Moscow Oblast
Московская область (Russian)
—  Oblast  —
Flag Coat of arms
Coordinates: 55°42′N 36°58′E / 55.7°N 36.967°E / 55.7; 36.967Coordinates: 55°42′N 36°58′E / 55.7°N 36.967°E / 55.7; 36.967
Political status
Country	Russia
Federal district	Central[1]
Economic region	Central[2]
Established	January 14, 1929[3][4]
Administrative center	None[5]
Government (as of March 2010)
- Governor[6]	Sergey Shoygu[7]
- Legislature	Oblast Duma[8]
Statistics
Area (as of the 2002 Census)[9]
- Total	45,900 km2 (17,722.1 sq mi)
Area rank	54th
Population (2010 Census)[10]
- Total	7,095,120
- Rank	2nd
- Density[11]	154.58 /km2 (400.4 /sq mi)
- Urban	80.1%
- Rural	19.9%
Time zone(s)	MSK (UTC+04:00)[12]
ISO 3166-2	RU-MOS
License plates	50, 90, 150, 190
Official languages	Russian[13]
http://www.mosreg.ru

Moscow Oblast (Russian: Моско́вская о́бласть, tr. Moskovskaya oblast; IPA: [mɐˈskofskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ]), or Podmoskovye^[14] (Russian: Подмоско́вье; IPA: [pədmɐˈskovʲjə]), is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its area, at 45,900 km² (17,700 sq mi), is relatively small compared to other federal subjects, but it is one of the most densely populated regions in the country^[15] and, with the population of 7,095,120 (2010 Census), is the second most populous federal subject.^[10] There is no official administrative center of Moscow Oblast; its public authorities are located in Moscow and across other locations in the oblast.

The oblast was founded in 1929. It borders Tver Oblast in the northwest, Yaroslavl Oblast in the north, Vladimir Oblast in the northeast and east, Ryazan Oblast in the southeast, Tula Oblast in the south, Kaluga Oblast in the southwest and Smolensk Oblast in the west. In the center stands the federal city of Moscow, which is a separate federal subject in its own right. The oblast is highly industrialized, with its main industrial branches being metallurgy, oil refining, and mechanical engineering, food, energy, and chemical industries.

Geography[link]

Map of Moscow region

Relief[link]

The oblast is mostly flat, with some hills with the height of about 160 m (520 ft) in the western and extensive lowlands in the eastern part. From the southwest to northeast, the oblast is crossed by the border of the Moscow glacier to the north of the common ice-erosion form with moraine ridges, and to the south – only erosional landforms. The western and northern parts of the oblast contain the Moscow Uplands. Their average height peaks at about 300 meters (980 ft) near Dmitrov and the upper point of 310 meters (1,020 ft) lies near the village of Shapkino in Mozhaysky District. The northern part of the Moscow Uplands is steeper than the southern part. The uplands contain lakes of glacial origin, such as Lakes Nerskoye and Krugloye. To the north of the Moscow Uplands lies the alluvial Verhnevolzhsk Depression. It is marshy and flat with the height varying between about 120 meters (390 ft) and 150 meters (490 ft).^[3][16]

To the south stretches a hilly area of the Moskvoretsko-Oksk plain. Its greatest height of 254 meters (833 ft) lies in the area of Tyoply Stan, within the Moscow city limits. The plain has clearly defined river valleys, especially in the south parts, and occasional karst relief, mostly in Serpukhovsky District. In the extreme south, after the Oka River, lies the Central Russian Upland. It contains numerous gullies and ravines and has average height above 200 m with the maximum of 236 m near Pushchino.^[17]

Most of the eastern part of Moscow Oblast is taken by the vast Meshchera Lowlands with much wetland in their eastern part. Their highest hill peaks at 214 meters (702 ft) but the average heights are 120–150 meters (390–490 ft). Most lakes of the lowlands, such as Lakes Chyornoye and Svyatoye, are of glacial origin. Here lies the lowest natural elevation of the region, the water level of Oka River at 97 meters (318 ft).^[18][19]

Geology and minerals[link]

Geology[link]

Dolomite

Marl

Gneiss

Moscow Oblast is located in the central part of the East European craton. Like all cratons, the latter is composed of the crystalline basement and sedimentary cover. The basement consists of Archaean and Proterozoic rocks and the cover is deposited in the Palaeozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras. The lowest depth of the basement (1,000 meters (3,300 ft)) is to the south of Serebryanye Prudy, in the very south area of the oblast, and the largest (4,200 meters (13,800 ft)) is to the east of Sergiyev Posad, in the northeast region.^[20]

Tertiary deposits are almost absent within the oblast. Significantly more abundant are deposits of the Carboniferous and Jurassic periods. In the Cretaceous period, a sea was covering Moscow Oblast, as evidenced by phosphate deposits and a variety of sands. Cretaceous sediments are most common in the north of the oblast. The sea was wider in Jurassic than in Cretaceous period. Typical Jurassic deposits, in the form of black clay, are found within and around the city of Moscow and in the valley of the Moscow River. Carboniferous deposits in Moscow Oblast are represented by dolomite, limestone, and marl. Coal deposits rich in organic remains occur in the south, especially in Serpukhovsky District, and in the western regions. Devonian deposits were also found within the region.^[21]

Quaternary deposits are widely distributed in Moscow Oblast; their thickness decreases from the northwest to southeast. It is believed^[22] that there were four glaciations in the area. The first occurred in the Lower Pleistocene and spread to the east-west part of the Oka River valley, it left almost no trace in the region. In the Middle Pleistocene, there were two powerful glaciations. The Dnieper glacier covered a large part of the Russian Plain), whereas the Moscow glaciation stopped just south of the present Moscow city. The last glaciation, Valdai glaciation, occurred in the Late Pleistocene; it did not directly affect the territory of Moscow Oblast, but left traces in the form of fluvioglacial deposits, mainly in the north area. The glaciers left behind a moraine loam with pebbles and boulders of various rocks, such as granite, gneiss, quartzite, dolomite, limestone and sandstone. Its thickness varies between a few meters at watersheds and 100 m at moraine ridges.^[23]

Minerals[link]

Moscow Oblast is rich in minerals. Sands from the sediments of different periods (mainly Quaternary and Cretaceous) are of high quality and are widely used in construction. Quartz sand (milled quartz) is used in the glass industry, their production is conducted from the end of 17th century near Lyubertsy. Much of the production is currently halted due to environmental concerns, and only the Yeganovskoye field is being exploited; its silica sand reserves are 33 million tonnes and annual production reaches 675,000 tonnes.^[24] Sand and gravel deposits are abundant within the Smolensk-Moscow Upland. Sandstone deposits are developed in Klinsky and Dmitrovsky Districts.

There are numerous clay deposits within the oblast; fusible clay is excavated in Sergiyev Posad. The Yeldiginskoye field near the village of Sofrino has reserves estimated at 30 million cubic meters; its annual production reaches 600,000 cubic meters (21,000,000 cu ft). Refractory white clay occurs in the eastern region, in the Carboniferous and Jurassic sediments, and is extracted from the 14th century near Gzhel. The largest (Kudinovskoye) deposit is near the town of Elektrougli with the reserves of 3 billion tonnes. Also widespread are loams which are used in brick manufacture and limestones ("white stone"). The famous Myachkovo deposit of carboniferous limestone provided material which went for cladding of such buildings in Moscow as Bolshoi Theater. The mining in Myachkovo had been stopped and currently, limestone is provided by the quarries of Podolsky, Voskresensky, and Kolomensky Districts. The latter district also provides marble-like limestone.^[25]

Other industrial mineral of Moscow Oblast is dolomite, limestone tuff, and marl; mostly in the southern and eastern parts. Dolomite is used in the cement industry. Its mining is concentrated mainly near Schelkovo, the reserves exceed 20 million tonnes and the annual production is about 650 tonnes.^[26]

Phosphates are produced in the Yegorevskoye and Severskoye fields. Meshchera and Verkhnevolzhsk Lowlands are rich in peat. The largest mines are "Ryazanovskoe" (840,000 tonnes per year) and "Radovitsky moss" (760,000 tonnes per year), both around Yegoryevsk.^[27][28] There are deposits of brown coal beyond the Oka River, but they have no commercial value. There are also minor deposits of titanium and iron ore in Serpukhovsky and Serebryano-Prudsky Districts.

