The city was mentioned inLatin texts, byCaesar, with the spellingGenava,[26] probably from theCeltic*genawa- from the stem*genu- ("mouth"), in the sense of anestuary, an etymology shared with the Italian port city ofGenoa (in ItalianGenova).[27][28]
In theMiddle Ages, Geneva was ruled by acount under theHoly Roman Empire until the late 14th century, when it was granted a charter giving it a high degree of self-governance. Around this time, theHouse of Savoy came to at least nominally dominate the city. In the 15th century, anoligarchic republican government emerged with the creation of theGrand Council. In the first half of the 16th century, theProtestant Reformation reached the city, causing religious strife, during which Savoy rule was thrown off and Geneva allied itself with theSwiss Confederacy.
In 1541, with Protestantism on the rise,John Calvin, theProtestantReformer and proponent ofCalvinism, became the spiritual leader of the city and established theRepublic of Geneva. By the 18th century, Geneva had come under the influence ofCatholic France, which cultivated the city as its own. France tended to be at odds with the ordinary townsfolk, which inspired the failedGeneva Revolution of 1782, an attempt to win representation in the government for men of modest means. In 1798,Revolutionary France under theDirectory annexed Geneva. France lost Geneva, which recovered its independence, at the end of theNapoleonic Wars. On May 19, 1815, Geneva joined theSwiss Confederation. In 1907, the separation of Church and State was adopted. Geneva flourished in the 19th and 20th centuries, becoming the seat of many international organizations.[31]
Satellite view of Geneva;Cointrin Airport is centre left. TheSalève (in France) is the large area of green at the bottom right.Map of Geneva, 1:50,000
Geneva is located at 46°12' North, 6°09' East, at the south-western end ofLake Geneva, where theRhône flows out. It is surrounded by three mountain chains, each belonging to theJura: the Jura main range lies north-westward, theVuache southward, and theSalève south-eastward.
The Geneva area seen from above the Jura mountain chain, with the International airport in the foreground, and the Mont Blanc mountain range in the background
The city covers an area of 15.93 km2 (6.2 sq mi), while the area of thecanton is 282 km2 (108.9 sq mi), including the two smallexclaves ofCéligny inVaud. The part of the lake that is attached to Geneva has an area of 38 km2 (14.7 sq mi) and is sometimes referred to aspetit lac ('small lake'). The canton has only a 4.5 km-long (2.8 mi) border with the rest of Switzerland. Of 107.5 km (66.8 mi) of the border, 103 are shared with France, the department ofAin to the north and west and the department ofHaute-Savoie to the south and east.
Of the land in the city, 0.24 km2 (0.093 sq mi), or 1.5%, is used for agricultural purposes, while 0.5 km2 (0.19 sq mi), or 3.1%, is forested. The rest of the land, 14.63 km2 (5.65 sq mi), or 91.8%, is built up (buildings or roads), 0.49 km2 (0.19 sq mi), or 3.1%, is either rivers or lakes and 0.02 km2 (4.9 acres), or 0.1%, is wasteland.[32]
Of the built-up area, industrial buildings made up 3.4%, housing and buildings made up 46.2% and transportation infrastructure 25.8%, while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 15.7%. Of the agricultural land, 0.3% is used for growing crops. Of the water in the municipality, 0.2% is composed of lakes and 2.9% is rivers and streams.[32]
Confluence of the Rhône and the Arve
The altitude of Geneva is 373.6 m (1,225.7 ft) and corresponds to the altitude of the largest of thePierres du Niton, two large rocks emerging from the lake which date from thelast ice age. This rock was chosen by GeneralGuillaume Henri Dufour as the reference point for surveying in Switzerland.[33] The second main river of Geneva is theArve, which flows into theRhône just west of the city centre.Mont Blanc can be seen from Geneva and is an hour's drive from the city.
Average temperature and precipitation 1961–1990[34]
The climate of Geneva is atemperate climate, more specifically anoceanic climate (Köppen climate classification:Cfb). Winters are cool, usually with light frosts at night and thawing conditions during the day. Summers are relatively warm. Precipitation is adequate and is relatively well-distributed throughout the year, although autumn is slightly wetter than other seasons. Ice storms nearLac Léman are normal in the winter: Geneva can be affected by theBise, a north-easterly wind. This can lead to severe icing in winter.[35]
In summer, many people swim in the lake and patronise public beaches such as Genève Plage and theBains des Pâquis. The city, in certain years, receives snow during colder months. The nearby mountains are subject to substantial snowfall and are suitable for skiing. Many world-renowned ski resorts such asVerbier andCrans-Montana are less than three hours away by car.Mont Salève (1,379 m (4,524 ft)), just across the border in France, dominates the southerly view from the city centre, andMont Blanc, the highest of the Alpine range, is visible from most of the city, towering high aboveChamonix, which, along with Morzine, Le Grand Bornand, La Clusaz, and resorts of the Grand Massif such as Samoens, Morillon, and Flaine, are the closest French skiing destinations to Geneva.
During the years 2000–2009, the mean yearly temperature was 11 °C and the mean number of sunshine-hours per year was 2003.[36]
The highest temperature recorded in Genève–Cointrin was 39.7 °C (103.5 °F) in July 2015, and the lowest temperature recorded was −20.0 °C (−4.0 °F) in February 1956.
