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Illinois is a hellhole state that is filled to the brim with corruption, both democrat and republican, and devoid of all friendliness. Stay out of Illinois at all costs!!!
{{Otheruses1|the U.S. State of Illinois}}
{{Infobox U.S. state
| Fullname = State of Illinois
| Flag = Flag of Illinois.svg
| Flaglink = [[Flag of Illinois|Flag]]
| Seal = Seal of Illinois.svg
| Name = Illinois
| Nickname = Land of Lincoln, The [[Prairie]] State
| Motto = State sovereignty, national union
| Demonym = Illinoisan
| OfficialLang = [[English language|English]]<ref>{{cite web|title=(5 ILCS 460/20) (from Ch. 1, par. 2901‑20) State Designations Act.|url=http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=132&ChapAct=5%26nbsp%3BILCS%26nbsp%3B460%2F&ChapterID=2&ChapterName=GENERAL+PROVISIONS&ActName=State+Designations+Act%2E|work=Illinois Compiled Statutes|publisher=Illinois General Assembly|location=Springfield, Illinois|date=1991-09-04|accessdate=2009-04-10|quote=Sec. 20. Official language. The official language of the State of Illinois is English.}}</ref>
| Languages =English (80.8%)<br>Spanish (10.9%)<br>Polish (1.6%)<ref name="qtp16">{{cite web|title=Illinois Table: QT-P16; Language Spoken at Home: 2000|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/QTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04000US17&-qr_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U_QTP16&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U&-_lang=en&-redoLog=false&-CONTEXT=qt|work=Data Set: Census 2000 Summary File 3 (SF 3) - Sample Data|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|date=2000|accessdate=2009-04-10}}</ref>
| Map = Map_of_USA_IL.svg
| Capital = [[Springfield, Illinois|Springfield]]
| LargestCity = [[Chicago]]
| LargestMetro = [[Chicago metropolitan area|Chicagoland]]
| Governor = [[Pat Quinn (politician)|Pat Quinn]] (D)
| Lieutenant Governor = vacant
| Senators = [[Dick Durbin]] (D)<br />[[Roland Burris]] (D)
|Representative=11 Democrats, 7 Republicans,<br>1 vacancy
| PostalAbbreviation = IL, Ill.,
| BorderingStates = [[Indiana]], [[Iowa]], [[Kentucky]]</br>[[Missouri]], [[Wisconsin]]
| AreaRank = 25<sup>th</sup>
| TotalAreaUS = 57,918
| TotalArea = 140,998
| LandAreaUS = 55,593
| LandArea = 143,968
| WaterAreaUS = 2,325
| WaterArea = 61,030
| PCWater = 4.0/ Negligible
| PopRank = 5<sup>th</sup>
| 2000Pop (old) = 12,831,970<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=&geo_id=04000US17&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US17&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=04000US17&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=040&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2006_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=] U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Demographic Profile Highlights</ref>
|| 2000Pop = 12,901,563 (2008 est.)<ref name=08CenEst>{{cite web | title = Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008 | publisher = United States Census Bureau | accessdate = 2009-01-31 | url = http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2008-01.csv}}</ref>
| DensityRank = 12<sup>th</sup>
| 2000DensityUS = 223.4
| 2000Density = 86.27
| MedianHouseholdIncome = $54,124<ref>{{cite web|title=Median Household Income (In 2007 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) Universe: Households|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GRTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-_box_head_nbr=R1901&-ds_name=ACS_2007_1YR_G00_&-_lang=en&-redoLog=false&-format=US-30&-mt_name=ACS_2007_1YR_G00_R1902_US30&-CONTEXT=grt|work=2007 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates|publisher= U.S. Census Bureau|date=2007|accessdate=2009-04-09}}</ref>
| IncomeRank = 17
| AdmittanceOrder = 21<sup>st</sup>
| AdmittanceDate = December 3, 1818
| TimeZone = [[Central Time Zone (Americas)|Central]]: [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]-6/[[Daylight saving time|-5]]
| Latitude = 36° 58′ N to 42° 30′ N
| Longitude = 87° 30′ W to 91° 31′ W
| WidthUS = 210
| Width = 340
| LengthUS = 395
| Length = 629
| HighestPoint = [[Charles Mound]]<ref name="usgs">{{cite web| date =29 April 2005 | url =http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest| title =Elevations and Distances in the United States| publisher =U.S Geological Survey| dateformat = mdy | accessdate = November 6 2006}}</ref>
| HighestElevUS = 1,235
| HighestElev = 377
| MeanElevUS = 600
| MeanElev = 182
| LowestPoint = [[Mississippi River]]<ref name="usgs"/>
| LowestElevUS = 279
| LowestElev = 85
| ISOCode = US-IL
| Website = www.illinois.gov
}}
{{Infobox U.S. state symbols
| Name = Illinois
| Amphibian = [[Tiger Salamander|Eastern Tiger Salamander]]
| Bird = [[Northern Cardinal]]
| Butterfly = [[Monarch (butterfly)|Monarch Butterfly]]
| Crustacean =
| Fish = [[Bluegill]]
| Flower = [[Viola (plant)|Violet]]
| Grass = [[Big Bluestem]]
| Insect =
| Mammal = [[White-tailed deer]]
| Reptile = [[Painted Turtle]]
| Tree = [[White oak]]
| Beverage =
| Colors =
| Dance = [[Square dance]]
| Dinosaur =
| Food = [[Apple|Gold Rush Apple]]{{bull}} [[Popcorn]]
| Fossil = [[Tullimonstrum gregarium|Tully Monster]]
| Gemstone =
| Instrument =
| Mineral = [[Fluorite]]
| Poem =
| StateRock =
| Shell =
| Ships =
| Slogan = "Land of Lincoln"
| Soil = [[Loam|Drummer silty clay loam]]
| Song = [[Illinois (state song)|"Illinois"]]
| Sport =
| Tartan =
| Toy =
| Route Marker = Illinois 19.svg|300px
| Quarter = 2003 IL Proof.png|100px|Illinois quarter
| QuarterReleaseDate = 2003
}}

