# Chelyabinsk Oblast

Chelyabinsk Oblast is a federal subject (an oblast) of Russia in the Ural Mountains region, on the border of Europe and Asia. Its administrative center is the city of Chelyabinsk.

## History

During the Middle Ages, Bashkir tribes inhabited the Southern Urals; they formed part of the Golden Horde, Nogai Horde, and smaller Bashkir unions. The Tsardom of Russia incorporated the area in the late 16th century. However, Russian colonization of the region only began in the 18th century, with the establishment of a system of fortresses and trade posts on the then-Russian border by the Orenburg Expedition [ru] in 1734. Many cities of Chelyabinsk Oblast, including the city of Chelyabinsk itself, trace their history back to those forts.
In 1743 the Chelyabinsk fortress became a center of the Iset Province [ru], a constituent part of the Orenburg Governorate (a direct successor of the Orenburg Expedition). The period from the 1750s to the 1770s saw the emergence of industrial enterprises in the Southern Urals when the first factory-centered towns like Miass, Kyshtym, and Zlatoust were founded. After the Southern Urals recovered from the Pugachev's Rebellion of 1773–1775, the territory of modern-day Chelyabinsk Oblast started to attract more people from the European part of Russia. By the mid-19th century Chelyabinsk was a major trade center in the Urals, and after the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway in the 1890s, it became an important transport hub that connected Siberia to the rest of the Russian Empire.
In 1919, Chelyabinsk became the regional capital of the newly formed Chelyabinsk Governorate of the Russian SFSR, which combined eastern portions of the Orenburg Governorate with Kurgan of the Tobolsk Governorate. At this time, the population of the new region has already exceeded one million people. In 1923, together with the Perm, Yekaterinburg Governorate [ru] and Tyumen governorates, it merged into a single Ural Oblast that lasted only ten years, until 1934. On 17 January 1934, Chelyabinsk Oblast was finally established. Its current boundaries were formed when Kurgan Oblast was detached from it in 1943.

### Soviet industrialization

During the 1930s the regional economy and industrial output grew as Chelyabinsk Oblast became a key focus of the First Five-Year Plan. Key factories and enterprises that formed the core of the modern Chelyabinsk economy, including the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works, the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant and the Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant, originated at this time. The economy continued to grow after the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War in 1941, as industries evacuated from the western parts of the Soviet Union to the Urals, and to Chelyabinsk Oblast in particular. During the war, Magnitogorsk alone produced one third of all Soviet steel, while the city of Chelyabinsk became the main center of Soviet tank production, earning the nickname "Tankograd" (Tank City).

### Nuclear research

Chelyabinsk Oblast has been home to top-secret nuclear research since the 1940s. While there are no nuclear power stations in Chelyabinsk, a number of production reactors were located there starting with the early Cold War. A serious nuclear accident occurred in 1957 at the Mayak nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, 150 km (93 mi) north-west of the city, which led to evacuations and fatalities throughout the oblast, although not in Chelyabinsk city. The province was closed to all foreigners until 1992, with the sole exception of allowing a British medical team in following a two-train rail explosion in the mid-1980s.
Sławomir Grünberg has made the documentary Chelyabinsk: The Most Contaminated Spot on the Planet (1994) about the unsafe dumping of radioactive waste in the Techa River and in Lake Karachay.

### Recent history

On 4 July 1997, Chelyabinsk, alongside Bryansk, Magadan, Saratov, and Vologda signed a power-sharing agreement with the government of Russia, granting it autonomy. The agreement would be abolished on 2 February 2002.
On 15 February 2013, a 10,000 ton meteoroid entered the Earth's atmosphere over Russia at about 09:20 YEKT (03:20 UTC). It passed over the southern Ural region and exploded in a meteor air burst over Chelyabinsk Oblast. About 1,500 people were reported injured, including 311 children. Health officials said 112 people had been hospitalized, mainly from injuries caused by glass from windows shattered by a shock wave; two were reported to be in serious condition. As many as 3,000 buildings in six cities across the region were damaged by the explosion and impacts. The meteor created a dazzling light as it air burst, bright enough to cast shadows during broad daylight in Chelyabinsk.

