Tuesday, July 2, 2013

The rockfowl begins to incubate after both eggs are laid

The rockfowl begins to incubate after both eggs are laid.[19] The time the rockfowl spends incubating varies greatly, though it is mostly for less than five minutes at a time with nearly two hours between sessions.[29] Both the male and female rockfowl incubate.[19] When the incubating bird's mate comes, it gives a brief call that causes the incubating bird to leave the nest.[29] Sony VPCY21S1E/P Battery In the two days prior to hatching, the adult rockfowl prods at the eggs, sometimes with food in its beak.[29] Incubation lasts for 21 to 24 days.[29] When the infants hatch, they hatch about a day apart.[29] The adult rockfowl quickly remove the eggshell fragments from the nest.[29] The newborn weighs only 12 grams (0.42 oz) after hatching, but it quickly gains weight.[29] Sony VPCY21S1E/SI Battery The eyes open and the tail begins to grow on the fifth day.[19] During the first couple of days, food is brought to the nestlings three to six times an hour, peaking in the evening.[21][28] Begging nestlings expose their beak and gape to their parent, though they do not make a sound.[28] The second-hatched nestling often fails to gain weight and dies, Sony VPCCW1E8R/WU Battery and there is evidence suggesting that the adults cannibalize the remains.[29] For the first ten days after hatching, one adult rockfowl stays and guards the nestlings while the other collects food; despite this, nests have been destroyed by chimpanzees and drills.[2][29] The chicks leave the nest after 24 days.[19] Sony VPCCW1S1E Battery

 Infanticide has been recorded in this species, with rockfowl killing other rockfowl's young.[31] In one case, a second pair of rockfowl moved onto a nest after killing the first pair's nestlings.

In Cameroon, the Grey-necked Rockfowl is respected by the indigenous peoples and, in some cases, even feared.[2] Sony VAIO PCG-5S1M Battery It is known by many names to the indigenous peoples of Nigeria, with most of the translating to "bird of the rocks" or "fowl of the stream".[32] Hunters sheltering in the rockfowl's nesting caves have been known to kill and eat adult rockfowl, though it is generally thought to be too small to eat and is left for children to hunt.[29][32] Sony VAIO PCG-9Z1M Battery In the 1950s and 1960s, western zoos desired this species, leading to a large demand to collect the rockfowl for display.[33] British conservationist and author Gerald Durrell made this species a target on two of his trips to Cameroon, which he describes in The Bafut Beagles and A Zoo in My Luggage.[5] Sony VAIO PCG-7171M Battery The trade of this species is non-existent today, and, as the zoo population did not sustain itself despite sporadic breeding, the last captive rockfowl died at the Frankfurt Zoo in 2009.[25][33] The Grey-necked Rockfowl has been depicted on numerous postage stamps from Cameroon and Nigeria, as well as stamps from Benin and Togo, where it does not live.[3Sony VAIO PCG-7186M Battery

4]It is considered one of the most difficult species of bird to see in the wild.[11] The Grey-necked Rockfowl is a symbol for both conservation and ecotourism efforts in its range.[33] This species is considered one of the five most desirable birds in Africa by ornithologists.

The Grey-necked Rockfowl is considered to be Vulnerable due to habitat destruction, Sony VAIO PCG-81112M Battery its isolated populations, collection of adults, predation, and a low breeding success rate.[2] Its habitat is being destroyed to create large agricultural fields and cocoa plantations, as well as for logging and slash-and-burn agriculture.[20] Due to the highly specialized requirements for its habitat, its population is very fragmented, and the species is believed to be naturally rare.[28] Sony VAIO PCG-31111M Battery Competition for its nesting sites is a result of these strict requirements and can lead to infanticide.[21] Its estimated population is between 2,500 and 10,000 individuals, though it is believed that the population is at the lower end of the estimate.[20] However, due to the inaccessibility of some parts of its range, it is also possible that this species is more common than believed.[33] Sony VAIO PCG-31311M Battery The population of some of these colonies is reaching the minimum levels needed for long-term viability.[2] It also falls victim to spring traps set for mammals by hunters.[20] However, a more serious threat to its numbers was the widespread collection of rockfowl for display in zoos in the 1950s and 1960s.[33] Sony VAIO PCG-8152M Battery

