Geneva facts

  Geneva, Switzerland, is a picturesque city that has become the head-quarters for numerous international organizations and the meeting place for world conferences. It is also a popular tourist center. The city is located in southwestern Switzerland on Lake Geneva, which is crossed by the Rhone River from east to west. Seven bridges span the river. The municipality (ville de Genève) has a population (as of August 2011) of 191,803

  The city is a cultural, educational, and historical center. Among the places of interest are the Museum of Art and History, the Palace of Justice, the 16th-century Town Hall, the Cathedral of St. Pierre, and the University of Geneva.

  Geneva was the seat of the League of Nations from 1920 to 1946. The Internation­al Labor Organization, the Interna­tional Red Cross, and other world bodies are located here. There are many splendid parks and monuments in the city. Among the famous persons who were born or resided here were Jean Jacques Rousseau, John Calvin, and Voltaire.

  Some manufacturing is carried on in Geneva; the city is famous for its quality watches, clocks, jewelry, and electrical equipment.

  Geneva was part of Roman Gaul before it was occupied successively by the Burgundians and the Franks and by Transjurane Burgundy. The city was a center of the Reformation in the 16th century. Geneva was annexed to France during the French Revolution but regained its independence with the fall of Napoleon, and in 1851 it joined the Swiss Confederation.