## Economy

The largest companies in the region include Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works, Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant (Mechel group), Chelyabinsk Pipe Rolling Plant, Chelyabinsk Electrometallurgical Plant, Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant, Ashinsky Metallurgical Plant.

## Geography

Chelyabinsk Oblast is on the eastern slope of the Southern Urals. Only a small part of the territory to the west is on the western slopes of the Southern Urals.
Chelyabinsk Oblast is situated in the Southern Urals, near Kurgan and Sverdlovsk oblast. Most of the Oblast is located to the east of the Ural Mountains, which form the continental boundary between Asia and Europe. This boundary is marked by a stone pillar at the Uraltau pass near the Urzhumka station (8 km (5.0 mi) from Zlatoust), which has "Europe" written on one side and "Asia" on the other. In Chelyabinsk Oblast, Zlatoust city, Katav-Ivanovsk, and Satka and Chelyabinsk, Troitsk, and Miass are in Europe. Magnitogorsk is located on both continents.
The area of Chelyabinsk Oblast is 88,900 km$^2$ (34,300 sq mi). The total length of its external border is 2,750 km (1,710 mi), and the Oblast measures 400 km (250 mi) from north to south and 490 km (300 mi) from west to east.
The highest point of Chelyabinsk Oblast, reaching 1,406 metres (4,613 ft) above sea level, is located in the Nurgush, a 50 kilometres (31 mi) long mountain range rising near lake Zyuratkul.
It also borders the country of Kazakhstan, specifically the Kostanay Region.

### Relief

Chelyabinsk Oblast has a very diverse landscape, ranging from lowlands and hilly plains to mountain ranges with peaks exceeding 1,000 m, including Nurgush mountain (1406 m). The mountainous area has several ski resorts.
The West Siberian Plain is bounded on the west horizontal (elevation 190 m above sea level), which passes through the village of Bagaryak, Kunashak and continues through Chelyabinsk to the south. The lowlands are located in the northeast, and the elevation drops to 130 m in the eastern border region.

### Hydrology

Numerous rivers originate within the region, within the basins of the Kama, Tobol, and Ural rivers. The region is home to 348 rivers longer than 10 km (6.2 mi) (totaling 10,235 km (6,360 mi) in length), 17 of which are over 100 km (62 mi) in length. Seven rivers, the Miass, Uy, Ural, Ay, Ufa, Uvelka, and Gumbeyka, pass through the area and are longer than 200 km (124 mi).
Chelyabinsk Oblast is also home to more than 3,748 lakes, mostly located in the north and east and covering a total area of 2,125 km$^2$ (820 sq mi). Many of the lakes in this area, including Lake Turgoyak, Zyuratkul, and Lake Itkul, are famous for their clear waters and attract tourism. Some of the lakes in the eastern foothills have tectonic origins as water accumulated in tectonic failures (basins), resulting in very deep lakes that can reach 30–40 m (98–131 ft).

## Sights
### Taganay National Park

Taganay National Park is located northeast of the city of Zlatoust, Chelyabinsk Oblast. Taganay National Park is a popular tourist destination in the Urals. The park contains mountain ranges, alpine meadows, stone outcrops and a several kilometer stone river, forests, woodlands and mountain tundra, ancient mineral mines and mountain rivers flowing both to Europe and Asia. Taganay National Park was established on 5 March 1991, the first in the Urals.

### Gagarin Park

Gagarin Central Park is a 12-hectare recreational space in Chelyabinsk. The park is named after Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut and the first person to enter space. The park contains forest walks, lakes, old quarries, and landscaped gardens. There is also a showground with rides.

### Monuments

There are several monuments in Chelyabinsk, many of which are on Kirovka street, a pedestrian street in the center of Chelyabinsk. The monuments include a monument to Igor Kurchatov, a nuclear scientist, which opened in 1986 to the 250th anniversary of Chelyabinsk; a monument to Orlenok, on the Aloe polye in Chelyabinsk, which opened on 29 October 1958 on the day of the fortieth anniversary of the Komsomol; the Sculpture of the Postman; the Memorial to Law and Order Soldiers; the Monument to Soldiers-Internationalists; and a sculpture of a firefighter.