There is a risk that it will be negatively affected by ecotourism due to disturbances in its daily routine if proper viewing procedures are not followed.[20]

Cameroon is the only nation with a national law protecting this species.[2] This law prohibits killing the rockfowl, though it can be captured with a proper permit.[20] Sony VAIO PCG-61111M Battery International trading of the Grey-necked Rockfowl is governed under CITESAppendix I, meaning that legal trading of this species is only authorized in extraordinary circumstances.[33] In 2006 BirdLife International drafted an international action plan to provide strategies for protecting this species.[2] Sony PCG-71213M Battery

This plan focused on surveying the remaining habitat, raising awareness amongst the local populace, and limiting the continued destruction of its habitat.[2]

This rockfowl is protected in some of the areas in which it lives by national parks.[2] Additionally, there seems to be little habitat destruction in Gabon and on Bioko as the locations in these places in which the rockfowl lives is believed to be too inaccessible for future human development.[20] Sony PCG-71311M Battery

Recent surveys have also discovered new populations of the Grey-necked Rockfowl.

Geneva (/dʒɨˈniːvə/; French: Genève, IPA: [ʒə.nɛv]; Arpitan: Genèva, IPA: [dzəˈnɛva] and German: Genf; IPA: [gɛnf][3]) is the second most populous city in Switzerland (after Zurich) and is the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Sony PCG-71312M Battery Situated where the Rhone exits Lake Geneva, it is the capital of the Republic and Canton of Geneva. The municipality (ville de Genève) has a population (as of March 2013) of 194,245, and the canton (République et Canton de Genève, which includes the city) has 472,530 residents.[1] In 2007, the urban area, or agglomération franco-valdo-genevoise (Great Geneva or Grand Genève in French) Sony PCG-71212M Battery

had 1,240,000[4] inhabitants in 189 municipalities in both Switzerland and France.[5]

Geneva is a global city, a financial centre, and worldwide centre for diplomacy and the most important UNinternational co-operation centre with New York thanks to the presence of numerous international organizations, Sony VAIO PCG-5J4M Battery including the headquarters of many of the agencies of the United Nations[6] and the Red Cross.[7] Geneva is the city that hosts the highest number of international organisations in the world[8]. It is also the place where the Geneva Conventions were signed, which chiefly concern the treatment of wartime non-combatants and prisoners of war. Sony VAIO PCG-5K1M Battery Geneva was ranked as the world's ninth most important financial centre for competitiveness by the Global Financial Centres Index, ahead of Frankfurt, and third in Europe after London and Zurich.[9] A 2009 survey by Mercer found Geneva to have the third-highest quality of life of any city in the world (behind Vienna and Zurich for expatriate people; Sony VAIO PCG-5K2M Battery

it is narrowly outranked by Zurich).[10] The city has been referred to as the world's most compact metropolis and the "Peace Capital".[11] In 2009 and 2011, Geneva was ranked as, respectively, the fourth and fifth most expensive city in the world.

The name Geneva is probably of Celtic origin. Sony VAIO PCG-5J5M Battery The city was mentioned in Latin texts with the spelling Genava. The name takes various forms in modern languages. Thus, it is Geneva /dʒɨˈniːvə/ in English and, French: Genève [ʒ(ə)nɛv],[13] German: Genf [ˈɡɛnf] (  listen), Italian: Ginevra [dʒiˈneːvra], and Romansh: Genevra. Another theory is that Geneva is derived from "Genévrier" which is the French word for "juniper".Sony VAIO PCG-5L2M Battery

There is occasional confusion between Geneva and the Italian port of Genoa (in Italian Genova) as they seem to share a Celtic root, genu / genawa, meaning "estuary".