Salts of potassium salt are being developed around Serpukhov and Yegoryevsk. There are also numerous mineral springs near Zvenigorod, Klin, and Serpukhov. They include surface springs and reservoirs at the depth of 300–500 meters (980–1,600 ft). Deeper, at 1–1.5 kilometers (0.62–0.93 mi) there is a large sea of salt extending beyond Moscow Oblast. Waters with the salt concentration up to 300 g/L are used in the local food industry and spas.^[29]

Climate[link]

The climate of Moscow Oblast is temperate continental, with clearly expressed seasonality – hot summers and cold winters; the continentality increases from northwest to southeast. The period of the average temperature below 0 °C (32 °F) lasts 120–135 days, beginning in mid-November and ending in late March. The average annual temperature varies from +3.5 °C (38.30 °F) to +5.5 °C (41.90 °F). The coldest month is January with the average temperature of −8 °C (18 °F) in the west and −10 °C (14 °F) in the east. With the arrival of arctic air, the temperature drops to below −20 °C (−4 °F) that may last up to twenty days during the winter, with the temperatures reaching −45 °C (−49 °F). The minimum temperature of −54 °C (−65 °F) was observed in Naro-Fominsk. Thaws often occur in December and February due to the Atlantic, and rarely the Mediterranean cyclones. The thaws usually last several days, and their total number from November to March can reach fifty. Snow starts accumulating in November, though sometimes in September or December, and disappears in mid-April (sometimes in late March). The snow depth is 25–50 centimeters (9.8–20 in) and the soil freezes to 65–75 centimeters (26–30 in). The warmest month is July with the average temperature of +18.5 °C (65.30 °F) in the west and +20.0 °C (68.00 °F) in the southeast. The maximum temperature of +40 °C (104 °F) was recorded in Kolomna during 2010 European heat wave. The average annual rainfall is 450–650 millimeters (18–26 in), the precipitation is maximal in the northwestern and minimal in the southeastern regions. The summer precipitation is usually 75 millimeters (3.0 in), but severe droughts occur once in 25–30 years, with less than 5 millimeters (0.20 in) of rain over June–August.^[3][4][30]

Rivers and lakes[link]

Shosha River near Mikulino village

The southern part of the Moscow Canal

There are more than three hundred rivers with the length above 10 kilometers (6.2 mi) in Moscow Oblast. All rivers are calm and have well-developed valleys and floodplains. They are mostly fed by melting snow and the flood falls on April–May. The water level is low in summer and increases only with heavy rain. The rivers freeze over from late November until mid-April. The only navigable rivers are the Volga, the Oka, and the Moskva River.^[31]

Most rivers belong to the basin of the Volga, which itself only crosses a small part in the north of Moscow Oblast, near the border with Tver Oblast. The second largest river of the region is the Oka. The northern part of Moscow Oblast includes such Volga tributaries as the Shosha, the Lama, th Dubna, the Sestra, and the Yakhroma. On the south flow the tributaries of the Oka, including the Nara, the Protva, and the Lopasnya Rivers. The Moskva River, which almost entirely flows within the oblast, also belongs to the Oka basin. The eastern and northeastern regions, including much of Meschersk Depression, are irrigated by the tributaries of the Klyazma River, which itself is a main tributary of the Oka.^[31]

The Moscow Canal crosses the northern part of Moscow Oblast through the Ikshinskyoe, Klyazminskoye, Pyalovskoye, and Pestovskoye Reservoirs. In the basin of the Moskva River, there are also Ozerninskoye, Mozhayskoye, Istrinskoye, and Ruza Reservoirs, providing Moscow with drinking water.^[3][31]

There are about 350 lakes in the oblast, almost all are shallow (5–10 m) and many are of glacial origin. The largest are Senezh (15.4 square kilometers (5.9 sq mi)) and Svyatoe (12.6 square kilometers (4.9 sq mi)) whereas the deepest (32 meters (105 ft)) is Lake Glubokoye in Ruzsky District. There are also many marshes, especially within the Meshchersk and Verkhnevolzhsk lowlands.^[32]

Soils[link]

A typical landscape of Moscow Oblast

The oblast is dominated by relatively infertile podsol soils which require fertilizers for commercial agriculture. On the hills there is more loam and the low-lying areas have more of bog, sandy loam and sand. Chernozem is scarce and occurs only south of the Oka River. Gray forest soils are spread between the Oka, Moskva, and Klyazma Rivers, mostly in Ramensky and Voskresensky Districts. Marshy soils are common in Meshchersk and Verkhnevolzhsk lowlands. Valleys of large rivers are rich in alluvial soils.^[3] In general, soils are heavily polluted with chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and household and industrial waste, especially around Moscow, Orekhovo-Zuyevo, Noginsk, and Voskresensk.

Flora[link]

The small highway ring around Moscow

Moscow Oblast lies within the zone of forests and steppes with forests covering over 40% of the region. Coniferous (mainly fir) trees dominate the northern (Verkhnevolzhsk lowlands) and western parts (Mozhaysky, Lotoshinsky, and Shakhovsky Districts). Forests of Meshchora consist primarily of pine; in waterlogged lowlands, there are individual alder forests. Central and eastern regions have coniferous-deciduous forests with the main tree species of spruce, pine, birch, and aspen often mixed with bushes of hazel. To the south lies the subzone of broad-leaved forests of oak, lime, maple and elm. Moscow-Oka Upland is the transition zone which is dominated by spruce, for example, in the upper reaches of the Lopasnya River. Valleys of the Oka are covered in pine forests of the steppe type and the far south regions (Serebryano-Prudsky and partially Serpukhovsky Districts) are cultivated steppes with occasional lime and oak groves.^[3][33]

The intensive cutting of Moscow region forests in the 18–19th centuries reduced them and changed their species: conifers were replaced by birch and aspen. There is almost no logging nowadays and the forests are being restored, especially around Moscow.^[3]

Swamps are prevalent in the eastern areas, such as Shatursky and Lukhovitsy Districts. The natural floodplain meadows are almost gone. The number of native plant species is reduced, but some foreign species flourish, such as Canadian maple. Endemic species include water caltrop and lady's slipper.

Fauna[link]

Losiny Ostrov park, painting by Alexei Savrasov

The mammals of Moscow Oblast include badger, squirrel, beaver, otter, muskrat, stoat, Russian Desman, raccoon dog, hedgehog, hare (Mountain and European), shrews (Common Shrew, Eurasian Pygmy Shrew, Lesser White-toothed Shrew, Eurasian Water Shrew, etc.), weasel, fox, moose, wild boar, European Mole, brown and black rats, marten, mice and voles (Wood mouse, Yellow-necked Mouse, house mouse, Eurasian Harvest Mouse, Northern Birch Mouse, Bank Vole, Field Vole, Tundra Vole, European Water Vole), European Mink, deer (roe, red, spotted), hazel and fat dormouse, European Polecat. At the borders there are occasional bears, lynxes and wolves. In the southern areas there are also speckled ground squirrel, dwarf hamster, Great Jerboa and Beech Marten. Some areas contain stable populations of imported animals, such as flying squirrel, American mink and Siberian Roe Deer. In the oblast, there are more than a dozen kinds of bat and moth.^[3][34]

There are more than 170 species of birds in the area with large numbers of crows, sparrows, ducks, magpies, woodpeckers, thrushes, grouses, bullfinches, nightingales, corncrakes, Northern Lapwings, White Storks, Grey Herons, seagulls and grebes. Over forty species are being hunted.^[3][34]

Rivers and lakes of Moscow Oblast are rich in fish, such as ruff, carp, bream, bass, roaches, Chinese sleeper, perch and pike. There are six species of reptiles: three lizards (slow worm, Viviparous lizard and Sand Lizard) and three snakes (European adder, Grass Snake and smooth snake). There is evidence for bog turtles in some areas. Amphibians are represented by 11 species including Smooth Newt, Great Crested Newt, common toad, European Green Toad, Common Frog, Moor Frog, Marsh Frog, Common Spadefoot and European Fire-bellied Toad. Insects are numerous, with only bees accounting for more than 300 species.^[3][34]

In Serpukhovsky District, there is the Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve which contains protected wisents. Near Moscow lies Losiny Ostrov National Park of federal significance.

