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Gene Siskel

Eugene Kal Siskel (January 26, 1946 – February 20, 1999) was an American film critic and journalist for the Chicago Tribune. He is best known for co-hosting various movie review television series with colleague Roger Ebert.

Siskel started writing for the Chicago Tribune in 1969, becoming its film critic soon after. In 1975, he was paired with Roger Ebert to co-host a monthly show called Opening Soon at a Theater Near You airing locally on PBS member station WTTW. In 1978, the show, renamed Sneak Previews, was expanded to weekly episodes and aired on PBS affiliates all around the United States. In 1982, Siskel and Ebert both left Sneak Previews to create the syndicated show At the Movies. Following a contract dispute with Tribune Entertainment in 1986, Siskel and Ebert signed with Buena Vista Television, creating Siskel & Ebert & the Movies (renamed Siskel & Ebert in 1987, and renamed again several times after Siskel's death).

Known for their biting wit, intense professional rivalry, heated arguments, and trademark "Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down" movie ratings system, Siskel and Ebert became celebrated in American pop culture. Siskel was diagnosed with brain cancer in May 1998 but remained in the public eye as Ebert's professional partner until his death the following year.

Early life
Siskel was born in Chicago on January 26, 1946, the youngest of three children born to Ida (née Kalis) and Nathan William Siskel, who were Russian Jewish immigrants. His father died when he was four and his mother died when he was nine; thereafter, he was raised by his aunt and uncle. He attended Culver Academies, where he experienced anti-Semitism firsthand when a schoolmate gave him a piece of toast on which jam was spread in the shape of a swastika.

Siskel graduated from Yale University with a degree in philosophy in 1967. While at Yale, Siskel was classmates with poet Paul Monette and future New York Governor George Pataki. Siskel studied writing under Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Hersey, whose reference would later help Siskel get a job at the Chicago Tribune in 1969.

Writing
Siskel's first print review, written one month before he became the Tribune's film critic, was for the film Rascal. His review of the film was not favorable ("Because of the excessive gimmickry, most kids will miss the tenderness," he wrote). Prior to this, he served in the U.S. Army Reserve; he was a military journalist and public affairs officer for the Defense Information School. For a time afterwards, he was acquainted with Playboy magazine publisher Hugh Hefner.

In 1986, the Chicago Tribune announced that Siskel was no longer the paper's film critic, and that his position with the paper had been shifted from that of a full-time film critic to that of a freelance contract writer who was to write about the film industry for the Sunday paper and also provide capsule film reviews for the paper's entertainment sections. The demotion occurred after Siskel and Ebert decided to shift production of their weekly movie-review show, then known as At the Movies (later known as Siskel & Ebert), from Tribune Entertainment to the Walt Disney Company's Buena Vista Television unit. Editor James Squires stated on the move, "He's done a great job for us. It's a question of how much a person can do physically. We think you need to be a newspaper person first, and Gene Siskel always tried to do that. But there comes a point when a career is so big that you can't do that." Siskel declined to comment on the new arrangement, but Ebert publicly criticized Siskel's Tribune bosses for punishing Siskel for taking their television program to a company other than Tribune Entertainment. Ebert privately suggested that Siskel join him at the Chicago Sun-Times, but Siskel remained a freelancer for the Tribune until his death in 1999. He was replaced as film critic by Dave Kehr.

The last review published by Siskel for the Chicago Tribune was for the film She's All That, published on January 29, 1999, in which he gave a favorable review, giving it three stars out of four and wrote that "Rachael Leigh Cook as Laney, the plain Jane object of the makeover, is forced to demonstrate the biggest emotional range as a character, and she is equal to the assignment. I look forward to seeing her in her next movie."

Siskel & Ebert
In 1975, Siskel teamed up with Ebert, film reviewer for the Chicago Sun-Times, to host a show on local Chicago PBS station WTTW which eventually became Sneak Previews. Their "thumbs-up, thumbs-down" system soon became an easily recognizable trademark,  popular enough to be parodied on comedy shows such as Second City Television, In Living Color, Bizarre, and in movies such as Hollywood Shuffle and Godzilla. Sneak Previews gained a nationwide audience in 1977 when WTTW offered it as a series to the PBS program system.

Siskel and Ebert left WTTW and PBS in 1982 for syndication. Their new show, At the Movies, was produced and distributed by Tribune Broadcasting, the parent company of the Chicago Tribune and WGN-TV. Sneak Previews continued on PBS for 14 more years with other hosts until its cancellation in 1996. In 1986, Siskel and Ebert left Tribune Broadcasting to have their show produced by the syndication arm of the Walt Disney Company. The new incarnation of the show was originally titled Siskel & Ebert & the Movies, but later shortened to Siskel & Ebert. At the Movies also continued for a few more years with other hosts until its cancellation in 1990.

The last five movies Siskel reviewed with Ebert on the show before his death aired during the weekend of January 23–24, 1999. On the show, they reviewed At First Sight, Another Day in Paradise, The Hi-Lo Country, Playing by Heart, and The Theory of Flight. Siskel gave thumbs up to all of them, except for Playing by Heart.

Following Siskel's death, Ebert continued the series with rotating guest hosts, which included Martin Scorsese, Janet Maslin, Peter Bogdanovich, Todd McCarthy, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Kenneth Turan. Elvis Mitchell, and the eventual replacement for Siskel, Richard Roeper.

Film and TV appearances
Siskel and Ebert were known for their many appearances on late-night talk shows, including appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman sixteen times and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson fifteen times. They also appeared together on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Arsenio Hall Show, Howard Stern, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

In 1982, 1983, and 1985, Siskel, along with Ebert, appeared as themselves on Saturday Night Live. For their first two appearances, they reviewed sketches from that night's telecast and reviewed sketches from the "SNL Film Festival" for their last appearance.

In 1991, Siskel, along with Ebert, appeared in a segment on the children's television series Sesame Street entitled "Sneak Peak Previews" (a parody of Sneak Previews). In the segment, the critics instruct the hosts Oscar the Grouch and Telly Monster on how their thumbs up/thumbs down rating system works. Oscar asks if there could be a thumbs sideways ratings, and goads the two men into an argument about whether or not that would be acceptable, as Ebert likes the idea, but Siskel does not. The two were also seen that same year in the show's celebrity version of "Monster in the Mirror".

In 1993, Siskel appeared as himself in an episode of The Larry Sanders Show entitled "Off Camera". Entertainment Weekly chose his performance as one of the great scenes in that year's television.

In 1995, Siskel and Ebert guest-starred on an episode of the animated TV series The Critic entitled "Siskel & Ebert & Jay & Alice". In the episode, Siskel and Ebert split and each wants protagonist Jay Sherman, a fellow movie critic, as his new partner. The episode is a parody of the film Sleepless in Seattle.

An early appearance of Siskel, taken from Opening Soon at a Theater Near You, the predecessor to Sneak Previews, is included in the 2009 documentary film, For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism. In the film, he is seen debating with Ebert over the merits of the film version of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Critical style
Gene Siskel had an abrasive review style, and claimed his film criticism was an individual exercise that should not be swayed by public taste. In an interview for the Academy of Television and Radio, his TV co-host said of him, "I think Gene felt that he had to like the whole picture to give it a thumbs up."