The '''State of Illinois''' ({{Audio-IPA|en-us-Illinois.ogg|/ɪlɨˈnɔɪ/}}, pronounced {{respell|ill-uh-NOY}}), the [[List of U.S. states by date of statehood|21st]] [[U.S. state|state]] admitted to the [[United States|United States of America]], is the most populous and demographically diverse [[Midwestern United States|Midwestern]] state and the fifth most populous state in the nation.<ref name="so">{{cite news|first=Stephen|last=Ohlemacher|title=Analysis ranks Illinois most average state|url=http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2007/05/17/top/20300809.txt|agency=Associated Press|publisher=The Southern Illinoisan|location=Carbondale, Illinois|date=2007-05-17|accessdate=2009-04-10}}</ref> With [[Chicago]] in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and western Illinois, and natural resources like coal, timber, and petroleum in the south, Illinois has a broad economic base. Illinois is an important transportation hub; the [[Port of Chicago]] connects the [[Great Lakes]] to the [[Mississippi River]] via the [[Illinois River]]. Illinois is often viewed as a [[Macrocosm and microcosm|microcosm]] of the United States; an [[Associated Press]] analysis of 21 demographic factors found Illinois the "most average state", while [[Peoria, Illinois|Peoria]] has long been a [[Will it play in Peoria?|proverbial social and cultural]] [[bellwether]].<ref name="so" />

Approximately 66% of the population of Illinois resides in the northeastern corner of the state, primarily within the city of [[Chicago]] and the surrounding [[metropolitan area]]s.

With a population near 40,000 between 1300 and 1400 AD, the [[Mississippian culture|Mississippian]] city of [[Cahokia]], in what is now southern Illinois, was the largest city within the future United States until it was surpassed by [[New York City]] between 1790 and 1800. About 2,000 Native American hunters and a small number of [[Habitants|French]] villagers inhabited the Illinois area at the time of the [[American Revolution]].<ref> Biles (2005) ch 1</ref> American settlers began arriving from [[Kentucky]] in the 1810s; they achieved statehood in 1818. The future metropolis of [[Chicago]] was founded in the 1830s on the banks of the [[Chicago River]], one of the only natural harbors on southern [[Lake Michigan]].<ref>"Chicago's Front Door: Chicago Harbor." A digital exhibit published online by the [[Chicago Public Library]]. [http://www.chipublib.org/digital/lake/CFDHarbor.html] Accessed October 20, 2007.</ref> [[Rail transport|Railroads]] and [[John Deere]]'s invention of the self-scouring [[Plough|steel plow]] made central Illinois' rich [[prairie]] into some of the world's most productive and valuable farmlands, attracting [[immigration|immigrant]] farmers from [[German American|Germany]] and [[Swedish American|Sweden]]. Northern Illinois provided major support for Illinoisans [[Abraham Lincoln]] and [[Ulysses S. Grant]] during the [[American Civil War]]. By 1900, the growth of industry in northern cities and coal mining in central and southern areas attracted immigrants from [[Eastern Europe|Eastern]] and [[Southern Europe]], and made the state a major arsenal in both [[world war]]s. [[African-American]]s [[Great Migration (African American)|migrating to Chicago from the rural South]] formed a [[History of African Americans in Chicago|large and important community]], which created the city's famous [[jazz]] and [[blues]] cultures.

==Etymology==
{{see also|List of Illinois counties|List of Illinois county name etymologies}}
The state is named for the [[French language|French]] adaptation of an [[Algonquian languages|Algonquian language]] (perhaps [[Miami-Illinois language|Miami]]) word apparently meaning "s/he speaks normally" (Miami ''ilenweewa'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.krysstal.com/feedback/display_feedback.php?ftype=Borrow&fblock=4 |title=Comments by Michael McCafferty on "Readers' Feedback (page 4)" |accessdate=2007-02-23 |publisher=The KryssTal}}</ref><ref>Costa, David J. 2000. "Miami-Illinois Tribe Names". In the Papers of the 31st Algonquian Conference, University of Manitoba Press, pp. 146-7</ref> [[Proto-Algonquian language|Proto-Algonquian]] ''*elen-'', "ordinary" and ''-we·'', "to speak").<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Illinois |title=Illinois |accessdate=2007-02-23 |publisher=[[Reference.com|Dictionary.com]]}}</ref> Alternately, the name is often associated with the indigenous [[Illinois Confederation|Illiniwek]] people, a [[consortium]] of [[Algonquian languages|Algonquian]] tribes that once thrived in the area. The name ''Illiniwek'' is frequently (incorrectly) said to mean "tribe of superior men";<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.illinois.gov/facts/symbols.cfm |title=Illinois Symbols |accessdate=2006-04-20 |publisher=State of Illinois}}</ref> or "men". Both etymologies are unworkable.

==History==
{{main|History of Illinois}}

===Pre-European===
[[Image:Coloredcopperplatesillinoismoundbuilders.png|thumb|Copper plates found at pre-Columbian burial sites in Illinois.]]
[[Cahokia]], the urban center of the pre-[[Christopher Columbus|Columbian]] [[Mississippian culture]], was located near present-day [[Collinsville, Illinois]]. That civilization vanished in the 15th century for unknown reasons. The next major power in the region was the [[Illinois Confederation]] or Illini, a political alliance among several tribes. There were about 25,000 Illinois Indians in 1700, but systematic attacks and genocide by the [[Iroquois]] reduced their numbers by 90%.<ref> Frederick E. Hoxie, ''Encyclopedia of North American Indians'' (1996) 266-7, 506</ref> Members of the [[Potawatomi]], [[Miami tribe|Miami]], [[Sac (people)|Sauk]], and other tribes came in from the east and north.<ref name="Nelson"/> In the American Revolution, the Illinois and Potawatomi supported the American cause.

