 37 miles from East to West and 18 miles from North to South. It is bounded on the west by the Gulf of Mexico and on the north by the Chassahowitzka Swamp and the Withlacoochee State Forrest. The central portion of the county includes the county seat of Brooksville and prior to 1970 contained most of the population. Hernando County's population growth increased 802% from 1960 to 1990.