Stoat	Lesser White-toothed Shrew	Roe Deer fawn	Eurasian harvest mouse	Great Crested Grebe

History[link]

The territory of what is now Moscow Oblast had been inhabited for more than twenty thousand years. Numerous mounds and settlements from Iron Age were discovered there. Up to the 9–10th centuries, the Moskva River basin and adjacent lands were inhabited by Finno-Ugric peoples. Slavs populated the area only in the 10th century. In mid-12th century, the lands became part of Vladimir-Suzdal Principality. Several important cities were founded around that time, including Volokolamsk (1135), Moscow (1147), Zvenigorod (1152), and Dmitrov (1154). In the first half of the 13th century, the entire Vladimir-Suzdal Principality, including the Moscow area, was conquered by the Mongols.^[35]

In the 13th century, the land around Moscow was part of Grand Duchy of Moscow, which subsequently was the center of the unification of Russian lands, in particular the Mongol raids. In 1380, from Kolomna the prince Dmitry Donskoy led his troops to defeat the Mongols at the Battle of Kulikovo. The southern part of Moscow Oblast was then part of the Principality of Ryazan; it was attached to Moscow only in the 1520.^[36]

Fragment of the panorama of the Battle of Borodino by Franz Roubaud (1912)

In 1708, Moscow Governorate was established by the decree of Peter the Great; the area included most of the present Moscow Oblast. The Battle of Borodino, which decided the outcome of the French invasion of Russia was fought in 1812 near Mozhaysk.

Industries developed in Moscow Oblast in the 17–19th centuries.^[4] They were centered in Bogorodsk, Pavlovsky Posad, and Orekhovo-Zuyevo and were dominated by textile production. The first railway in Russia was constructed in the Moscow Oblast in 1851, connecting Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and in 1862 the line to Nizhny Novgorod was opened.

Central Industrial Oblast was established by the All-Russian Central Executive Committee on 14 January 1929. It included the abolished Moscow, Ryazan, Tver, Tula, Vladimir, and Kaluga Governorates. The oblast was divided into ten okrugs and had the administrative center in Moscow. On 3 June 1929, the oblast was renamed Moscow Oblast and on 30 July 1930, the division into ten okrugs was abolished.^[37][38]

Parts of the then bulky Moscow Oblast were gradually transferred to other divisions. In particular, 26 districts became part of Kalinin Oblast in January 1935, and another 77 districts were separated in September 1937 as Tula and Ryazan Oblasts. Borovsky, Vysokinichsky, Maloyaroslavetsky, Ugodsko-Zavodsky, and Petushinsky Districts were transferred in 1944 to Kaluga and Vladimir Oblasts.^[37][38]

In 1941–1942, one of the most significant military operations of World War II – the Battle of Moscow was fought in the Moscow Oblast.

According to the Constitution of Russia, adopted in December 1993, Moscow Oblast is one of the 83 federal subjects of Russia.

Economy[link]

Industry[link]

Soyuz-TMA-6 spacecraft developed by Energia

In terms of industrial production, Moscow Oblast is second in Russia, after the Moscow city. The industry of the Oblast relies on imported raw materials, strong scientific and technological base and highly skilled workforce; it is closely linked with the industry of Moscow.

Well developed are machinery and metalworking. There are plants for the thermal and nuclear power engineering (ZiO-Podolsk in Podolsk), nuclear fuel (TVEL in Elektrostal), space and missile (Energia in Korolyov, Lavochkin in Khimki, NGO engineering in Reutov, FTSDT "Union" in Dzerzhinsky – development of solid rocket fuel, etc., IBC "Horizon" in Dzerzhinsky – power plants for aircraft, etc.); locomotives (Kolomna factory), metro cars (Metrowagonmash in Mytischi), electric trains (Demikhovsky Engineering Works), cars (SeAZ), buses (Likinsky bus plant in Likino-Dulyovo); agricultural machines, excavators and cranes (Lyubertsy, Dmitrov, Balashikha); stainless steel (Elektrostal), cables (Podolsk), optical devices (Krasnogorsky plant, Lytkarino Optical Glass Factory).^[3]

There are many defense enterprises, such as Russian Center for demonstrations of weapons, military equipment and technology in Krasnoarmeysk; Kamov, Phazotron, Bazalt, NPP Zvezda, MKB Fakel, MKB Raduga, National Research Institute of Aviation Systems, Krasnozavodsk Chemical Plant, Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute of Instrument Design, Moscow Research Institute "Agat", Dolgoprudnenskoe Scientific Production Plant, and many others.

Chemical industry of the Oblast produces acids (Shchyolkovo), mineral fertilizers (plants named "Phosphates" and "Mineral fertilizers" in Voskresensk), synthetic fibers (Serpukhov and Klin), plastics (Orekhovo-Zuyevo), varnishes and paints (Sergiyev Posad, Odintsovsky paint factories), pharmaceuticals (Staraya Kupavna). There is a well-developed industry of construction materials with production of cement in Voskresensk and Kolomna (Shchurovsky cement factory), earthenware, porcelain in the Likino-Dulyovo (Dulevo Porcelain Factory) and Verbilki and dry mortar plant in Krasnogorsk.^[3][4]

LiAZ-5292	Ka-52 "Alligator" by Kamov	Diesel TEP70BS (Kolomna plant)	Railcar Rail bus (Metrovagonmash)	Electric train ED4MKM-AERO (Demikhovsky Engineering Works)

Light industry is the oldest in the region; it was started in the 17th century^[4] and with 35% contribution was leading the gross industrial production. There is still production of cotton (in Yegoryevsk, Noginsk, Orekhovo-Zuyevo), wool (in Pavlovsky Posad and Pushkin) and jerseys (in Ivanteyevka and Dmitrov). The silk production in Naro-Fominsk had been stopped. Traditional and renowned crafts include Gzhel, Zhostovo painting and Fedoskino miniature. Large foreign investment projects include the plant for manufacturing household appliances (TV sets, washing machines, refrigerators, etc.) by the South Korean company LG built near the village of Dorokhovo.^[3][39]

Energy[link]

The largest source of electricity in the Moscow region – Kashirskaya thermal power plant

In 1999, Moscow Oblast consumed 15.4 billion m³ of natural gas, 3.32 million tonnes of oil, 2.13 million tonnes of coal and 8.5 billion kWh of electricity. Electricity for the Oblast is provided by the Kashirskaya thermal power plant (TPP, 1910 MW), Dzerzhynskaya TPP No 22 (1300 MW), TPP-27 (1100 MW), Shatura Power Station (1100 MW), Zagorskaya hydroelectric power plant (1200 MW), Elektrogorsk TPP (623 MW) and several smaller plants. Major new energy project in the region is the construction of Zagorsk hydroelectric plant with the capacity of 840 MW. The deficit of energy is provided by powerlines connecting the region with Saint Petersburg, Volga Hydroelectric Station and other energy suppliers.^[40]

Agriculture[link]

Agriculture has a relatively minor role in the economy of the Oblast. Only 25% of land is cultivated and another 15% are used for other activities such as livestock farming. Agriculture is the least developed in the northern, eastern and western border regions. In the southern region, especially south of the Oka River, more than 50% of land is used in agriculture. Horticulture is typical for the southern region with most of the sown area (more than 3/5) occupied by forage crops. Large areas are reserved for grains, especially wheat, barley, oats and rye, and significant role plays potato. Greenhouses are very common and Moskovsky city hosts the largest greenhouse complex in Europe. Also grown are flowers and mushrooms. Livestock farming predominates over the crop, and is primarily aimed at the production of milk and meat. In addition to cattle, commonly bred are pigs and chickens.^[3][4]

The economic crisis of 1990s in Russia had severely affected the agriculture of Moscow Oblast. In particular, in the 2000s, as compared with 1970–80s, the grain production has fallen by more than 3 times; potatoes by 2.5 times; vegetables, livestock and poultry by 30%; milk by 2 times and eggs by 4 times.^[41][42]

Transport[link]

The gateway to the Moscow Canal in Yakhroma

Moscow's North River Terminal or Rechnoy Vokzal

Moscow Oblast has a dense transport network, including roads, railways and waterways along the largest rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Land routes are radially diverging from Moscow and crossed by one railway and two highway rings. Neither railways nor roads, built for the most part many years ago, can cope with the steadily mounting traffic flows. About half of the roads are overloaded and three quarters do not meet modern requirements. Insufficient width of the roads and frequent repairs cause traffic jams.^[3][43]

Moscow Oblast has the highest density of railways in Russia. Eleven major radial lines originate in Moscow and run through the Oblast; the total length of the railways reaches 2,700 km. Almost all railroads are electrified. The largest rail hubs are Orekhovo-Zuyevo and Bekasovo. Regular navigation is carried on the rivers Volga, Oka and Moscow, as well as on the Moscow Canal. Major river ports are in Serpukhov and Kolomna. Also well-developed is pipeline transport. There are two major oil lines, two natural gas rings and numerous radial lines connecting Moscow with the largest gas producing regions of the country.^[44]

Moscow and Moscow Oblast have several international passenger airports, namely Sheremetyevo (with two terminals), Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Ostafyevo. Airport Bykovo is currently used for freight. The largest military airport is Chkalovsky (near Shchyolkovo) which can also process civilian cargos and flights.

Major highways of Moscow Oblast are as follows:

• Minsk highway (M1 "Belarus" Moscow – Belarus) (E101)
• Simferopol highway (M2 "Crimea") Moscow – Belgorod (E105)
• Kiev highway (M3 "Ukraine" Moscow – Kaluga – Bryansk – Kiev)
• Kashirskoye Highway (M4 "Don" Moscow – Rostov) (E115)
• Ryazan highway (M5 "Ural" Moscow – Chelyabinsk) (E30)
• Nizhny Novgorod highway (M7 "Volga" Moscow – Ufa) (E22)
• Kholmogory - Yaroslavl highway (M8 "Kholmogory" Moscow – Arkhangelsk) (E115)
• Novorizhskoe highway (M9 "Baltic" Moscow – Riga) (E22)
• Leningrad highway (M10 "Russia" Moscow – Tver – Novgorod – Saint Petersburg) (E105)
• Mozhaysk highway (A100 Moscow – Borodino)
• Kaluga highway (A101, Moscow – Troitsk – Obninsk – Kaluga)
• Schelkovskoe highway (A103 Moscow – Schelkovo – Chernogolovka)
• Dmitrovskoe (A104 Moscow – Dubna)
• Moscow Ring Small (A107)
• Moscow Large Ring (А108)
• Yegoryevsk highway (R105 Moscow – Kasimov)
• Pyatnitskoe highway (R111 Moscow – Solnechnogorsk)
• Rogachev highway (P113 Lobnya – Rogachevo (Dmitrov district))
• Nosovihinskoe highway (Moscow – Likino-Dulyovo)
• Warsaw highway (Moscow – Podolsk – Obninsk – Roslavl)
• Borovskoye highway (Moscow – Vnukovo)
• Rublyovo-Uspenskoe highway
• Dzerzhynsk highway (Dzerzhinsky – Kotelniki – Novoryazanskoye highway)
• Ostashkovskoye highway (Moscow – Mytischi)

Government and awards[link]

The space Mission Control Center in Korolyov

Moscow Oblast was awarded three Orders of Lenin, on 3 January 1934, 17 December 1956 and 5 December 1966.^[3]

The highest executive organ is the Government of Moscow Oblast. Eighteen ministries act as the executive bodies of state authority.^[45] The powers, tasks, functions and competence of the Government are defined by the Charter of the Moscow Region. Boris Gromov is the current Governor of the Moscow Oblast with the term of 5 years.^[46] The Regional Duma of Moscow Oblast was formed on 12 December 1993. It consists of 50 deputies also serving a 5-year term.^[46]

Science[link]

Moscow Oblast has a high density of scientific research institutions, especially related to engineering and military technologies. The latter started developing in the region in 1930–1940s in Zhukovsky (aeronautical engineering), Klimovsk (development of small arms), Reutov (Missile Engineering), Fryazino (microwave electronics)^[47] and Korolyov (space technology). They were later joined by famous centers for basic sciences in Troitsk, Chernogolovka (physics and chemistry), Dubna and Protvino (nuclear physics) and Pushchino (biology). Moscow Oblast hosts Mission Control Centers for spacecraft (in Korolyov) and military satellites (Krasnoznamensk), as well as a number of test sites.^[3][48][49]

Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius

The Cathedral of the Assumption in Dmitrov's kremlin (built in 1509–1523).

Culture and recreation[link]

Wooden church

Moscow Oblast has numerous therapeutic and recreational facilities located mainly in western, northwestern and northern parts, and also near Moscow. Of great importance for recreation are forests, which occupy over 40% of the region, as well as horticultural activities. The region has the highest number (over 1 million) of dachas with associated individual gardens. Also numerous are manor complexes, such as those in Abramtzevo, Muranovo, Ostafievo, historical cities (Vereya, Volokolamsk, Dmitrov, Zaraysk, Zvenigorod, Istra, Kolomna, Sergiyev Posad, Serpukhov, etc.), monasteries (Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, Joseph-Volokolamsk Monastery, Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, Nikolo-Ugresh monastery, etc.), and museums (Chekhov museum in Melikhovo, Tchaikovsky museum in Klin, Serpukhov Historical and Art Museum, etc.).^[3]

Environment[link]

Ecological situation in the Moscow Oblast is serious. The areas adjacent to Moscow, and industrial zones in the east and south-east regions are heavily polluted. Most contamination originates from emissions from Kashira and Shatura Power Stations and disposal of household and industrial waste. For example, the Timohovskaya dump is one of the largest in Europe; other objects of concern are aging oil storage tanks, and nuclear waste in the Sergiyevo-Posadsky District. Contamination level is highest in Moscow, Voskresensk and Klin, high in Dzerzhinsky, Kolomna, Mytishchi, Podolsk, Serpukhov, Schelkovo and Elektrostal, and low in Prioksko-Terrasny Biosphere Reserve.^[50] The major contaminants are formaldehyde and phenol in Moscow; ammonia and hydrogen fluoride in Voskresensk; formaldehyde in Klin, Kolomna, Mytishchi and Podolsk, phenol in Serpukhov. The most polluted rivers are Moscow, Oka and Klyazma. In the Moscow area and in major cities (in particular, in Podolsk, Orekhovo-Zuyevo, Serpukhov, Lukhovitsy and Stupino) also heavily polluted are groundwaters.^[50]

Population[link]

After the population decline from 6,693,623 as of the 1989 Census^[51] to 6,618,538 in the 2002 Census^[52] the population of the oblast is growing: 6,628,107 (2006 est.),^{[citation needed]} 6,672,773 (2008 est.),^{[citation needed]} 6,732,629 (2009 est),^{[citation needed]} 7,095,120 (2010 Census).^[10] The average population density, at 147.4 inhabitants/km² (2010), is the largest in Russia, due to a high proportion of urban population (80.85% in 2010). The highest density occurs in and around Moscow (Lyubertsy, Balashikha, Khimki, Krasnogorsk, etc.) and the lowest – about 20 people/km² – is in the outlying areas of Lotoshinsky, Shakhovskoi, Mozhaysk and Meshchersk lowlands.^[53]

Administrative and municipal divisions[link]

Balashi-
khinsky

Chekhovsky

Dmitrovsky

Istrinsky

Kashirsky

Klinsky

Kolomensky

Krasno-
gorsky

Leninsky

Leni-
nsky

Lotoshinsky

Lukhovitsky

Lyuberetsky

Mozhaysky

Mytish-
chinsky

Naro-Fominsky

Noginsky

Odintsovsky

Ozyorsky

Orekhovo-
Zuyevsky

Pavlovo-
Posadsky

Podolsky

Pushkinsky

Ramensky

Ruzsky

Sergiyevo-
Posadsky

Serebryano-
Prudsky

Serpukhovsky

Shatursky

Shakhovskoy

Shchyo-
lkovskiy

Solnech-
nogorsky

Stupinsky

Taldomsky

Volokolamsky

Voskre-
sensky

Yegoryevsky

Zaraysky

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Administratively, the oblast is divided into 36 cities/towns under oblast jurisdiction and 38 administrative districts, comprising 48 towns of district significance, 70 urban-type settlements, and 6,123 rural localities.

As of 2010, Moscow Oblast is municipally subdivided into 38 urban okrugs and 36 municipal districts, which comprise 114 urban settlements and 193 rural settlements.