===European exploration===
[[France|French]] explorers [[Jacques Marquette]] and [[Louis Jolliet]] explored the [[Illinois River]] in 1673. In 1680, other French explorers constructed a fort at the site of present day [[Peoria, Illinois|Peoria]], in 1682 a fort atop [[Starved Rock]] in nowaday's [[Starved Rock State Park]]. As a result of this French exploration, Illinois was part of the French empire until 1763, when it passed to the [[United Kingdom|British]]. The small French settlements continued; a few British soldiers were posted in Illinois but there were no British or American settlers. In 1778 [[George Rogers Clark]] claimed the [[Illinois Country]] for [[Virginia]]. The area was ceded by Virginia to the new United States in 1783 and became part of the [[Northwest Territory]].<ref name="Biles">{{cite book |last=Biles |first=Roger |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= Illinois: A History of the Land and its People|year= 2005|publisher= Northern Illinois University Press|location= DeKalb|isbn=0-87580-349-0 }}</ref>

===19th century===
{{see also|History of Chicago|History of Nauvoo, Illinois}}
{{USCensusPop
| 1800 = 2458
| 1810 = 12282
| 1820 = 55211
| 1830 = 157445
| 1840 = 476183
| 1850 = 851470
| 1860 = 1711951
| 1870 = 2539891
| 1880 = 3077871
| 1890 = 3826352
| 1900 = 4821550
| 1910 = 5638591
| 1920 = 6485280
| 1930 = 7630654
| 1940 = 7897241
| 1950 = 8712176
| 1960 = 10081158
| 1970 = 11113976
| 1980 = 11426518
| 1990 = 11430602
| 2000 = 12419293
| estyear = 2008<ref name=08CenEst/>
| estimate = 12901563
}}

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, Illinois|Kaskaskia]]. In 1818, Illinois became the 21st U.S. state. The new state debated slavery then rejected it, as settlers poured into southern Illinois from Kentucky.

Thanks to [[Nathaniel Pope]], the delegate from Illinois, Congress shifted the northern border {{convert|41|mi|km}} north to 42° 30' north, which added {{convert|8500|sqmi|km2|-2}} to the state, including Chicago, [[Galena, Illinois|Galena]] and the lead mining region. The capital remained at Kaskaskia, but in 1819 it was moved to [[Vandalia, Illinois|Vandalia]]. In 1832 the [[Black Hawk War]] was fought in Illinois and current day [[Wisconsin]] between the United States and several Indian tribes. Indians removed to Iowa, attempted to return, but were defeated by the U.S. militia and forced back to Iowa.

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. Many travelers perished. Several severe winters followed, including the "Winter of the Sudden Freeze". On December 20, 1836, a fast-moving cold front passed through, freezing puddles in minutes and killing many travelers who could not reach shelter. The adverse weather resulted in crop failures in the northern part of the state. The southern part of the state shipped food north and this may have contributed to its name: "[[Little Egypt (region)|Little Egypt]]", after the [[Bible|Biblical]] story of Joseph in Egypt supplying grain to his brothers.<ref>Duff, Judge Andrew D. [http://www.springhousemagazine.com/egypt2.htm Egypt]. Republished, Springhouse Magazine. Accessed May 1, 2006.</ref>

By 1839, the [[Mormon]] utopian city of [[Nauvoo, Illinois|Nauvoo]], located on the Mississippi River, was created, settled, and flourished. In 1844 the Mormon leader [[Joseph Smith, Jr.|Joseph Smith]] was killed in the [[Carthage, Illinois|Carthage]] jail. After close to six years of rapid development the Mormon city of Nauvoo, which rivaled Chicago as Illinois' largest city, saw a rapid decline when in 1846 the Mormons left Illinois for the West in a mass exodus.

The state has a varied history in relation to [[Slavery]] and the treatment of [[African-Americans]] in general. Some slave labor was used before it became a territory, but Slavery was banned by the time Illinois became a state in 1818. The Southern part of the state, known as "Little Egypt", was largely settled by immigrants from the South, and the section was sympathetic to the South and slave labor. For a while the section continued to allow some slave labor on a migratory basis, but citizens were opposed to allowing Blacks as permanent residents. In the Illinois Constitution of 1848, reacting to such concerns, a provision was made for exclusionary laws to be passed. In 1853 [[John A. Logan]], later a Union general in the [[American Civil War]], introduced such bills and laws were passed to prohibit all African-Americans, including [[Freedman|Freedmen]], from settling in the state.<ref>James Pickett Jones, ''Black Jack: John A. Logan and Southern Illinois in the Civil War Era'' 1967 ISBN 0-8093-2002-9.</ref>

[[Chicago]] gained prominence as a [[Great Lakes]] port and then as an [[Illinois and Michigan Canal]] port after 1848, and as a rail hub soon afterward. By 1857, Chicago was Illinois' largest city.<ref name="Biles"/> With the tremendous growth of mines and factories in Illinois in the 19th century, Illinois played an important role in the formation of [[labor unions in the United States]]. The [[Pullman Strike]] and [[Haymarket affair|Haymarket Riot]] in particular greatly influenced the development of the American [[labour movement|labor movement]]. From Sunday, October 8 until Tuesday, October 10, 1871, the [[Great Chicago Fire]] burned in downtown Chicago, destroying {{convert|4|sqmi|km2}}<ref>Roland Tweet, Miss Gale's Books: The Beginnings of the Rock Island Public Library, (Rock Island, IL: Rock Island Public Library, 1997), 15.</ref>.