Geneva was a border town, fortified against the Celtic tribe Helvetii, when the Romans took it in 121 BC. It became Christian under the Late Roman Empire, and acquired its first bishop at this time. Sony VAIO PCG-6S4M Battery In the Middle Ages, Geneva was ruled by a count under the Holy Roman Empire until the late 14th century, when it was granted a charter giving it a high degree of self-governance. Around this time the House of Savoy came to (at least nominally) dominate the city. In the 15th century, an oligarchic republican government emerged with the creation of the Grand Council. In the first half of the 16th century, Sony VAIO PCG-6W1M Battery the Protestant Reformationreached the city, causing religious strife during which Savoy rule was thrown off and Geneva flirted with joining the Swiss Federation. In 1536, with Protestantism in the ascendancy, John Calvin, the founder of Calvinism, became the spiritual leader of the city. By the 18th century, however, Sony VAIO PCG-6W2M Battery Geneva had come under the influence of Catholic France, which cultivated the city elite, who tended to be at odds with the ordinary townsfolk – to the point that an abortive revolution took place in 1782. In 1798, revolutionary France under the Directory annexed Geneva. At the end of the Napoleonic Wars, in 1815, Geneva was admitted to the Swiss Confederation. Sony VAIO PCG-7Z1M Battery

In 1907, the separation of Church and State was adopted. Geneva flourished in the 19th and 20th centuries, becoming the seat of many international organizations.

The City Council (Conseil administratif) constitutes the executive government of the City of Geneva and operates as acollegiate authority. It is composed of five councilors, each presiding over a department. Sony VAIO PCG-8Y2M Battery The president of the executive department acts as mayor. City president in 2012 is Rémy Pagani. Departmental tasks, coordination measures and implementation of laws decreed by the City Parliament are carried by the City Council. The election of the City Council is held every four years. The executive body holds its meetings in the Palais Eynard, near the Parc des Bastions. Sony VAIO PCG-8Y3M Battery

The building was built between 1817 and 1821 in Neoclassical style.

The City Parliament (Conseil municipal) holds legislative power. It is made up of 80 members, with elections held every four years. The City Parliament decrees regulations and by-laws that are executed by the City Council and the administration. Sony VAIO PCG-8Z1M Battery The sessions of the City Parliament are public. Unlike members of the City Council, members of the City Parliament are not politicians by profession, and they are paid a fee based on their attendance. Any resident of Geneva allowed to vote can be elected as a member of the City Parliament. The Parliament holds its meetings in the Town Hall (Hôtel de Ville), in the old city.[15] Sony VAIO PCG-8Z2M Battery

In 2010 Geneva City Council was made up of two representatives of the SDP (Social Democratic Party, one of whom is the mayor), one member of the FDP (Free Democratic Party), one member of the Green Party and one member of the À gauche Toute party.

In the 2007 federal election the most popular party was the SP which received 21.4% of the vote. Sony VAIO PCG-8Z3M Battery

The next three most popular parties were the SVP (19.92%), theGreen Party (17.96%) and the LPS Party (13.43%). In the federal election, a total of 39,413 votes were cast, and the voter turnout was 46.8%.[17]

In the 2009 Grand Conseil election, there were 83,167 registered voters of which 32,825 (39.5%)  voted. Sony VAIO PCG-7112M Battery The most popular party in the municipality was the Les Verts with 15.8% of the ballots. In the canton-wide election they received the second highest proportion of votes. The second most popular party was the Libéral(with 14.1%). They were first in the canton-wide election, while the third most popular party was the Les Socialistes (with 13.8%), fourth in the canton-wide election.[18] Sony VGP-BPL15/B Battery

For the 2009 Conseil d'État election, there were 83,103 registered voters of which 38,325 (46.1%) voted.[18]

In 2011, all the municipalities held local elections, and in Geneva there were 80 spots open on the municipal council. There were 117,051 registered voters of which 41,766 (35.7%) voted. Out of the 41,766 votes, Sony VGP-BPS15/B Battery

there were 224 blank votes, 440 null or unreadable votes and 1,774 votes with a name that was not on the list.

