Onex, Switzerland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Onex
Coat of arms
Onex Location in Switzerland Show map of Switzerland Onex Location in Canton of Geneva Show map of Canton of Geneva
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Geneva
District	n.a.
Area
• Total	2.81 km2 (1.08 sq mi)
Elevation	427 m (1,401 ft)
Population  (Dec 2020 )
• Total	18,933
• Density	6,738/km2 (17,451/sq mi)
Postal code	1213
Surrounded by	Bernex, Confignon, Lancy, Plan-les-Ouates, Vernier
Twin towns	Liestal (Switzerland), Massagno (Switzerland), Bandol (France)

Onex is a town located in the canton of Geneva in Switzerland. It's a busy place with a mix of modern buildings and green spaces. Onex is known for its growth and its connection to the larger city of Geneva.

Exploring the History of Onex

Apartment blocks of the Cité-Nouvelle, a modern housing area in Onex.

Onex was first mentioned way back in 1292. It became its own independent town in 1851. Before that, it was part of a larger area called Onex-Confignon.

Onex's Big Change: From Farms to Flats

Until the 1960s, Onex was mostly a small farming village. But then, things changed quickly! The canton (like a state) encouraged Onex to sell land. This land was used to build many new apartment buildings. These tall buildings helped solve a housing shortage in Geneva.

This new area was called the Cité-Nouvelle. It was one of the first big housing projects outside Geneva. Because of this, Onex grew very fast. Between 1950 and 1970, the number of people living here jumped from less than 1,000 to over 13,000!

How Onex's Economy Changed

With more people, Onex changed from a farming town to a place where many people commute to work. By 2000, about 90% of the people living in Onex worked outside the town. By 2005, most jobs in Onex were in the service industry. This means jobs like shops, restaurants, and offices.

Discovering Onex's Geography

Onex covers an area of about 2.82 square kilometers (about 1.09 square miles). A small part, about 6%, is used for farming. Forests cover about 13.1% of the land.

Land Use in Onex

Most of Onex, about 77.7%, is built up with buildings and roads. Parks, green areas, and sports fields make up about 12.8% of the built-up land. A small amount, 3.5%, is rivers or lakes.

The town is located on the left bank of the Rhone river. This river is an important natural feature.

Neighborhoods of Onex

Onex is made up of several smaller areas or villages. These include Cressy - Marais, Evaux, Cité-Nouvelle, Gros-Chêne, Pré-Longet, Belle-Cour, and Onex - village. Each area has its own unique feel.

Understanding Onex's Population

Onex has a population of about 18,000 people. Many people from other countries live here, making Onex a diverse place. In 2008, about 33.7% of the people living in Onex were foreign nationals.

Languages Spoken in Onex

Most people in Onex speak French. This is the main language. Other common languages include Italian and Portuguese. A smaller number of people also speak German.

Who Lives in Onex?

The population of Onex is made up of slightly more women than men. In 2008, about 48.1% were male and 51.9% were female. Many people living in Onex were born in the town or in the same canton of Geneva. Others were born in different parts of Switzerland or in other countries.

Population Changes Over Time

The number of people in Onex has changed a lot over the years. The chart below shows how the population has grown and changed. You can see a big jump in population around the 1960s and 1970s when the new housing was built.

Housing in Onex

In 2000, there were over 7,200 households in Onex. On average, about 2.2 people lived in each home. Many households (about 37%) had only one person. There were also many married couples, both with and without children.

Most of the buildings in Onex are single-family homes or multi-family apartment buildings. Many of the multi-family homes were built between 1961 and 1970, which was during the town's big growth period.

Important Sights in Onex

The entire village of Onex is considered an important part of Swiss heritage. This means it has special historical or cultural value.

Onex's Economy and Jobs

In 2010, the unemployment rate in Onex was 6.8%. This means that 6.8% of people looking for work could not find a job.

Types of Jobs in Onex

Onex has jobs in different areas:

• Primary sector: This includes jobs like farming. In Onex, there are only a few jobs in this area.
• Secondary sector: This includes jobs in manufacturing and construction. In Onex, most of these jobs are in construction.
• Tertiary sector: This is the largest sector in Onex. It includes jobs in services like sales, transportation, hotels, restaurants, education, and healthcare.

Commuting to Work

Many people who live in Onex travel to other towns for work. In 2000, about 6,900 people commuted out of Onex for their jobs. Only about 1,200 people commuted into Onex for work. This shows that Onex is mainly a residential town where people live and then travel to work elsewhere.

Many people use public transportation, like the tram, to get to work. The tram system in Geneva serves Onex, making it easy to travel. About 31% of workers use public transport, while 51.8% use a private car.

Religion in Onex

In 2000, about 45.1% of the people in Onex were Roman Catholic. Another 15.8% belonged to the Swiss Reformed Church. There are also smaller groups of people who are Orthodox Christian, Jewish, or Islamic. Many people in Onex do not belong to any church or have no specific religion.

Learning and Education in Onex

Education is important in Onex. Many people have completed higher education. In 2000, about 32.2% of the population had finished upper secondary education (like high school). About 13% had gone on to university or other higher education.

Onex's School System

The school system in Geneva, which includes Onex, offers two years of non-mandatory Kindergarten for young children. After that, students attend six years of primary school. Some children might attend special, smaller classes if they need extra support.

After primary school, students go to secondary school. This includes three years of required schooling, followed by three to five years of optional advanced studies. Onex has schools for all these levels.

In the 2009–2010 school year, there were over 3,500 students in the Onex school system. Many students from Onex also attend schools in other towns.

Famous People from Onex

Onex has been home to some notable individuals:

• William Lescaze (1896–1969): A Swiss-born American architect who was a pioneer of modern architecture.
• Walmar Wladimir Schwab (1902–2000): A painter and print-maker who worked in Paris in the 1920s.
• Xavier Hochstrasser (born 1988): A Swiss footballer who has played for FC Onex.

Onex's International Connections

Onex has special connections with other towns, known as "twin towns" or "sister cities." These connections help promote friendship and understanding between different places.

Onex is twinned with:

Gallery

See also

In Spanish: Onex para niños