The aim of this book is to fill the gap in the scientific literature by providing a comprehensive overview on the surface and near-surface chemistry of oxide materials. Oxide materials are important in a wide range of technological applications, which has resulted in a large bibliography devoted to their properties. The range of practical applications of metal oxides has recently been significantly extended by the discovery of high T c oxide superconductors. Surface chemistry overlaps with several other disciplines and involves some specialized physical methods, therefore renown scientists active in various fields were invited to contribute to the book. The present volume involves surface characterization of metal oxides as well as surface and near-surface phenomena including gas-solid, solid-solid and liquid-solid interphases. Both basic problems and applied aspects are covered. The theoretical background of ideal and real surfaces as well as surface phenomena such as adsorption, segregation, interphase interactions, equilibration, etc., are dealt with.