====Civil War====
{{main|Illinois in the Civil War}}
During the [[American Civil War]], over 250,000 Illinois men served in the [[Union Army]], a figure surpassed by only [[New York]], [[Pennsylvania]], and [[Ohio]]. Beginning with President [[Abraham Lincoln]]'s first call for troops and continuing throughout the war, Illinois mustered 150 infantry regiments, which were numbered from the 7th to the 156th regiments. Seventeen cavalry regiments were also gathered, as well as two light artillery regiments.<ref>Illinois in the Civil War. [http://www.illinoiscivilwar.org/units_num.html Illinois Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery Units]. Accessed November 26, 2006.</ref>

===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]] [[Expo (exhibition)|World's Fair]] was held at Chicago in 1933. Oil strikes in [[Marion County, Illinois|Marion County]] and [[Crawford County, Illinois|Crawford 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 the 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, Illinois|Des Plaines]] (which still exists today as a museum, with a working McDonald's across the street).

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. It also flooded many homes and streets slowing transportational services.<ref name="Biles"/>

==Geography==
{{main|Geography of Illinois}}
[[Image:Chicago Skyline.png|thumb|[[Chicago]], the largest city in Illinois and the [[Midwestern United States|Midwest]], as viewed from the [[John Hancock Center]]]]
[[Image:National-atlas-illinois.png|thumb|Illinois, showing major cities and roads]]

The Northeastern border of Illinois is [[Lake Michigan]]. Its eastern border with [[Indiana]] is all of the land west of the [[Wabash River]], and a north-south line above [[Vincennes, Indiana|Post Vincennes]], or 87°{{Unicode| }}31′{{Unicode| }}30″ west longitude. Its northern border with [[Wisconsin]] is fixed at 42°{{Unicode| }}30' north latitude. Its western border with [[Missouri]] and [[Iowa]] is the [[Mississippi River]]. Its southern border with [[Kentucky]] is the [[Ohio River]].<ref name="Constitution_1818"/> Illinois also borders [[Michigan]], but only via a water boundary in Lake Michigan.<ref name="Nelson">{{cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor=Nelson, Ronald E. (ed.) |others= |title=Illinois: Land and Life in the Prairie State|origdate= |origyear= |origmonth= |url= |format= |accessdate= |accessyear= |accessmonth= |edition= |date= |year=1978|month= |publisher= Kendall/Hunt|location= Dubuque, Iowa|language= |isbn=0-8403-1831-6|oclc= |doi= |id= |pages= |chapter= |chapterurl= |quote= }}</ref>

Though Illinois lies entirely in the [[Interior Plains]], it has three major geographical divisions. The first is [[Northern Illinois]], dominated by the [[Chicago metropolitan area]], including the city of [[Chicago]], its suburbs, and the adjoining exurban area into which the metropolis is expanding. As defined by the federal government, the Chicago metro area includes a few counties in [[Indiana]] and [[Wisconsin]] and stretches across much of northeastern Illinois. It is a cosmopolitan city, densely populated, industrialized, and settled by a wide variety of ethnic groups. The city of [[Rockford, Illinois|Rockford]], the second largest metropolitan area and the state's third largest city generally sits along Interstates [[Interstate 39|39]] and [[Interstate 90|90]] some {{convert|75|mi|km}} northwest of Chicago.

Southward and westward, the second major division is [[Central Illinois]], an area of mostly flat [[prairie]]. Known as the Heart of Illinois, it is characterized by small towns and mid-sized cities. The western section (west of the Illinois River) was originally part of the [[Military Tract of 1812]] and forms the distinctive western bulge of the state. Agriculture, particularly [[maize|corn]] and [[soybean]]s, as well as educational institutions and manufacturing centers, figure prominently. Cities include [[Peoria, Illinois|Peoria]], the third largest metropolitan area in Illinois at 370,000; [[Springfield, Illinois|Springfield]], the state [[Capital (political)|capital]]; [[Quincy, Illinois|Quincy]]; [[Decatur, Illinois|Decatur]]; [[Bloomington-Normal, Illinois|Bloomington-Normal]]; and [[Champaign, Illinois|Champaign]]-[[Urbana, Illinois|Urbana]].<ref name="Nelson"/> Though the Illinois [[Quad Cities]] are geographically almost at the same latitude as Chicago, they are often grouped in Central Illinois due to economic, political, and cultural ties to this region.

The third division is [[Little Egypt (region)|Southern Illinois]], comprising the area south of [[U.S. Route 50]], and including [[Little Egypt (region)|Little Egypt]], near the juncture of the [[Mississippi River]] and [[Ohio River]]. This region can be distinguished from the other two by its warmer climate, different mix of crops (including some [[cotton]] farming in the past), more rugged topography (the southern tip is unglaciated with the remainder glaciated during the [[Illinoian Stage]] and earlier ages), as well as small-scale oil deposits and [[coal]] mining. The area is a little more populated than the central part of the state with the population centered in two areas. First, the Illinois suburbs of St. Louis comprise the second most populous metropolitan area in Illinois with nearly 600,000 inhabitants, and are known collectively as the [[Metro-East]]. The second area is [[Williamson County, Illinois|Williamson County]], [[Jackson County, Illinois|Jackson County]], [[Franklin County, Illinois|Franklin County]], [[Saline County, Illinois|Saline County]] and [[Perry County, Illinois|Perry County]]. It is home to around 210,000 residents.<ref name="Nelson"/>

The region outside of the Chicago Metropolitan area is often described as "downstate Illinois". However, residents of central and southern Illinois view their regions as geographically and culturally distinct, and do not necessarily use this term.