Geneva is located at 46°12' North, 6°09' East, at the south-western end of Lake Geneva, where the lake flows back into theRhône River. It is surrounded by two mountain chains, the Alps and the Jura. Sony VGP-BPL15/S Battery The city has an area of 15.93 km2 (6.2 sq mi), while the area of the canton is 282 km2(108.9 sq mi), including the two small enclaves of Céligny in Vaud. The part of the lake that is attached to Geneva has an area of 38 km2 (14.7 sq mi) and is sometimes referred to as Petit lac (small lake). The canton has only a 4.5 km (2.8 mi) long border with the rest of Switzerland. Sony VGP-BPS15/S Battery

Of 107.5 km (66.8 mi) of border, 103 are shared with France, the Départment de l'Ain to the north and the Département de la Haute-Savoie to the south.

Of the land in the city, 0.24 km2 (0.093 sq mi) or 1.5% is used for agricultural purposes, while 0.5 km2 (0.19 sq mi) or 3.1% is forested. Sony VGP-BPS15 Battery

Of the rest of the land, 14.63 km2(5.65 sq mi) or 91.8% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.49 km2 (0.19 sq mi) or 3.1% is either rivers or lakes and 0.02 km2 (4.9 acres) or 0.1% is unproductive land.[19]

Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 3.4% of the area while housing and buildings made up 46.2% and transportation infrastructure 25.8%, while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 15.7%. Sony VGP-BPL15 Battery

All the forested land area is covered with heavy forests. Of the agricultural land, 0.3% is used for growing crops. Of the water in the municipality, 0.2% is in lakes and 2.9% is in rivers and streams.

The altitude of Geneva is 373.6 metres (1,225.7 ft), and corresponds to the altitude of the largest of the Pierres du Niton, two large rocks emerging from the lake which date from the last ice age. Sony VGN-P series Battery Sony VGN-P11Z/Q Battery This rock was chosen by General Guillaume Henri Dufour as the reference point for surveying in Switzerland.[20] The second main river of Geneva is the Arve River which flows into the Rhône River just west of the city centre. Mont Blanc can be seen from Geneva and is an hour's drive from the city centre. Sony VGN-P11Z/R Battery The climate of Geneva is temperate, humid continental climate (Köppen: Dfb) with oceanic (Cfb) influence. Winters are mild, usually with light frosts at night and thawing conditions during the day. Summers are pleasantly warm. Precipitation is adequate and is relatively well-distributed throughout the year, although autumn is slightly wetter than the other seasons. Sony VGN-P11Z/W Battery Ice storms near Lac Léman are quite normal in the winter. In the summer many people enjoy swimming in the lake, and frequently patronise public beaches such as Genève Plage and the Bains des Pâquis. Geneva often receives snow in the colder months of the year. The nearby mountains are subject to substantial snowfall and are usually suitable for skiing. Sony VGN-P21S/W Battery Many world-renowned ski resorts such as Verbier and Crans-Montana are just over two hours away by car. Mont Salève (1400 m), just across the border in France, dominates the southerly view from the city centre and is the closest French skiing destination to Geneva. During the years 2000–2009, the mean yearly temperature was 11 °C and the mean yearly sunshine lasted 2003 hours. Sony VGN-P21Z/G Battery

There are 82 buildings or sites in Geneva that are listed as Swiss heritage site of national significance, and the entire old city of Geneva is part of theInventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.[23]

