Geneva, Lake

Geneva, Lake
French Lac Léman German Genfersee

Lake, on the border of southwestern Switzerland and southeastern France.

About 134 sq mi (347 sq km) of the lake's area is Swiss and 90 sq mi (234 sq km) French. Lying at an elevation of 1,220 ft (372 m), it is 45 mi (72 km) long with an average width of 5 mi (8 km). It is formed by the Rhône River, which enters at the eastern end and leaves at the western end through the city of Geneva. The water level is subject to fluctuations known as seiches, in which the lake's water mass rhythmically swings from shore to shore.

* * *

French  Lac Léman , or  Lac de Genève , German  Genfersee 
 largest Alpine lake in Europe (area 224 square miles [581 square km]), lying between southwestern Switzerland and Haute-Savoie département, southeastern France. About 134 square miles (347 square km) of the lake's area are Swiss, and 90 square miles (234 square km) are French. Crescent in shape, the lake is formed by the Rhône River, which enters it at the east end between Villeneuve, Switz., and Saint-Gingolph, France, and leaves it at the west end through the city of Geneva. The only important tributaries are the Dranse (south) and the Venoge (north). Lying at an elevation of 1,220 feet (372 m), the lake is 45 miles (72 km) long, with a maximum width of 8.5 miles (13.5 km) and an average width of 5 miles (8 km). The maximum depth is 1,017 feet (310 m), the mean depth 262 feet (80 m). The strait of Promenthoux, or Nernier, separates the lake into two well-marked divisions, the Grand Lac (east) and the Petit Lac, the special Genevese portion. The water, unusually blue and transparent, is subject to remarkable fluctuations of level known as seiches (seiche), in which the whole fluid mass in the lake rhythmically swings from shore to shore. The lake is not as rich in fish as the other Swiss lakes; there are known to be 20 indigenous species and 6 that were introduced in the 19th century.

      Prehistoric lake dwellings have been found on the shores. The Lacus Lemanus of classical Latin writers, it was known from the 16th century as the Lac de Genève, but the name Lac Léman was revived from the end of the 18th century.

      The north shore forms a fertile wine-producing hinterland rising to the Jura Mountains, whereas the south and east shores are bordered by the Savoy and Valaisan Alps. Geneva and Lausanne are the largest lakeside cities, and there are numerous resorts, including Montreux and Vevey in Switzerland and Thonon-les-Bains and Évian-les-Bains in France.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Geneva Lake — Geographische Lage US Bundesstaat Wisconsin Abfluss White River → …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Geneva Lake — est un lac situé au sud est du Wisconsin aux États Unis. Sur ses berges, on trouve les localités de Lake Geneva et Fontana on Geneva Lake. Il se situe à 1 km au sud du Como Lake et à 90 minutes par la route de l aéroport O Hare de Chicago. Le lac …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Geneva,Lake — Geneva, Lake also Lake Le·man (lēʹmən, lə măɴʹ) A lake on the Swiss French border between the Alps and the Jura Mountains. It is traversed east to west by the Rhone River. * * * …   Universalium

  • Geneva Lake — Infobox lake lake name = Geneva Lake location = Southeastern Wisconsin image lake =Williams Bay, Wisconsin 042.jpg caption lake = image bathymetry = caption bathymetry = coords = coord|42|34|06|N|88|28|49|W|region:US WI type:waterbody… …   Wikipedia

  • Geneva, Lake of — lake, SW Switzerland; 224 sq. mi …   Webster's Gazetteer

  • GENEVA, LAKE OF —    or LAKE LEMAN    stretches in crescent shape between Switzerland and France, curving round the northern border of the French department of Haute Savoie; length, 45 m.; greatest breadth, 9 m.; maximum depth, 1022 ft. On the French side… …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Geneva, Lake — or Lake Leman geographical name lake 45 miles (72 kilometers) long on border between SW Switzerland & E France; traversed by the Rhône …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Geneva, Lake — …   Useful english dictionary

  • Fontana-on-Geneva Lake, Wisconsin — Infobox Settlement official name = Fontana on Geneva Lake, Wisconsin settlement type = Village nickname = motto = imagesize = image caption = image mapsize = 250px map caption = Location of Fontana on Geneva Lake, Wisconsin mapsize1 = map… …   Wikipedia

  • Fontana-on-Geneva Lake — Fontana on Geneva Lake, WI U.S. village in Wisconsin Population (2000): 1754 Housing Units (2000): 1974 Land area (2000): 2.962679 sq. miles (7.673302 sq. km) Water area (2000): 1.119343 sq. miles (2.899084 sq. km) Total area (2000): 4.082022 sq …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”