Climate data for Geneva (GVA), elevation: 412 m (1,352 ft), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1901–present
The city is divided into eightquartiers, or districts, sometimes composed of several neighbourhoods. On the left bank are: (1) Jonction, (2) Centre,Plainpalais, and Acacias; (3) Eaux-Vives; and (4)Champel. The right bank includes: (1) Saint-Jean and Charmilles; (2)Servette and Petit-Saconnex; (3) Grottes and Saint-Gervais; and (4) Paquis and Nations.[42]
This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(November 2024)
The Administrative Council (French:Conseil administratif) constitutes the executive government of the city of Geneva and operates as a collegiate authority. It is composed of five councilors (Conseiller administratif / Conseillère administrative), each presiding over a department. The president of the executive department acts as mayor (la maire/le maire). In the governmental year 2021–2022, the Administrative Council is presided over byMadame la maire de GenèveFrédérique Perler. Departmental tasks, coordination measures and implementation of laws decreed by the Municipal Council are carried out by the Administrative Council. Elections for the Administrative Council are held every five years. The current term of office is from 1June 2020 to 31May 2025. The delegates take office due to awinner-takes-all election (French:scrutin majoritaire,Swiss Standard German:Majorzwahl orMajorz). The mayor and vice change each year, while the heads of the other departments are assigned by the collegiate.[clarification needed] The executive body holds its meetings in the Palais Eynard, near theParc des Bastions.[43]
As of 2020,[update] Geneva's Administrative Council is made up of two representatives each of theSocial Democratic Party (PS) and theGreen Party (PES), and one member of theChristian Democratic Party (PDC). This gives the left-wing parties four out of the five seats and, for the first time in history, a female majority in the election held on 15March / 5April 2020.[44] Except for the mayor, all other councillors have been elected for the first time.[45]
Le Conseil municipal of Geneva for the mandate period of 2020–2025
Ensemble à gauche (PST-POP & Sol) (8.8%)
PS (23.8%)
Les Verts (PES) (22.5%)
PDC (10%)
PLR (17.5%)
UDC (8.8%)
MCG (8.8%)
The Municipal Council (French:Conseil municipal) holdslegislative power. It is made up of 80 members, with elections held every five years. The Municipal Council makes regulations and by-laws that are executed by the Administrative Council and the administration. The delegates are selected by means of a system ofproportional representation with a seven percent threshold.The sessions of the Municipal Council are public. Unlike members of the Administrative Council, members of the Municipal Council are not politicians by profession, and they are paid a fee based on their attendance. Any resident of Geneva allowed to vote can be elected as a member of the Municipal Council. The Council holds its meetings in the Town Hall (Hôtel de Ville), in the old city.[46]
In the2019 federal election for theSwiss National Council the most popular party was theGreen Party which received 26% (+14.6) of the vote. The next seven most popular parties were thePS (17.9%, -5.9),PLR (15.1%, -2.4), theUDC (12.6%, -3.7), thePdA/solidaritéS (10%, +1.3), thePDC (5.4%, -5.3), thepvl (5%, +2.9), andMCR (4.9%, -2.7).[48] In the federal election a total of 34,319 votes were cast, and thevoter turnout was 39.6%.[49]
The city centre of Geneva is located only 1.9 km (1.2 mi) from the border ofFrance. As a result, theurban area and themetropolitan area largely extend across the border on French territory. Due to the small size of the municipality of Geneva (16 km2 (6 sq mi))[15] and extension of the urban area over an international border, official bodies of transnational cooperation were developed as early as the 1970s to manage the cross-border Greater Geneva area at a metropolitan level.
In 1973, a Franco-Swiss agreement created theComité régional franco-genevois ('Franco-Genevan Regional Committee',CRFG). In 1997 an 'Urban planning charter' of the CRFG defined for the first time a planning territory calledagglomération franco-valdo-genevoise ('Franco-Vaud-Genevan urban area'). 2001 saw the creation of aComité stratégique de développement des transports publics régionaux ('Strategic Committee for the Development of Regional Public Transports',DTPR), a committee which adopted in 2003 a 'Charter for Public Transports', first step in the development of a metropolitan, cross-bordercommuter rail network (seeLéman Express).
In 2004, a public transnational body calledProjet d’agglomération franco-valdo-genevois ('Franco-Vaud-Genevan urban area project') was created to serve as the main body of metropolitan cooperation for the planning territory defined in 1997, with more local French councils taking part in this new public body than in the CRFG created in 1973. Finally in 2012 theProjet d’agglomération franco-valdo-genevois was renamedGrand Genève ('Greater Geneva'), and the following year it was transformed into aLocal Grouping of Transnational Cooperation [fr] (GLCT), a public entity under Swiss law, which now serves as the executive body of theGrand Genève.
