Illinois


	Fullname	State of Illinois
	Flag	Flag of Illinoissvg
	Flaglink	Flag Of Illinois
	Seal	Illinois state sealpng
	Map	Map of USA highlighting Illinoispng
	Nickname	Land of Lincoln, The Prairie State
	Motto	State sovereignty, national union
	Capital	Springfield
	LargestCity	Chicago
	Governor	Rod Blagojevich (D)
		"http://wwwinformationdelightinfo/encyclopedia/entry/Vrhbosna/Barack_Obama" class="copylinks">Barack Obama (D)
	PostalAbbreviation	IL
	OfficialLang	English
	AreaRank	25<sup>th</sup>
	TotalAreaUS	57,918
	TotalArea	149,998
	LandAreaUS	55,593
	LandArea	143,968
	WaterAreaUS	2,325
	WaterArea	6,030
	PCWater	40
	PopRank	5<sup>th</sup>
	2000Pop	12,419,293
	DensityRank	11<sup>th</sup>
	2000DensityUS	2234
	2000Density	8627
	AdmittanceOrder	21<sup>st</sup>
	AdmittanceDate	December 3 , 1818
	TimeZone	-6/ -5
	Latitude	36°58'N to 42°30'N
	Longitude	87°30'W to 91°30'W
	WidthUS	210
	Width	340
	LengthUS	390
	Length	629
	HighestElevUS	Charles Mound &nbsp1,235
	HighestElev	376
	MeanElevUS	600
	MeanElev	182
	LowestElevUS	279
	LowestElev	85
	ISOCode	US-IL

Illinois ( Pronounced or "ill-i-NOY") is the 21st U.S. State admitted in 1818 and is located in the American Midwest . The state is known for its large and diverse population, its balance of rural areas, small industrial cities, vast suburbs and great metropolis, its highly diverse economic base, and its central location that has made it a transportation hub for 150 years. As much as any state it is a microcosm of the nation.

The state is named for the , 2006

GEOGRAPHY

See Also: Geography of Illinois

The northeastern border of Illinois is . Illinois also borders Michigan , but only via a water boundary in Lake Michigan.

Though Illinois lies entirely in the Interior Plains , it has three major geographical divisions. The first is Chicagoland , including the city of Chicago , its suburbs, and the adjoining exurban area into which the metropolis is expanding. This region includes a few counties in Indiana and Wisconsin and stretches across much of northern Illinois toward the Iowa border, generally along Interstates 80 and 90 . This region is cosmopolitan, densely populated, industrialized, and settled by a variety of ethnic groups.

Southward and westward, the second major division is central Illinois, an area of mostly flat Prairie . The western section (west of the Illinois River) was originally part of the Military Tract Of 1812 and forms the distinctive western bulge of state. Known as the Land of Lincoln or the Heart of Illinois, it is characterized by small towns and mid-sized cities. Agriculture, particularly Corn and Soybean s, as well as educational institutions and manufacturing centers, figures prominently. Major cities include Peoria –the second largest metropolitan area in Illinois at 370,000, Springfield –the state Capital , Decatur , Bloomington-Normal and Champaign - Urbana .

The third division is southern Illinois, comprising the area south of ") and the Carbondale , Marion , West Frankfort , Herrin , Murphysboro area, which is home to around 200,000 residents.

Collectively, all of Illinois outside the Chicago Metropolitan area is called "downstate Illinois", even though a portion is north or west of Chicago.

McLean County is the largest county in terms of land area, at 1,184 square miles (3,066 sq.km.). It is larger than Rhode Island . Cook County is the largest county in terms of population, at 5,327,777 (as of 2004).

In extreme northwestern Illinois, the Driftless Zone , a region of unglaciated and therefore higher and more rugged topography, occupies a small part of the state. Charles Mound , located in this region, is the state's highest natural elevation above Sea Level at 1,235 feet (376 m). The highest true elevation in Illinois is the Sears Tower with an elevation at the top of its roof of approximately 2,030 feet (the elevation of Chicago is approximately 580 feet and the height of the roof is approximately 1450 feet). On a clear day, it is possible to see parts of four states–Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan–from the Sears Tower Skydeck.