Center of Volokolamsk in 2003

The three largest cities of the oblast are Balashikha (192,800), Khimki (186,200), and Podolsk (182,400). Most other towns have ten to fifty thousand people. The smallest town is Vereya in Naro-Fominsky District with the population of 4,957 (2002 Census)^[55]. Among the urban-type settlements, the largest is Nakhabino (33,000) followed by Tomilino (29,000). The oldest populated place in the oblast is Volokolamsk, first mentioned in 1135; slightly younger towns are Zvenigorod (1152), Dmitrov (1154), and Kolomna (1177).

The most intensive formation of cities occurred in 1938–1940. The youngest cities are Golitsyno, Kubinka and Moskovsky. They existed for quite some time, but obtained the city status only in 2004. Some recent cities separated from the other cities, such as Yubileyny and Peresvet. Although the city of Moscow is surrounded by Moscow Oblast and is considered its administrative center, it has a special territorial status – a city of federal significance (Constitution of Russia, article 65).^[4]

New projects have been announced at the beginning of the 21st century. One of them is Rublyovo-Arkhangelsk, which is designed for 30,000 inhabitants with high income and is called by the media the "city for millionaires".^[56][57] Another is "Great Domodedovo, 30 km south of the Moscow Ring Road, which is designed for 450,000 residents.^[58] The new city A101 was designed for 300,000 residents in 2009 and already began the sale of its land in Leninsky District. The city construction is planned to take 35 years.^[59][60][61]

A part of Moscow Oblast's territory is slated for merger with the federal city of Moscow later in 2012.^[62]

The housing stock of the oblast is approximately 125 million square meters. Almost all the houses are equipped with water supply, sewerage, gas,^[63] central heating and hot water. However, the telephone network is underdeveloped in rural areas. In the competition for the most comfortable city of 2006 in the Moscow Oblast the winner was Kolomna followed by Balashikha (for cities with population over 100,000) and Vidnoye (<100,000) and then by Mytischi and Noginsk.

Residential district in Ramenskoye

Inhabited localities with more than 20,000 people on 1 January 2009

Balashikha 192,800 Klimovsk 56,000 Khimki 186,300 Vidnoye 54,600 Podolsk 182,400 Fryazino 53,000 Korolev 175,400 Lytkarino 52,000 Mytishchi 164,300 Dzerzhinsky 44,800 Lyubertsy 158,900 Kashira 39,300 Kolomna 148,400 Protvino 37,200 Elektrostal 146,300 Troitsk 36,800 Odintsovo 128,000 Yubileiny 32,500 Zheleznodorozhny 125,300 Istra 32,100 Serpukhov 123,400 Nakhabino 33,300 Orekhovo-Zuyevo 121,600 Krasnoznamensk 32,300 Noginsk 115,600 Lukhovitsy 31,900 Shchyolkovo 113,900 Shcherbinka 31,700 Sergiyev Posad 107,500 Shatura 31,000 Zhukovsky 104,400 Likino-Dulyovo 31,000 Krasnogorsk 100,900 Mozhaysk 30,500 Pushkino 98,300 Tomilino 29,300 Voskresensk 91,100 Dedovsk 27,900 Domodedovo 88,200 Krasnoarmeysk 26,200 Ramenskoye 83,200 Kubinka 26,200 Reutov 82,700 Ozery 25,900 Dolgoprudny 82,300 Zaraysk 24,000 Klin 80,900 Kalininets 23,900 Chekhov 73,600 Volokolamsk 23,900 Naro-Fominsk 71,600 Losino-Petrovsky 22,300 Lobnya 69,500 Staraya Kupavna 21,300 Yegoryevsk 66,700 Roshal 21,100 Stupino 66,100 Electrogorsk 20,900 Dmitrov 62,900 Elektrougli 20,600 Dubna 62,500 Chernogolovka 20,500 Pavlovsky Posad 61,600 Kotelniki 20,400 Solnechnogorsk 56,600 Pushchino 20,200 Ivanteyevka 56,400 Kraskovo 20,100

Sister regions[link]

• Bratislava, Slovakia.
• Chuy Province, Kyrgyzstan.
• Île-de-France, France.
• Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
• Ljubljana, Slovenia.
• Palembang, Indonesia.

References[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Wagner BB, Manucharyants BO, Geology, topography and mineral deposits of the Moscow Oblast. Moscow, MGPU, 2003. (in Russian)

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Moscow Oblast

• (Russian) Official website of Moscow Oblast
• (Russian) Weather records for Moscow Oblast

Moscow
Москва (Russian)
—  Federal city  —
Top: St. Basil's Cathedral, Spasskaya Clocktower Center: Kotelnicheskaya Embankment building, Monument to Minin and Pozharsky, Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Worker and Kolkhoz Woman sculpture Bottom: Moscow International Business Center
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: My Moscow
Coordinates: 55°45′N 37°37′E / 55.75°N 37.617°E / 55.75; 37.617Coordinates: 55°45′N 37°37′E / 55.75°N 37.617°E / 55.75; 37.617
Political status
Country	Russia
Federal district	Central[1]
Economic region	Central[2]
Established	Before 1147[3]
Federal city Day	The first Saturday and Sunday of September[4]
Government (as of March 2010)
- Mayor[5]	Sergey Sobyanin[5]
- Legislature	City Duma[6]
Statistics
Area [7]
- Total	1,091 km2 (421.2 sq mi)
Area rank	83rd
Population (2010 Census)[8]
- Total	11,689,048
- Rank	1st
- Density[9]	10,714.07 /km2 (27,749.3 /sq mi)
Population (2011 est.)	11,510,097 inhabitants[10]
Time zone(s)	MSK (UTC+04:00)[11]
ISO 3166-2	RU-MOW
License plates	77, 99, 97, 177, 199, 197
Official languages	Russian[12]
http://www.mos.ru

Moscow ( /ˈmɒskaʊ/ or /ˈmɒskoʊ/; Russian: Москва́, tr. Moskva; IPA: [mɐˈskva] ( listen)) is the capital and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural and scientific center of Russia and the continent. Moscow is the northernmost megacity on Earth, the most populous city in Europe, and the 6th largest city proper in the world. Its population, according to the results of the 2010 Census, is 11,503,501.^[8] Based on Forbes 2011, Moscow has the largest community of billionaires in the world.^[13]

Moscow is situated on the Moskva River in the Central Federal District of European Russia. In the course of its history the city has served as the capital of a progression of states, from the medieval Grand Duchy of Moscow and the subsequent Tsardom of Russia to the Soviet Union. Moscow is the site of the Moscow Kremlin, an ancient fortress that is today the residence of the Russian President and of the executive branch of the Government of Russia. The Kremlin is also one of several World Heritage Sites in the city. Both chambers of the Russian parliament (the State Duma and the Federation Council) also sit in Moscow.

The city is served by an extensive transit network, which includes four international airports, nine railroad terminals, and one of the deepest underground tubes in the world, the Moscow Metro, second only to Tokyo in terms of ridership and recognized as one of the city's landmarks due to the rich and varied architecture of its 185 stations.

Over time, Moscow has acquired a number of epithets, most referring to its size and preeminent status within the nation: The Third Rome (Третий Рим), The Whitestone One (Белокаменная), The First Throne (Первопрестольная), The Forty Forties (Сорок Сороков). In old Russian the word "Сорок" (forty) also meant a church administrative district, which consisted of about forty churches. Since 2011 Moscow Government and NGOs have been trying to promote a new city brand for tourists WowMoscow aimed at demonstrating its openness and friendliness. The demonym for a Moscow resident is Moskvitch, rendered in English as Muscovite.^[14]

History[link]

Moscow (Russian Empire) in 1908

The city is named after the river (old Russian: гра́д Моско́в, literally "the city by the Moskva River"). The first reference to Moscow dates from 1147 when Yuri Dolgorukiy called upon the prince of the Novgorod-Severski to "come to me, brother, to Moscow".^[3]

Nine years later, in 1156, Prince Yuri Dolgorukiy of Rostov ordered the construction of a wooden wall, the Kremlin, which had to be rebuilt multiple times, to surround the emerging city.^[15] After the sacking of 1237–1238, when the Mongols burned the city to the ground and killed its inhabitants, Moscow recovered and became the capital of the independent Vladimir-Suzdal principality in 1327.^[16] Its favorable position on the headwaters of the Volga River contributed to steady expansion. Moscow developed into a stable and prosperous principality, known as Grand Duchy of Moscow, for many years and attracted a large number of refugees from across Russia.

