Moscow Oblast
A densely populated Russian oblast surrounding but not including Moscow.
Moscow Oblast, often called Podmoskovye, is a federal subject of Russia. It ranks as the country’s second most populous federal subject, with 8,524,665 residents recorded in the 2021 census, and is one of Russia’s most densely settled regions. Covering 44,300 square kilometers, the oblast lacks a single official administrative center; its public authorities are based in Moscow and Krasnogorsk, with additional offices spread across the territory.
Situated in European Russia between latitudes 54° and 57° N and longitudes 35° and 41° E, Moscow Oblast shares borders with Tver, Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Ryazan, Tula, Kaluga, and Smolensk Oblasts. It largely encircles the federal city of Moscow, which is a separate federal subject. The region is heavily industrialized, with key industries including metallurgy, oil refining, mechanical engineering, as well as food, energy, and chemical production.
**Geography**
**Relief** The terrain is mostly flat, with hills reaching about 160 meters in the west and extensive lowlands in the east. A boundary from the Moscow glacier runs southwest to northeast; north of it, moraine ridges and ice-erosion forms dominate, while south of it only erosional landforms appear. The western and northern parts feature the Moscow Uplands, averaging around 300 meters near Dmitrov and peaking at 310 meters near the village of Shapkino in Mozhaysky District. The northern side of these uplands is steeper than the southern. Glacial lakes like Nerskoye and Krugloye are found here. To the north lies the flat, marshy Verhnevolzhsk Depression, with heights between 120 and 150 meters.
Southward stretches the hilly Moskvoretsko-Oksk plain, whose highest point—254 meters—is at Tyoply Stan within Moscow city limits. Its river valleys are clearly defined, especially in the south, and karst relief occurs in Serpukhovsky District. Beyond the Oka River in the far south lies the Central Russian Upland, marked by gullies and ravines, with average heights above 200 meters and a maximum of 236 meters near Pushchino.
Most of the eastern part is the vast Meshchera Lowlands, which are heavily wetland in the east. Their highest hill reaches 214 meters, but average heights are 120–150 meters. Lakes such as Chyornoye and Svyatoye are glacial in origin. The region’s lowest natural elevation is the Oka River’s water level at 97 meters.
**Geology and Minerals**
**Geolo
- Population
- 8,524,665 (2021 Census)
- Area
- 44,300 square kilometers (17,100 sq mi)
- Location
- European Russia, between latitudes 54° and 57° N and longitudes 35° and 41° E
- Bordering federal subjects
- Tver, Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Ryazan, Tula, Kaluga, and Smolensk Oblasts, plus the federal city of Moscow
- Major industries
- Metallurgy, oil refining, mechanical engineering, food, energy, and chemical industries
Lore & Background
Moscow Oblast is mostly flat, with hills up to about 310 meters in the west and extensive lowlands in the east. The western and northern parts contain the Moscow Uplands, while the east is dominated by the Meshchera Lowlands with many wetlands and glacial lakes. The region's lowest natural elevation is the water level of the Oka River at 97 meters. The oblast lies on the East European craton, with a crystalline basement depth ranging from 1,000 meters in the south to 4,200 meters in the northeast. Quaternary deposits are widespread, and four glaciations are believed to have occurred in the area, leaving moraine loam with pebbles and boulders.
Reader's Guide
Moscow Oblast is significant as a highly industrialized region of Russia, with major industries including metallurgy, oil refining, and mechanical engineering. Its mineral wealth is considerable, with extensive deposits of sand, clay, limestone, dolomite, phosphates, peat, and potassium salts. Quartz sand for glass production has been mined since the late 17th century near Lyubertsy, though much production is now halted for environmental reasons. The oblast's climate is humid continental, with short, warm summers and long, cold winters; average January temperatures range from −9 °C in the west to −12 °C in the east. The region's geography and geology have shaped its economic development, particularly in construction materials and energy resources.
Did You Know?
- The oblast has no official administrative center; its public authorities are located in Moscow and Krasnogorsk.
- The highest point in Moscow Oblast is 310 meters near the village of Shapkino in Mozhaysky District.
- Refractory white clay has been extracted near Gzhel since the 14th century.
- The lowest natural elevation in the oblast is the water level of the Oka River at 97 meters.
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