In particular, he often gave negative reviews to films that became box office champs and went on to be considered mainstream classics: Poltergeist, Scarface, Beverly Hills Cop, The Terminator, Aliens, Predator, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Thelma & Louise, and Independence Day. This even extended to several films that went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture: The Silence of the Lambs and Unforgiven.

Yet, Ebert also noted in a memoriam episode of Siskel and Ebert that when Siskel found a movie that he truly treasured, he embraced it as something special. Directly addressing his late colleague, Ebert said: "I know for sure that seeing a truly great movie made you so happy that you'd tell me a week later your spirits were still high." Some of Siskel's most treasured movies included My Dinner with Andre (1981), Shoah (1985), Fargo (1996), and the documentary Hoop Dreams (1994).

Favorites
One of Siskel's favorite films was Saturday Night Fever; he even bought the famous white disco suit that John Travolta wore in the film from a charity auction. Another all-time favorite was Dr. Strangelove. A favorite from childhood was Dumbo, which he often mentioned as the first film that had an influence on him.

Best films of the year
Siskel compiled "best of the year" film lists from 1969 to 1998, which helped to provide an overview of his critical preferences. His top choices were:

 * 1969: Z
 * 1970: My Night at Maud's
 * 1971: Claire's Knee
 * 1972: The Godfather
 * 1973: The Emigrants
 * 1974: Day for Night
 * 1975: Nashville
 * 1976: All the President's Men
 * 1977: Annie Hall
 * 1978: Straight Time

 * 1979: Hair
 * 1980: Raging Bull
 * 1981: Ragtime
 * 1982: Moonlighting
 * 1983: The Right Stuff
 * 1984: Once Upon a Time in America
 * 1985: Shoah
 * 1986: Hannah and Her Sisters
 * 1987: The Last Emperor
 * 1988: The Last Temptation of Christ

 * 1989: Do the Right Thing
 * 1990: Goodfellas
 * 1991: Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse
 * 1992: One False Move
 * 1993: Schindler's List
 * 1994: Hoop Dreams
 * 1995: Crumb
 * 1996: Fargo
 * 1997: The Ice Storm
 * 1998: Babe: Pig in the City

From 1969 until his death in February 1999, he and Ebert were in agreement on nine annual top selections: Z, The Godfather, Nashville, The Right Stuff, Do the Right Thing, Goodfellas, Schindler's List, Hoop Dreams, and Fargo. There would have been a tenth, but Ebert declined to rank the $9 1/2$-hour documentary Shoah as 1985's best film because he felt it was inappropriate to compare it to the rest of the year's candidates. Six times, Siskel's number one choice did not appear on Ebert's top ten list at all: Straight Time, Ragtime, Once Upon a Time in America, The Last Temptation of Christ, Hearts of Darkness, and The Ice Storm. Six times, Ebert's top selection did not appear on Siskel's; these films were 3 Women, An Unmarried Woman, Apocalypse Now, Sophie's Choice, Mississippi Burning, and Dark City.

Personal life
In 1980, Siskel married Marlene Iglitzen, who was then a producer for CBS in New York. They had two daughters, Kate and Callie, and a son, Will. Their daughters graduated from Siskel's alma mater, Yale University. He is the uncle of Ed Siskel, a lawyer and current White House Counsel under U.S. President Joe Biden.

Illness and death
Siskel was diagnosed with a malignant, terminal brain tumor on May 8, 1998. He underwent brain surgery three days later. For a few weeks during his recovery, he participated on Siskel & Ebert by telephone, calling in from his hospital bed while Ebert appeared in the studio. Siskel did not disclose the severity of his illness to anyone outside of his family; publicly, he said that the surgery removed an unspecified "growth" on his brain, and that he was recovering well. He eventually returned to the studio, but was noted to appear more lethargic and mellow than usual. On February 3, 1999, he announced that he was taking a leave of absence from the show, but that he expected to be back by the fall, stating, "I'm in a hurry to get well because I don't want Roger to get more screen time than I."

Siskel died at a hospital in Evanston, Illinois, on February 20, 1999, nine months after his diagnosis and surgery; he was 53 years old. His funeral was held two days later at the North Suburban Synagogue Beth El. He is interred at Westlawn Cemetery in Norridge, Illinois.

Legacy
Siskel was a Chicago sports fan, especially of his hometown basketball team, the Chicago Bulls, and would cover locker-room celebrations for WBBM-TV news broadcasts following Bulls championships in the 1990s. Siskel was also a member of the advisory committee of the Film Center at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a strong supporter of the Film Center mission. He wrote hundreds of articles applauding the Film Center's distinctive programming and lent the power of his position as a well-known film critic to urge public funding and audience support. In 2000, the Film Center was renamed The Gene Siskel Film Center in his honor.

Only once during his long association with Ebert did Siskel ever change his vote on a movie during the review. He initially gave the film Broken Arrow a "thumbs up", but after hearing Ebert's criticism, Siskel changed his mind to "thumbs down". However, he had changed his opinions on films years after his initial reviews, as with Tremors, which he gave a negative review to in 1990 but later gave a glowing positive review in 1994, stating, "I wasn't sure what I missed the first time around, but it just didn't click."

Siskel said that he walked out on three films during his professional career: the 1971 comedy The Million Dollar Duck starring Dean Jones, the 1980 horror film Maniac, and the 1996 Penelope Spheeris film Black Sheep. When he mentioned walking out on Black Sheep in 1996, he said it was the first time he walked out on a movie he was reviewing since Million Dollar Duck in 1971; he later explained that he did not include Maniac because he did not review Maniac as an assignment for his newspaper or part of his and Ebert's weekly TV reviews but only as a "Dog of the Week", a feature of the TV show in which each critic would single out the very worst movie they had seen that week.

Both critics had specific sensitivities and feelings that would often vary in extremes to certain kinds of bad films. Ebert was very sensitive to films about race and ethnicity; Siskel was sensitive to films about families and family relationships, and had a special hatred for films like House Arrest (1996) and Like Father Like Son (1987), both of which were about parents and their children.

Following Siskel's death in 1999, Ebert wrote: "Gene was a lifelong friend, and our professional competition only strengthened that bond. I can't even imagine what will it be like without him. ...As a critic, Siskel was passionate and exacting. I think it was important to Gene that this was the only serious film criticism on television. That made him proud. We had a lot of big fights. We were people who came together one day a week and, the other six days, we were competitors on two daily newspapers and two different television stations. So there was a lot of competition and a lot of disagreement."

Ebert once said of his relationship with Siskel: "Gene Siskel and I were like tuning forks. Strike one, and the other would pick up the same frequency. When we were in a group together, we were always intensely aware of one another. Sometimes this took the form of camaraderie, sometimes shared opinions, sometimes hostility."