Under Ivan I of Moscow the city replaced Tver as a political center of Vladimir-Suzdal and became the sole collector of taxes for the Mongol-Tatar rulers. By paying high tribute, Ivan won an important concession from the Khan. Unlike other principalities, Moscow was not divided among his sons but was passed intact to his eldest. Moscow's opposition against foreign domination grew. In 1380, prince Dmitry Donskoy of Moscow led a united Russian army to an important victory over the Tatars in the Battle of Kulikovo. The battle, however, was not decisive and only two years later Moscow was sacked by khan Tokhtamysh. Ivan III, in 1480, finally broke the Russians free from Tatar control, allowing Moscow to become the center of power in Russia.^[17] Under Ivan III the city became the capital of an empire that would eventually encompass all of present-day Russia and other lands.

In 1571, the Crimean Tatars attacked and sacked Moscow, burning everything but the Kremlin.^[18]

Kremlevskaya Naberezhnaya and Moscow skyline

In 1609, the Swedish army led by Count Jacob De la Gardie and Evert Horn started their march from Great Novgorod toward Moscow to help Tsar Vasili Shuiski, entered Moscow in 1610 and suppressed the rebellion against the Tsar, but left it early in 1611, following which the Polish–Lithuanian army invaded. During the Polish–Muscovite War (1605–1618) hetman Stanisław Żółkiewski entered Moscow after defeating the Russians in the Battle of Klushino. The 17th century was rich in popular risings, such as the liberation of Moscow from the Polish–Lithuanian invaders (1612), the Salt Riot (1648), the Copper Riot (1662), and the Moscow Uprising of 1682. The plague epidemics ravaged Moscow in 1570–1571, 1592 and 1654–1656.^[19] The city ceased to be Russia’s capital in 1712, after the founding of Saint Petersburg by Peter the Great near the Baltic coast in 1703. The Plague of 1771 was the last massive outbreak of plague in central Russia, claiming up to 100,000 lives in Moscow alone. During the French invasion of Russia in 1812, the Muscovites burned the city and evacuated, as Napoleon’s forces were approaching on 14 September. Napoleon’s Grande Armée, plagued by hunger, cold and poor supply lines, was forced to retreat and was nearly annihilated by the devastating Russian winter and sporadic attacks by Russian military forces. As many as 400,000 died in the adventure and only a few tens of thousands of ravaged troops returned.^[20]

French invasion of Russia in 1812, Fire of Moscow, painting of Smirnov A.F., 1813

In January 1905, the institution of the City Governor, or Mayor, was officially introduced in Moscow, and Alexander Adrianov became Moscow’s first official mayor. Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, on 12 March 1918^[21] Moscow became the capital of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and of the Soviet Union less than five years later.^[22] During World War II (the period from June 22, 1941, to May 9, 1945 known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War), after the German invasion of the USSR, the Soviet State Defense Committee and the General Staff of the Red Army was located in Moscow.

Red Square, painting of Fedor Alekseev, 1802

In 1941, sixteen divisions of the national volunteers (more than 160,000 people), twenty-five battalions (18,500 people) and four engineering regiments were formed among the Muscovites. That November, the German Army Group Center was stopped at the outskirts of the city and then driven off in the Battle of Moscow. Many factories were evacuated, together with much of the government, and from 20 October the city was declared to be under siege. Its remaining inhabitants built and manned antitank defenses, while the city was bombarded from the air. Joseph Stalin refused to leave the city, meaning the general staff and the council of people's commissars remained in the city as well. Despite the siege and the bombings, the construction of Moscow's metro system continued through the war, and by the end of the war several new metro lines were opened.

Map of Moscow, 1784

Both German and Soviet casualties during the battle of Moscow have been a subject of debate, as various sources provide somewhat different estimates. Therefore, total casualties between 30 September 1941, and 7 January 1942, are estimated to be between 248,000 and 400,000 for the Wehrmacht and between 650,000 and 1,280,000 for the Red Army.^[23][24][25]

On 1 May 1944, a medal For the defense of Moscow and in 1947 another medal In memory of the 800th anniversary of Moscow were instituted. In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany, on May 8, 1965, Moscow became one of twelve Soviet cities awarded the title of Hero City.

In 1980, it hosted the Summer Olympic Games, which was boycotted by the United States and several other Western countries due to the Soviet Union's involvement in Afghanistan in late 1979. In 1991, Moscow was the scene of the failed coup attempt by the government members opposed to the reforms of Mikhail Gorbachev. When the USSR was dissolved in the same year, Moscow continued to be the capital of Russia.

Since then, the emergence of a market economy in Moscow has produced an explosion of Western-style retailing, services, architecture, and lifestyles. In 1998, it hosted the first World Youth Games.

A panoramic view of Moscow in 1867. (Image with notes).

Geography and climate[link]

Location[link]

Satellite image of Moscow and suburbs

Moscow aerial view

Moscow is situated on the banks of the Moskva River, which flows for just over 500 km through the East European Plain in central Russia. 49 bridges span the river and its canals within the city's limits. The elevation of Moscow at the All-Russia Exhibition Center (VVC), where the head Moscow weather station is situated, is 156 m (512 ft). The highest point is Teplostanskaya highland at 255 m (837 ft).^[26] The width of Moscow city (not limiting MKAD) from west to east is 39.7 km (24.7 mi), and the length from north to south is 51.7 km (32.1 mi).

Time[link]

Time zones of Europe

Moscow serves as the reference point for the timezone used in most of Central Russia, including Saint Petersburg. The areas operate in what is referred to as Moscow Standard Time (MSK, мск), which is 4 hours ahead of UTC, or UTC+4. Daylight saving time is no longer observed.

Climate[link]

Moscow has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb) with warm, and sometimes hot, somewhat humid summers and long, cold winters. Typical high temperatures in the warm months of June, July and August are around comfortable 23 °C (73 °F), but during heat waves (which can occur between May and September), daytime high temperatures often top 30 °C (86 °F)—sometimes for a week or a two at a time. In the winter, temperatures normally drop to approximately −10 °C (14 °F), though there can be periods of warmth with temperatures rising above 0 °C (32 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded was 38.2 °C (100.8 °F)^[27] at the VVC weather station and 39.0 °C (102.2 °F) in the center of Moscow and Domodedovo airport on 29 July 2010 during the unusual 2010 Northern Hemisphere summer heat wave. At the new averages 1981–2010 mean temperature of July is 19.2 °C (66.6 °F). The lowest ever recorded was −42.2 °C (−44.0 °F) in January 1940. Snow cover (present for 3–5 months a year) typically begins at the end of November and melts by mid-March.

Monthly rainfall totals vary minimally throughout the year, although the precipitation levels tend to be higher during the summer than during the winter. Due to the significant variation in temperature between the winter and summer months as well as the limited fluctuation in precipitation levels during the summer, Moscow is considered to be within a continental climate zone.

The average annual temperature in Moscow is 5.8 °C (42.4 °F) (1981–2010), but for the last two years (2007–2008) the annual temperature has averaged above 7 °C (45 °F).^[28] In contrast, during the first half of the 20th century, Moscow experienced light frost during the late summer months.^[29]

On average Moscow has 1731 hours of sunshine per year, varying between a low of 8% in December to 52% in May–August.^[30] In 2004–2010, the average was between 1800 and 2000 hours with tends to more sunshine in summer months^[31]

Moscow, being in northern hemisphere middle latitudes, is one of places of a planet with the most expressed signs of global warming. Thus the climate becomes less stable, but the mid-annual temperature is growing. So, the period July – beginning of August has become considerably warmer, during this period in a city the periods of an extreme heat are often observed (2001, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2011), thus in the end of January–February is observed colder (2006, 2010, 2011). Last decade was the warmest in history of meteorological observations of Moscow. Climate changes of Moscow are designated now on the table more low:

Demographics[link]

Population[link]

Population of Moscow (1350–2009)^{[citation needed]}

Red Square has long been one of the city's most important meeting places

According to the results of the 2010 Census, the population of Moscow was 11,503,501;^[8] up from 10,382,754 recorded in the 2002 Census.^[36]

At the time of the official 2010 Census, the ethnic makeup of the city was:^[8]

• 668,409 people were registered from administrative databases, and could not declare an ethnicity. It is estimated that the proportion of ethnicities in this group is the same as that of the declared group.^[37]

The official population of Moscow is taken from those holding "permanent residency." According to Russia's Federal Migration Service, Moscow also contains 1,800,000 official "guests" who have temporary residency on the basis of visas or other documentation. The number of unofficial guests, those without proper documentation, is estimated to be an additional 1,000,000 people.^[38]

Religion[link]

Christianity is the predominant religion in the city, of which the Russian Orthodox Church is the most popular. Moscow is Russia's capital of Orthodox Christianity, which has been the country’s traditional religion and was deemed a part of Russia's "historical heritage" in a law passed in 1997.^[39] Other religions practiced in Moscow include Islam, Protestantism, Old-believers, Buddhism, and Judaism.