TheGrand Genève GLCT is made up of theCanton of Geneva, theNyon District (in the canton of Vaud), and thePôle métropolitain du Genevois français [fr] (literally 'Metropolitan hub of the French Genevan territory'), this last one a federation of eight Frenchintercommunal councils inAin andHaute-Savoie. TheGrand Genève GLCT extends over 1,996 km2 (771 sq mi)[20] and had a population of 1,046,168 in Jan. 2021 (Swiss estimates and French census), 58.3% of them living on Swiss territory, and 41.7% on French territory.[21]
The city of Geneva (ville de Genève) had a population 203,856 in 2021 (Jan. estimate)[14] within its small municipal territory of 16 km2 (6 sq mi).[15] The city of Geneva is at the centre of the Genevametropolitan area, aFunctional Urban Area (as perEurostat methodology) which extends over Swiss territory (entireCanton of Geneva and part of the canton ofVaud) and French territory (parts of thedepartments ofAin andHaute-Savoie).[16] The Geneva Functional Urban Area covers a land area of 2,292 km2 (885 sq mi) (24.2% in Switzerland, 75.8% in France)[17] and had 1,053,436 inhabitants in Jan. 2021 (Swiss estimates and French census), 57.8% of them on Swiss territory and 42.2% on French territory.[18]
The Geneva metropolitan area is one of the fastest growing in Europe. Its population rose from 906,603 in Jan. 2010[55] to 1,053,436 in Jan. 2021, which means the metropolitan area registered a population growth rate of +1.39% per year during those 11 years. Growth is higher in the French part of the metropolitan area (+1.80% per year between 2010 and 2021) than in the Swiss part (+1.10% per year between 2010 and 2021), as Geneva attracts many French commuters due to high Swiss salaries and a favourable Franco-Swiss tax regime for French residents working in Switzerland.
The official language of Geneva (both the city and the canton) isFrench.English is also common due to a high number of Anglophone residents working in international institutions and the bank sector. In 2000 there were 128,622 residents, or 72.3% of the population, who spoke French as a first language. English was the second most common (7,853 or 4.4%), followed bySpanish (7,462 or 4.2%),Italian (7,320 or 4.1%), andGerman (7,050 or 4.0%); 113 spokeRomansh, an official language in Switzerland.[56]
In the city of Geneva, as of 2013[update], 48% of the population are resident foreign nationals.[57] For a list of the largest groups of foreign residentssee the cantonal overview. Over the last 10 years (1999–2009), the population has changed at a rate of 7.2%; a rate of 3.4% due to migration and at a rate of 3.4% due to births and deaths.[58]
As of 2008[update], the gender distribution of the population was 47.8% male and 52.2% female. The population was made up of 46,284 Swiss men (24.2% of the population) and 45,127 (23.6%) non-Swiss men. There were 56,091 Swiss women (29.3%) and 43,735 (22.9%) non-Swiss women.[59] As of 2000[update] approximately 24.3% of the population of the municipality were born in Geneva and lived there in 2000 – 43,296. A further 11,757 or 6.6% who were born in the same canton, while 27,359 or 15.4% were born elsewhere in Switzerland, and 77,893 or 43.8% were born outside of Switzerland.[56]
In 2008[update], there were 1,147 live births to Swiss citizens and 893 births to non-Swiss citizens, and in the same time span there were 1,114 deaths of Swiss citizens and 274 non-Swiss citizen deaths. Ignoring immigration and emigration, the population of Swiss citizens increased by 33, while the foreign population increased by 619. There were 465 Swiss men and 498 Swiss women who emigrated from Switzerland. At the same time, there were 2933 non-Swiss men and 2662 non-Swiss women who immigrated from another country to Switzerland. The total Swiss population change in 2008 (from all sources, including moves across municipal borders) was an increase of 135 and the non-Swiss population increased by 3181 people. This represents apopulation growth rate of 1.8%.[60]
As of 2000[update], children and teenagers (0–19 years old) made up 18.2% of the population, while adults (20–64 years old) made up 65.8% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 16%.[58]
As of 2000[update], there were 78,666 people who were single and never married in the municipality. There were 74,205 married individuals, 10,006 widows or widowers and 15,087 individuals who are divorced.[56]
As of 2000[update], there were 86,231 private households in the municipality, and an average of 1.9 persons per household.[58] There were 44,373 households that consist of only one person and 2,549 households with five or more people. Out of a total of 89,269 households that answered this question, 49.7% were households made up of just one person and there were 471 adults who lived with their parents. Of the rest of the households, there are 17,429 married couples without children, 16,607 married couples with children. There were 5,499 single parents with a child or children. There were 1,852 households that were made up of unrelated people and 3,038 households that were made up of some sort of institution or another collective housing.[56]
Apartment buildings in the Quartier des GrottesGeneva, with Lake Geneva in the background
In 2000[update], there were 743 single family homes (or 10.6% of the total) out of a total of 6,990 inhabited buildings. There were 2,758 multi-family buildings (39.5%), along with 2,886 multi-purpose buildings that were mostly used for housing (41.3%) and 603 other use buildings (commercial or industrial) that also had some housing (8.6%). Of the single family homes, 197 were built before 1919, while 20 were built between 1990 and 2000. The greatest number of single family homes (277) were built between 1919 and 1945.[61]
