The river Pekel Aa crosses the municipality from north to south. The main population centres in the municipality are the villages of Boven Pekela[nl] (Upper Pekela), Nieuwe Pekela (New Pekela), and Oude Pekela (Old Pekela). Part of the village of Alteveer and the hamlets of Bronsveen and Hoetmansmeer[nl] are also in the municipality.
The municipality has a total area of 50.20km2 (19.38sqmi), of which 49.04km2 (18.93sqmi) is land and 1.16km2 (0.45sqmi) is water.[2]
↑"Postcodetool for 9665JD". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2014.