Leek, Netherlands

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Leek

| native_name = {{native name|gos|De Laik}}

| settlement_type = Town and former municipality

| image_skyline = Borg Nienoord.jpg

| image_alt =

| image_caption = Nienoord castle

| image_flag = Flag of Leek.svg

| flag_size = 100x67px

| flag_alt =

| image_shield = Leek wapen.svg

| shield_size = 100x80px

| shield_alt =

| image_map = Map - NL - Municipality code 0022 (2009).svg

| map_alt = Highlighted position of Leek in a municipal map of Groningen

| map_caption = Location in Groningen

| coordinates = {{coord|53|10|N|6|23|E|region:NL|display=inline,title}}

| coordinates_footnotes =

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = {{flag|Netherlands}}

| subdivision_type1 = Province

| subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Groningen}}

| subdivision_type2 = Municipality

| subdivision_name2 = 23px Westerkwartier

| pushpin_map = Netherlands Groningen#Netherlands

| pushpin_label_position =

| pushpin_mapsize = 250

| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the province of Groningen in the Netherlands

| extinct_title = Merged

| extinct_date = 2019

| unit_pref = Metric

| area_footnotes =

| area_total_km2 = 6.17

| area_land_km2 =

| area_water_km2 =

| elevation_footnotes = {{cite web

|url=http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool

|title=Postcodetool for 9351BJ

|language=Dutch

|work=Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland

|publisher=Het Waterschapshuis

|accessdate=23 January 2014

|url-status=dead

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053543/http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool

|archivedate=21 September 2013

}}

| elevation_m = 2

| elevation_max_footnotes =

| elevation_max_m =

| elevation_min_footnotes =

| elevation_min_m =

| population_footnotes = {{cite web |url=https://www.cbs.nl/-/media/_excel/2021/48/kwb-2021.xls |title=Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021 |website=Central Bureau of Statistics |access-date=7 March 2022}}

| population_total = 11,175

| population_as_of = 2021

| population_density_km2 = auto

| population_demonym = Leekster

| timezone1 = CET

| utc_offset1 = +1

| timezone1_DST = CEST

| utc_offset1_DST = +2

| postal_code_type = Postcode

| postal_code = 9350–9351

| area_code_type = Area code

| area_code = 0594{{cite web|url=https://postcodebijadres.nl/9351 |title=Postcode 9351 in Leek|website=Postcode bij adres |access-date=9 April 2022 |language=nl}}

| website =

| footnotes =

| official_name =

}}

Image:Gem-Leek-OpenTopo.jpg

Leek ({{IPA|nl|leːk|lang|Nl-Leek.oga}}; {{langx|gos|De Laik}}; {{langx|fy|De Like}}) is a village and former municipality in Groningen province in the northeastern Netherlands. The municipality, which bordered the Drenthe and Friesland provinces, was merged into the municipality of Westerkwartier on 1 January 2019.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/onze-diensten/methoden/classificaties/overig/gemeentelijke-indelingen-per-jaar/indeling%20per%20jaar/gemeentelijke-indeling-op-1-januari-2019 |title=Gemeentelijke indeling op 1 januari 2019 |language=Dutch |work=CBS |accessdate=30 November 2019}}

The village of Leek is approximately 20 km west of Groningen (city) on the A7 (E22) highway.

The village grew around a fortification that was constructed during the Eighty Years' War with Spain. The name 'Leek' was derived from a brook, the "Leke". The town is sometimes also called "De Leek". In Dutch, the people from Leek are called "Leeksters".

Every year around Pentecost there is a fair (Pinkstermarkt), drawing thousands of people from the area.

Near the village is a shallow lake, the Leekstermeer (also known as Zulthermeer), with recreational facilities, but the lake is in another municipality and in another province.