In extreme northwestern Illinois, the [[Driftless Area]], a region of unglaciated and therefore higher and more rugged topography, occupies a small part of the state. [[Charles Mound]], located in this region, has the state's highest elevation above [[sea level]] at 1,235 feet (376&nbsp;m). The highest structure in Illinois is the [[Sears Tower]] with a roof elevation of approximately {{convert|2034|ft|m|0}} above sea level. [Chicago elevation (580 ft) + tower height (1454 ft) = 2034.]

The floodplain on the Mississippi River from [[Alton, Illinois|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 German settlement, as well as the site of the first state capital, at [[Kaskaskia, Illinois|Kaskaskia]] which is separated from the rest of the state by the Mississippi River.<ref name="Nelson"/><ref name="Horsley">{{cite book |last=Horsley |first=A. Doyne |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Illinois: A Geography |year=1986 |publisher= Westview Press|location= Boulder|isbn=0-86531-522-1 }}</ref>

A portion of Southeastern Illinois is part of the extended [[Evansville, Indiana]] Metro Area, commonly referred to as the Tri-State with Indiana and Kentucky. Seven Illinois counties are in the area.

===Climate===
{{Main article|Climate of Illinois}}
Because of its nearly {{convert|400|mi|0}} length and mid-continental situation, Illinois has a widely varying climate. Most of Illinois has a [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Dfa''), with hot, humid summers and cool to cold winters. The southernmost part of the state, from about [[Carbondale, Illinois|Carbondale]] southward, borders on a [[humid subtropical climate]] (Koppen ''Cfa''), with more moderate winters. Average yearly precipitation for Illinois varies from just over {{convert|48|in|0}} at the southern tip to around {{convert|35|in|0}} in the northern portion of the state. Normal annual snowfall exceeds {{convert|38|in|0}} in the Chicago area, while the southern portion of the state normally receives less than {{convert|14|in|0}}.<ref name="Climate_Maps">[http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/atmos/statecli/index.htm Illinois State Climatologist Office]. [http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/atmos/statecli/Mapsv2/mapsv2.htm Climate Maps for Illinois]. Accessed April 22, 2006.</ref> The all time high temperature was {{convert|117|F|0}}, recorded on [[14 July]] [[1954]], at [[East St. Louis, Illinois]], while the all time low temperature was {{convert|-36|F|0}}, recorded on [[05 January]] [[1999]], at [[Congerville, Illinois]].<ref name="NOAA">{{cite web |url=http://www.crh.noaa.gov/product.php?site=LOT&product=PNS&issuedby=LOT|author=NWS Chicago, IL|title=Public Information Statement|date=2005-11-02|accessibly=200-01-15}}</ref>

Illinois averages around 51 days of [[thunderstorm]] activity a year which put it somewhat above average for number of thunderstorm days for the United States. Illinois is vulnerable to tornadoes with an average of 35 occurring annually, which puts much of the state at around 5 tornadoes per {{convert|10000|sqmi|km2|-4}} annually.<ref name="Annual average number of tornadoes"> "[http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/research/tornado/small/avgt5304.gif Annual average number of tornadoes, 1953–2004]", NOAA National Climatic Data Center. Retrieved on October 24, 2006. </ref> The deadliest tornado on record in the nation occurred largely in Illinois. The [[Tri-State Tornado]] of 1925 killed 695 people in three states; 613 of the victims lived in Illinois.<ref name="paddock_nws">{{cite web |url=http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pah/1925/gi_body.php |author=PAH Webmaster |title=NWS Paducah, KY: NOAA/NWS 1925 Tri-State Tornado Web Site -- General Information |date=2005-11-02 |accessibly=2006-11-16}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" align="center" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:120%;background:#E8EAFA;"|Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Illinois Cities
|-
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color: #000000" height="17" | City
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jan
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Feb
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Mar
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Apr
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | May
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jun
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jul
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Aug
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Sep
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Oct
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Nov
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Dec
|-
! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Cairo<ref>"[http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USIL0168 Average Weather for Cairo, IL]",weather.com</ref>
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 41/25
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 47/29
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 57/39
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 69/50
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 77/58
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 86/67
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 90/71
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 88/69
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 81/61
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 71/49
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 57/39
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 46/30
|-
! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Chicago<ref>"[http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-illinois/chicago-weather.asp Chicago Weather]", ustravelweather.com</ref>
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 30/16
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 36/21
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 47/30
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 59/40
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 71/51
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 81/61
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 85/65
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 83/65
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 75/57
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 64/45
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 48/34
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 36/22
|-
! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Moline<ref>"[http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-illinois/moline-weather.asp Moline Weather]", ustravelweather.com</ref>
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 30/12
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 36/18
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 48/29
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 62/39
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 73/50
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 83/60
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 86/64
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 84/62
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 76/53
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 64/42
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 48/30
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 34/18
|-
! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Peoria<ref>"[http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-illinois/peoria-weather.asp Peoria Weather]", ustravelweather.com</ref>
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 31/14
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 37/20
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 49/30
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 62/40
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 73/51
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 82/60
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 86/65
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 84/63
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 77/54
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 64/42
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 49/31
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 36/20
|-
! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Rockford<ref>"[http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-illinois/rockford-weather.asp Rockford Weather]", ustravelweather.com</ref>
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 27/11
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 33/16
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 46/27
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 59/37
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 71/48
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 80/58
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 83/63
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 81/61
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 74/52
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 62/40
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 46/29
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 32/17
|-
! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Springfield<ref>"[http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-illinois/springfield-weather.asp Springfield Weather]", ustravelweather.com</ref>
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 33/17
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 39/22
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 51/32
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 63/42
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 74/53
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 83/62
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 86/66
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 84/64
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 78/55
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 67/44
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 51/34
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 38/23
|-
|}

