Velikiy Novgorod (Russian: Veli'kij No'vgorod) is the foremost historic city of North-Western Russia. It is situated on the M10 federal highway connecting Moscow and St. Petersburg. "Novgorod" is the Russian word for "new city", whereas "Velikiy" means "the Great". The administrative centre of Novgorod Oblast, the city lies along the Volkhov River just below its outflow from Lake Ilmen. Its population in the 2002 census was 216,856.