Religious Buildings: Cathedral St-Pierre et Chapel des Macchabés, Notre-Dame Church, Russe Church, St-Germain Church, Temple de la Fusterie, Temple de l'Auditoire. Sony VGN-P21Z/R Battery Civic Buildings: Former Arsenal and Archives of the City of Genève, Former Crédit Lyonnais, Former Hôtel Buisson, Former Hôtel du Résident de France et Bibliothèque de la Société de lecture de Genève, Former école des arts industriels, Archives d'État de Genève (Annexe), Bâtiment des forces motrices, Sony VGN-P29VN/Q Battery Library de Genève, Library juive de Genève «Gérard Nordmann», Cabinet des estampes, Centre d'Iconographie genevoise, Collège Calvin, Ecole Geisendorf, Hôpitaux universitaires de Genève (HUG), Hôtel de Ville et tour Baudet, Immeuble Clarté at Rue Saint-Laurent 2 and 4, Immeubles House Rotonde at Rue Charles-Giron 11–19, Sony VGP-BPS18 Battery Immeubles at Rue Beauregard 2, 4, 6, 8, Immeubles at Rue de la Corraterie 10–26, Immeubles at Rue des Granges 2–6, Immeuble at Rue des Granges 8, Immeubles at Rue des Granges 10 and 12, Immeuble at Rue des Granges 14, Immeuble and Former Armory at Rue des Granges 16, Immeubles at Rue Pierre Fatio 7 and 9, Sony VGP-BPL18 Battery House de Saussure at Rue de la Cité 24, House Des arts du Grütli at Rue du Général-Dufour 16, House Royale et les deux immeubles à côté at Quai Gustave Ador 44–50, Tavel House at Rue du Puits-St-Pierre 6, Turrettini House at Rue de l'Hôtel-de-Ville 8 and 10, Brunswick Monument, Palais de Justice, Sony VAIO VGN-SR19XN Battery Palais de l'Athénée, Palais des Nations with library and archives of the SDN and ONU, Palais Eynard et Archives de la ville de Genève, Palais Wilson, Parc des Bastions avec Mur des Réformateurs, Place Neuve et Monument du Général Dufour, Pont de la Machine, Pont sur l'Arve, Poste du Mont-Blanc, Quai du Mont-Blanc, Sony VAIO VGN-SR21M/S Battery Quai et Hôtel des Bergues, Sony VAIO VGN-SR21RM/H Battery

Quai Général Guisan and English Gardens, Quai Gustave-Ador and Jet d'eau, Télévision Suisse Romande, university of Geneva, Victoria Hall

Archeological Sites: Fondation Baur and Museum of the arts d'Extrême-Orient, Parc et campagne de la Grange and Library (neolithic shore settlement/Roman villa), Sony VAIO VGN-SR29VN Battery

Bronze Age shore settlement of Plonjon, Temple de la Madeleine archeological site, Temple Saint-Gervais archeological site, Old City with Celtic, Romanand medieval villages

Museums, Theaters and other Cultural Sites: Conservatoire de musique at Place Neuve 5, Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques, Fonds cantonal d'art contemporain, Ile Rousseau and statue, Sony VAIO VGN-SR31M Battery Institute and Museum of Voltaire with Library and Archives, Mallet House and Museum international de la Réforme, Musée Ariana, Musée d'Art et d'Histoire, Museum d'art moderne et contemporain, Museum d'ethnographie, Museum of the International Red Cross, Musée Rath, Muséum d'histoire naturelle, Salle communale de Plainpalais et théâtre Pitoëff, Villa Bartholoni et Museum d'Histoire et SciencesSony Vaio VGN-SR4MR/P Battery International Organizations: International Labour Organization (BIT), International Committee of the Red Cross, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Meteorological Organization, World Trade Organization, International Telecommunication Union, World Alliance of Young Men's Christian Association. Sony Vaio VGN-SR4MR/S Battery The city's main newspaper is the Tribune de Genève, with a readership of about 187,000, a daily newspaper founded on 1 February 1879 by James T. Bates. Le Courrier, founded in 1868, was originally supported by the Roman Catholic Church, but has been independent since 1996. Mainly focussed on Geneva, Le Courrier is trying to expand into other cantons in Romandy. Sony Vaio VGN-SR4MR/W Battery

Both Le Temps (headquartered in Geneva) and Le Matin are widely read in Geneva, but cover the whole of Romandy.