==Demographics==
[[Image:Illinois population map.png|thumb|Illinois [[Population density|Population Density]] Map]]
As of 2008, Illinois has an estimated population of 12,901,563, which is an increase of 75,754 from the prior year and an increase of 481,903 or 3.9%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 644,967 people; that is, 1,505,709 births minus 860,742 deaths and a decrease due to the net migration of 159,182 people out of the state. International [[Immigration to the United States|immigration]] to the state resulted in an increase of 425,893 people and domestic migration produced a loss of 585,075 people.<ref>{{cite web|title=2008 Population Estimates|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_lang=en&_ts=257358237336&_ds_name=PEP_2008_EST&_program=PEP|work=Annual Population Estimates|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|date=2008|accessdate=2009-04-09}}</ref>

As of the 2007 estimates from the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], there were 1,768,518 foreign-born inhabitants of the state or 13.8% of the population, with 48.4% from [[Latin America]], 24.6% from [[Asia]], 22.8% from [[Europe]], 2.9% from [[Africa]], 1.2% from [[Northern America]] and 0.2% from [[Oceania]]. Of the foreign-born population, 43.7% were [[United States nationality law|naturalized U.S. citizens]] and 56.3% were not U.S. citizens.<ref name="issc">{{cite web|title=Illinois Selected Social Characteristics in the United States: 2007|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-qr_name=ACS_2007_1YR_G00_DP2&-geo_id=04000US17&-ds_name=ACS_2007_1YR_G00_&-_lang=en&-redoLog=false|work=2007 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|date=2007|accessdate=2009-04-09}}</ref> Additionally, the racial distributions were as follows: 65.0% [[White American]], 15.0% [[African American]], 14.9% [[Latino American]], 4.3% [[Asian American]], 0.3% [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian]] and [[Alaska Natives]], and 0.1% [[Native Hawaiians]] and [[Pacific Islander American]].<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=Illinois QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17000.html|work=|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|date=2009-02-20|accessdate=2009-04-09}}</ref> In 2007, 6.9% of Illinois' population was reported as being under age 5, 24.9% under age 18 and 12.1% were age 65 and over. Females made up approximately 50.7% of the population.<ref name="QF" />

According to the 2007 estimates, 21.1% of the population had [[German American|German]] ancestry, 13.3% had [[Irish American|Irish]] ancestry, 7.9% had [[Polish American|Polish]] ancestry, 6.7% had [[English American|English]] ancestry, 6.4% had [[Italian American|Italian]] ancestry, 4.6% listed themselves as [[American (word)|American]], 2.4% had [[Swedish American|Swedish]] ancestry, 2.2% had [[French American|French]] ancestry, other than [[Basque people|Basque]], 1.6% had [[Dutch American|Dutch]] ancestry, 1.4% had [[Norwegian American|Norwegian]] ancestry and 1.3% had [[Scottish American|Scottish]] ancestry.<ref name="issc" /> Also, 21.8% of the population age 5 years and over reported speaking a language other than [[English language|English]], with 12.8% of the population speaking [[Spanish language|Spanish]], 5.6% speaking other [[Indo-European languages]], 2.5% speaking [[Languages of Asia|Asian]] and [[Austronesian languages]], and 0.8% speaking other languages.<ref name="issc" />

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 the counties of the [[Chicago metropolitan area]]: Will, DuPage, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties, as well as Cook County. The remaining population lives in the smaller cities and rural areas that dot the state's plains. As of 2000, the state's [[center of population]] was at {{coord|41.278216|N|88.380238|W|display=inline}}, located in [[Grundy County, Illinois|Grundy County]], northeast of the village of [[Mazon, Illinois|Mazon]].<ref name="Nelson"/><ref name="Biles"/><ref name="Horsley"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Population and Population Centroid by State: 2000|url=http://www.acsm.net/statecenters.html|publisher=American Congress on Surveying & Mapping|date=2008|accessdate=2009-04-09}}</ref>

{| class="toccolours" align="right" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin:0 0 1em 1em; font-size: 75%; clear:right;"
|-
| colspan = "2" bgcolor="#ccccff" align="center" | '''''Religious affiliation'''''<ref name="ARIS">[[Demographics of the United States#Religious affiliation|American Religious Identification Survey]] (ARIS). [http://www.gc.cuny.edu/faculty/research_briefs/aris/key_findings.htm CUNY Key Findings]. 2001.</ref>
|-
|[[Christianity|Christian]]:
|80%
|-
| align="left" style="text-indent:8px" |[[Protestantism|Protestant]]:
|49%
|-
| align="left" style="text-indent:16px" |[[Baptist]]:
|12%
|-
| align="left" style="text-indent:16px" |[[Lutheranism|Lutheran]]:
|7%
|-
| align="left" style="text-indent:16px" |[[Methodism|Methodist]]:
|7%
|-
| align="left" style="text-indent:16px" |[[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]]:
|3%
|-
| align="left" style="text-indent:16px" |Other/general Protestant:
|20%
|-
| align="left" style="text-indent:8px" |[[Roman Catholicism in the United States|Roman Catholic]]:
|30%
|-
|Other Christian:
|1%
|-
|Other religions:
|4%
|-
|Non-religious:
|16%
|}

===Religion===
Catholics and Protestants are the largest religious groups in Illinois. [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholics]], who are heavily concentrated in and around Chicago, account for 30% of the population.<ref>See [http://www.statemaster.com/red/graph/peo_rom_cat_per_of_cat-people-roman-catholicism-percentage-catholics&int=-1&id=IL Statemaster]. Retrieved 29 July 2007.</ref> Chicago and its suburbs are also home to a large and growing population of [[Hinduism|Hindu]]s, [[American Jews|Jews]], [[Muslim]]s, and [[Sikh]]s. The largest denominations by number of adherents in 2000 were the [[Roman Catholic Church]] with 3,874,933; the [[United Methodist Church]] with 365,182; and the [[Southern Baptist Convention]] with 305,838.<ref>http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/state/17_2000.asp</ref>
{{US Demographics}}

==Economy==
{{main|Economy of Illinois}}
[[Image:ChicagoFedblgd.JPG|thumb|The [[Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago]] at the heart of Chicago's financial center.]]

