Geneva
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Geneva (/dʒəˈniːvə/ jə-NEE-və;[5] French: Genève [ʒənɛv] ⓘ)[note 1] is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous of the French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the capital of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, and a centre for international diplomacy. Geneva hosts the highest number of international organizations in the world.[6]
Coordinates: 46°12′06″N 06°08′49″E | |
Country | Switzerland |
Canton | Geneva |
District | None |
Government | |
• Executive | Conseil administratif with 5 members |
• Mayor | La Mairie (list) Alfonso Gomez Green Party of Switzerland (as of June 2023) |
• Parliament | Conseil municipal with 80 members |
Area | |
• Total | 15.92 km2 (6.15 sq mi) |
Elevation (Pont du Mont Blanc) | 375 m (1,230 ft) |
Highest elevation (Chemin du Pommier) | 457 m (1,499 ft) |
Lowest elevation (Le Rhône) | 370 m (1,210 ft) |
Population | |
• Total | 201,741 |
• Density | 13,000/km2 (33,000/sq mi) |
Demonym(s) | Genevan or Genevese French: Genevois(e) |
Time zone | UTC+01:00 (Central European Time) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (Central European Summer Time) |
Postal code(s) | 1200, or 1201–09 Genève, 1213 Petit-Lancy, 1227 Les Acacias[4] |
SFOS number | 6621 |
Surrounded by | Carouge, Chêne-Bougeries, Cologny, Lancy, Grand-Saconnex, Pregny-Chambésy, Vernier, Veyrier |
Twin towns | None |
Website | www SFSO statistics |
The city of Geneva (ville de Genève) had a population of 203,951 in January 2020[7] within its municipal territory of 16 km2 (6 sq mi),[8] but the larger Canton of Geneva had a population of 504,128[7] over 246 km2 (95 sq mi).[8] The Geneva metropolitan area as officially defined by Eurostat,[9] including suburbs and exurbs in Vaud and the French departments of Ain and Haute-Savoie, extends over 2,292 km2 (885 sq mi)[10] and had a population of 1,044,766 at the time.[11]
Since 2013, the Canton of Geneva, the Nyon District (in the canton of Vaud), and the Pôle métropolitain du Genevois français (lit. 'Metropolitan hub of the French Genevan territory', a federation of eight French intercommunal councils), have formed Grand Genève ("Greater Geneva"), a Local Grouping of Transnational Cooperation (GLCT in French, a public entity under Swiss law) in charge of organizing cooperation within the cross-border metropolitan area of Geneva (in particular metropolitan transports).[12] The Grand Genève GLCT extends over 1,996 km2 (771 sq mi)[13] and had a population of 1,037,407 in Jan. 2020 (Swiss estimates and French census), 58.4% of them living on Swiss territory, and 41.6% on French territory.[14]
Geneva is a global city, a financial centre, and a worldwide centre for diplomacy due to the presence of numerous international organizations, including the headquarters of many agencies of the United Nations[15] and the ICRC and IFRC of the Red Cross.[16] In the aftermath of World War I, it hosted the League of Nations. It was where the Geneva Conventions on humanitarian treatment in war were signed. It shares a unique distinction with municipalities such as New York City (global headquarters of the UN), Basel (Bank for International Settlements), and Strasbourg (Council of Europe) as a city which serves as the headquarters of at least one critical international organization without being the capital of a country.[17][18][19]
The city has been referred to as the world's most compact metropolis[20] and the "Peace Capital".[21] In 2023, Geneva was ranked as the world's tenth most important financial centre by the Global Financial Centres Index, second in Europe behind London.[22] In 2019, Geneva was ranked among the ten most liveable cities in the world by Mercer, alongside Zürich and Basel,[23] as well as the thirteenth most expensive city in the world.[24] In a UBS ranking of global cities in 2018, Geneva was ranked first for gross earnings, second most expensive, and fourth in purchasing power.[25]
The city was mentioned in Latin texts, by Caesar, with the spelling Genava,[26] probably from the Celtic *genawa- from the stem *genu- ("mouth"), in the sense of an estuary, an etymology shared with the Italian port city of Genoa (in Italian Genova).[27][28]
The medieval county of Geneva in Middle Latin was known as pagus major Genevensis or Comitatus Genevensis (also Gebennensis). After 1400 it became the Genevois province of Savoy (albeit not extending to the city proper, until the reformation of the seat of the Bishop of Geneva).[29]
Geneva was an Allobrogian border town, fortified against the Helvetii tribe,[30] when the Romans took it in 121 BC. It became Christian under the Late Roman Empire, and acquired its first bishop in the 5th century, having been connected to the Bishopric of Vienne in the 4th.
