The Markermeer (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌmɑrkərˈmeːr]) is a 700 km2 (270 sq mi) lake in the central Netherlands in between North Holland, Flevoland, and its smaller and larger neighbors, the IJmeer and IJsselmeer.

The following years saw the reclamation of extensive tracts of land as large polders in an enormous project known as the Zuiderzee Works.

Part of the construction of this polder was building the Houtribdijk, also called Markerwaarddijk, finished in 1976, which hydrologically splits the IJsselmeer in two, the southern section being the Markermeer.

Because of changing priorities and doubts about its financial feasibility, the Markerwaard was indefinitely postponed in the 1980s and the Markermeer has since begun to become an ecological and recreational asset on its own.

A recent project, the Marker Wadden aims to create some islands in the north of the lake,[2] with a view to establish breeding grounds for seabirds.