The Patriarch of Moscow serves as the head of the church and resides in the Danilov Monastery. Moscow was called the "city of 1600 churches"—"город сорока сороков церквей"—prior to 1917. In 1918 Russia became a secular state and religion lost its position in society. Since the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 many of the destroyed churches have been restored and traditional religions are gaining popularity.

While the city's Muslim population is estimated to be 1.2–1.5 million^[40] (out of a total of 10.5 million), there were only four mosques in the city as of 2010. (Note that the 2010 Russian Census counted about 300,000 people from Muslim ethnic groups.) Though one additional mosque has been approved in the southeast, anti-mosque activists have blocked construction.^[41]

Cityscape[link]

View as seen from Sparrow Hills: Moscow-City, Moskva River, Luzhniki Stadium, Luzhnetsky Metro Bridge, Building of Russian Academy of Sciences

View as seen from Sparrow Hills: Moskva River, Luzhniki Stadium, Luzhnetsky Metro Bridge, Building of Russian Academy of Sciences

Architecture[link]

The Vlakhernskoye-Kuzminki estate

Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, the masterpiece of Russian architecture

The Shukhov Tower in Moscow. Currently under threat of demolition, the tower is at the top of UNESCO's Endangered Buildings list and there is an international campaign to save it.^[42]

View to Ostankino Tower

Moscow's architecture is world-renowned. Moscow is also well known as the site of Saint Basil’s Cathedral, with its elegant onion domes, as well as the Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the Seven Sisters. The first Kremlin was built in the mid twelfth century.

Medieval Moscow's design was of concentric walls and intersecting radial thoroughfares. This layout, as well as Moscow's rivers, helped shaped Moscow's design in subsequent centuries.

The Kremlin was rebuilt in the 15th Century. Its towers and some of its churches were built by Italian architects, lending the city some of the aura of the renaissance. From the end of the 15th century onwards, the city was embellished by increasing numbers of masonry structures such as monasteries, palaces, walls, towers, and churches.

The city's appearance had not changed much by the turn of the eighteenth century. Houses were made of pine and spruce logs with shingled roofs plastered with sod or covered by birch bark. Rebuilding of Moscow in the second half of the eighteenth century was necessitated not only by constant fires, but also the needs of the nobility. Much of the wooden city was replaced by buildings in the classical style.^[43]

For much of its history, Moscow was dominated by its numerous Orthodox churches. However, the overall appearance of the city changed drastically during the Soviet period, especially as a result of Joseph Stalin's large-scale effort to modernize the city. Stalin's plans for the city included a network of broad avenues and roadways, some of them over ten lanes wide, which, while greatly simplifying movement through the city were constructed at the expense of a great number of historical buildings and districts. Among the many casualties of Stalin's reforms was the Sukharev Tower, a longtime city landmark, as well as numerous mansions and commercial buildings lining the major streets. The city's newfound status as the capital of a deeply secular, totalitarian nation, made religiously significant buildings especially vulnerable to demolition. Many of the city's churches, which in many cases were some of Moscow's oldest buildings, were destroyed; some notable examples include the Kazan Cathedral and the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. While the 1990s, both the latter were rebuilt (amid criticism due to the high costs and lack of historical perspective), many smaller churches were permanently lost.^[44]

While the later Stalinist period was characterized by the curtailing of creativity and architectural innovation, the earlier post-revolutionary years saw a plethora of radical new buildings created in the city. Especially notable were the constructivist architects associated with VKHUTEMAS, responsible for such landmarks as Lenin's Mausoleum. Also prominent was Vladimir Shukhov, responsible for Shukhov Tower, just one of many hyperboloid towers designed by Shukhov, was built between 1919 and 1922 as a transmission tower for a Russian broadcasting company.^[45] Shukhov also left a lasting legacy to the Constructivist architecture of early Soviet Russia. He designed spacious elongated shop galleries, most notably the GUM department store on Red Square,^[45] bridged with innovative metal-and-glass vaults.

Perhaps the most recognizable contributions of the Stalinist period are the so called Seven Sisters, comprising seven massive skyscrapers scattered throughout the city at about an equal distance from the Kremlin. A defining feature of Moscow’s skyline, their imposing form was allegedly inspired by the Manhattan Municipal Building in New York City, and their style—with intricate exteriors and a large central spire—has been described as Stalinist Gothic architecture. All seven towers can be seen from most elevations in the city; they are among the tallest constructions in central Moscow apart from the Ostankino Tower, which, when it was completed in 1967, was the tallest free-standing land structure in the world and today remains the world’s fourth-tallest after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the Canton Tower in Guangzhou and the CN Tower in Toronto.^[46]

The Soviet policy of providing mandatory housing for every citizen and his or her family, and the rapid growth of the Muscovite population in Soviet times, also led to the construction of large, monotonous housing blocks, which can often be differentiated by age, sturdiness of construction, or ‘style’ according to the neighborhood and the materials used. Most of these date from the post-Stalin era and the styles are often named after the leader then in power (Brezhnev, Khrushchev, etc.) and they are usually ill-maintained.

The Stalinist-era constructions, usually in the central city, are massive and usually ornamented with Socialist realism motifs that imitate classical themes. However, small churches–almost always Eastern Orthodox–found across the city provide glimpses of its past. The Old Arbat Street, a popular tourist street that was once the heart of a bohemian area, preserves most of its buildings from prior to the 20th century. Many buildings found off the main streets of the inner city (behind the Stalinist façades of Tverskaya Street, for example) are also examples of bourgeois architecture typical of Tsarist times. Ostankino Palace, Kuskovo, Uzkoye and other large estates just outside Moscow originally belong to nobles from the Tsarist era, and some convents and monasteries, both inside and outside the city, are open to Muscovites and tourists.

Moscow high-rise buildings at night

New Arbat Avenue on Victory day

Attempts are being made to restore many of the city’s best-kept examples of pre-Soviet architecture. These revamped structures are easily spotted by their bright new colors and spotless façades. There are a few examples of notable, early Soviet avant-garde work too, such as the house of the architect Konstantin Melnikov in the Arbat area. Many of these restorations were criticized for their disrespect of historical authenticity. Facadism is also widely practiced.^[47] Later examples of interesting Soviet architecture are usually marked by their impressive size and the semi-Modernist styles employed, such as with the Novy Arbat project, familiarly known as “false teeth of Moscow” and notorious for the wide-scale disruption of a historic area in central Moscow involved in the project.

Plaques on house exteriors will inform passers-by that a well-known personality once lived there. Frequently, the plaques are dedicated to Soviet celebrities not well known outside (or often, like with decorated generals and revolutionaries, now both inside) of Russia. There are also many "house-museums" of famous Russian writers, composers, and artists in the city.

Moscow's skyline is quickly modernizing with several new towers under construction.

In recent years, the city administration has been widely criticized for heavy destruction that has affected many historical buildings. As much as a third of historic Moscow has been destroyed in the past few years^[48] to make space for luxury apartments and hotels.^[49] Other historical buildings, including such landmarks as the 1930 Moskva hotel and the 1913 department store Voyentorg, have been razed and reconstructed anew, with the inevitable loss of historical value. Critics also blame the government for not applying the conservation laws: in the last 12 years more than 50 buildings with monument status were torn down, several of those dating back to the 17th century.^[50] Some critics also wonder if the money used for the reconstruction of razed buildings could not be used for the renovation of decaying structures, which include many works by architect Konstantin Melnikov^[51] and Mayakovskaya metro station.