In the Middle Ages, Geneva was ruled by a count under the Holy Roman Empire until the late 14th century, when it was granted a charter giving it a high degree of self-governance. Around this time, the House of Savoy came to at least nominally dominate the city. In the 15th century, an oligarchic republican government emerged with the creation of the Grand Council. In the first half of the 16th century, the Protestant Reformation reached the city, causing religious strife, during which Savoy rule was thrown off and Geneva allied itself with the Swiss Confederacy. In 1541, with Protestantism on the rise, John Calvin, the Protestant Reformer and proponent of Calvinism, became the spiritual leader of the city and established the Republic of Geneva. By the 18th century, Geneva had come under the influence of Catholic France, which cultivated the city as its own. France tended to be at odds with the ordinary townsfolk, which inspired the failed Geneva Revolution of 1782, an attempt to win representation in the government for men of modest means. In 1798, revolutionary France under the Directory annexed Geneva. At the end of the Napoleonic Wars, on 1 June 1814, Geneva was admitted to the Swiss 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]
Topography
Geneva is located at 46°12' North, 6°09' East, at the south-western end of Lake Geneva, where the Rhône flows out. It is surrounded by three mountain chains, each belonging to the Jura: the Jura main range lies north-westward, the Vuache southward, and the Salève south-eastward.
The city covers an area of 15.93 km2 (6.2 sq mi), while the area of the canton is 282 km2 (108.9 sq mi), including the two small exclaves of Céligny in Vaud. 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 as petit 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 Département de l'Ain to the north and west and the Département de la Haute-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]
The altitude of Geneva is 373.6 m (1,225.7 ft) and corresponds to the altitude of the largest of the Pierres du Niton, two large rocks emerging from the lake which date from the last ice age. This rock was chosen by General Guillaume Henri Dufour as the reference point for surveying in Switzerland.[33] The second main river of Geneva is the Arve, which flows into the Rhône just west of the city centre. Mont Blanc can be seen from Geneva and is an hour's drive from the city.
Climate
The climate of Geneva is a temperate climate, more specifically an oceanic 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 near Lac Léman are normal in the winter: Geneva can be affected by the Bise, 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 the Bains 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 as Verbier and Crans-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, and Mont Blanc, the highest of the Alpine range, is visible from most of the city, towering high above Chamonix, 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 | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 17.3 (63.1) |
20.6 (69.1) |
24.9 (76.8) |
27.5 (81.5) |
33.8 (92.8) |
36.5 (97.7) |
39.7 (103.5) |
39.3 (102.7) |
34.8 (94.6) |
27.3 (81.1) |
23.2 (73.8) |
20.8 (69.4) |
39.7 (103.5) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 5.1 (41.2) |
7.0 (44.6) |
11.8 (53.2) |
15.9 (60.6) |
20.1 (68.2) |
24.2 (75.6) |
26.7 (80.1) |
26.2 (79.2) |
21.1 (70.0) |
15.5 (59.9) |
9.3 (48.7) |
5.6 (42.1) |
15.7 (60.3) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 2.1 (35.8) |
2.9 (37.2) |
6.7 (44.1) |
10.5 (50.9) |
14.5 (58.1) |
18.4 (65.1) |
20.6 (69.1) |
20.0 (68.0) |
15.7 (60.3) |
11.3 (52.3) |
6.0 (42.8) |
2.8 (37.0) |
11.0 (51.8) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −1.1 (30.0) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
1.7 (35.1) |
5.0 (41.0) |
9.1 (48.4) |
12.7 (54.9) |
14.6 (58.3) |
14.2 (57.6) |
10.7 (51.3) |
7.2 (45.0) |
2.6 (36.7) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
6.3 (43.3) |
Record low °C (°F) | −19.9 (−3.8) |
−20.0 (−4.0) |
−13.3 (8.1) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
1.3 (34.3) |
3.0 (37.4) |
4.9 (40.8) |
0.2 (32.4) |
−4.7 (23.5) |
−10.9 (12.4) |
−17.0 (1.4) |
−20.0 (−4.0) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 73 (2.9) |
56 (2.2) |
62 (2.4) |
67 (2.6) |
78 (3.1) |
83 (3.3) |
79 (3.1) |
81 (3.2) |
91 (3.6) |
96 (3.8) |
89 (3.5) |
90 (3.5) |
