Number of inhabitants (1 Jan 2003): 13.581; area: 50,22 km². Settlements:
Oude Pekela (seat), Boven Pekela, Nieuwe Pekela.
Pekela was formed by the merger on 1 Jan 1990 of the former municipalities
of Oude Pekela and Nieuwe
Pekela.
Pekela as a name is an anomaly. It is named after the Pekel A (Pekel
canal), by which peat dug from that place was transported to Groningen
city. Along the canal villages were built, like Oude Pekela and Nieuwe
Pekela. The villagers were peat-diggers, in very low esteem. After they
got rid of our muck that region remained not very exploitable. That 'veenkolonie'
and others were a feeding ground for Dutch Communism.
The ship (kofschip) on the flag refers to the Frisian Feicko
Clock, who started the magnificent digging operation...
Jarig Bakker, 12 November 1999
Shipmate Flagchart : http://www.flagchart.net
![[Pekela Coat of Arms]](../images/n/nl-gr)pl.gif)
image from the Pekela
municipal website.