The floodplain on the Mississippi River from Alton to the Kaskaskia River is the American Bottom , and is the site of the ancient city of Cahokia . It was a region of early French settlement, as well as the site of the first state capital, at Kaskaskia which is separated from the rest of the state by the Mississippi River.

''See also List Of Illinois Counties , List Of Illinois County Name Etymologies ''

Climate

Because of its nearly 400 mile length, Illinois has a widely varying climate. Monthly average temperatures range from a high of 88°F in the south during the month of August to a low of 10°F in the northwest during February. Average yearly precipitation for Illinois varies from just over 48 inches at the southern tip to around 35 inches in the northern portion of the state. Normal annual snowfall exceeds 38 inches in Chicagoland due to , 2006 .

HISTORY

west of Champaign]]
See Also: History of Illinois

Pre-Columbian

Cahokia , the urban center of the pre- Columbian Mississippian Culture , was located near present-day Collinsville, Illinois . That civilization vanished circa AD 1400–1500 for unknown reasons. The next major power in the region was the Illiniwek Confederation, or Illini, a political alliance among several tribes. The Illiniwek gave Illinois its name. The Illini suffered in the seventeenth century as Iroquois expansion forced them to compete with several tribes for land. The Illini were replaced by the Potawatomi , Miami , Sauk , and other tribes.

European exploration

French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet explored the Illinois River in 1673. As a result of their exploration, Illinois was part of the French empire until 1763, when it passed to the British as a result of the French And Indian War . George Rogers Clark claimed the Illinois Country for the Commonwealth Of Virginia during his military campaigns there in 1778. The area was ceded to the new United States in 1783 and became part of the Northwest Territory .

19th century

The Illinois-Wabash Company was an early claimant to much of Illinois. The Illinois Territory was created on February 3 1809 , with its capital at Kaskaskia . In 1818, Illinois became the 21st U.S. state. At the last minute, the state's northern border was controversially moved 50 miles north from the southern tip of Lake Michigan to its current location to include the port of Chicago. The capital remained at Kaskaskia, but in 1819 it was decided to move the capital up the Kaskaskia River to Vandalia . Early U.S. settlement began in the southern part of the state and quickly spread northward, driving out the native residents. With the 1832 Black Hawk War , the last native tribes were driven out of northern Illinois.

The winter of 1830-1831 is called the "Winter of the Deep Snow". A sudden, deep snowfall blanketed the state, making travel impossible for the rest of the winter. Travelers lucky enough to find shelter had to stay where they were. Many others perished. Several severe winters followed, including the "Winter of the Sudden Freeze". On , 2006 .

Illinois is known as the "Land of Lincoln " because it is here that the 16th President spent most of his life, practicing law and living in Springfield . In 1837, with Lincoln's support and urging, the General Assembly voted to move the capital to Springfield. As early as 1840, Illinois was called the " Sucker State ", a nickname with several possible reasons.

Illinois was not a strong anti-slavery state. In 1853, led by Democrat John A. Logan , the legislature passed a Black Code designed to keep free blacks out of the state.

Chicago gained prominence as a Great Lakes port and then as a Canal port after 1848, and as a rail hub soon afterward. By 1857, Chicago was Illinois' largest city.

Civil War

See Also: Illinois in the Civil War

During the Civil War , over 250,000 Illinois men served in the Union Army , more than any other northern state except New York , Pennsylvania and Ohio . Beginning with President Lincoln's first call for troops and continuing throughout the war, Illinois mustered 150 infantry regiments, which were numbered from the 7th IL to the 156th IL. Seventeen cavalry regiments were also gathered, as well as two light artillery regiments.

Twentieth century

In the 20th century, Illinois emerged as one of the most important states in the union with a population of nearly 5 million. By the end of the century the population would reach 12.4 million. The Century Of Progress world's fair was held at Chicago in 1933. Oil strikes in Marion County lead to a boom in 1937, and by 1939 Illinois ranked 4th in U.S. oil production.