Some organizations, such as Moscow Architecture Preservation Society and Save Europe's Heritage, are trying to draw the international public attention to these problems.^[52]

Parks and landmarks[link]

Tsaritsyno Park and palace

Novodevichy Convent is one of the World Heritage Sites

There are 96 parks and 18 gardens in Moscow, including 4 botanical gardens. There are also 450 square kilometres (170 sq mi) of green zones besides 100 square kilometres (39 sq mi) of forests.^[53] Moscow is a very green city if compared to other cities of comparable size in Western Europe and America. There are on average 27 square meters (290 sq ft) of parks per person in Moscow compared with 6 for Paris, 7.5 in London and 8.6 in New York.^[54]

The Central Park of Culture and Rest, named after Maxim Gorky, was founded in 1928. The main part (689,000 square meters / 170 acres)^[54] along the Moskva river contains estrades, children's attractions (including the Observation Wheel water ponds with boats and water bicycles), dancing, tennis courts and other sports facilities. It borders the Neskuchny Garden (408,000 square meters / 101 acres), the oldest park in Moscow and a former Emperor's residence, created as a result of integration of three estates of 18th century. The Garden features the Green Theater, one of the largest open amphitheaters in Europe and able to hold up to 15 thousand people.^[55]

Ascension church in Kolomenskoye, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Izmaylovsky Park created in 1931 is one of the largest urban parks in the world along with Richmond Park in London. Its area of 15.34 square kilometres (5.92 sq mi) is six times greater than that of Central Park in New York.^[54]

Sokolniki Park, named after the falcon hunting that occurred there in the past, is one of the oldest parks in Moscow and has an area of 6 square kilometres (2.3 sq mi). From a central circle with a large fountain radiate birch, maple and elm tree alleys. A labyrinth composed of green paths lies beyond the park's deer ponds.

Losiny Ostrov National Park ("Elk Island" National Park), with a total area of more than 116 square kilometres (45 sq mi), borders Sokolniki Park and was Russia's first national park. It is also known as the "city taiga", where elk can be seen.

Tsytsin Main Botanical Garden of Academy of Sciences, founded in 1945 is the largest in Europe.^[56] It covers territory of 3.61 square kilometres (1.39 sq mi) bordering the All-Russia Exhibition Center and contains a live exhibition of more than 20 thousand of different species of plants from different parts of the world as well as scientific research laboratory. It also contains a rosarium with 20 thousand rose bushes, a dendrarium, and an oak forest with average age of trees exceeding 100 years as well as a greenhouse on more than 5000 square meters.^[54]

Ostankino Palace

All-Russian Exhibition Center (Всероссийский выставочный центр), formerly known as All-Union Agricultural Exhibition (VSKhV) and later Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy (VDNKh), though officially named a "permanent trade show", is in fact one of the most prominent examples of Stalinist-era monumental architecture. Among the large spans of recreational park areas are scores of elaborate pavilions, each representing either a branch of Soviet industry and science or one of USSR's republics. Even though, during 1990s, it was, and for some part still is, misused as a gigantic shopping center (most of the pavilions are rented out for small businesses), it still retains the bulk of its architectural landmarks, including two monumental fountains (Stone Flower and Friendship of Nations) and a 360 degrees panoramic cinema.

Lilac Park, founded in 1958, is known for its permanent sculpture exposition and a large rosarium.

Moscow has always been a popular destination for tourists. Some of the better known attractions include the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site, Moscow Kremlin and Red Square,^[57] which was built between the 14th and 17th centuries.^[58] The Church of the Ascension at Kolomenskoye, which dates from 1532, is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and another popular attraction.^[59]

"Friendship of Nations" fountain in All-Russia Exhibition Center

Near the new Tretyakov Gallery there is a sculpture garden called "the graveyard of fallen monuments" that displays statues of the former Soviet Union that were removed from their place after its dissolution.

Other popular attractions include the Moscow Zoo, a zoological garden of nearly a thousands species and more than 6,500 specimens.^[60] Each year, the zoo attracts more than 1.2 million visitors.^[60]

Many of Moscow's parks and landscaped gardens are protected natural environments.

Moscow Rings[link]

Moscow's road system is centered roughly around the Kremlin at the heart of the city. From there, roads generally radiate outwards to intersect with a sequence of circular roads ("rings").

The first and innermost major ring, Bulvarnoye Koltso (Boulevard Ring), was built at the former location of the 16th century city wall around that used to be called Bely Gorod (White Town).^[16] The Bulvarnoye Koltso is technically not a ring; it does not form a complete circle, but instead a horseshoe-like arc that goes from the Cathedral of Christ the Savior to the Yauza River. In addition, the Boulevard Ring changes street names numerous times throughout its journey across the city.

The second primary ring, located outside the bell end Boulevard Ring, is the Sadovoye Koltso (Garden Ring). Like the Boulevard Ring, the Garden Ring follows the path of a 16th century wall that used to encompass part of the city.^[16]

The third ring, the Third Transport Ring, was completed in 2003 as a high-speed freeway.

The Fourth Transport Ring, another freeway, is under construction to further reduce traffic congestion.

The outermost ring within Moscow is the Moscow Automobile Ring Road (often called the MKAD from the Russian Московская Кольцевая Автомобильная Дорога), which forms the approximate boundary of the city, was established in the 1950s. Outside the city, some of the roads encompassing the city continue to follow this circular pattern seen inside city limits.

Life and culture[link]

Overview[link]

The Bolshoi Theatre after its renovation

Moscow International House of Music

One of the most notable art museums in Moscow is the Tretyakov Gallery, which was founded by Pavel Tretyakov, a wealthy patron of the arts who donated a large private collection to the city.^[61] The Tretyakov Gallery is split into two buildings. The Old Tretyakov gallery, the original gallery in the Tretyakovskaya area on the south bank of the Moskva River, houses the works of the classic Russian tradition.^[62] The works of famous pre-Revolutionary painters, such as Ilya Repin, as well as the works of early Russian icon painters can be found in the Old Tretyakov Gallery. Visitors can even see rare originals by early-15th century iconographer Andrei Rublev.^[62] The New Tretyakov gallery, created in Soviet times, mainly contains the works of Soviet artists, as well as of a few contemporary artists, but there is some overlap with the Old Tretyakov Gallery for early 20th century art. The new gallery includes a small reconstruction of Vladimir Tatlin's famous Monument to the Third International and a mixture of other avant-garde works by artists like Kazimir Malevich and Wassily Kandinsky. Socialist realism features can also be found within the halls of the New Tretyakov Gallery.

The Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts

Another art museum in the city of Moscow is the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, which was founded by, among others, Marina Tsvetaeva's father. The Pushkin Museum is similar to the British Museum in London in that its halls are a cross-section of world civilisations, with many plaster casts of ancient sculptures. However, it also hosts famous paintings from every major Western era of art; works by Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne, and Pablo Picasso are all sampled there.

Monument to Marshal Zhukov with Moscow State Historical Museum in the background

The State Historical Museum of Russia (Государственный Исторический музей) is a museum of Russian history located between Red Square and Manege Square in Moscow. Its exhibitions range from relics of the prehistoric tribes inhabiting present-day Russia, through priceless artworks acquired by members of the Romanov dynasty. The total number of objects in the museum's collection numbers in the millions. The Polytechnical Museum,^[63] founded in 1872 is the largest technical museum in Russia, offering a wide array of historical inventions and technological achievements, including humanoid automata of the 18th century and the first Soviet computers. Its collection contains more than 160,000 items.^[64] The Borodino Panorama^[65] museum located on Kutuzov Avenue provides an opportunity for visitors to experience being on a battlefield with a 360° diorama. It is a part of the large historical memorial commemorating the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812 over Napoleon’s army, that includes also the triumphal arch erected in 1827. There is also a military history museum not to be missed, it includes statues, military hardware, along with powerful tales of that time.

The Red Army Theater was built in the shape of a star

Moscow is also the heart of Russian performing arts, including ballet and film. There are ninety-three theaters, 132 cinemas and twenty-four concert-halls in Moscow. Among Moscow’s many theaters and ballet studios is the Bolshoi Theatre and the Malyi Theatre as well as Vakhtangov Theatre and Moscow Art Theatre. The repertories in a typical Moscow season are exhaustive and modern interpretations of classic works, whether operatic or theatrical, are quite common. State Central Concert Hall Rossia,^[66] famous for ballet and estrade performances, is the place of frequent concerts of pop and rock stars and is situated in the soon to be demolished building of Hotel Rossiya, the largest hotel in Europe.