Geneva is covered by the various French language radio networks of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, in particular the Radio Suisse Romande. Sony Vaio VGN-SR4VR/H Battery While these networks cover the whole of Romandy, special programs related to Geneva are sometimes broadcast on some of the local frequencies in the case of special events such as elections. Other local stations broadcast from the city, including YesFM (FM 91.8 MHz), Radio Cité (Non-commercial radio, FM 92.2 MHz), Sony Vaio VGN-CS11S/P Battery

OneFM (FM 107.0 MHz, also broadcast in Vaud), and World Radio Switzerland (FM 88.4 MHz).

The main television channel covering Geneva is the Télévision Suisse Romande. While its headquarters is located in Geneva, the programs cover the whole ofRomandy and are not specific to Geneva. Sony Vaio VGN-CS11S/W Battery

Léman Bleu is a local TV channel, founded in 1996 and distributed by cable. Due to the proximity to France, French television channels are also available.

Geneva observes Jeûne genevois on the first Thursday following the first Sunday in September. By local tradition, this commemorates the date the news of the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre of Huguenots reached Geneva. Sony Vaio VGN-CS11Z/R Battery Geneva celebrates L'Escalade on the weekend nearest the 12th December celebrating the defeat of the surprise attack by troops sent by Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy during the night of 11–12 December 1602. Festive traditions include chocolate cauldrons filled with vegetable-shaped marzipan treats and the costumed Escalade run. Sony Vaio VGN-CS11Z/T Battery Since 1818, a particular chestnut tree has been used as the official "herald of the spring" in Geneva. The sautier (secretary of the Parliament of the Canton of Geneva) observes the tree and notes the day of arrival of the first bud. While this event has no practical effect, the sautier issues a formal press release and the local newspaper will usually mention the news.[ Sony Vaio VGN-CS21S/P Battery As this is one of the world's oldest records of a plant's reaction to climatic conditions, researchers have been interested to note that the first bud appears earlier and earlier in the year. During the first century, many dates were in March or April. In recent years, it has usually been in mid-February and sometimes even earlier.[24] Sony Vaio VGN-CS21S/R Battery In 2002, the first bud appeared unusually early, on 7 February, and then again on 29 December of the same year. The following year, which was one of the hottest years recorded in Europe, became a year with no bud. In 2008, the first bud also appeared very early, on 19 February. Sony Vaio VGN-CS21Z/Q Battery The opera house, the Grand Théâtre de Genève, which officially opened in 1876, was partly destroyed by fire in 1951 and reopened in 1962. It has the largest stage in Switzerland. It features opera and dance performances, recitals, concerts and, occasionally, theatre. The Victoria Hall is used for classical music concerts. It is home of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. Sony Vaio VGN-CS31S/R Battery Museums and art galleries are everywhere in the city. Some are related to the many international organizations as the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum or the Microcosm in the CERN area. The Palace of Nations, home of the United Nations headquarters can also be visited. Sony Vaio VGN-AW21M/H Battery Among the most popular sports in Switzerland is Ice hockey.[25] Geneva is the home of the Genève-Servette HC, who play in the Swiss National League A. In 2008 and 2010 the team made it to the league finals but lost to the ZSC Lions and SC Bern respectively. Sony Vaio VGN-AW21S/B Battery There is also a football team in Geneva. The Servette FC, a football club founded in 1890 and named after a borough on the right bank of the Rhône. The home of Servette is Stade de Genève. Servette play in the Swiss Super League, the top league in Switzerland. Sony Vaio VGN-AW21Z/B Battery Servette was the only club to have remained in that league in Switzerland since its creation in the 1930s but was relegated to the third division in 2004-05 due to a bankruptcy. He achieved promotion to the Swiss Challenge League after the 2005-06 season, where the club remained until 2011. Sony Vaio VGN-AW31ZS/B Battery Servette earned promotion to the Swiss Super League after defeating Bellinzona in a relegation/promotion playoff on May 31, 2011 and have since re-established themselves in the elite of Swiss football. The club finished fourth in its first season back in the top flight, thereby gaining entrance to the Europa League second round qualification round for the 2012-13 season. Servette won 17 Swiss championship titles. Sony Vaio VGN-AW31ZJ/B Battery

President of both clubs is the Canadian citizen Hugh Quennec.

