GENEVA, Switzerland, canton, bounded on the north by the canton of Vaud and the Lake of Geneva, and on the east, west and south by France. In addition to the territory thus bounded, the communes of Celigny, Le Coudre, and Petit Bois, enclosed by Vaud, belonged to this canton, which is one of the smallest in the Swiss Confederation, the area being only 108 square miles. The whole canton belongs to the basin of the Rhone, and the only streams of importance are that river and the Arve, which joins it a little below the town of Geneva, the capital of the canton. While the soil is not very fertile, careful cultivation has rendered four-fifths of it productive. It produces cereals, fruits, wine, vegetables in quantities. Its in dustries, however, make it perhaps the leading canton of the Federation. Near the end of the 16th century 'the watch-making trade was brought here from France and has become the main industry. Instruments of precision, tele scopes, range finders, mathematical instruments, etc., are made in large quantities. Cheap water power is furnished by the RhOne and has helped to locate these industries within the canton. There are over 500 establishments employing 14,000 workers. The silk industry has declined.
As regards government, the Grosser Rat exer cises legislative functions and consists of 100 members. There are seven members in the council of state in which reposes all executive functions. There are courts of arbitration for settling matters in litigation between capital and labor and the ordinary courts of civil and crim inal jurisdiction. The territory of Geneva hav ing, by the arrangements of 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. A constitution, somewhat aristocratical in its nature, was framed, and continued in force till 1830, when a considerable modification of it took place. In 1841, in consequence of a popular tumult, the original constitution was abandoned for one in which the democratic principle is completely pre dominant. This new constitution was modified under popular pressure in 1847. Nearly one third of the population is of foreign birth, chiefly French and Italian. About 90 per cent of the inhabitants speak French. The capital is Geneva (q.v.). Pop. 156,288.