When both men appeared together on The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers, Joan Rivers conducted a "together and separately" interview with them, which at one point had each of them wear Walkman-style headphones, playing loud music, while the other commented on his partner. When asked what he thought was the biggest difference between himself and Ebert, Siskel unhesitatingly replied: "I'm a better reviewer than he is", but a few moments later, he said that anyone who read an Ebert review would read "an extremely well-written review".

At the 1999 Academy Awards ceremony, after its in memoriam montage of deceased stars and film contributors (which did not include Siskel), host Whoopi Goldberg gave a brief impromptu tribute to Siskel:

"I want to take a moment to acknowledge someone we lost too recently to include in our film tribute. He wasn't a filmmaker, but he definitely was a member of our film community. Now he clobbered some of us with a great big stick and sometimes he touched us with a velvet glove. I'm talking about Gene Siskel. He was a critic but more importantly, he really loved movies, so, Gene, wherever you are, honey, here's to you."

She included the iconic "thumbs-up" gesture; it received a great round of audience applause.

title: Gene Siskel


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Ford Laser

The Ford Laser is a compact car, originally a subcompact car in the first three generations, which was sold by Ford in Asia, Oceania, and parts of South America and Africa. It has generally been available as a sedan or hatchback, although convertible, wagon and pick-up versions have also been available in different markets. The sedan, and briefly station wagon, versions were badged Ford Meteor in Australia between 1981 and 1987. The Ford Meteor name was also used in South Africa.

The Ford Laser was a restyled version of the Familia/323 models produced by Mazda in Japan from 1980 onwards. Ford had acquired a 25% stake in Mazda in 1979.

Platform and assembly-line sharing with the locally produced Mazda Familia in Japan allowed the Laser in that market to be offered with a plethora of engine, paint and trim configurations not available anywhere else in the world. This was most notably evident during the 1980s with multiple turbocharged variants, unique bodyshells such as the cabriolet, and full-time 4WD models all available years before their debuts in other markets (and in some cases, never making it offshore at all). Along with the Japanese produced Ford Telstar and Ford Festiva, the Laser was sold at special Autorama dealerships.

In Australia and New Zealand, where Ford was seen as a local brand, the locally assembled Laser outsold its Mazda twin, the 323, especially in Australia, where the 323 was imported. According to research carried out by Ford Australia in 1984, a third of Laser buyers were unaware that the Ford model was based on the Mazda 323.

However, in neighbouring Asian markets, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Hong Kong, as well as Japan itself, the reverse was the case, although pooling resources with Mazda allowed Ford to maintain a foothold in the region. This was also the case in South America, South Africa, and the Caribbean, where the Laser was also sold, in many cases being locally assembled.

Laser (KA/KB)
The KA Laser (Australian model code), built under license from Mazda, was introduced in March 1981, replacing the rear-wheel-drive Escort in Australia. The range was available as a hatchback, in both three- and five-door varieties, as well as a four-door sedan badged Ford Meteor. Originally sold only with the 1.3-litre engine, the smaller 1.1-litre engine was never available in Australia. Later, 1.5-litre versions were added, eventually even a turbocharged version. In January 1983, the Laser underwent a facelift to become the KB. Light changes were made to the rear, while the front was redesigned in a more modern style, aligning it with Ford's corporate look of the era.

In Japan this is referred to as the "BE" Laser, which was identical to the Australian KB series. The BE model code relates to the BD model code used for the corresponding Familia/323. The first Lasers went on sale in Japan in late 1982. Fuel-injection and a 115 PS turbocharged model were added in July 1983; these variants were never offered for sale outside Japan.

Aside from being built in Australia and Japan, Lasers were also assembled in New Zealand at Ford's Wiri plant in Auckland, replacing the Mk2 Escort. In New Zealand, the Laser was sold as both a hatchback and sedan, the Meteor name not being used in that market, and was later joined by the Mazda 323 at the renamed Vehicle Assemblers of New Zealand (VANZ) plant in Wiri, Auckland in a joint venture between Ford New Zealand and Mazda. 323s initially had been assembled at the Motor Industries International plant in Otahuhu, subsequently taken over by Mazda New Zealand. New Zealand-built Ford Laser hatchbacks were available with the 1.1-litre (base and Ritz), 1.3-litre (GL), and 1.5-litre (Sport) engines, while the Laser sedan (base, L, Ghia) was available with the 1.1-, 1.3 and 1.5-litre engines respectively, with the Ghia having an automatic transmission option.

The Laser was also sold in some countries in Latin America, including Argentina. This was identical to the KA version sold in Australia. In Mexico, however, the first-generation Laser had a front end similar to the North American Mazda GLC. In addition, it was sold in right hand drive markets in the Caribbean such as Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, where it was locally assembled.

Assembly of the Laser also occurred in Malaysia and Indonesia (in right hand drive) and in left hand drive for markets like Taiwan and the Philippines. In Taiwan, it was assembled using complete knock-down kits from 1981 via the local joint venture Ford Lio Ho.

The Laser was also introduced in Zimbabwe in 1981, the first Ford model to be sold in the country for fourteen years, after the imposition of sanctions on the then Rhodesia after its Unilateral Declaration of Independence. It was assembled at the state-owned Willowvale Motor Industries plant, in Harare, alongside the Mazda 323.

 * Mazda E1, 41 kW 1.1-litre, carburettor, 8-valve, SOHC (Base/Ritz, trim levels in New Zealand)
 * Mazda E3, 49 kW 1.3-litre carburettor, 8-valve, SOHC (L and GL in NZ)
 * Mazda E5, 54 kW 1.5-litre carburettor, 8-valve, SOHC (L & GL [Australia] and Ghia [NZ and Australia])
 * Mazda E5, 59 kW 1.5-litre twin-carburettor, 8-valve, SOHC (Sport)
 * Mazda E5T, 78 kW 1.5-litre carburettor, 8-valve, SOHC, turbocharged (limited edition Turbo trim level, 300 produced)
 * Mazda E5T, 85 kW 1.5-litre, electronic fuel injection, 8-valve SOHC, turbocharged (Turbo trim level in Japan)

Meteor (GA/GB)
Introduced in April 1982, Ford Meteor was the name given to the sedan version of the Laser. Designated as the GA series, the Meteor featured conventional three-box styling with a 60/40 folding rear seat to increase luggage capacity that was already considered "very large for the class". Compared to the Laser, the front seats could be moved back a little further at the expense of rear seat passengers. To further improve practicality, the Meteor's spare wheel could be relocated from the floor to an upright position to increase boot depth from 410 to 585 mm. The additional length of 195 mm over the Laser hatchback was used by Ford Australia to justify the Meteor as replacement to the TF Cortina. In Australia, the Meteor was only available with the 1.5-litre engine and five-speed manual transmission or optional three-speed automatic. Consequently, the Meteor had a difficult undertaking replacing the Cortina, which offered engine displacements from 2.0 litres for the inline-four, up to a 4.1-litre inline-six, plus a station wagon option. However, the Meteor's pitch as the Cortina replacement was merely a temporary measure prior to the introduction of the Telstar mid-sized sedan and hatchback in May 1983. In Australia, the Meteor directly competed against the Holden Camira.

