MOSCOW IS THE ADMINISTRATIVE CENTRE OF RUSSIA, AS WELL AS A MAIN CENTRE FOR SCIENCE AND RESEARCH. IT HAS ALSO LONG BEEN AND
INDUSTRIAL CENTRE. MOST OF THE FACTORIES ARE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CITY AND INCLUDE INDUSTRIAL PLANTS MAKING MOTOR CARS, MACHINERY, ELECTRICAL GOODS, CHEMICALS, TEXTILES, AND FOOTWEAR. THERE IS ALSO A STEEL WORKS PRODUCING THE HIGH-GRADE STEELS NEEDED BY THE ENGINEERING INDUSTRIES. A LARGE PART OF MOSCOW’S ELECTRICITY IS GENERATED BY GAS-FIRED POWER STATIONS WHICH BURN GAS PIPED IN FROM SIBERIA. HOT WATER PRODUCED BY THE POWER STATIONS IS PIPED TO THE CITY’S BLOCKS OF FLATS TO PROVIDE HEATING.
MOSCOW IS RUSSIA’S CHIEF RAILWAY CENTRE AND HAS 11 MAIN LINES CONNECTING IT TO ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, WITH 9 PASSENGER AND 11 GOODS STATIONS ALL LINKED BY A CIRCULAR RAILWAY. FEW MOSCOVITES OWN CARS, SO THE POPULATION RELIES ON BUSES, TROLLEY-BUSES, AND THE METRO, OR UNDERGROUND RAILWAY, THE FIRST PART OF WHICH WAS BUILT BY BRITISH ENGINEERS. IT HAS SPACIOUS AND GRANDLY DECORATED STATIONS. IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE WORLD’S BUSSIEST METRO, CARRYING OVER 6 MILLION PASSENGERS EVERYDAY. MOSCOW IS CONNECTED BY A CANAL WITH THE VOLGA RIVER TO THE NORTH, AND HAS OTHER CANAL LINKS SO THAT IT CAN BE REACHED BY SMALL SEAGOING SHIPS FROM FIVE SEAS – THE BALTIC, WHITE, CASPIAN, AZOV, AND BLACK SEAS. THE CITY HAS THREE PORT AREAS FOR SHIPPING. THE MAIN AIRPORT IS AT VNUKOVO, 27 KM (17 MILES) SOUTHWEST OF THE CITY CENTRE.
MOSCOW BECAME THE CAPITAL OF RUSSIA IN THE LATE 15TH CENTURY AND REMAINED SO UNTIL 1712, WHEN TSAR PETER THE GREAT MOVED THE CAPITAL TO ST. PETERSBURG. THE FRENCH INVADED RUSSIA IN 1812, AND NAPOLEON’S ARMY OCCUPIED MOSCOW ON 2 SEPTEMBER. THE CITY WAS SET ON FIRE THE FOLLOWING NIGHT. MOST OF THE FOOD AND SUPPLIES WERE BURNT AND NAPOLEON WAS FORCED TO RETREAT. MOSCOW WAS REBUILT AND IT INCREASED IN IMPORTANCE, BUT ONLY IN 1918, AFTER THE COMMUNIST REVOLUTION, DID IT AGAIN BACAME A CAPITAL CITY. IN WORLD WAR II THE GERMAN INVADERS APPROACHED TO WITHIN ABOUT 30 KM (18 MILES) OF MOSCOW AND OFTEN BOMBED THE CITY, BUT IT WAS NOT VERY BADLY DAMAGED. THE POPULATION OF MOSCOW WAS 8,801,500 IN 1991, MAKING IT BY FAR THE LARGEST CITY IN RUSSIA, AND NORTHERN AND EASTERN EUROPE.