## Politics

During the Soviet period, the highest authority in the Oblast was shared between three positions: the First Secretary of the Chelyabinsk CPSU Committee (who held the most power), the Chairman of the Oblast Soviet (legislative power), and the Chairman of the Oblast Executive Committee (executive power). Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the CPSU lost its monopoly on power.
Today, the Charter of Chelyabinsk Oblast governs the political structure of the region. The Legislative Assembly of Chelyabinsk Oblast serves as the province's regional parliament and exercises legislative authority, with the power to pass laws, resolutions, and other legal acts and oversee their implementation and observance. The Oblast Government, led by the Governor of Chelyabinsk Oblast, is the highest executive body in the region, and includes territorial executive bodies such as district administrations, committees, and commissions that facilitate development and run the day-to-day matters of the province.

## Administrative divisions

As of 2015: :
| Number of districts (районы) | 27 |
| Number of cities/towns (города) | 30 |
| Number of urban-type settlements (посёлки городского типа) | 13 |
| Number of selsovets (сельсоветы) | 242 |
| As of 2002: ||
| Number of rural localities (сельские населённые пункты) | 1,260 |
| Number of uninhabited rural localities (сельские населённые пункты без населения) | 24 |
Administrative and municipal divisions
| Division | Division | Structure | Structure | OKATO | OKTMO | Urban-type settlement/ district-level town* | Rural (selsovet) |
| Division | Division | Administrative | Municipal | OKATO | OKTMO | Urban-type settlement/ district-level town* | Rural (selsovet) |
| Tryokhgorny (Трёхгорный) | Tryokhgorny (Трёхгорный) | city (ZATO) | urban okrug | 75 507 | 75 707 | | |
| Ozyorsk (Озёрск) | Ozyorsk (Озёрск) | city (ZATO) | urban okrug | 75 543 | 75 743 | | |
| Snezhinsk (Снежинск) | Snezhinsk (Снежинск) | city (ZATO) | urban okrug | 75 545 | 75 746 | | |
| Lokomotivny (Локомотивный) | Lokomotivny (Локомотивный) | urban-type settlement (ZATO) | urban okrug | 75 558 | 75 759 | | |
| Chelyabinsk (Челябинск) | Chelyabinsk (Челябинск) | city | urban okrug | 75 401 | 75 701 | | |
| ↳ | Kalininsky (Калининский) | (under Chelyabinsk) | — | 75 401 | — | | |
| ↳ | Kurchatovsky (Курчатовский) | (under Chelyabinsk) | — | 75 401 | — | | |
| ↳ | Leninsky (Ленинский) | (under Chelyabinsk) | — | 75 401 | — | | |
| ↳ | Metallurgichesky (Металлургический) | (under Chelyabinsk) | — | 75 401 | — | | |
| ↳ | Sovetsky (Советский) | (under Chelyabinsk) | — | 75 401 | — | | |
