Kovel is a city located in
the Volyn province, in north-western Ukraine.
Serving as the administrative center of
the Kovelsky district, the city itself is
also designated as a separate district within
the oblast. Kovel gives its name to one
of the oldest Runic inscriptions (now lost).
Unearthed near the town in 1858, the Kovel
spearhead contained a text in Gothic language
(illustration).
Kovel is the north-western
hub of the Ukrainian rail system, with six
rail lines radiating out from the city.
The first of these was built in 1873, connecting
the city with Brest-Litovsk and Rivne. In
1877 Kovel was linked by rail with Lublin
and Warsaw in Poland. The current estimated
population is around 62,900 (as of 2004).
