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Lake Geneva or Lake Léman (French Lac Léman, le Léman, or Lac de Genève) is the second largest freshwater lake in Central Europe (after Lake Balaton). 60% of it is under the jurisdiction of Switzerland (cantons of Vaud, Geneva, and Valais), and 40% under that of France (Haute-Savoie). It is a glacial lake, formed by a withdrawing glacier. It is crescent-shaped, measuring 73 km (45 mi) in length. At its widest it is 14 km (8.7 mi), and its maximum depth is 310 m (170 fathoms). It lies approximately at . Its total surface area is approximately 582 km² (225 mi²). The volume of water is estimated at 89 km³ (72.1 million acre feet), with a catchment area of 7,975 km² (3,079 mi²). The crescent shape is narrowed around Yvoire on the southern shore, the lake can thus be divided into the "Grand Lac" to the east and the "Petit Lac" to the west. It lies on the course of the Rhône River. The river has its source at the Rhone Glacier near the Grimsel Pass to the east of the lake and flows down through the Canton of Valais, entering the lake between Villeneuve and St. Gingolph, before flowing slowly towards its egress at Geneva. Other tributaries are La Drance, L'Aubonne, La Morges, Venoge, and Veveyse. By the 1960s, the lake had ceased being a transport artery for commercial and construction goods. In the late 1960s pollution made it dangerous to swim at some beaches of the lake, and by the 1980s intense environmental pollution (eutrophication) had almost wiped out all the fish. Today, pollution levels have been dramatically cut back, and it is perfectly safe to swim in the lake. The main leisure activities are sailing, boating (including water skiing and wakeboarding), rowing, scuba diving and bathing. The shore between Nyon and Lausanne is called La Côte, and between Lausanne and Vevey it is called Lavaux.
Name The first recorded name of the lake is Lacus Lemannus from Roman times; it became Lacus Lausonius, Lacus Losanetes and then the Lac de Lausanne in the Middle Ages. Following the rise of Geneva it became Lac de Genève (also translated into English as Lake Geneva). In the 18th century, Lac Léman was revived in French. It was formerly called Lac de Genève in Geneva and Lac Léman elsewhere but the customary name in French is now Lac Léman. Certain maps name the lake the Lac d'Ouchy (after the port located on the Lausanne lake shore). In English, the name Lake Geneva is predominant. A note on pronunciation (in IPA) — English: Lake Geneva French: Lac Léman or Lac de Genève German: Genfersee or Genfer See Italian: Lago Lemano, Lago di Ginevra . Miscellaneous Empress Elisabeth of Austria was fatally stabbed in the heart while waiting for a ferry. Mary and Percy Shelley and Lord Byron holidayed by the lake and wrote ghost stories; one of which was the basis for the novel Frankenstein. Pop singer Phil Collins also lives overlooking the lake near his children. Ashes of the British rock star Freddie Mercury are believed by many to be dispersed into the lake. Cities and places
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