The Meteor's front styling and grille differed from the corresponding Laser. The Meteor styling was based on the Japanese market Mazda Familia (BD) sedan. Lighting changes included the replacement of the Laser's amber front turn signals with clear lenses, plus the fitment of larger, flush headlamps over the Laser's smaller lights that were "sunken" into an enclosure. The Meteor grille had more of an "eggcrate" pattern than the plain black slats of the Laser. Suspension was fully independent with coil springs.

Trim levels in Australia comprised the entry-level GL and upmarket Ghia, both available with an optional "S" pack that added full instrumentation and upgraded tyres. Steel wheels with bright metal trim rings differentiated the GL from the Ghia with its alloy wheels and deep side protection mouldings.

The mid-term facelifted model of May 1983, coded GB, brought the range closer together, though Meteors continued as a separate and slightly more premium line.

Japan
January 1985 saw the advent of the BF series Laser in Japan. This was the Laser's first major redesign. For the first time a diesel version was offered in Japan, as well as a factory two-door cabriolet with 1.5-litre turbo engine, a 1.6-litre DOHC 16-valve Sport version, and a potent 140 PS DOHC turbo model with full-time 4WD drivetrain (identical to the contemporary Mazda Familia BFMR). AWD models for sedan and wagon/van were also available for sale. This added up to an extremely convoluted Japanese product line, which was later streamlined in 1987 with a mid-life model refresh (KE series in other markets). This refresh dropped E-series engines in favour of all-new B-series equivalents, poorer-selling variants were discontinued, and minor changes were made to exterior styling and interior trim. The commercial van model was available until 1994, sold together with next generation Laser.

Australia and New Zealand
For Australia, the range was known as the KC Laser and GC Meteor, launched in October 1985. All body styles were carried over, with the addition of a station wagon (badged as "Meteor", like the sedan) from 1986. A new "TX3" variant, which was at the top of the "Laser" models in specification level and designated "KC2", replaced the "Sport" variant from the KB series. Unlike the Sport, the TX3 was only available as a three-door (the Taiwanese TX3 was available in a five-door version only). The "L" and "GL" models were no longer available as a three-door. A notable change was the introduction of engines capable of running on 91 RON unleaded petrol (this became mandatory in Australia from 1986).

The E5 1.5-litre SOHC carburettored engine that was optional on GL, and standard on Ghia in the KB series was replaced with the new B6 1.6-litre I4 SOHC. For the first time, electronic fuel injection was available as an option on Ghia models, and was standard on TX3 models. Buyers who ordered automatic transmission with this engine received an electronically controlled four-speed unit, which was quite advanced for a small car in 1985. The B3 I4 SOHC 1.3-litre engine was standard on the "L" (hatchback only, the wagon had a 1.6-litre engine). The 1.6-litre engine was standard on GL, Ghia and TX3, though some early GL models were equipped with a 1.5-litre SOHC carburettored.

The KC/KE Laser wagon was also assembled in New Zealand, alongside its Mazda 323 equivalent, until Ford closed their VANZ assembly plant at Wiri, Auckland in 1996.

KC / GC model range (Australia):
 * Laser L
 * Laser GL
 * Laser Ghia
 * Laser TX3
 * Meteor L (wagon only)
 * Meteor GL
 * Meteor Ghia

Laser (KE)
In October 1987, Ford introduced a facelift of the KC series, the KE. There were a number of notable changes with the introduction of the KE. The "Meteor" name was dropped from the sedan and wagon body styles, meaning they were now badged as "Laser", like the hatchback variants. The TX3 was also now available with a turbocharged engine and all-wheel-drive (AWD) as options. The TX3 Turbo with AWD is now very rare and highly sought after. The AWD was fully imported from Japan, while all other models in the Laser range were manufactured locally in the Sydney suburb of Flemington.

The KE is easy to distinguish from the earlier KC, by different grilles, headlights, tail lights, body-side mouldings, bonnet, front guards, and on some models, wheels. The dashboard and instrument cluster received new graphics, and the interior was available in slightly different colour shades to the KC. In mid-1989, in preparation for a new Australian Design Rules (ADRs) to come into effect in 1990, all models were fitted with a high-mount rear stop lamp as standard. When the redesigned KF Laser was introduced in March 1990, the wagon continued in a sole GL specification, with minor upgrades until September 1994, when Australian production of the Laser ceased.

The "L" is quite rare, as it was primarily aimed at the budget or fleet buyer and available as a five-door hatchback and station wagon. It had silver-painted 13-inch steel wheels, with no centre caps, a large analogue clock in the instrument cluster, no passenger-side rear-view mirror, vinyl interior trim, no body side mouldings, no rear windscreen wiper, and the folding rear seat was only one-piece. The stereo was also AM-only and had no cassette player. Air conditioning was not available. The only engine on offer was the 1.3-litre engine, with four-speed manual transmission (no automatic was available). The "L" wagon had the same level of trim, except the 1.3-litre engine was replaced with the 1.6-litre unit, but still with four-speed transmission (automatic was not available on either the hatchback or wagon).

The "GL" was the most popular model. It featured the same silver-painted 13" steel wheels as the "L" but with satin chrome half-width centre caps (only covering the centre of the wheel), a digital clock on the top of the dashboard, cloth interior trim, grey body side mouldings, a rear windscreen wiper, grey tailgate and beaver panel garnishes and 50/50 split-fold rear seat. The stereo was an analogue-tuned AM/FM unit with a basic cassette player. Air conditioning was optional as a dealer-fit accessory. Power was provided by a 1.6-litre engine, with 4-speed manual transmission (5-speed manual or 3-speed automatic was optional). Sedan and wagon came standard with five-speed transmission.

The Ghia was the luxury model. It had black 14-inch steel wheels with full-size plastic wheel covers, power steering, body-coloured rear-view mirrors and bumpers, velour interior trim, tachometer, centre console with Ghia emblem, lockable glovebox, driver's seat with lumbar support and height adjust, storage drawer underneath the front passenger seat, full-size interior door trims, vanity mirror in passenger sun visor, ticket holder in driver's sun visor, felt interior headlining and sunvisors, rear headrests, additional warning lights in the instrument cluster, central locking with illuminated driver's door lock barrel, remote exterior mirrors, front door map pockets, front seatback pockets, additional reading lamps, chrome insert strips in the body side mouldings and bumpers, red tailgate garnish and orange beaver panel garnish. Air conditioning and power windows were optional. The stereo was a digitally tuned AM/FM unit, which featured a cassette player with Dolby enhanced sound. The 1.6-litre engine was fitted as standard, with EFI optional (standard on wagon), with either 5-speed manual or 3-speed automatic transmission (EFI automatic was 4-speed).