| ↳ | Traktorozavodsky (Тракторозаводский) | (under Chelyabinsk) | — | 75 401 | — | | |
| ↳ | Tsentralny (Центральный) | (under Chelyabinsk) | — | 75 401 | — | | |
| Asha (Аша) | Asha (Аша) | city | (under Kunashaksky) | 75 403 | 75 636 | | |
| Verkhny Ufaley (Верхний Уфалей) | Verkhny Ufaley (Верхний Уфалей) | city | urban okrug | 75 406 | 75 706 | | |
| Yemanzhelinsk (Еманжелинск) | Yemanzhelinsk (Еманжелинск) | city | (under Yemanzhelinsky) | 75 409 | 75 619 | | |
| Zlatoust (Златоуст) | Zlatoust (Златоуст) | city | urban okrug | 75 412 | 75 712 | | |
| Karabash (Карабаш) | Karabash (Карабаш) | city | urban okrug | 75 415 | 75 715 | | |
| Kartaly (Карталы) | Kartaly (Карталы) | city | (under Kartalinsky) | 75 418 | 75 623 | | |
| Kasli (Касли) | Kasli (Касли) | city | (under Kaslinsky) | 75 421 | 75 626 | | |
| Katav-Ivanovsk (Катав-Ивановск) | Katav-Ivanovsk (Катав-Ивановск) | city | (under Katav-Ivanovsky) | 75 424 | 75 629 | | |
| Kopeysk (Копейск) | Kopeysk (Копейск) | city | urban okrug | 75 428 | 75 728 | | |
| Korkino (Коркино) | Korkino (Коркино) | city | (under Korkinsky) | 75 431 | 75 633 | | |
| Kyshtym (Кыштым) | Kyshtym (Кыштым) | city | urban okrug | 75 434 | 75 734 | | |
| Magnitogorsk (Магнитогорск) | Magnitogorsk (Магнитогорск) | city | urban okrug | 75 438 | 75 738 | | |
| ↳ | Leninsky (Ленинский) | (under Magnitogorsk) | — | 75 438 | — | | |
| ↳ | Ordzhonikidzevsky (Орджоникидзевский) | (under Magnitogorsk) | — | 75 438 | — | | |
| ↳ | Pravoberezhny (Правобережный) | (under Magnitogorsk) | — | 75 438 | — | | |
| Miass (Миасс) | Miass (Миасс) | city | urban okrug | 75 442 | 75 742 | | |
| Plast (Пласт) | Plast (Пласт) | city | (under Plastovsky) | 75 445 | 75 648 | | |
| Satka (Сатка) | Satka (Сатка) | city | (under Satkinsky) | 75 448 | 75 649 | | |
| Troitsk (Троицк) | Troitsk (Троицк) | city | urban okrug | 75 452 | 75 752 | | |
| Ust-Katav (Усть-Катав) | Ust-Katav (Усть-Катав) | city | urban okrug | 75 455 | 75 755 | | |
| Chebarkul (Чебаркуль) | Chebarkul (Чебаркуль) | city | urban okrug | 75 458 | 75 758 | | |
| Yuzhnouralsk (Южноуральск) | Yuzhnouralsk (Южноуральск) | city | urban okrug | 75 464 | 75 764 | | |
| Agapovsky (Агаповский) | Agapovsky (Агаповский) | district | district | 75 203 | 75 603 | | 10 |
| Argayashsky (Аргаяшский) | Argayashsky (Аргаяшский) | district | district | 75 206 | 75 606 | | 12 |
| Ashinsky (Ашинский) | Ashinsky (Ашинский) | district | district | 75 209 | 75 609 | Minyar (Миньяр) town* Sim (Сим) town* Kropachyovo (Кропачёво) | 5 |
| Bredinsky (Брединский) | Bredinsky (Брединский) | district | district | 75 212 | 75 612 | | 11 |
| Varnensky (Варненский) | Varnensky (Варненский) | district | district | 75 214 | 75 614 | | 13 |
