PALM BAY

city, Brevard county, east-central Florida, U.S. It lies along the Indian River, a lagoon which at that point is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the long and narrow southern peninsula of Merritt Island. The city was incorporated in 1960 but remained relatively small, with a population of less than 7,000 in 1970. After that time, the development and spread of the aerospace industries associated with the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and Patrick Air Force Baseall located farther north on Merritt Islandgreatly stimulated Palm Bay's growth. Pop. (1991 est.) 64,273.