Geneva
Over 40 international organizations (UN, WTO, WHO, CERN) and 181 permanent representations—Geneva's diplomatic economy hosts 5,000+ annual conferences while Rolex and Patek Philippe anchor luxury watchmaking.
Geneva hosts over 40 international institutions including UN European headquarters, WTO, WHO, and CERN—creating diplomatic economy unlike any other city. 181 permanent member state representations, 750+ NGOs, and 5,000+ annual conferences attended by 523,000 delegates annually define the canton's character.
The financial sector complements diplomatic presence: private banking serves international clientele; wealth management benefits from political neutrality and banking secrecy traditions (though eroded by international transparency requirements). Luxury watchmaking—Rolex, Patek Philippe, others—anchors manufacturing that diplomatic service alone cannot provide.
Geographic position—surrounded by France, at Lake Geneva's western tip—creates cross-border economy. French workers commute daily; Swiss residents shop across the border. This integration predates EU membership questions that divide Swiss politics.
Geneva epitomizes "small and open" economic logic: dependent on foreign demand, embedded in international networks, vulnerable to geopolitical shifts that could relocate organizations. Yet the same openness that creates vulnerability also creates opportunity—Geneva captures value from international coordination that requires neutral territory.