| Verkhneuralsky (Верхнеуральский) | Verkhneuralsky (Верхнеуральский) | district | district | 75 217 | 75 617 | Verkhneuralsk (Верхнеуральск) town* Mezhozyorny (Межозёрный) | 8 |
| Yemanzhelinsky (Еманжелинский) | Yemanzhelinsky (Еманжелинский) | district | district | 75 219 | 75 619 | Krasnogorsky (Красногорский) Zauralsky (Зауральский) | |
| Yetkulsky (Еткульский) | Yetkulsky (Еткульский) | district | district | 75 220 | 75 620 | | 12 |
| Kartalinsky (Карталинский) | Kartalinsky (Карталинский) | district | district | 75 223 | 75 623 | | 10 |
| Kaslinsky (Каслинский) | Kaslinsky (Каслинский) | district | district | 75 226 | 75 626 | Vishnyovogorsk (Вишнёвогорск) | 9 |
| Katav-Ivanovsky (Катав-Ивановский) | Katav-Ivanovsky (Катав-Ивановский) | district | district | 75 229 | 75 629 | Yuryuzan (Юрюзань) town* | 7 |
| Kizilsky (Кизильский) | Kizilsky (Кизильский) | district | district | 75 232 | 75 632 | | 14 |
| Korkinsky (Коркинский) | Korkinsky (Коркинский) | district | district | 75 233 | 75 633 | Pervomaysky (Первомайский) Roza (Роза) | |
| Krasnoarmeysky (Красноармейский) | Krasnoarmeysky (Красноармейский) | district | district | 75 234 | 75 634 | | 15 |
| Kunashaksky (Кунашакский) | Kunashaksky (Кунашакский) | district | district | 75 236 | 75 636 | | 9 |
| Kusinsky (Кусинский) | Kusinsky (Кусинский) | district | district | 75 238 | 75 638 | Kusa (Куса) town* Magnitka (Магнитка) | 3 |
| Nagaybaksky (Нагайбакский) | Nagaybaksky (Нагайбакский) | district | district | 75 242 | 75 642 | Yuzhny (Южный) | 9 |
| Nyazepetrovsky (Нязепетровский) | Nyazepetrovsky (Нязепетровский) | district | district | 75 244 | 75 644 | Nyazepetrovsk (Нязепетровск) town* | 4 |
| Oktyabrsky (Октябрьский) | Oktyabrsky (Октябрьский) | district | district | 75 247 | 75 647 | | 13 |
| Plastovsky (Пластовский) | Plastovsky (Пластовский) | district | district | 75 248 | 75 648 | | 4 |
| Satkinsky (Саткинский) | Satkinsky (Саткинский) | district | district | 75 249 | 75 649 | Bakal (Бакал) town* Berdyaush (Бердяуш) Mezhevoy (Межевой) Suleya (Сулея) | 3 |
| Sosnovsky (Сосновский) | Sosnovsky (Сосновский) | district | district | 75 252 | 75 652 | | 16 |
| Troitsky (Троицкий) | Troitsky (Троицкий) | district | district | 75 254 | 75 654 | | 25 |
| Uvelsky (Увельский) | Uvelsky (Увельский) | district | district | 75 255 | 75 655 | | 10 |
| Uysky (Уйский) | Uysky (Уйский) | district | district | 75 256 | 75 656 | | 11 |
| Chebarkulsky (Чебаркульский) | Chebarkulsky (Чебаркульский) | district | district | 75 257 | 75 657 | | 9 |
| Chesmensky (Чесменский) | Chesmensky (Чесменский) | district | district | 75 259 | 75 659 | | 11 |