The TX3 was the Laser flagship. It came standard with 14-inch satin-chrome alloy wheels, sports cloth interior trim, red insert strips in the body side mouldings and bumpers, black tailgate and beaver panel garnishes, semi-bucket seats with adjustable seat height, back and lumbar support, auto fade interior lamps, and all other Ghia appointings. EFI and A/C was standard, and automatic transmission was not available. The TX3 also had a unique front fascia with quad headlights and the parker lamps incorporated into the indicator lenses (L/GL/Ghia had the parkers inside the main headlight unit) and two-tone paint.

Halfway through KE production, Ford introduced two limited edition versions, called "Redline", and "Livewire". The Redline was based on the GL hatch, while the Livewire was based on the GL sedan and hatch. The Redline featured the TX3's alloy wheels, two-tone paint and red inserts in the body-side mouldings and bumpers, air conditioning, and a tachometer. The Livewire featured yellow inserts in the body side mouldings and bumpers, a body coloured grille, air conditioning, and a tachometer. Both models had 5-speed manual transmission (as opposed to the standard 4-speed) as standard, with 3-speed automatic transmission as an option.

KE model range;
 * Laser L – Hatch or wagon
 * Laser GL – Hatch, sedan or wagon
 * Laser Ghia – Hatch, sedan or wagon
 * Laser TX3
 * Laser TX3 Turbo
 * Laser TX3 Turbo 4WD

Asia
The Laser was also sold in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, and other markets. Trim and specifications vary somewhat between the countries. In Indonesia, this Laser was assembled at Mazda's plant in Bekasi together with its Mazda 323 twin. It was available in GL and Ghia trims from late 1985 with the 1.3-litre E3 engine (68 PS) or 1.5-litre E5 engine (75 PS), a five-speed manual transmission, and five-door hatchback or four-door saloon bodywork. Later, a non-emissions scrubbed Laser TX-3 three-door hatchback with the fuel injected B6 1.6-litre engine became available. This produced a claimed 104 PS at 6000 rpm. The production for general buyers was stopped in 1989, but the GL sedan with 1.3-litre E3 engine was continued to available for taxi fleet until 1997.

In Taiwan, the second generation Laser was assembled by Ford Lio Ho Motor. Unique for this market, it was offered with slightly different exterior styling. The pre-facelift hatchback (only available as five-door) was offered with different headlights (similar styling to KA Laser) and the facelift model received KE TX3 headlights. Second facelift occurred for sedan and wagon, with massive makeover borrowed from the Mazda 323 (BF) facelift styling. A performance five-door hatchback TX3 Turbo was also available in Taiwan with a 130 PS 1.6-liter DOHC turbo engine.

North America
A version of the KC Laser, the Mercury Tracer, was marketed in the US and Canada, available as a hatchback and wagon only. The Tracer hatchback shared its bodyshell with its Laser counterpart, but the wagon was a distinct design based on the Laser hatchback, rather than the sedan, as was the case with the Meteor wagon. US versions of the Tracer were built in Mexico at Ford's Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly plant, whereas for the Canadian market, Ford opted to import the Mercury Tracer from Taiwan's Ford Lio Ho Motor instead. In Bermuda, however, the KE Laser was sold locally in right hand drive badged as a Ford.

South Africa
The Laser was introduced in South Africa in 1986, as a hatchback, with the sedan version being sold as the Meteor. Replacing the Ford Escort, it was produced alongside the Mazda 323 by Samcor. Originally the Laser and Meteor were available with Mazda E-series 1.3-litre carb and 1.5-litre carb engines and also a high compression 1.6-litre B6 EFi engine for the 1600i Sport model. From 1989, Ford's CVH engines (1.4 and 1.6) were used, replacing the earlier E engines. These were later in turn replaced by Mazda's B3 1.3-litre and F6 1.6-litre engines. South African models of the Laser and Meteor also gained the 2.0-litre FE SOHC 8-valve and FE-DOHC EFi 16-valve engine from 1991 to 1993, the later was available for the flagship 20i RS. The KC/KE Laser and Meteor remained in production in South Africa until 1995, when the Escort was reintroduced.

However, Ford introduced an entry-level model called the Tonic and Tracer, a rebadged version of the locally manufactured BF series Mazda 323 hatchback, which was sold until 2003. There was also a coupe utility version with facelifted Mazda 323 BF styling, sold as Ford Bantam and Mazda Rustler.

Engine specifications

 * Mazda E3
 * 68 PS & 95 Nm 1296 cc Carb 8V SOHC (net)
 * 73 PS & 103 Nm 1296 cc Carb 8V SOHC (gross)
 * Mazda E5
 * 75 PS & 112 Nm 1490 cc Carb 8V SOHC (net)
 * 85 PS & 121 Nm 1490 cc Carb 8V SOHC (gross)
 * Mazda E5F
 * 95 PS & 124 Nm 1490 cc EFI 8V SOHC (gross, 'TX3' Japanese models)
 * Mazda E5T
 * 100 PS & 149 Nm 1490 cc EFI 8V SOHC Turbo ('Cabriolet' and 'TX3 Turbo' Japanese models)
 * Mazda B3
 * 68 PS & 101 Nm 1323 cc Carb 8V SOHC
 * Mazda B5
 * 76 PS & 112 Nm 1498 cc Carb 8V SOHC (Japanese models)
 * Mazda B6
 * 72 PS & 121 Nm 1597 cc Carb 8V SOHC
 * 84 PS & 123 Nm 1597 cc EFI 8V SOHC (option on 'GHIA' models and standard on 'TX3' Australian models, 'Ghia sedan' and 'TX3' Japanese models, 'Meteor GLi' South African models)
 * 105 PS & 132 Nm 1597 cc EFI 8V SOHC (10.5 compression ratio, '1600i Sport' South African models)
 * 104 PS & 132 Nm 1597 cc EFI 16V SOHC (9.5 compression ratio, 'TX3 1.6i' Indonesian models)
 * Mazda B6D
 * 110 PS & 132 Nm 1597 cc EFI 16V DOHC ('S' and 'Cabriolet' Japanese models)
 * Mazda B6T
 * 140 PS & 184 Nm 1597 EFI 16V DOHC Turbo ('TX3 Turbo', 'Turbo 4WD' and 'GL' Japanese models)
 * 130 PS 1597 EFI 16V DOHC Turbo ('TX3 Turbo' Taiwanese models)
 * Mazda F6
 * 81 PS & 120 Nm 1587 cc Carb 8V SOHC (South African models)
 * Mazda FE
 * 103 PS 1998 cc EFI 8V SOHC ('20 GLi' South African models)
 * 148 PS & 182 Nm 1998 cc EFI 16V DOHC ('20i RS' South African models)
 * Ford CVH 1.4
 * 73 PS 1392 cc Carb 8V SOHC (South African models)
 * Ford CVH 1.6
 * 79 PS 1596 cc Carb 8V SOHC (South African models)
 * Mazda PN diesel
 * 59 PS & 106 Nm 1720 cc 8V SOHC (gross, 'GL' Japanese models)

Third generation (KF/KH; 1989)
The third generation BG series of 1989 to 1994 went on to be the most popular Laser sold in Japan, with the new "coupé" (liftback) version an instant success. Again, a DOHC turbo model with full-time 4WD was offered as a companion car to the Mazda Familia GT-X, now producing 180 PS from an increased displacement of 1.8 litres.