The city is divided into eight quartiers, or districts, sometimes composed of several neighborhoods. On the Left Bank are (1) Jonction, (2) Centre. Plainpalais, and Acacias, (3) Eaux-Vives, and (4) Champel, while the Right Bank includes (1) Saint-Jean and Charmilles, (2) Servette and Petit-Saconnex, (3) Grottes and Saint-Gervais, and (4) Paquis and Nations. Sony Vaio VGN-CS31S/W Battery Geneva has a population (as of March 2013) of 194,245.[1] The city of Geneva is at the centre of the Geneva metropolitan area, known as the agglomération franco-valdo-genevoise in French. The agglomération franco-valdo-genevoise includes the Canton of Geneva in its entirety as well as the District of Nyon in the Canton of Vaud and several areas in the neighboring French departments of Haute-Savoie and Ain. Sony Vaio VGN-CS31S/T Battery In 2007 the agglomération franco-valdo-genevoise had 812,000 inhabitants, two-thirds of whom lived on Swiss soil and one-third on French soil.[27] The Geneva metropolitan area is experiencing steady demographic growth of 1.2% a year and the agglomération franco-valdo-genevoise is expected to reach one million people in 2030.[27] Sony Vaio VGN-CS31S/P Battery The official language of Geneva, in both the city and canton is French, the main language used in Romandie. As a result of immigration flows in the 1960s and 1980s, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish are also spoken by a considerable proportion of the population. Sony Vaio VGN-CS31S/V Battery English is also quite common due to the high number of anglophone expatriates and foreigners working in international institutions and in the bank sector. Lack of proficiency in French of English-speaking expatriates (even after years spent in Geneva) is an increasing concern. Sony Vaio VGN-CS31Z/Q Battery Most of the population (as of 2000) speak French (128,622 or 72.3%), with English being second most common (7,853 or 4.4%) and Spanish third (7,462 or 4.2%). There are 7,320 people who speak Italian (4.1%), 7,050 people who speak German (4.0%) and 113 people who speak Romansh.[28] Sony Vaio VGN-CS21S/W Battery

In the city of Geneva, as of 2008, 44.3% of the population are resident foreign nationals.[29] Over the last 10 years (1999–2009 ) the population has changed at a rate of 7.2%. It has changed at a rate of 3.4% due to migration and at a rate of 3.4% due to births and deaths.[30]

As of 2008, the gender distribution of the population was 47.8% male and 52.2% female. Sony Vaio VGN-CS21S/T Battery The population was made up of 46,284 Swiss men (24.2% of the population) and 45,127 (23.6%) non-Swiss men. There were 56,091 Swiss women (29.3%) and 43,735 (22.9%) non-Swiss women.[31] Of the population in the municipality 43,296 or about 24.3% were born in Geneva and lived there in 2000. Sony Vaio VGN-NW21MF Battery There were 11,757 or 6.6% who were born in the same canton, Sony Vaio VGN-NW21EF Battery Sony Vaio VGN-NW21JF Battery

while 27,359 or 15.4% were born somewhere else in Switzerland, and 77,893 or 43.8% were born outside of Switzerland.

