Geneve

Geneve, known as Genève in French, is a city in western Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Geneva. It lies at the southwestern tip of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman), on the left bank, with the Jura foothills to the northwest and the French border nearby. The city proper has around 200,000 residents, while the wider metropolitan area exceeds 1 million.

Historically inhabited since antiquity, the area became a center of the Protestant Reformation under John Calvin in the 16th century. It achieved its current status as a Swiss canton in 1815. The city’s heritage includes St. Pierre Cathedral and the Vieille Ville (Old Town). The University of Geneva was founded in 1559 by Calvin and remains a major center for science and humanities.

Geneva is a global diplomacy hub, hosting the United Nations Office at Geneva and many other international organizations, including the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization. The city has hosted the negotiations that produced the Geneva Conventions. The Palais des Nations, the international district, plus numerous conferences and NGOs, reflects its role as a hub for diplomacy. Economically, it combines public administration, finance, and a longstanding watchmaking tradition. The Jet d’Eau fountain, the Reformation Wall, and the lakefront are notable landmarks. The city is served by Geneva Cointrin Airport and a broad rail network, with multilingual education anchored by the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies.