Editing Geneva (section)

===Topography===
[[File:Geneva by Sentinel-2.jpg|alt=|thumb|Satellite view of Geneva; [[Cointrin Airport]] is centre left. The [[Salève]] (in France) is the large area of green at the bottom right.]]
[[File:Map of Geneva, 50,000.pdf|thumb|Map of Geneva, 1:50,000]]
Geneva is located at 46°12' North, 6°09' East, at the south-western end of [[Lake Geneva]], where the [[Rhône]] flows out. It is surrounded by three mountain chains, each belonging to the [[Jura Mountains|Jura]]: the Jura main range lies north-westward, the [[Vuache]] southward, and the [[Salève]] south-eastward.
[[File:Genève vue aérienne.jpg|left|thumb|222x222px|The Geneva area seen from above the Jura mountain chain, with the International airport in the foreground, and the Mont Blanc mountain range in the background]]
The city covers an area of {{cvt|15.93|km2|sqmi|1}}, while the area of the [[canton of Geneva|canton]] is {{cvt|282|km2|sqmi|1}}, including the two small [[enclave|exclave]]s of [[Céligny]] in [[Vaud]]. The part of the lake that is attached to Geneva has an area of {{cvt|38|km2|sqmi|1}} and is sometimes referred to as {{lang|fr|petit lac}} ('small lake'). The canton has only a {{cvt|4.5|km|mi|1|adj=mid|-long}} border with the rest of Switzerland. Of {{cvt|107.5|km|mi|1}} of the border, 103 are shared with France, the department of [[Ain]] to the north and west and the department of {{lang|fr|[[Haute-Savoie]]}} to the south and east.

Of the land in the city, {{cvt|0.24|km2|sqmi}}, or 1.5%, is used for agricultural purposes, while {{cvt|0.5|km2|sqmi}}, or 3.1%, is forested. The rest of the land, {{cvt|14.63|km2|sqmi}}, or 91.8%, is built up (buildings or roads), {{cvt|0.49|km2|sqmi}}, or 3.1%, is either rivers or lakes and {{cvt|0.02|km2|acre}}, or 0.1%, is wasteland.<ref name="BFS_land">{{Cite web |title=Swiss Federal Statistical Office-Land Use Statistics |url=http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/02/03/blank/data/gemeindedaten.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160606115802/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/02/03/blank/data/gemeindedaten.html |archive-date=6 June 2016 |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=www.bfs.admin.ch |language=de}}</ref>

Of the built-up area, industrial buildings made up 3.4%, housing and buildings made up 46.2% and transportation infrastructure 25.8%, while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 15.7%. Of the agricultural land, 0.3% is used for growing crops. Of the water in the municipality, 0.2% is composed of lakes and 2.9% is rivers and streams.<ref name=BFS_land/>
[[File:Confluence Rhône et Arve.JPG|thumb|Confluence of the Rhône and the Arve]]
The altitude of Geneva is {{cvt|373.6|m|ft|1}} and corresponds to the altitude of the largest of the [[Pierres du Niton]], two large rocks emerging from the lake which date from the [[Wisconsin glaciation|last ice age]]. This rock was chosen by General [[Guillaume Henri Dufour]] as the reference point for surveying in Switzerland.<ref>[[Swisstopo]], [http://www.swisstopo.ch/en/basics/geo/faq/horizon Height reference for Switzerland]. Retrieved 1 February 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927211213/http://www.swisstopo.ch/en/basics/geo/faq/horizon |date=27 September 2007 }}</ref> The second main river of Geneva is the [[Arve]], which flows into the [[Rhône]] just west of the city centre. [[Mont Blanc]] can be seen from Geneva and is an hour's drive from the city.