The 2007 total [[List of U.S. states by GDP (nominal)|gross state product]] for Illinois was nearly $609 billion [[United States dollar|USD]],<ref>[[Bureau of Economic Analysis]]. [http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrel/gspnewsrelease.htm Gross State Products]. October 26, 2005.</ref> placing it 5th in the nation. The 2004 per capita income was $34,721 USD.<ref>[[Bureau of Economic Analysis]]. [http://www.bea.gov/bea/newsrelarchive/2006/spi0306.htm State Per Capita Personal Income]. March 28, 2006.</ref>

Illinois's state [[income tax]] is calculated by multiplying [[net income]] by a [[flat fee|flat rate]], currently 3%.<ref>Illinois Department of Revenue. [http://www.revenue.state.il.us/Businesses/TaxInformation/Income/individual.htm Individual Income Tax]. Accessed May 27, 2006.</ref> There are two rates for state [[sales tax]]: 6.25% for general merchandise and 1% for qualifying food, drugs and medical appliances.<ref>Illinois Department of Revenue. [http://www.revenue.state.il.us/Publications/Sales/strrm/04012008/ST-25.pdf Illinois Sales Tax Reference Manual (PDF)]. p133. January 1, 2006.</ref> The [[property tax]] 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{{mdash}} not state{{mdash}} tax, imposed by local government taxing districts, which include counties, [[civil township|township]]s, municipalities, [[school district]]s and special taxation districts. The property tax in Illinois is imposed only on [[real property]].<ref name="Nelson"/><ref name="Biles"/><ref name="Horsley"/>

===Agriculture===
Illinois's agricultural outputs are [[maize|corn]], [[soybean]]s, [[Pig|hog]]s, [[cattle]], dairy products, and [[wheat]]. In most years Illinois is the leading state for the production of soybeans,<ref>"[http://www.soystats.com/2005/page_15.htm State Soy Crop Statistics]", Soy Stats, The American Soybean Association.</ref> with a harvest of 500 million bushels (14 million [[Tonne|metric ton]]s) in 2004. Illinois is ranked second in total corn production.<ref>"[http://www.ilcorn.org/internal.php?q=vprofile&id=90&date=&banner=ethanol Ethanol Fact Sheet]", Illinois Corn Growers Association.</ref> Illinois' universities are actively researching alternative agricultural products as alternative crops.

===Manufacturing===
As of 2003, the leading manufacturing industries in Illinois, based upon value-added, were chemical manufacturing ($16.6 billion), food manufacturing ($14.4 billion), machinery manufacturing ($13.6 billion), fabricated metal products ($10.5 billion), plastics and rubber products ($6.8 billion), transportation equipment ($6.7 billion), and computer and electronic products ($6.4 billion).<ref>"[http://www.commerce.state.il.us/NR/rdonlyres/CA702D14-2D58-4762-A240-BDB2044485A4/0/Manufacturing2006.pdf Manufacturing in Illinois]", Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.</ref>

===Services===
By the early 2000s, Illinois's economy had moved toward a dependence on high-value-added services, such as financial trading, [[higher education]], [[logistics]], and [[medicine]]. In some cases, these services clustered around institutions that hearkened back to Illinois's earlier economies. For example, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, a trading exchange for global [[derivative (finance)|derivatives]], had begun its life as an agricultural [[futures market]]. Other important non-manufacturing industries include publishing, [[petroleum]] and [[coal]].

===Energy===
Illinois is a net importer of fuels for energy, despite large coal resources and some minor oil production. Illinois exports electricity, ranking fifth among states in electricity production and seventh in electricity consumption.<ref name="finley">"[http://www.isgs.uiuc.edu/maps-data-pub/publications/energy01/globalm.shtml Illinois in the Global Energy Marketplace]", [[Robert Finley]], 2001. Illinois State Geological Survey publication.</ref>

====Coal====
About 68% of Illinois has [[coal]]-bearing strata of the [[Pennsylvanian]] geologic period. According to the Illinois State Geological Survey, 211 billion tons of [[bituminous coal]] are estimated to lie under the surface, having a total heating value greater than the estimated oil deposits in the [[Arabian Peninsula]].<ref>[http://www.isgs.uiuc.edu/ Illinois State Geological Survey]. [http://www.isgs.illinois.edu/research/coal/illinois-coal.shtml Coal in Illinois]. Accessed December 4, 2008.</ref> However, this coal has a high [[sulfur]] content, which causes [[acid rain]] unless special equipment is used to reduce [[sulfur dioxide]] [[air pollution|emissions]].<ref name="Nelson"/><ref name="Biles"/><ref name="Horsley"/> Many Illinois power plants are not equipped to burn high-sulfur coal. In 1999, Illinois produced 40.4 million tons of coal, but only 17 million tons (42%) of Illinois coal was consumed in Illinois. Most of the coal produced in Illinois is exported to other states, while much of the coal burned for power in Illinois (21 million tons in 1998) is mined in the [[Powder River Basin]] of [[Wyoming]].<ref name="finley"/>

[[Mattoon, Illinois|Mattoon]] was recently chosen as the site for the [[United States Department of Energy|Department of Energy]]'s [[FutureGen]] project, a 275 megawatt experimental [[zero emission]] coal-burning power plant; however, the DOE has pulled out of the project.

