The German name Vivis is no longer commonly used. It was the seat of the district of the same name until , and is now part of the Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut District. It is part of the French-speaking area of Switzerland. The English actor and comedian Charlie Chaplin resided in Vevey from until his death in A piloti settlement existed here as early as the 2nd millennium BC. Under Rome , it was known as Viviscus or Vibiscum. It was mentioned for the first time by the ancient Greek astronomer and philosopher Ptolemy , who gave it the name Ouikos.
In the Middle Ages it was a station on the Via Francigena. It was then ruled by the bishopric of Lausanne , and later under the Blonay family. In the s, several of the English regicides fled to Switzerland, and many of them settled in Vevey under the protection of the Bernese government. Vevey lived through a period of prosperity after the Vaud Revolution of Vevey is a major center of the Swiss chocolate industry since the 18th century.
Milk chocolate was also developed there by Daniel Peter in Vevey has an area, as of [update] , of 2. Of this area, 0. Of the rest of the land, 2. Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 2. Power and water infrastructure as well as other special developed areas made up 1. Out of the forested land, all of the forested land area is covered with heavy forests. Of the agricultural land, 0. All the water in the municipality is flowing water.
The municipality was the capital of the Vevey District until it was dissolved on 31 August , and Vevey became the capital of the new district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut. The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is Per pale Or and Azure, two Letters V interlaced counterchanged. Vevey has a population as of December [update] of 19, It has changed at a rate of Most of the population as of [update] speaks French 12, or There are people who speak German and 7 people who speak Romansh.
The age distribution, as of [update] , in Vevey is; 1, children or Of the adult population, 2, people or The senior population distribution is 1, people or 8. As of [update] , there were 6, people who were single and never married in the municipality.
