Zoetermeer
Zoetermeer (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌzutərˈmeːr] ⓘ) is a city in the Western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 37.05 km2 (14.31 sq mi) of which 2.60 km2 (1.00 sq mi) is water. A small village until the late 1960s, it had 6,392 inhabitants in 1950. By 2013 this had grown to 123,328, making it the third largest population centre in the province of South Holland, after Rotterdam, The Hague and Leiden. While now a city in its own right, Zoetermeer started out as a suburb of The Hague and is still a part of the Greater The Hague urban area.
Zoetermeer | |
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City and municipality | |
Buildings in Zoetermeer | |
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Flag Coat of arms | |
Location in South Holland | |
Zoetermeer Location within the Netherlands Zoetermeer Location within Europe | |
| Coordinates: 52°4′N 4°30′E | |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Province | South Holland |
| Government | |
| • Body | Municipal council |
| • Mayor | Michel Bezuijen (VVD) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 37.05 km2 (14.31 sq mi) |
| • Land | 34.45 km2 (13.30 sq mi) |
| • Water | 2.60 km2 (1.00 sq mi) |
| Elevation | −3 m (−10 ft) |
| Population (January 2021) | |
| • Total | 125,267 |
| • Density | 3,636/km2 (9,420/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Zoetermeerder |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postcode | 2700–2729 |
| Area code | 079 |
| Website | www |
The name Zoetermeer (Dutch for "freshwater lake") refers to the former lake north of the town (reclaimed in 1614). Because the name literally translates as "sweet lake" local residents have dubbed Zoetermeer "Sweet Lake City".