Ionization and recombination processes are considered in different non
-equilibrium low-temperature plasmas; namely an ideal, a non-ideal and
a laser-induced plasma created above a solid body surface. For the ki
netics of ideal plasmas, relatively new results from numerical and ana
lytical modelling and experimental studies are given. The kinetics of
non-ideal (strongly coupled) plasmas have until now been insufficientl
y developed. Here only the process of collisional recombination is dis
cussed. The characteristics of ionization in a plasma created above a
solid surface due to the interaction with laser radiation are also dis
cussed.