Following World War II, Argonne National Laboratory , near Chicago, activated the first experimental nuclear power generating system in United States in 1957. By 1960, the first privately financed nuclear plant in United States, Dresden 1, was dedicated near Morris. Chicago became an ocean port with the opening of the Saint Lawrence Seaway , in 1959. The seaway and the Illinois Waterway connected Chicago to both the Mississippi River and the Atlantic Ocean. In 1960, Ray Kroc opened the first McDonald's franchise in Des Plaines .

In 1970, the state's sixth constitutional convention authored a new constitution to replace the 1870 version. It was ratified in December. The first Farm Aid concert was held in Champaign to benefit American farmers, in 1985. The worst Upper Mississippi River flood of the century, the Great Flood Of 1993 , inundated many towns and thousands of acres of farmland.

DEMOGRAPHICS

As of 2005, Illinois has an estimated population of 12,763,371, which is an increase of 51,355, or 0.4%, from the prior year and an increase of 343,724, or 2.8%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 406,425 people (that is 959,470 births minus 553,045 deaths) and a decrease due to net migration of 63,011 people out of the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 328,020 people, and migration within the country produced a net loss of 391,031 people. As of 2004 there were 1,682,900 foreign-born (13.3%).

At the northern edge of the state on Lake Michigan lies Chicago, the nation's third largest city. In 2000, 23.3% of the population lived in the city of Chicago, 43.3% in Cook County and 65.6% in Illinois's part of , 2006 .

The racial makeup of the state is as follows:

67.8% White

15.9% Black

12.3% Hispanic

3.4% Asian

0.2% Native American

1.9% Mixed Race

7.1% of Illinois' population was reported as under age 5, 26.1% under age 18, and 12.1% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 51% of the population.

Religion

Protestants are the largest religious group in Illinois, however unlike the other Midwestern states, Illinois is not overwhelmingly Protestant (just under half of the people identify themselves as such). Roman Catholics, who are heavily concentrated in and around Chicago, account for 30% of the population.

ECONOMY

See Also: Economy of Illinois

The 2004 total Gross State Product for Illinois was US$528 billion, placing it 5^th in the nation. The 2003 per capita income was US$32,965.

Illinois' agricultural outputs are Corn , Soybean s, Hog s, Cattle , dairy products, and Wheat . Its industrial outputs are machinery, food processing, electrical equipment, chemical products, publishing, fabricated metal products, transportation equipment, Petroleum and Coal .

Illinois' state is the largest single tax in Illinois, and is the major source of tax revenue for local government taxing districts. The property tax is a local—not state—tax, imposed by local government taxing districts which include counties, Township s, municipalities, School District s, and special taxing districts. The property tax in Illinois is imposed only on Real Property .

ENERGY

It could be said that , 2006 .

Illinois is a leading refiner of petroleum in the American Midwest, with a combined crude oil distillation capacity of nearly 0.9 million barrels per day. However, Illinois has very limited crude oil proved reserves that account for less than 1 percent of U.S. crude oil proved reserves. Residential heating is 81 percent , 2006 .

About 68% of Illinois has , 2006 . However, this coal has a high Sulfur content, which requires special equipment to reduce air pollution.

TRANSPORTATION

introduced in 2001.]]

Because of its central location and its proximity to the Manufacturing Belt and Corn Belt , Illinois is a national crossroads and transportation hub. Illinois has an extensive rail network transporting both passengers and freight. Chicago is a national Amtrak hub and in-state passengers are served by Amtrak's Illinois Service featuring the Chicago to Carbondale Illini and Chicago to Quincy Illinois Zephyr . In addition to the states rail lines, the Mississippi River and Illinois River provide major routes for the states agricultural interests.

O'Hare International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world and is a major airport serving numerous domestic and international destinations. It is a Hub for United Airlines and American Airlines , and a major airport expansion project is currently underway.

Major U.S. Interstate highways crossing the state include:
, 2006 .

