Editing Middelkerke

{{Short description|Municipality in Flemish Community, Belgiumx}}
{{Infobox Belgium municipality
|name             = Middelkerke
|picture          = Middelkerke - Town hall 1.jpg
|picture-legend   = Middelkerke town hall
|map              = Middelkerke West-Flanders Belgium Map.svg
|map-legend       = Location of Middelkerke in West Flanders
|arms             = Middelkerke wapen.svg
|flag             = Middelkerke vlag.svg
|region           = {{BE-REG-FLE}}
|community        = {{BE-NL}}
|province         = {{BE-PROV-WV}}
|arrondissement   = [[Arrondissement of Ostend|Ostend]]
|nis              = 35011
|pyramid-date=
|0-19=
|20-64=
|65=
|foreigners=
|foreigners-date=
|mayor            = [[Jean-Marie Dedecker]] ([[Libertair, Direct, Democratisch|LDD]])
|majority         = [[Libertair, Direct, Democratisch|LDD]], [[Christian Democratic and Flemish|CD&V]]
|postal-codes     = 8430-8434
|telephone-area   = 059
|web              = [http://www.middelkerke.be/ www.middelkerke.be]
|coordinates      = {{coord|51|11|N|02|49|E|region:BE|display=inline,title}}
}}
'''Middelkerke''' ({{IPA|nl|ˈmɪdəlˌkɛrkə}}) is a [[Municipalities of Belgium|municipality]] located in the [[Belgium|Belgian]] province of [[West Flanders]], on the [[North Sea]], west of [[Ostend]]. The municipality comprises the villages of [[Leffinge]], [[Lombardsijde]], [[Mannekensvere]], Middelkerke proper, [[Schore (Belgium)|Schore]], [[Sint-Pieters-Kapelle]], [[Slijpe]], [[Westende]] and [[Wilskerke]]. On January 1, 2006, Middelkerke had a total population of 17,841. The total area is 75.65&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> which gives a [[population density]] of 236 inhabitants per km<sup>2</sup>.

The first reference of 'Middelkerca' is found in 1218. Before 1876 it mainly was a farming settlement.

In 1902, Middelkerke became the world's first municipality to have their drinking water disinfected by continuous [[water chlorination|chlorination]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=MWH's Water Treatment: Principles and Design|publisher=John Wiley & Sons, Inc.|year=2012|isbn=978-0-470-40539-0|edition=3rd|pages=906|chapter=Disinfection, Chapter 13|doi=10.1002/9781118131473.ch13}}</ref>

==Sports==
The [[Noordzeecross]] is a February [[cyclo-cross]] race held in Middelkerke, which is part of the [[Superprestige (Cyclo-cross)|Superprestige]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline}}
*[http://www.middelkerke.be Official website] {{in lang|nl}}

{{Geographic location
|Centre = Middelkerke
|North     = ''[[North Sea]]''
|Northeast = [[Ostend]]
|East      = [[Gistel]]
|Southeast = [[Koekelare]]
|South     = [[Diksmuide]]
|West      = [[Nieuwpoort, Belgium|Nieuwpoort]]
}}
{{bct}}
{{West Flanders}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Middelkerke| ]]
[[Category:Sub-municipalities of Middelkerke]]
[[Category:Municipalities of West Flanders]]