In 2000[update], there were 101,794 apartments in the municipality. The most common apartment size was 3 rooms of which there were 27,084. There were 21,889 single room apartments and 11,166 apartments with five or more rooms. Of these apartments, a total of 85,330 apartments (83.8% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 13,644 apartments (13.4%) were seasonally occupied and 2,820 apartments (2.8%) were empty.[61] As of 2009[update], the construction rate of new housing units was 1.3 new units per 1000 residents.[58]
As of 2003[update], the average price to rent an average apartment in Geneva was 1163.30Swiss francs (CHF) per month (US$930, £520, €740 approx. exchange rate from 2003). The average rate for a one-room apartment was 641.60 CHF (US$510, £290, €410), a two-room apartment was about 874.46 CHF (US$700, £390, €560), a three-room apartment was about 1126.37 CHF (US$900, £510, €720) and a six or more room apartment cost an average of 2691.07 CHF (US$2150, £1210, €1720). The average apartment price in Geneva was 104.2% of the national average of 1116 CHF.[62] The vacancy rate for the municipality, in 2010[update], was 0.25%.[58]
In June 2011, the average price of an apartment in and around Geneva was 13,681 CHF per square metre (11 sq ft). The average can be as high as 17,589Swiss francs (CHF) per square metre (11 sq ft) for a luxury apartment and as low as 9,847 Swiss francs (CHF) for an older or basic apartment. For houses in and around Geneva, the average price was 11,595 Swiss francs (CHF) per square metre (11 sq ft) (June 2011), with a lowest price per square metre (11 sq ft) of 4,874 Swiss francs (CHF), and a maximum price of 21,966 Swiss francs (CHF).[63]
In 2023, the religious composition of Geneva’s permanent resident population aged 15 years and older reflected significant secularism and religious diversity. According to the Federal Statistical Office (OFS), the largest share of the population, 51.1%, identified as either havingno religious affiliation (48.8%) or as having an unknown affiliation (2.36%).Christianity, as a whole, accounted for 38.5% of the population, with 26.3% identifying asCatholic, 5.90% asProtestant, and 6.29% belonging to otherChristian communities. Among other religious groups, 7.32% of the population identified asMuslim, 1.29% asJewish, and 1.72% adhered to other religions.[67]
The 2000 census[update] recorded 66,491 residents (37.4% of the population) as Catholic, while 41,289 people (23.20%) belonged to no church or were agnostic oratheist, 24,105 (13.5%) belonged to theSwiss Reformed Church, and 8,698 (4.89%) wereMuslim. There were also 3,959 members of anOrthodox church (2.22%), 220 individuals (or about 0.12% of the population) who belonged to theChristian Catholic Church of Switzerland, 2,422 (1.36%) who belonged to another Christian church, and 2,601 people (1.46%) who were Jewish. There were 707 individuals who were Buddhist, 474 who were Hindu and 423 who belonged to another church. 26,575 respondents (14.93%) did not answer the question.[56]
Geneva has historically been considered aProtestant city and was known as theProtestant Rome due to it being the base ofJohn Calvin,William Farel,Theodore Beza and otherProtestant reformers. Over the past century, substantial immigration from France and other predominantlyCatholic countries, as well as general secularization, has changed its religious landscape. As a result, three times as many Roman Catholics as Protestants lived in the city in 2000, while a large number of residents were members of neither group. Geneva forms part of theRoman Catholic Diocese of Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg.
Prior to theProtestant Reformation the city wasde jure andde factoCatholic. Reaction to the new movement varied across Switzerland.John Calvin went to Geneva in 1536 afterWilliam Farel encouraged him to do so. In Geneva, the Catholic bishop had been obliged to seek exile in 1532. Geneva became a stronghold ofCalvinism. Some of the tenets created there influenced Protestantism as a whole.St. Pierre Cathedral was where Calvin and hisProtestant reformers preached. It constituted the epicentre of the newly developing Protestant thought that would later become known as theReformed tradition. Many prominent Reformed theologians operated there, includingWilliam Farel andTheodore Beza, Calvin's successor who progressed Reformed thought after his death.
Geneva was a haven for Calvinists, while Roman Catholics and others considered heretics were persecuted. The case ofMichael Servetus, an earlyNontrinitarian, is notable. Condemned by both Catholics and Protestants alike, he was arrested in Geneva and burnt at the stake as a heretic by order of the city's Protestant governing council. John Calvin and his followers denounced him, and possibly contributed to his sentence.[citation needed]
In 1802, during its annexation to France underNapoleon I, the Diocese of Geneva was united with the Diocese of Chambéry, but the 1814 Congress of Vienna and the 1816Treaty of Turin stipulated that in the territories transferred to a now considerably extended Geneva, the Catholic religion was to be protected and that no changes were to be made in existing conditions without an agreement with the Holy See.[30] Napoleon's common policy granted civil rights to Catholics in Protestant-majority areas, as well as the reverse, and also emancipated Jews. In 1819, the city of Geneva and 20 parishes were united to the Diocese of Lausanne byPope Pius VII and in 1822, the non-Swiss territory was made into theDiocese of Annecy. A variety of concord with the civil authorities came as a result of theseparation of church and state, enacted with strong Catholic support in 1907.[30]
In 2014 the incidence of crimes listed in theSwiss Criminal Code in Geneva was 143.9 per thousand residents. During the same period the rate of drug crimes was 33.6 per thousand residents. The rate of violations of immigration, visa and work permit laws was 35.7 per thousand residents.[69]
View of Geneva to the south.Mont Salève (in France) looms large behind the city, with the white summit ofMont Blanc just visible behind it 70 km (43 mi) away to the southeast. To the left of Mont Blanc is the point ofLe Môle, with theJet d'Eau in the foreground.