In 2008 there were 1,147 live births to Swiss citizens and 893 births to non-Swiss citizens, and in same time span there were 1,114 deaths of Swiss citizens and 274 non-Swiss citizen deaths. Sony Vaio VGN-NW21ZF Battery Ignoring immigration and emigration, the population of Swiss citizens increased by 33 while the foreign population increased by 619. There were 465 Swiss men and 498 Swiss women who emigrated from Switzerland. At the same time, there were 2933 non-Swiss men and 2662 non-Swiss women who immigrated from another country to Switzerland. Sony Vaio VGN-NW31EF Battery

The total Swiss population change in 2008 (from all sources, including moves across municipal borders) was an increase of 135 and the non-Swiss population increased by 3181 people. This represents a population growth rate of 1.8%.[29]

The age distribution of the population (as of 2000) is children and teenagers (0–19 years old) make up 18.2% of the population, Sony Vaio VGN-CS11S/T Battery

while adults (20–64 years old) make up 65.8% and seniors (over 64 years old) make up 16%.[30]

As of 2000, there were 78,666 people who were single and never married in the municipality. There were 74,205 married individuals, 10,006 widows or widowers and 15,087 individuals who are divorced.[28] Sony Vaio VGN-CS11S/Q Battery As of 2000, there were 86,231 private households in the municipality, and an average of 1.9 persons per household.[30] There were 44,373 households that consist of only one person and 2,549 households with five or more people. Out of a total of 89,269 households that answered this question, 49.7% were households made up of just one person and there were 471 adults who lived with their parents. Sony Vaio VGN-BZ11EN Battery Of the rest of the households, there are 17,429 married couples without children, 16,607 married couples with children There were 5,499 single parents with a child or children. There were 1,852 households that were made up of unrelated people and 3,038 households that were made up of some sort of institution or another collective housing. Sony Vaio VGN-BZ11XN Battery In 2000 there were 743 single family homes (or 10.6% of the total) out of a total of 6,990 inhabited buildings. There were 2,758 multi-family buildings (39.5%), along with 2,886 multi-purpose buildings that were mostly used for housing (41.3%) and 603 other use buildings (commercial or industrial) that also had some housing (8.6%). Sony Vaio VGN-BZ12EN Battery

Of the single family homes 197 were built before 1919, while 20 were built between 1990 and 2000. The greatest number of single family homes (277) were built between 1919 and 1945.[32]

In 2000 there were 101,794 apartments in the municipality. The most common apartment size was 3 rooms of which there were 27,084. Sony Vaio VGN-BZ12XN Battery There were 21,889 single room apartments and 11,166 apartments with five or more rooms. Of these apartments, a total of 85,330 apartments (83.8% of the total) were permanently occupied, while 13,644 apartments (13.4%) were seasonally occupied and 2,820 apartments (2.8%) were empty.[32] Sony Vaio VGN-BZ12XN Battery

As of 2009, the construction rate of new housing units was 1.3 new units per 1000 residents.[30]

As of 2003 the average price to rent an average apartment in Geneva was 1163.30 Swiss francs (CHF) per month (US$930, £520, €740 approx. exchange rate from 2003). The average rate for a one room apartment was 641.60 CHF (US$510, £290, €410), Sony Vaio VGN-BZ21VN Battery a two room apartment was about 874.46 CHF (US$700, £390, €560), a three room apartment was about 1126.37 CHF (US$900, £510, €720) and a six or more room apartment cost an average of 2691.07 CHF (US$2150, £1210, €1720). The average apartment price in Geneva was 104.2% of the national average of 1116 CHF.[33] The vacancy rate for the municipality, in 2010, was 0.25%.[30] Sony Vaio VGN-BZ21XN Battery In June 2011 the average price of an apartment in and around Geneva was 13,681 Swiss francs (CHF) per square metre (11 square feet). The average can be as high as 17,589 Swiss francs (CHF) per square metre (11 square feet) for a luxury apartment and as low as 9,847 Swiss francs (CHF) for an older or basic apartment. Sony VPCCW1S1R Battery For houses in and around Geneva, the average price was 11,595 Swiss francs (CHF) per square metre (11 square feet) (June 2011), with a lowest price per square metre (11 square feet) of 4,874 Swiss francs (CHF), and a maximum price of 21,966 Swiss francs (CHF). Sony VPCCW1S1T Battery,Sony VPCCW1S1T/R Battery,Sony VPCCW1S1T/W Battery

No comments:

Post a Comment