## Demographics

Population: 3,431,224 (2021 Census); 3,476,217 (2010 Census); 3,603,339 (2002 Census); 3,623,732 (1989 Soviet census).
Vital statistics for 2024:
* Births: 28,923 (8.5 per 1,000)
* Deaths: 46,048 (13.6 per 1,000)
Total fertility rate (2024): 1.45 children per woman
Life expectancy (2021):
Total — 69.16 years (male — 64.36, female — 73.79)
Ethnicities in Chelyabinsk Oblast in 2021 :
| Ethnicity | Population | Percentage |
| Russians | 2,526,414 | 86.3% |
| Bashkirs | 128,071 | 4.4% |
| Tatars | 120,242 | 4.1% |
| Kazakhs | 29,057 | 1.0% |
| Ukrainians | 17,154 | 0.6% |
| Tajiks | 12,308 | 0.4% |
| Other Ethnicities | 92,778 | 3.2% |
| Ethnicity not stated | 505,200 | – |

### Vital statistics for 2008

Source:
| District (2008) | Type | Births | Deaths | NG | BR | DR | NGR |
| Chelyabinsk Oblast | Obl | 44931 | 52625 | -7694 | 12.8 | 15.0 | -0.22% |
| Urban Areas | Obl | 34550 | 41787 | -7237 | 12.1 | 14.6 | -0.25% |
| Rural Areas | Obl | 10381 | 10838 | -457 | 15.9 | 16.6 | -0.07% |
| Chelyabinsk | Urb | 12540 | 14192 | -1652 | 11.5 | 13.0 | -0.15% |
| Verkhny Ufaley | Urb | 516 | 727 | -211 | 13.6 | 19.1 | -0.55% |
| Zlatoust | Urb | 2111 | 2658 | -547 | 11.1 | 13.9 | -0.28% |
| Karabash | Urb | 227 | 262 | -35 | 14.5 | 16.7 | -0.22% |
| Kopeysk | Urb | 1737 | 2476 | -739 | 12.5 | 17.8 | -0.53% |
| Kyshtym | Urb | 535 | 695 | -160 | 12.5 | 16.2 | -0.37% |
| Lokomotivny | Urb | 117 | 41 | 76 | 11.8 | 4.1 | 0.77% |
| Magnitogorsk | Urb | 5276 | 6112 | -836 | 12.9 | 14.9 | -0.20% |
| Miass | Urb | 2289 | 2559 | -270 | 13.7 | 15.3 | -0.16% |
| Ozyorsk | Urb | 912 | 1312 | -400 | 9.2 | 13.2 | -0.40% |
| Snezhinsk | Urb | 544 | 586 | -42 | 10.8 | 11.6 | -0.08% |
| Tryokhgorny | Urb | 402 | 338 | 64 | 11.7 | 9.8 | 0.19% |
| Troitsk | Urb | 1085 | 1269 | -184 | 13.2 | 15.4 | -0.22% |
| Ust-Katav | Urb | 318 | 515 | -197 | 11.3 | 18.2 | -0.69% |
| Chebarkul | Urb | 550 | 698 | -148 | 12.7 | 16.2 | -0.35% |
| Yuzhnouralsk | Urb | 428 | 602 | -174 | 11.1 | 15.6 | -0.45% |
| Agapovsky | Rur | 649 | 513 | 136 | 18.5 | 14.6 | 0.39% |
| Argayashsky | Rur | 831 | 671 | 160 | 19.7 | 15.9 | 0.38% |
| Ashinsky | Rur | 831 | 1286 | -455 | 12.6 | 19.5 | -0.69% |
| Bredinsky | Rur | 485 | 480 | 5 | 15.6 | 15.4 | 0.02% |
| Varnensky | Rur | 460 | 453 | 7 | 15.9 | 15.7 | 0.02% |
| Verkhneuralsky | Rur | 575 | 743 | -168 | 13.6 | 17.6 | -0.40% |
| Yemanzhelinsky | Rur | 648 | 923 | -275 | 12.2 | 17.3 | -0.51% |
| Yetkulsky | Rur | 443 | 466 | -23 | 14.7 | 15.5 | -0.08% |
| Kartalinsky | Rur | 702 | 809 | -107 | 14.1 | 16.2 | -0.21% |
| Kaslinsky | Rur | 461 | 758 | -297 | 12.0 | 19.7 | -0.77% |
| Katav-Ivanovsky | Rur | 448 | 709 | -261 | 12.8 | 20.2 | -0.74% |
| Kizilsky | Rur | 432 | 400 | 32 | 16.2 | 15.0 | 0.12% |
| Korkinsky | Rur | 900 | 1256 | -356 | 13.8 | 19.3 | -0.55% |
| Krasnoarmeysky | Rur | 638 | 754 | -116 | 14.6 | 17.3 | -0.27% |
| Kunashaksky | Rur | 521 | 549 | -28 | 17.6 | 18.6 | -0.10% |
| Kusinsk | Rur | 420 | 535 | -115 | 13.9 | 17.7 | -0.38% |
| Nagaybaksky | Rur | 334 | 392 | -58 | 15.0 | 17.7 | -0.27% |
| Nyazepetrovsky | Rur | 298 | 433 | -135 | 14.6 | 21.3 | -0.67% |
| Oktyabrsky | Rur | 419 | 398 | 21 | 15.6 | 14.8 | 0.08% |
| Plastovsky | Rur | 450 | 453 | -3 | 17.2 | 17.3 | -0.01% |
| Satkinsky | Rur | 1230 | 1398 | -168 | 14.2 | 16.1 | -0.19% |
| Sosnovsky | Rur | 942 | 933 | 9 | 16.0 | 15.8 | 0.02% |
| Troitsky | Rur | 529 | 506 | 23 | 17.1 | 16.3 | 0.08% |
| Uvelsky | Rur | 508 | 533 | -25 | 16.1 | 16.9 | -0.08% |
| Uysky | Rur | 385 | 387 | -2 | 14.6 | 14.7 | -0.01% |
| Chebarkulsky | Rur | 494 | 538 | -44 | 16.6 | 18.1 | -0.15% |
| Chesmensky | Rur | 311 | 307 | 4 | 15.5 | 15.3 | 0.02% |