946 (37.2) |
Average snowfall cm (inches) | 8 (3.1) |
5 (2.0) |
2 (0.8) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
3 (1.2) |
5 (2.0) |
23 (9.1) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 9.5 | 7.9 | 8.2 | 8.6 | 10.2 | 9.1 | 8.1 | 7.8 | 8.3 | 9.7 | 9.9 | 10.3 | 107.6 |
Average snowy days (≥ 1.0 cm) | 2.0 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 7.0 |
Average relative humidity (%) | 81 | 75 | 68 | 65 | 68 | 66 | 64 | 67 | 73 | 80 | 82 | 82 | 73 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 61 | 96 | 161 | 187 | 212 | 246 | 269 | 242 | 184 | 116 | 65 | 48 | 1,887 |
Percent possible sunshine | 25 | 38 | 50 | 51 | 50 | 57 | 62 | 62 | 56 | 40 | 27 | 21 | 48 |
Source 1: MeteoSwiss[37] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: KNMI[38][39] |
Climate data for Geneva (GVA), elevation: 420 m (1,378 ft), 1961–1990 normals and extremes | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 15.5 (59.9) |
18.0 (64.4) |
22.3 (72.1) |
25.8 (78.4) |
28.6 (83.5) |
33.9 (93.0) |
36.6 (97.9) |
35.5 (95.9) |
32.9 (91.2) |
27.5 (81.5) |
21.1 (70.0) |
16.4 (61.5) |
36.6 (97.9) |
Mean maximum °C (°F) | 11.0 (51.8) |
13.3 (55.9) |
18.1 (64.6) |
21.5 (70.7) |
25.3 (77.5) |
29.9 (85.8) |
33.1 (91.6) |
32.6 (90.7) |
28.0 (82.4) |
22.1 (71.8) |
15.9 (60.6) |
12.5 (54.5) |
33.1 (91.6) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 3.5 (38.3) |
5.3 (41.5) |
9.2 (48.6) |
13.5 (56.3) |
17.6 (63.7) |
21.8 (71.2) |
24.6 (76.3) |
23.7 (74.7) |
20.3 (68.5) |
13.9 (57.0) |
8.0 (46.4) |
4.2 (39.6) |
13.8 (56.8) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 0.7 (33.3) |
2.0 (35.6) |
5.0 (41.0) |
8.8 (47.8) |
12.8 (55.0) |
16.5 (61.7) |
19.1 (66.4) |
18.1 (64.6) |
14.9 (58.8) |
9.9 (49.8) |
5.0 (41.0) |
1.8 (35.2) |
9.6 (49.2) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −2.3 (27.9) |
−1.2 (29.8) |
0.3 (32.5) |
3.5 (38.3) |
7.1 (44.8) |
10.3 (50.5) |
11.8 (53.2) |
11.3 (52.3) |
9.0 (48.2) |
5.4 (41.7) |
1.8 (35.2) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
4.7 (40.4) |
Mean minimum °C (°F) | −9.6 (14.7) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
−5.7 (21.7) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
1.0 (33.8) |
4.9 (40.8) |
6.3 (43.3) |
6.1 (43.0) |
3.6 (38.5) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
−7.7 (18.1) |
−9.6 (14.7) |
Record low °C (°F) | −19.5 (−3.1) |
−17.4 (0.7) |
−13.4 (7.9) |
−4.9 (23.2) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
1.3 (34.3) |
2.5 (36.5) |
4.3 (39.7) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
−9.2 (15.4) |
−16.7 (1.9) |
−19.5 (−3.1) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 73.0 (2.87) |
74.0 (2.91) |
74.0 (2.91) |
61.0 (2.40) |
72.0 (2.83) |
84.0 (3.31) |
65.0 (2.56) |
78.0 (3.07) |
80.0 (3.15) |
73.0 (2.87) |
88.0 (3.46) |
82.0 (3.23) |
904 (35.57) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 10.0 | 9.0 | 10.0 | 9.0 | 11.0 | 10.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 10.0 | 111 |
Average relative humidity (%) | 82.0 | 77.0 | 72.0 | 69.0 | 70.0 | 67.0 | 64.0 | 67.0 | 73.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 81.0 | 73.3 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 49.8 | 76.2 | 130.8 | 161.2 | 180.5 | 212.3 | 255.2 | 225.5 | 184.9 | 114.9 | 60.9 | 42.0 | 1,694.2 |
Source: NOAA[40] |
Coat of arms
Administrative divisions
The city is divided into eight quartiers, 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.[41]
Government
The Administrative Council (Conseil administratif) constitutes the executive government of the city of Geneva and operates as a collegiate authority. It is composed of five councilors (French: 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 by Madame la maire de Genève Frédérique 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 (la législature) is from 1 June 2020 to 31 May 2025. The delegates are elected by means of a system of Majorz. The mayor and vice change each year, while the heads of the other departments are assigned by the collegiate. The executive body holds its meetings in the Palais Eynard, near the Parc des Bastions.[42]
As of 2020[update], Geneva's Administrative Council is made up of two representatives each of the Social Democratic Party (PS) and the Green Party (PES), and one member of the Christian 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. The last election was held on 15 March/5 April 2020.[43] Except for the mayor, all other councillors have been elected for the first time.[44]
