About Geneva

The area of the Geneva district is small : 282 km2 . It is a piece of enclosed land encircled by France. The frontier is 107.5 km long of which 103 is with France and only 4.5 with the Swiss Confederation. The border with Switzerland is made up of a small area of land linking Geneva to the Canton of Vaud on the right bank of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman).

Geneva is located on lake Geneva between the Alps and the Jura mountains, at the extreme south-west of Switzerland. The Rhône and the Arve are the main rivers crossing Geneva. The elevation of the City is 373 meters. Central cross-roads of Western Europe, Geneva holds a privileged geographical position. It is only one hour away from Paris or Milan by plane and less than two hours from London, Rome or Madrid.

In 1863, Henry Dunant and a group of Genevans formed the International Committee of the Red Cross. Today, Geneva's humanitarian role and action are more than ever necessary and it is widely recognized as the city of Peace and of major international negotiations.

Geneva plays host to some 200 international organizations - the UN European headquarters, the UN Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). As home to major trade pacts, Geneva proved to be the ideal location for the World Trade Organization (WTO).

A number of specialized bodies such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), give Geneva a major role in the development of technical standards and copyright law. Geneva has sheltered successive waves of refugees over the centuries. They brought the leading technologies of their era - printing, watch making and textile manufacture. The international city, with 40% of its population from other lands remains open to people of different origins and cultures.

It is therefore not surprising that the city has over the years become a top conference centre. The cross-fertilization of ideas encourages action, an open mind and an objective view of the world.

With its lake in a grand alpine setting dominated by Mont Blanc, its plume of water rising above the city, Geneva offers its people a green environment with magnificent parks and almost two trees per head of population.

Geneva has been a cultural centre for centuries. Its fine musical tradition, with a renowned symphony orchestra and an opera that ranks as one of Europe's top Iyrical stages, attracts the world's leading performers. A lively theatre, numerous concert halls, art galleries, antique dealers and auctions combine to give the city a rich cultural dimension.

Geneva has managed to find the ideal, offering all the advantages of the world's major cities and none of their inconvenience.