Religious buildings: CathedralSt-Pierre et Chapel des Macchabés, Notre-Dame Church,Russian church, St-Germain Church, Temple de la Fusterie, Temple de l'Auditoire
Civic buildings: Former Arsenal and Archives of the City of Genève, Former Crédit Lyonnais, Former Hôtel Buisson, Former Hôtel du Résident de France et Bibliothèque de la Société de lecture de Genève, Former école des arts industriels, Archives d'État de Genève (Annexe), Bâtiment des forces motrices,Bibliothèque de Genève, Library juive de Genève «Gérard Nordmann», Cabinet des estampes, Centre d'Iconographie genevoise,Collège Calvin, École Geisendorf,University Hospital of Geneva (HUG), Hôtel de Ville et tour Baudet,Immeuble Clarté at Rue Saint-Laurent 2 and 4, Immeubles House Rotonde at Rue Charles-Giron 11–19, Immeubles at Rue Beauregard 2, 4, 6, 8, Immeubles at Rue de la Corraterie 10–26, Immeubles at Rue des Granges 2–6, Immeuble at Rue des Granges 8, Immeubles at Rue des Granges 10 and 12, Immeuble at Rue des Granges 14, Immeuble and Former Armory at Rue des Granges 16, Immeubles at Rue Pierre Fatio 7 and 9, House de Saussure at Rue de la Cité 24, House Des arts du Grütli at Rue du Général-Dufour 16, House Royale et les deux immeubles à côté at Quai Gustave Ador 44–50, Tavel House at Rue du Puits-St-Pierre 6, Turrettini House at Rue de l'Hôtel-de-Ville 8 and 10, Brunswick Monument, Palais de Justice, Palais de l'Athénée, Palais des Nations with library and archives of the SDN and ONU, Palais Eynard et Archives de la ville de Genève,Palais Wilson, Parc des Bastions avec Mur des Réformateurs, Place de Neuve et Monument du Général Dufour, Pont de la Machine, Pont sur l'Arve, Poste du Mont-Blanc, Quai du Mont-Blanc, Quai et Hôtel des Bergues, Quai Général Guisan and English Gardens, Quai Gustave-Ador andJet d'eau,Télévision Suisse Romande,University of Geneva, Victoria Hall.
Archeological sites:Foundation Baur and Museum of the arts d'Extrême-Orient, Parc et campagne de la Grange and Library (neolithic shore settlement/Roman villa),Bronze Age shore settlement of Plonjon, Temple de la Madeleine archeological site, Temple Saint-Gervais archeological site, Old City withCeltic,Roman and medieval villages.
Museums, theaters, and other cultural sites: Conservatoire de musique at Place Neuve 5, Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques, Fonds cantonal d'art contemporain, Ile Rousseau and statue,Institut et Musée Voltaire with Library and Archives, Mallet House and Museum international de la Réforme,Musée Ariana,Museum of Art and History, Museum d'art moderne et contemporain, Museum d'ethnographie,Museum of the International Red Cross,Musée Rath, Natural History Museum, Plainpalais Commune Auditorium, Pitoëff Theatre, Villa Bartholoni at the Museum of History and Science.
The city's main newspaper is the dailyTribune de Genève, with a readership of about 187,000.Le Courrier mainly focuses on Geneva. BothLe Temps (headquartered in Geneva) andLe Matin are widely read in Geneva, but cover the whole of theRomandy.
Geneva is the main media center for French-speaking Switzerland. It is the headquarters for the numerous French language radio and television networks of theSwiss Broadcasting Corporation, known collectively asRadio Télévision Suisse. While both networks cover the whole Romandy, special programs related to Geneva are sometimes broadcast on some of the local radio frequencies. Other local radio stations broadcast from the city, including YesFM (FM 91.8 MHz),Radio Cité (non-commercial radio, FM 92.2 MHz), OneFM (FM 107.0 MHz, also broadcast inVaud), andWorld Radio Switzerland (FM 88.4 MHz). Léman Bleu is a local TV channel, founded in 1996 and distributed by cable. Due to the proximity to France, manyFrench television channels are also available.
Geneva observesJeûne genevois on the first Thursday following the first Sunday in September. By local tradition, this commemorates the date news of theSt. Bartholomew's Day massacre of Huguenots reached Geneva. Geneva celebratesL'Escalade on the weekend nearest 12 December, celebrating the defeat of the surprise attack of troops sent byCharles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy during the night of 11–12 December 1602. Festive traditions include chocolate cauldrons filled with vegetable-shaped marzipan treats and the Escalade procession on horseback in seventeenth century armour. Geneva has also been organizing a Escalade race, usually during the first week-end of December. This race takes place around Geneva's Old Town, and with more that 50,000 participants is the largest in the country.[71] Non-competitive racers dress up in fancy costumes, while walking in the race. TheSociété des Vieux-Grenadiers is a localgentlemen's club founded in 1749 and regroups the local political and economical elite. The society has a military branch performing during official events since the late XIXth century.[72][73] Since 1818, aparticular chestnut tree has been used as the official "herald of the spring" in Geneva. Thesautier (secretary of the Parliament of the Canton of Geneva) observes the tree and notes the day of arrival of the first bud. While this event has no practical effect, the sautier issues a formalpress release and the local newspaper will usually mention the news.[74]
As this is one of the world's oldest records of a plant's reaction to climatic conditions, researchers have been interested to note that the first bud has been appearing earlier and earlier in the year. During the 19th century many dates were in March or April. In recent years, they have usually been in late February (sometimes earlier).[75] In 2002, the first bud appeared unusually early, on 7 February, and then again on 29 December of the same year. The following year, one of the hottest years recorded in Europe, was a year with no bud. In 2008, the first bud also appeared early, on 19 February.
Theopera house, theGrand Théâtre de Genève, which officially opened in 1876, was partly destroyed by a fire in 1951 and reopened in 1962. It has the largest stage in Switzerland. It features opera and dance performances, recitals, concerts and, occasionally, theatre. TheVictoria Hall is used for classical music concerts. It is the home of theOrchestre de la Suisse Romande.