Australia
In Australia, this model was released in March 1990 as the KF series and updated in October 1991 with the KH facelift. Local production of the Laser in Australia ceased on 4 September 1994 when Ford closed its plant in Flemington, and imported the new KJ model from Japan;

New Zealand
In New Zealand, the KH Laser continued in production at Ford's assembly plant in Wiri, Auckland, until the end of 1996 when the factory closed. The extended production model in New Zealand was sold only in five-door hatchback form as either the Laser Encore or Laser Esprit, as a cheaper alternative to the newer KJ Laser imported from Japan. The Encore was the cheaper of the two, available only with a five-speed manual transmission, while the Esprit was slightly higher specification and was available with both the five-speed and also a four-speed automatic. Both featured red pinstriping around the body and many received dealer-fit accessories such as alloy wheels to boost appeal.

Other markets
This generation of Laser was also sold in Cyprus and Malta. This generation was the basis of later Escort models sold in North America from 1990 for the 1991 model year, which is not to be confused with the model of the same name sold in Europe. The Escort name was retained for the new model due to both strong brand equity on the Escort name as well as Chrysler already using the Laser name for the Plymouth Laser. The Escort wagon seen in North America during this generation was unique to that continent and was not part of the Laser ranges elsewhere.

In Indonesia, this generation was assembled locally (CKD) and sold from 1990 to 1996. Available in two body styles and four trim levels, 1.3 L sedan "Ghia" and "Sonic", 1.6 L sedan "Gala" and 5-door liftback "Champ" with 1.8 L DOHC BP engine. The older 1.3 L sedan "GL" from previous generation was also sold for taxi fleet use until 1997.

Engine specifications (Australia):
 * Mazda B3, 47 kW 1.3 L carb, 16V SOHC (XL)
 * Mazda B6-2E, 64 kW 1.6 L carb, 16V SOHC (L, XL, GL, Livewire, Grand Slam, Indy, Collection, Horizon models)
 * Mazda B8, 76 kW 1.8 L fuel-injected, 16V SOHC (Ghia, S and GLi models)
 * Mazda BP DOHC, 92 kW 1.8 L fuel-injected, 16V DOHC (TX3 non-turbo models)
 * Mazda BPT, 117 kW 1.8 L fuel-injected, 16V DOHC Turbo (Turbo 4WD models)

Japan
The fourth generation Laser was known as the BHA series in Japan. All sporting models were discontinued with the release of this model in the wake of poor sales and financial returns as Mazda scaled back operations and sought to rearrange market focus. Only the sedan and three-door hatchback were sold in Japan, the hatch being based on the Mazda Familia Neo.

Australia
The Japanese built KJ Laser in Australia went on sale in October 1994 represented a major change in design; looking very different from the previous KH model. The three-door hatchback was known as the Laser Lynx and the five-door as the Laser Liata.

The new KJ Laser was introduced in 1994 with variants, facelifts (KL of December 1996 and KM of December 1997) and engine driveline improvements continuing up until the last of the KM series were released in 1999. The KJ Laser was the first Laser manufactured wholly in Japan, following Ford Australia's decision to close their Flemington plant.

However, the KJ was disappointing in sales numbers mainly because of the smaller Festiva and other cheaper South Korean cars from Hyundai, Kia and Daewoo to which many conservative buyers flocked.

New Zealand
With the introduction of the KJ Laser in 1994, Ford New Zealand found itself in a unique position, offering three different generations of the Laser as new vehicles at once at its dealerships—the new KJ Laser, the previous-generation KH Laser as a five-door hatchback, and the older-shape KE Laser station wagon. These were assembled at the VANZ factory in Wiri, Auckland until 1997 when Ford NZ discontinued local assembly.

The second update KM Laser was not sold in New Zealand. The KL Laser, now replaced in Australia, continued to be sold alongside the European Ford Escort in New Zealand during 1997 but was discontinued locally at the end of the year, the Escort hatchback and sedan replacing it for just 16 months between January 1998 and May 1999 when the new KN Laser was introduced.

Taiwan
For 1995 in Taiwan, Ford Lio Ho Motor assembled the Laser sedan branded as the Ford Liata; the Lynx three-door version was rebranded as the Ford Aztec. However, the Liata five-door version was not available in Taiwan, although the Mazda 323 was sold as a rebadged version of the Laser sedan only.

Latin America
In Latin America, this generation of Laser was assembled in Colombia and Venezuela, alongside its Mazda 323 counterpart, known as the Mazda Allegro.

Engine Specifications:
 * Mazda B6, 80 kW, 1.6L, 16V, DOHC ('LXi' models)
 * Mazda BP, 92 kW, 1.8L, 16V, DOHC ('GLXi' and some 'LXi' models)

Fifth generation (KN/KQ; 1998)
Fifth generation "BJ" series models were renamed "Laser Lidea" in Japan in December 1998, with popularity falling even further than the previous model. Japanese production ceased at the end of 2002, to be replaced by the imported Ford Focus, which was already sold there since 2000.

Released in Australia in May 1999, the KN Laser was the last generation of the Laser to be introduced. The model range was almost identical to the Mazda 323 on which it was based, which was the first time since the KE Laser. In February 2001, the KN received a minor facelift and became the KQ Laser. The big news with the KQ Laser was the addition of a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine for the new top-spec "SR2", which was also the first sports-oriented Laser variant in almost five years, since the unpopular Laser Lynx was discontinued in 1996. A new "SR" level of trim, which sat below SR2 was also introduced at this time. The KQ can be distinguished from the earlier KN, with a new grille with chrome moulding, new headlights, revised tail lights, different exterior colours, and slightly revised interiors.

In March 2002, due to falling sales, Ford made one last attempt to restore the Laser's popularity to its former glory, by announcing minor upgrades to the SR2, and added three new exterior colours to the range, being "Goldrush", "Red Revenge", and "Electric Blue". Three engines were available, a 1.6-litre that was fitted to the LXi, a 1.8-litre that was fitted to the GLXi & SR, and a 2.0-litre that was exclusive to the SR2.

Despite the Laser having a good reputation with buyers in the marketplace, and many attempts from Ford to reignite interest in the model, it was unable to sell in reasonable numbers. In September 2002, Ford decided to discontinue the Laser in Australia, replacing it with the European-sourced Focus. However, the Laser continued in New Zealand until mid-2003, when it was also replaced by the facelifted Focus.

Model range:
 * Laser LXi (sedan or hatchback)
 * Laser GLXi (sedan or hatchback)
 * Laser Deluxe 1.6
 * Laser Ghia 1.8 AT/MT
 * Laser SR (hatchback only)
 * Laser SR2 (hatchback only), renamed Laser XRi in New Zealand

Engine specifications:
 * Mazda 1.8 L FP-DE DOHC I4 91 kW and 163 N.m
 * Mazda 2.0 L FS, 97 kW and 183 N.m
 * Mazda 2.0 L FS-ZE (2001 Sport 20)
 * Mazda 1.6 L ZM-DE 72 kW and 145 N.m

Ford Tierra
In Taiwan, Ford Lio Ho Motor renamed the KN/KQ Laser sedan as Ford Tierra while the Laser hatchback was renamed Ford Life, and both was sold as rebadged versions of the pre-facelift Mazda 323 BJ generation without any exterior redesigns. The KQ facelift design was directed by Ford Lio Ho Motor and was based on the Australian KN Laser as the rear fenders are different from the Mazda-derived Ford Tierras. A facelift of the Tierra arrived in the early-to-mid 2000s, distinguished by its completely new front fenders, new hood, a new grille with chrome moulding, new headlights, revised tail lights, new trunk lid, different exterior colours, and slightly revised interiors.

When the facelift for the Tierra was introduced, the pre-facelift model sold alongside it, renamed as Ford Activa and acting as a cheaper alternative. The Activa was sold in both sedan and hatchback forms and a wider variety of colour choices was also available while the Tierra facelift was only offered in sedan form and was offered in a variety of trim levels. The KQ Tierra was sold originally as the Tierra LS and the Tierra RS with a slight performance tuning and body kit. In 2005, the RS was replaced by the Tierra Aero which was a slightly tuned down version of the RS, and later in 2007, the Tierra GT was introduced and later the Tierra XT with a redesigned body kit before the model was replaced by the European second generation Ford Focus.

Ford Lynx
The fifth generation Laser was marketed in the Philippines and Malaysia as the Lynx.

In the Philippines, two trim levels were offered; GSi and Ghia. Both were powered with a 1.6-litre petrol engines. Transmission choices were a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic, available in both trims. In 2002, the Lynx received its first facelift, featuring new front fenders, hood, a new grille with chrome moulding, new headlights, tail lights, trunk lid, wheel designs, different exterior colours, and slightly revised interiors. The Ghia grade had an electronic sun visor and beige color tone interior. The LSi was added into the lineup as a base model. It was offered with a 1.3-litre engine, no power features, steel wheels with hubcaps and 2-DIN head unit, and was sold until June 2004.

In June 2003, a second facelift took place, featuring new taillights, front grille, redesigned trunk garnish and bumpers. A new addition was a trim level called the RS. It had a 2.0-litre engine making 143 hp, RS body kit and interior, smoked black headlights and 7-spoke RS wheels. Available colors were Red Metallic and Black Metallic and the only transmission choice was a 5-speed manual.

In Malaysia, only one trim level was originally offered; the 1.6-litre Ghia. It had front discs and rear drum brakes. Transmission choices were a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic. In 2002, the Lynx received its first facelift. The RS trim was released in mid-2003 along with a second facelift.

The Laser was replaced in most markets around the world by the European-sourced Focus, designated as one of Ford's "world cars". The Mazda 323's replacement, the first generation Mazda3, was also based on the same platform as the Focus, continuing the tradition of both companies having products in this market segment around the world sharing common componentry.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Ford Laser


text:
Moscow Oblast

Moscow Oblast (Московская область,, informally known as Подмосковье, ) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). With a population of 8,524,665 (2021 Census) living in an area of 44300 km2, it is one of the most densely populated regions in the country and is the second most populous federal subject. The oblast has no official administrative center; its public authorities are located in Moscow and Krasnogorsk (the Moscow Oblast Duma and the local government), and also across other locations in the oblast.

Located in European Russia between latitudes 54° and 57° N and longitudes 35° and 41° E, Moscow Oblast 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. The oblast mostly surrounds the federal city of Moscow, which is not part of the oblast, but rather a separate federal subject in its own right. The oblast is highly industrialized, with the major industries being metallurgy, oil refining, and mechanical engineering, along with the food, energy, and chemical industries.

Relief
The oblast is mostly flat, with some hills with a height of about 160 m 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 m near Dmitrov and the upper point of 310 m 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 m and 150 m.

To the south stretches a hilly area of the Moskvoretsko-Oksk plain. Its greatest height of 254 m 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.

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 m but the average heights are 120 - 150 m. 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 m.

Geology

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 (1000 m) is to the south of Serebryanye Prudy, in the very south area of the oblast, and the largest (4200 m) is to the east of Sergiyev Posad, in the northeast region.

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.

Quaternary deposits are widely distributed in Moscow Oblast; their thickness decreases from the northwest to southeast. It is believed 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 city of Moscow. The last glaciation, the 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.

Minerals
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. 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 600000 m3. 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 that went for cladding of such buildings in Moscow as the 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.

Other industrial minerals of Moscow Oblast are 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 Shchyolkovo, the reserves exceed 20 million tonnes and the annual production is about 650 tonnes.

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. 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 m. Deeper, at 1 - 1.5 km 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.

Climate

The climate of Moscow Oblast is humid continental, with clearly expressed seasonality – short but warm summers and long, cold winters; the continentality increases from northwest to southeast. The period of the average temperature below 0 C lasts 130–150 days, beginning in early or mid-November and ending in late March (or very early April). The average annual temperature varies from +3.5 C to +5.5 C. The coldest months are January and February with the average temperature of -9 C in the west and -12 C in the east. With the arrival of arctic air, the temperature drops to below -20 C that may last up to twenty days during the winter, with the temperatures reaching -45 C. The minimum temperature of -54 C 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 late October or early December, and disappears in mid-April (sometimes in late March). The snow depth is 25 - 50 cm and the soil freezes to 65 - 75 cm. The warmest month is July with the average temperature of +18.0 C in the northwest and +20.0 C in the southeast. The maximum temperature of +40 C was recorded in Kolomna during 2010 Northern Hemisphere summer heat waves. The average annual rainfall is 450 - 650 mm, the precipitation is maximal in the northwestern and minimal in the southeastern regions. The summer precipitation is usually 75 mm, but severe droughts occur once in 25–30 years, with less than 5 mm of rain over June–August.

Rivers and lakes

There are more than three hundred rivers with the length above 10 km 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.

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, the 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.

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.

There are about 350 lakes in the oblast, almost all are shallow (5–10 m) and many are of glacial origin. The largest are Lake Dubovoye (11.8 km2) and Svyatoye (11.6 km2) whereas the deepest (32 m) is Lake Glubokoye in Ruzsky District. There are also many marshes, especially within the Meshchersk and Verkhnevolzhsk lowlands.

Soils

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. In general, soils are heavily polluted with chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and household and industrial waste, especially around Moscow, Orekhovo-Zuyevo, Noginsk, and Voskresensk.

Flora

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.

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.

Swamps are prevalent in the eastern areas, such as Shatursky and Lukhovitsky 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

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, and 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.

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.

Rivers and lakes of Moscow Oblast are rich in fish, such as ruffe, carp, bream, bass, roaches, Chinese sleeper, perch and pike. There are six species of reptiles: three lizards (slowworm, 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 bees alone accounting for more than 300 species.

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

Environment
The 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, Shchyolkovo, and Elektrostal, and low in Prioksko-Terrasny Biosphere Reserve. 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.