See Also: List of Illinois Routes

LAW AND GOVERNMENT

See Also: Government of Illinois

The state government of Illinois is modeled after the United States federal government with adaptations originating from traditions cultivated during the state's frontier era. As codified in the state constitution, there are three branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial. The executive branch is led by the .

in Springfield]]
Illinois has traditionally been a major battleground between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party . Since 1992, it has gradually become more Democratic at the national and state level. Illinois voted for Democratic presidential candidates in the last four elections. John Kerry easily won the state's 21 electoral votes in 2004 by a margin of 11 percentage points with 54.8% of the vote. Traditionally, the central cities, especially Chicago and East St. Louis , have been Democratic strongholds, while the suburbs of Chicago have been historically Republican. However, the Collar Counties of Lake and DuPage , while still mostly Republican, have been trending towards the Democrats. Small cities and towns are typically Republican strongholds, except for the old coal mining towns. Rural districts in the northern third of the state have historically been Republican; those in the middle third mixed, and those in Little Egypt (the southern third of the state), Democratic.

Politics in the state have not always been above board. In 2006, former Secretary of State and Governor George Ryan was convicted of racketeering and bribery. Former U.S. Congressman Dan Rostenkowski was imprisoned for Mail Fraud . Former Governor and federal judge Otto Kerner, Jr. was imprisoned for bribery. Former State Auditor of Public Accounts (Comptroller) Orville Hodge was imprisoned for embezzlement.

LARGEST CITIES

See Also: List of cities in Illinois
List of towns and villages in Illinois

Population over 1,000,000:

Chicago

Population 100,000 to 1,000,000:

Aurora

Elgin

Joliet

Naperville

Peoria

Rockford

Springfield (state capital)

EDUCATION

Illinois State Board of Education

See Also: Illinois State Board of Education

The Illinois State Board of Education or ISBE, autonomous of the governor and the state legislature, administers Public Education in the state. Local municipalities and their respective School District s operate individual public schools but the ISBE audits performance of public schools with the Illinois School Report Card . The ISBE also makes recommendations to state leaders concerning education spending and policies.

Primary and secondary schools

See Also: List of school districts in Illinois
List of high schools in Illinois

Education is compulsory from , Middle School or Junior High School and High School . District territories are often complex in structure. In some cases, elementary, middle and junior high schools of a single district feed into high schools in another district.

Colleges and universities

See Also: List of colleges and universities in Illinois

While many students enter the military or join the workforce directly from high school, students have the option of applying to College s and Universities in Illinois. Notable Illinois institutions of Higher Education include Northwestern University , University Of Chicago and the several branches of the University Of Illinois System . Illinois is also home to 49 colleges in the Illinois Community College System .

RECREATION

See Also: List of Illinois state parks

The Illinois State Park system began in 1908 with what is now Fort Massac State Park becoming the first park in a system encompassing over 60 parks and about the same number of recreational and wildlife areas.

Areas under the protection and control of the National Park Service include:

Illinois And Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor near Lockport

Lewis And Clark National Historic Trail

Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield

Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail

Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail

Professional sports teams

MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS

The USS ''Illinois'' was named in honor of this state.

Selected list of famous residents

See Also: List of people from Illinois

Jane Addams , pioneer social worker, founded Hull House

John Belushi , early member of The Second City and Jim Belushi , both born in Chicago but grew up in Weaton ;

Makataimeshekiakiak , or "Black Hawk", the Sac chief who was ally of the British in War of 1812 and in 1832 invaded the state and was captured after some fighting in the Black Hawk War

Joseph Gurney Cannon longtime member of Congress and Speaker in early 20th century

John Deere , farm machinery pioneer. Founded Deere & Company in Moline

Dennis Hastert , Speaker Of The United States House Of Representatives ;

Hugh Hefner , creator of Playboy magazine, which he based in Chicago

Abraham Lincoln , the 16th President, built his career in in Springfield

Dick Durbin , currently the state's senior senator and United States Senate Minority Whip

Barack Obama , currently the junior Senator

Ronald Reagan , the 40th President; born in Tampico , attended Eureka College

Donald Rumsfeld , current U.S. Secretary of Defense; born in Evanston

Shel Silverstein , famous children's author; born and raised in Chicago

Adlai E. Stevenson , elected Vice President, 1892

Adlai Stevenson II , governor, 1952 and 1956 Presidential candidate

Oprah Winfrey , talk show host, richest African American woman, lives in Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago

Chris O'Donnell , actor, born in Winnetka raised in Chicago.

Information About

Illinois