Every summer theFêtes de Genève (Geneva Festival) are organised in Geneva. According toRadio Télévision Suisse in 2013 hundreds of thousands of people came to Geneva to see the annual hour-long grandfirework display of the Fêtes de Genève.[76]
An annual music festival takes place in June. Groups of artists perform in different parts of the city. In 2016 the festival celebrated its 25th anniversary.[77]
Further annual festivals are theFête de l'Olivier, a festival of Arabic music, organized by theICAM since 1980,[78] and theGenevan Brass Festival, founded by Christophe Sturzenegger in 2010.[79]
The Canton of Geneva'spublic school system hasécoles primaires (ages 4–12) andcycles d'orientation (ages 12–15). Students can leave school at 15, but secondary education is provided bycollèges (ages 15–19), the oldest of which is theCollège Calvin, which could be considered one of the oldestpublic schools in the world,[76][80]écoles de culture générale (15–18/19) and theécoles professionnelles (15–18/19). Theécoles professionnelles offer full-time courses and part-time study as part of an apprenticeship. Geneva also has a number of private schools.[81]
In 2011 89,244 (37.0%) of the population had completed non-mandatory upper secondary education, and 107,060 or (44.3%) had completed additional higher education (either university or a Fachhochschule). Of the 107,060 who completed tertiary schooling, 32.5% were Swiss men, 31.6% were Swiss women, 18.1% were non-Swiss men and 17.8% were non-Swiss women.
During the 2011–2012 school year, there were a total of 92,311 students in the Geneva school system (primary to university). The education system in the Canton of Geneva has eight years of primary school, with 32,716 students. The secondary school program consists of three lower, obligatory years of schooling, followed by three to five years of optional, advanced study. There were 13,146 lower-secondary students who attended schools in Geneva. There were 10,486 upper-secondary students from the municipality along with 10,330 students who were in a professional, non-university track program. An additional 11,797 students were attending private schools.[82]
Geneva is home to theUniversity of Geneva where approximately 16,500 students are regularly enrolled.[83] In 1559John Calvin founded the Geneva Academy, a theological and humanist seminary. In the 19th century the academy lost its ecclesiastic links and in 1873, with the addition of a medical faculty, it became the University of Geneva. In 2011 it was ranked 35th European university.[84]
TheGeneva Graduate Institute was among the first academic institutions in the world to teach international relations. It is one of Europe's most prestigious institutions, offering MA and PhD programmes in anthropology and sociology, law, political science, history, economics, international affairs, and development studies.
Geneva is also home to more than a dozen private, for-profit universities whose activities have come under scrutiny for offering degrees that are not recognized in Switzerland and engaging in "unscrupulous practices". These schools include the Geneva School of Diplomacy and International Relations, theInternational University in Geneva, theGeneva Business School andIFM Business School.[85]
Founded in 1954,CERN was one of Europe's first joint ventures and has developed as the world's largestparticle physics laboratory. Physicists from around the world travel to CERN to research matter and explore the fundamental forces and materials that form the universe. It hosts theLarge Hadron Collider.
Geneva is home to five major libraries, theBibliothèques municipales Genève, theHaute école de travail social, theInstitut d'études sociales, theHaute école de santé, theÉcole d'ingénieurs de Genève and theHaute école d'art et de design. There were (as of 2008[update]) 877,680 books or other media in the libraries, and in the same year 1,798,980 items were loaned.[86]
Geneva's economy is largely service-driven and closely linked to the rest of the canton. The city is one of the global leaders in financial centres.[87] Three main sectors dominate the financial sector: commodity trading; trade finance, and wealth management.
Around a third of the world's free traded oil, sugar, grains and oil seeds is traded in Geneva. Approximately 22% of the world's cotton is traded in the Lake Geneva region. Other major commodities traded in the canton include steel, electricity, or coffee.[88] Large trading companies have their regional or global headquarters in the canton, such asBunge,Cargill,Vitol,Gunvor,BNP Paribas,Trafigura orMercuria Energy Group, in addition to being home to the world's largest shipping company,Mediterranean Shipping Company. Commodity trading is sustained by a strong trade finance sector, with large banks such asBCGE, BCP, BNP Paribas,BCV,Crédit Agricole,Credit Suisse,ING,Société Générale, andUBS, all having their headquarters in the area for this business.
Trade finance, wealth management, and watchmaking, approximately contribute two thirds of the corporate tax paid in the canton[89]
Other large multinationals are also headquartered in the city and canton, such asFirmenich (in Satigny), andGivaudan (in Vernier), the world's two largest manufacturers of flavours, fragrances and active cosmetic ingredients;SGS, the world's largest inspection, verification, testing and certification services company;Temenos, a large banking software provider; or the local headquarters forProcter & Gamble,Japan Tobacco International, orL'Oréal (in Vernier).
Its international mindedness, well-connectedairport, and centrality in the continent, also make Geneva a good destination for congresses and trade fairs, of which the largest is theGeneva Motor Show held inPalexpo.
Agriculture is commonplace in the hinterlands of Geneva, particularly wheat and wine. Despite its relatively small size, the canton produces around 10% of the Swiss wine and has the highest vineyard density in the country.[91] The largest strains grown in Geneva are gamay, chasselas, pinot noir, gamaret, and chardonnay.