### Settlements

Largest cities or towns in Chelyabinsk Oblast 2010 Russian Census :
| | Rank | | Administrative Division | Pop. | |
| Chelyabinsk Magnitogorsk | 1 | Chelyabinsk | City of oblast significance of Chelyabinsk | 1,130,132 | Zlatoust Miass |
| Chelyabinsk Magnitogorsk | 2 | Magnitogorsk | City of oblast significance of Magnitogorsk | 407,775 | Zlatoust Miass |
| Chelyabinsk Magnitogorsk | 3 | Zlatoust | City of oblast significance of Zlatoust | 174,962 | Zlatoust Miass |
| Chelyabinsk Magnitogorsk | 4 | Miass | City of oblast significance of Miass | 151,751 | Zlatoust Miass |
| Chelyabinsk Magnitogorsk | 5 | Kopeysk | City of oblast significance of Kopeysk | 137,601 | Zlatoust Miass |
| Chelyabinsk Magnitogorsk | 6 | Ozyorsk | Closed administrative-territorial formation of Ozyorsk | 82,164 | Zlatoust Miass |
| Chelyabinsk Magnitogorsk | 7 | Troitsk | Town of oblast significance of Troitsk | 78,372 | Zlatoust Miass |
| Chelyabinsk Magnitogorsk | 8 | Snezhinsk | Closed administrative-territorial formation of Snezhinsk | 48,810 | Zlatoust Miass |
| Chelyabinsk Magnitogorsk | 9 | Satka | Town of oblast significance of Satka | 45,178 | Zlatoust Miass |
| Chelyabinsk Magnitogorsk | 10 | Chebarkul | Town of oblast significance of Chebarkul | 42,844 | Zlatoust Miass |
Chelyabinsk Oblast is highly urbanized.

### Religion

Religion in Chelyabinsk Oblast as of 2012 (Sreda Arena Atlas) :
| Russian Orthodoxy | Russian Orthodoxy | 30.9% | 30.9% |
| Other Orthodox | Other Orthodox | 5.1% | 5.1% |
| Other Christians | Other Christians | 8.9% | 8.9% |
| Islam | Islam | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| Rodnovery and other native faiths | Rodnovery and other native faiths | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| Spiritual but not religious | Spiritual but not religious | 29% | 29% |
| Atheism and irreligion | Atheism and irreligion | 14.5% | 14.5% |
| Other and undeclared | Other and undeclared | 4% | 4% |
According to a 2012 survey, 30.9% of the population of Chelyabinsk Oblast adheres to the Russian Orthodox Church, 8% are unaffiliated generic Christians, 5% adheres to other Eastern Orthodox Churches, 8% of the population is Muslim, 1% adheres to Slavic Rodnovery (Slavic Neopaganism), and 0.4% to forms of Hinduism (Vedism, Krishnaism or Tantrism). In addition, 29% of the population deems itself to be "spiritual but not religious", 14% is atheist, and 4.7% follows other religions or did not give an answer to the question.

## Partner cities

Chelyabinsk Oblast cooperates with:
* Ashgabat, Turkmenistan (1997)