Councillor (M. Conseiller administratif/ Mme Conseillère administrative) | Party | Head of Office (Département, since) of | elected in |
---|---|---|---|
Frédérique Perler[SR 1] | PES | Planning, Construction, and Mobility (de l'aménagement, des constructions et de la mobilité, 2020) | 2020 |
Marie Barbey-Chappuis[SR 2] | PDC | Security and Sport (de la sécurité et des sports, 2020) | 2020 |
Sami Kanaan | PS | Culture and Digital Change (de la culture et de la transition numérique, 2020) | 2011 |
Alfonso Gomez | PES | Finance, Environment and Housing (des finances, de l'environnement et du logement, 2020) | 2020 |
Christina Kitsos | PS | Social Cohesion and Solidarity (de la cohésion sociale et de la solidarité, 2020) | 2020 |
Parliament
The Municipal Council (Conseil municipal) holds legislative 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 of proportional 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.[45]
The last election of the Municipal Council was held on 15 March 2020 for the (législature) of 2020–2025. Currently, the Municipal Council consists of: 19 members of the Social Democratic Party (PS), 18 Green Party (PES), 14 Les Libéraux-Radicaux (PLR), 8 Christian Democratic People's Party (PDC); 7 Geneva Citizens' Movement (MCG), 7 Ensemble à Gauche (an alliance of the left parties PST-POP (Parti Suisse du Travail – Parti Ouvrier et Populaire) and solidaritéS), 6 Swiss People's Party (UDC).[46]
Elections
National Council
In the 2019 federal election for the Swiss National Council the most popular party was the Green Party which received 26% (+14.6) of the vote. The next seven most popular parties were the PS (17.9%, -5.9), PLR (15.1%, -2.4), the UDC (12.6%, -3.7), the PdA/solidaritéS (10%, +1.3), the PDC (5.4%, -5.3), the pvl (5%, +2.9), and MCR (4.9%, -2.7).[47] In the federal election a total of 34,319 votes were cast, and the voter turnout was 39.6%.[48]
In the 2015 federal election for the Swiss National Council the most popular party was the PS which received 23.8% of the vote. The next five most popular parties were the PLR (17.6%), the UDC (16.3%), the Green Party (11.4%), the PDC (10.7%), and the solidaritéS (8.8%). In the federal election a total of 36,490 votes were cast, and the voter turnout was 44.1%.[49]
Metropolitan cooperation
The city centre of Geneva is located only 1.9 km (1.2 mi) from the border of France. As a result, the urban area and the metropolitan area largely extend across the border on French territory. Due to the small size of the municipality of Geneva (16 km2 (6 sq mi))[8] 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 the Comité régional franco-genevois ("Franco-Genevan Regional Committee", CRFG in French). In 1997 an 'Urban planning charter' of the CRFG defined for the first time a planning territory called agglomération franco-valdo-genevoise ("Franco-Vaud-Genevan urban area"). 2001 saw the creation of a Comité stratégique de développement des transports publics régionaux ("Strategic Committee for the Development of Regional Public Transports", DTPR in French), a committee which adopted in 2003 a 'Charter for Public Transports', first step in the development of a metropolitan, cross-border commuter rail network (see Léman Express).
In 2004, a public transnational body called Projet 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 the Projet d’agglomération franco-valdo-genevois was renamed Grand Genève ("Greater Geneva"), and the following year it was transformed into a Local Grouping of Transnational Cooperation (GLCT in French), a public entity under Swiss law, which now serves as the executive body of the Grand Genève.
The Grand Genève GLCT is made up of the Canton of Geneva, the Nyon District (in the canton of Vaud), and the Pôle métropolitain du Genevois français (literally "Metropolitan hub of the French Genevan territory"), this last one a federation of eight French intercommunal councils in Ain and Haute-Savoie. The Grand Genève GLCT extends over 1,996 km2 (771 sq mi)[13] and had a population of 1,025,316 in Jan. 2019 (Swiss estimates and French census), 58.5% of them living on Swiss territory, and 41.5% on French territory.[14]
International relations
Geneva does not have any sister relationships with other cities. It declares itself related to the entire world.[50][51]