As of 2019[update], Geneva had an unemployment rate of 3.9%.[92] As of 2008[update], there were five[clarification needed] people employed in theprimary economic sector and about three[clarification needed] businesses involved in this sector. 9,783 people were employed in thesecondary sector and there were 1,200 businesses in this sector. 134,429 people were employed in thetertiary sector, with 12,489 businesses in this sector.[58] There were 91,880 residents of the municipality who were employed in some capacity, with women making up 47.7% of the workforce.
In 2008[update], the total number offull-time equivalent jobs was 124,185. The number of jobs in the primary sector was four, all of which were in agriculture. The number of jobs in the secondary sector was 9,363 of which 4,863 or (51.9%) were in manufacturing and 4,451 (47.5%) were in construction. The number of jobs in the tertiary sector was 114,818. In the tertiary sector; 16,573 or 14.4% were in wholesale or retail sales or the repair of motor vehicles, 3,474 or 3.0% were in the movement and storage of goods, 9,484 or 8.3% were in a hotel or restaurant, 4,544 or 4.0% were in the information industry, 20,982 or 18.3% were the insurance or financial industry, 12,177 or 10.6% were technical professionals or scientists, 10,007 or 8.7% were in education and 15,029 or 13.1% were in health care.[93]
In 2000[update], there were 95,190 workers who commuted into the municipality and 25,920 workers who commuted away. The municipality is a net importer of workers, with about 3.7 workers entering the municipality for every one leaving. About 13.8% of the workforce coming into Geneva are coming from outside Switzerland, while 0.4% of the locals commute out of Switzerland for work.[94] Of the working population, 38.2% used public transportation to get to work, and 30.6% used a private car.[58]
Ice hockey is one of the most popular sports in Geneva.[95] Geneva is home toGenève-Servette HC, which plays in theNational League (NL). They play their home games in the 7,135-seatPatinoire des Vernets. In 2008, 2010 and 2021 the team made it to the league finals but lost to theZSC Lions,SC Bern andEV Zug respectively.[96] The team eventually won its first championship in2023. They won game 7 at home againstEHC Biel in a packed Patinoire des Vernets and with an estimated 7,000 more fans watching the game on a giant TV screen in front of the arena.[97] The following season, the team went on to win theChampions Hockey League in February 2024. They won their first European title in a packed Patinoire des Vernets and with an estimated 5,000 more fans watching the game in a fanzone in front of the arena.[98] Historically, the team was by far the most popular one in both the city and the canton of Geneva, drawing three times more spectators than thefootball team in 2017.[99][100]
Additionally, Geneva is home to an amateurrugby team, Servette RC, that currently competes in the fourth tier of French rugby.
The Geneva Seahawks, established in 1986, are an amateurAmerican football team that currently plays in theNationalliga A. The Seahawks have reached theSwiss Bowl final six times winning the championship in 1991. The team currently plays home games at Vessy Sports Center.
Trains operated bySwiss Federal Railways connect the airport to the main station ofCornavin in six minutes. Regional train services are being developed towards Coppet and Bellegarde. At the city limits two new railway stations have been opened since 2002: Genève-Sécheron (close to the UN and theBotanical Gardens) and Lancy-Pont-Rouge.
In 2011 work started on theCEVA rail (Cornavin –Eaux-Vives – Annemasse) project, first planned in 1884, which will connect Cornavin with the Cantonal hospital, Eaux-Vives railway station andAnnemasse, in France. The link between the main railway station and theclassification yard of La Praille already exists; from there, the line runs mostly underground to the Hospital and Eaux-Vives, where it links to the existing line to France. The line fully opened in December 2019, as part of theLéman Express regional rail network.
TOSA Bus at PALEXPO Flash bus stops
In May 2013, the demonstratorelectric bus system[102] with a capacity of 133 passengers commenced betweenGeneva Airport andPalexpo. The project aims to introduce a new system of mass transport with electric "flash" recharging of the buses at selected stops while passengers are disembarking and embarking.[103]
Taxis in Geneva can be difficult to find, and may need to be booked in advance, especially in the early morning or at peak hours. Taxis can refuse to take babies and children because ofseating legislation.[104]
An ambitious project to close 200 streets in the centre of Geneva to cars was approved by the Geneva cantonal authorities in 2010 and was planned to be implemented over a span of four years (2010–2014), though as of 2018[update], work on the project has yet to be started.[105]
The SIG-owned incinerator of Cheneviers, Verbois dam, and the solar farm
Water, natural gas and electricity are provided to themunicipalities of the Canton of Geneva by the state-ownedServices Industriels de Genève, known as SIG. Most of the drinking water (80%) is extracted from thelake; the remaining 20% is provided bygroundwater, originally formed by infiltration from the Arve. 30% of the Canton's electricity needs is locally produced, mainly by threehydroelectric dams on theRhône (Seujet, Verbois and Chancy-Pougny). In addition, 13% of the electricity produced in the Canton is from the burning of waste at thewaste incineration facility ofLes Cheneviers. The remaining needs (57%) are covered by imports from other cantons in Switzerland or other European countries; SIG buys only electricity produced byrenewable methods, and in particular does not use electricity produced usingnuclear reactors orfossil fuels. Natural gas is available in the City of Geneva, as well as in about two-thirds of the municipalities of the canton, and is imported from Western Europe by the Swiss company Gaznat. SIG also provides telecommunication facilities to carriers,service providers and large enterprises. From 2003 to 2005, "Voisin, voisine" afibre-to-the-home pilot project with atriple play offering was launched to test theend-user market in the Charmilles district.
In the context of the city's Climate Strategy, Geneva'sOffice cantonal de l'agriculture et de la nature (OCAN) has developed and sustained a network of ecological infrastructure, mainly constituted by biological corridors. Its 2021 revision of the Lighting Plan (Plan Lumière) further introducesdark infrastructure in the form of black corridors (Trame Noire). In 2024, the metropolitan area Geneva created anopen datalight pollution map encompassing a “dark grid”.[28]
Organizations on the European level include theEuropean Broadcasting Union (EBU) andCERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research) which is the world's largest particle physics laboratory.
Genevois français (1443.2 km²), itself made up of CA Thonon Agglomération (238.9 km²)[7], CA Annemasse-les Voirons-Agglomération (78.2 km²)[8], CC Arve et Salève (99.3 km²)[9], CC du Pays Rochois (93.9 km²)[10], CC Faucigny-Glières (150.7 km²)[11], CC du Genevois (151.5 km²)[12], CA du Pays de Gex (404.9 km²)[13], and CC du Pays Bellegardien (225.8 km²)[14].
Genevois français (436,520 inh. in Jan. 2021), itself made up of CA Thonon Agglomération (93,344 inh.)[17], CA Annemasse-les Voirons-Agglomération (93,417 inh.)[18], CC Arve et Salève (20,352 inh.)[19], CC du Pays Rochois (29,112 inh.)[20], CC Faucigny-Glières (27,764 inh.)[21], CC du Genevois (48,708 inh.)[22], CA du Pays de Gex (102,027 inh.)[23], and CC du Pays Bellegardien (21,796 inh.)[24].
^Hans-Friedrich Mueller,Caesar Selections from His Commentarii De Bello Gallico, Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, 2012, p. 34.
^John T. Koch,Celtic culture: a historical encyclopedia, ABC-CLIO, 2006, p. 1513.
^Delamarre, Xavier,Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise, Paris, 2003, p. 177
^Pour cette citation et le découpage suivant, organisation décrite par l'ouvrage Jules-Joseph Vernier,Étude historique et géographique sur la Savoie, Le Livre d'Histoire – Res Universis (réimpr. 1993) (1re éd. 1896), p. 137.
^"Le Conseil administratif 2015–2020" [The Administrative Council 2015–2020] (official site) (in French). Geneva, Switzerland: Ville de Genève. 2 June 2015.Archived from the original on 9 July 2015. Retrieved29 October 2015.
^"Présentation des membres du Conseil administratif" [Presentation of the members of the Administrative Council] (official site) (in French). Geneva, Switzerland: République et canton de Genève. 7 April 2020.Archived from the original on 13 April 2020. Retrieved5 July 2020.
^ab"Présentation des membres du Conseil administratif" [Introduction of the members of the Administrative Council] (official site) (in French). Geneva, Switzerland: Ville de Genève. 1 July 2020.Archived from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved5 July 2020.
^"Conseil municipal" (official site) (in French). Geneva, Switzerland: Ville de Genève. 3 June 2015.Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved30 October 2015.
^"Membres et partis" (official site) (in French). Geneva, Switzerland: Ville de Genève. 1 June 2020.Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved5 July 2020.
^Swiss Federal Statistical Office, FSO, ed. (28 November 2019)."NR – Ergebnisse Parteien (Gemeinden) (INT1)"(CSV) (official statistics) (in German, French, and Italian). Neuchâtel, Switzerland: Swiss Federal Statistical Office, FSO.Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved18 May 2020 – via opendata.swiss.
^Swiss Federal Statistical Office, FSO, ed. (28 November 2019)."NR – Wahlbeteiligung (Gemeinden) (INT1)"(CSV) (official statistics) (in German, French, and Italian). Neuchâtel, Switzerland: Swiss Federal Statistical Office, FSO.Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved18 May 2020 – via opendata.swiss.
^"Service des relations extérieures" (in French). Service des relations extérieures SRE, la Ville de Genève. 23 October 2014. Archived fromthe original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved20 October 2015.Ville internationale et multiculturelle, Genève noue depuis plusieurs siècles des contacts privilégiés avec le monde entier.
^"Genève, partenaire du rapprochement entre villes" (in French). Service des relations extérieures SRE, Genève ville internationales. 14 April 2019.Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved14 April 2019.Il est à noter que la Ville de Genève ne pratique pas de jumelage avec d'autres villes.
^Monter, E. William (1979). "Historical Demography and Religious History in Sixteenth-Century Geneva".The Journal of Interdisciplinary History.9 (3):399–427.doi:10.2307/203418.JSTOR203418.
^"Kantonsliste A-Objekte".KGS Inventar (in German). Federal Office of Civil Protection. 2009. Archived fromthe original on 28 June 2010. Retrieved25 April 2011.
^Télévision, www lemanbleu ch, Léman Bleu."La Course de l'Escalade victime de son succès" [The Escalade Race falls victim to its own success].www.lemanbleu.ch (in Swiss French). Retrieved27 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Pogrebnyak, Pavel (11 May 2022)."58win". Retrieved18 May 2025.
^"Les Vieux Grenadiers" [The Old Grenadiers].notrehistoire.ch (in French). Retrieved18 May 2025.
^"Obituary".British Medical Journal. Assoc: 517. 1 March 1890. Retrieved23 July 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.
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