GENEVA, a town of Switzerland; capital of the canton of the same name; at the W. extremity of the Lake of Ge neva, where the Rhone issues, here crossed by several bridges, and dividing the town into two portions, the larger and more important of which is on the left or S. bank. The upper town, occupied chiefly by the wealthier citizens, consists of well-built houses and handsome hotels; the lower town, the seat of trade and residence of the poorer classes. The more important public buildings are the cathedral or Church of St. Pierre, a Gothic structure of the 10th, 11th, and 12th centuries; the town house in the Florentine style; the Musee Rath, con taining a collection of etc.; the university building, nearly opposite the botanic garden, rebuilt in 1867-1871, and containing the public library, founded by Bonivard (see BONIVARD, FRANTIS DE), in 1551, and the Museum of Natural History. Manufactures, watches, music boxes, and jewelry, for all of which the town is famed. In literature and science Geneva has long occupied a distinguished place, and it has been the birthplace or the residence of many eminent men, including Calvin, Beza, Knox, Le Sage, Necker, De Candolle, Rousseau, Sis mondi, etc. Geneva early adopted Lhe principles of the Reformation, and chiefly through the teaching of Calvin the town acquired an important influence over the spiritual life of Europe, and became the center of education for the Protestant youth of Great Britain, France, and Germany. Pop. for the
commune (1919) 125,520. Geneva was chosen in 1919 by the great powers for the home of the League of Nations and an administration building was pur chased in 1920.
The canton is bounded by the canton of Vaud and the Lake of Geneva, and by France; area, 108 square miles. Pop. (1919) 170,000. It belongs to the basin of the RhOne; the only important streams are that river and the Arve, which joins it a little be low the town of Geneva. Manufactures, chiefly clocks and watches, music-boxes, mathematical instruments, gold, silver, and other metal wares, woolen cloths, and silk goods of various descriptions, hats, leather, and articles in leather; and there are numerous cotton mills, calico printing works, and dye works. The territory of Geneva having, through the Congress of Vienna, obtained an accession of 15 communes, detached from France and Savoy, was admitted a member of the Swiss Confederation in 1814, and ranks as the 22d canton. Its constitution of 1848 is the most demo cratic in the federation. All religious denominations are declared to have perfect freedom, but two of them are paid by the state—the Roman Catholics, amounting to rather more than a third of the population, and the Protestant National Church. Geneva was made the official meeting place of the League of Nations, and the first regular session convened there in November, 1920. Lan guage, French.