History
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 Finnic 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.

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.

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. 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.

In the Russian SFSR, Central Industrial Oblast was established on January 14, 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 June 3, 1929, the area was renamed Moscow Oblast and on July 30, 1930, the division into ten okrugs was abolished.

Parts of the then bulky Moscow Oblast were gradually transferred to other divisions. In particular, twenty-six districts became part of Kalinin Oblast in January 1935, and another seventy-seven districts were separated in September 1937 as Tula and Ryazan Oblasts. Borovsky, Vysokinichsky District, Maloyaroslavetsky, Ugodsko-Zavodsky, and Petushinsky Districts were transferred in 1944 to Kaluga and Vladimir Oblasts.

In 1941–1942, one of the most significant military operations of World War II – the Battle of Moscow was fought in the Moscow Oblast. Germany reached Solnechnogorsky, Klinsky, Istrinsky, Lobninsky, Khimkinsky, Naro-Fominsky, Volokolamsky, Kolomensky, Kashirsky, Serybryano-Prudsky Districts and others.

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

Industry

In terms of industrial production, Moscow Oblast is second in Russia, after the city of Moscow. 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).

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.

Energy

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), Thermal Power Plant 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.

Agriculture
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.

The economic crisis of the 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.

Transport
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.

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.

Moscow and Moscow Oblast have several international passenger airports, namely Sheremetyevo (with two terminals), Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Ostafyevo. There is also Bykovo Airport, which is used for freight. The largest military airport is Chkalovsky (near Shchyolkovo) which also processes some civilian passenger and cargo 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 – Kyiv)
 * M4 highway (Russia) (M4 "Don" Moscow – Voronezh - Rostov-on-Don - Krasnodar) (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)
 * М11 Neva Moscow–Saint Petersburg motorway
 * Kaluga highway (A101, Moscow – Troitsk – Obninsk – Kaluga)
 * Schelkovskoe highway (A103 Moscow – Shchyolkovo – Chernogolovka)
 * Dmitrovskoe (A104 Moscow – Dubna)
 * Small Concrete Ring (A107)
 * Large Concrete Ring (А108)
 * Central Ring Road (А113)
 * Yegoryevsk highway (R105 Moscow – Kasimov)
 * Pyatnitskoe highway (R111 Moscow – Solnechnogorsk)
 * Rogachev highway (P113 Lobnya – Rogachevo)
 * 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

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

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

Sergey Shoygu was elected as Governor of Moscow Oblast in April 2012 by the Moscow Oblast Duma. Shoygu left office after only six months with his appointment when he was appointed as Minister of Defence by Vladimir Putin. Andrei Vorobyov was appointed as acting governor and won a full term to the office in the 2013 elections.

Science
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) 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.

Bandy

Zorky from Krasnogorsk has become national bandy champions three times. In the 2017–18 season, Zorky is back in Super League, after one season in the second-tier league. Obukhovo is the only location in Russia without a Super League team which has a bandy venue with artificial ice. A plan for artificial ice also existed in Korolyov. However, the project was abandoned. Although an indoor ice hockey-sized arena entered the plans instead, the official reason given was financial problems.

The Russian Rink Bandy Cup 2017 was played in Balashikha.

Speed skating

The 2008 European Speed Skating Championships and the 2016 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships were held in Kolomna.

Association football
FK Khimki and Saturn Ramenskoye are the most supported clubs that represent the region. The third professional club Znamya Truda is the oldest existing football club in the country founded in 1909.

Culture and recreation

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 Abramtsevo, Muranovo, Ostafievo, historical towns (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.). The oldest surviving building is the Kamenskoye Church.

Demographics
After the population decline from 6,693,623 as of the 1989 Census to 6,618,538 in the 2002 Census the population of the oblast grew to 7,095,120 (2010 Census). It increased further to 8,524,665 according to the 2021 Census despite the fact that some parts of its territory were ceded to Moscow. The average population density, at 190 inhabitants/km2 (2021), is the largest in Russia, due to a high proportion of urban population (78.5% in 2021). 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, Shakhovskoy, Mozhaysk and Meshchersk lowlands.

=== Ethnic groups in Moscow Oblast (2021 Census) ===

Vital statistics
Vital statistics for 2022:
 * Births: 73,299 (9.5 per 1,000)
 * Deaths: 100,920 (13.0 per 1,000)

Total fertility rate (2022):

1.33 children per woman

Life expectancy (2021):

Total — 70.35 years (male — 65.73, female — 74.80)

Religion
According to a 2012 survey 45.5% of the population of Moscow Oblast adheres to the Russian Orthodox Church, 3% are unaffiliated generic Christians, 2% are Orthodox Christian believers who do not belong to church or belong to non-Russian Orthodox churches, 1% are adherents of Rodnovery (the Slavic folk religious movement) and 1% to Islam. In addition, 29% of the population declares to be "spiritual but not religious", 9% is atheist, and 9.5% follows other religions or did not give an answer to the question.

Administrative and municipal divisions
Administratively, the oblast is divided into 38 cities/towns under oblast jurisdiction and 36 administrative districts, consisting of 46 towns of district significance, 72 urban-type settlements, and 6,119 rural localities.

As of 2011, Moscow Oblast is municipally subdivided into 38 urban okrugs and 36 municipal districts, which consist of 114 urban settlements and 193 rural settlements.

The three largest cities of the oblast are Balashikha (215,494), Khimki (207,425), and Podolsk (186,961). Most other towns have ten to fifty thousand people. The smallest town is Vereya in Naro-Fominsky District with the population of. Among the urban-type settlements, the largest is Nakhabino (36,546) followed by Tomilino (30,605). 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 city of Baikonur in Kazakhstan also belongs administratively to the oblast, as part of Odintsovsky District.

The most intensive formation of towns occurred in 1938–1940. The youngest towns are Golitsyno and Kubinka. They existed for quite some time, but were granted town status only in 2004. Some recent towns separated from the other towns, such as Yubileyny and Peresvet.

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". Another is "Great Domodedovo, 30 km south of the Moscow Ring Road, which is designed for 450,000 residents. The new city A101 was designed for 300,000 residents in 2009 and the sale of its land in Leninsky District has already begun; the city's construction is planned to take thirty-five years.

A part of Moscow Oblast's former territory, mainly to the southwest of the city of Moscow, was merged with the federal city of Moscow on July 1, 2012.

The housing stock of the oblast is approximately 125 million square meters. Almost all the houses are equipped with water supply, sewerage, gas, 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 Mytishchi and Noginsk.

Sister regions

 * 🇸🇰 Bratislava, Slovakia
 * 🇰🇬 Chüy Region, Kyrgyzstan
 * 🇫🇷 Île-de-France, France
 * 🇨🇳 Jiangsu, China
 * 🇸🇮 Ljubljana, Slovenia
 * 🇮🇩 Palembang, Indonesia
 * 🇦🇷 Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

Partner regions
Moscow Oblast cooperates with:
 * 🇹🇲 Ahal Region, Turkmenistan (1995)

title: Moscow Oblast