====Petroleum====
Illinois is a leading refiner of [[petroleum]] in the American Midwest, with a combined crude oil distillation capacity of nearly {{convert|900000|oilbbl/d|m3/d}}. However, Illinois has very limited crude oil proved reserves that account for less than 1% of U.S. crude oil proved reserves. Residential heating is 81% [[natural gas]] compared to less than 1% [[heating oil]]. Illinois is ranked 14th in [[List of oil-producing states#North America|oil production]] among states, with a daily output of approximately {{convert|28000|oilbbl|m3}} in 2005.<ref name="EIA_petro">[[United States Department of Energy]]. [http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/state/il.html Petroleum Profile: Illinois]. Accessed April 4, 2006.</ref>

====Nuclear power====
{{main|Nuclear power in the United States}}
[[Image:Byron Nuclear Generating Station.jpg|thumb|[[Byron Nuclear Generating Station]], in [[Ogle County, Illinois|Ogle County]].]]

[[Nuclear power]] arguably began in Illinois with the [[Chicago Pile-1]], the world's first artificial self-sustaining [[nuclear chain reaction]] in the world's first [[nuclear reactor technology|nuclear reactor]], built on the [[University of Chicago]] [[campus]]. With six major [[nuclear power|nuclear power plant]]s ([[Braidwood Nuclear Generating Station|Braidwood]], [[Byron Nuclear Generating Station|Byron]], [[Clinton Nuclear Generating Station|Clinton]], [[Dresden Nuclear Power Plant|Dresden]], [[LaSalle County Generating Station|LaSalle]], and [[Quad Cities Nuclear Generating Station|Quad Cities]]) housing eleven reactors, Illinois is ranked first among the 50 states of the US in nuclear generating capacity.<ref name="EIA_glance"/> In 2005, 48% of Illinois' electricity was generated using nuclear power.<ref name="EIA_glance">[[United States Department of Energy]]. [http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/page/at_a_glance/states/statesil.html Illinois Nuclear Industry]. Accessed April 4, 2006.</ref>

====Wind power====
Illinois has seen growing interest in the use of [[wind power]] for electrical generation.<ref>"Illinois Wind." Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs, [[Western Illinois University]] [http://www.illinoiswind.org/index.asp Illinoiswind.com]</ref> Most of Illinois is rated "fair" for wind energy production by the [[United States Department of Energy|Department of Energy]], with some western sections rated "good" and parts of the south rated "poor".<ref>"[http://www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/windpoweringamerica/where_is_wind_illinois.asp Wind Powering America: Illinois Wind Maps]", 2001. United States Department of Energy.</ref> Currently, there are seven multiple turbine [[wind farm]]s in Illinois with a combined production capacity of approximately 735 [[Watt|megawatt]]s.<ref>"[http://www.awea.org/projects/projects.aspx?s=Illinois Illinois Wind Energy Development]", Wind Project Data Base, American Wind Energy Association.</ref> As of 2006, wind energy represented only a negligible part of Illinois' energy production, and it was estimated that wind power could provide 5-10% of the state's energy needs.<ref>"[http://environmentalalmanac.blogspot.com/2006/09/wind-power-on-illinois-horizon.html Wind Power on the Illinois Horizon]", Rob Kanter, September 14, 2006. University of Illinois Environmental Council.</ref>
In 2007, the [[Illinois General Assembly]] mandated that by 2025, 25% of all electricity generated in Illinois is to come from [[renewable resource]]s.<ref>"[http://centralillinoisproud.com/content/fulltext/?cid=5420 Wind Farm Conference Tackles Complicated Issue]", Lori Olbert, December 13, 2007. [[WYZZ-TV]] / [[WMBD-TV]].</ref>

====Biofuels====
Illinois is ranked second in [[maize|corn]] production among U.S. states, and Illinois corn is used to produce 40% of the ethanol consumed in the United States.<ref>"[http://www.ilcorn.org/Ethanol/EthanolFact/ethanolfact.html Ethanol Fact Sheet]", Illinois Corn Growers Association.</ref> The [[Archer Daniels Midland]] corporation in [[Decatur, Illinois]] is the world's leading producer of ethanol from corn.

[[University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign]] is one of the partners in the [[Energy Biosciences Institute]] (EBI), a $500 million biofuels research project funded by petroleum giant [[BP]].<ref>"[http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7018719 BP Pledges $500 Million for Energy Biosciences Institute and Plans New Business to Exploit Research]", BP.com, June 14, 2006. </ref><ref>"[http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=2&RecNum=5690 Gov. Blagojevich joins Gov. Schwarzenegger, top BP executives to celebrate launch of $500 million biosciences energy research partnership with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, UC-Berkeley]". Press release, Illinois.gov. February 1, 2007.</ref>

==Arts and culture==
===Museums===
Illinois has numerous museums. The state of the art [[Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum]] in Springfield is the largest presidential library in the country; numerous museums in the city of Chicago are considered some of the best in the world. These include the [[Shedd Aquarium|John G. Shedd Aquarium]], the [[Field Museum of Natural History]], the [[Art Institute of Chicago]] and the [[Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago)|Museum of Science and Industry]]. The Museum of Science and Industry is the only building remaining from the 1893 [[World's Columbian Exposition]] held in Chicago to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of the new world.

==Sports==
{{mainlist|List of professional sports teams in Illinois}}
[[Image:SoliderFieldAug2004.jpg|left|thumb|Soldier Field following renovation.]]

Because of its large population, Chicago is the focus of most professional sports in Illinois, though outside of the Chicago area professional teams in St. Louis and Indianapolis are also supported.

The state houses two [[Major League Baseball]] teams. The [[Chicago Cubs]] of the [[National League]] play in the second-oldest major league stadium ([[Wrigley Field]]) and are [[infamy|infamous]] for not winning the [[World Series]] since [[1908 World Series|1908]]. The [[Chicago White Sox]] of the [[American League]] won the [[World Series]] in [[2005 World Series|2005]], their first since [[1917 World Series|1917]]. The [[Chicago Bears]] football team has won nine total [[List of NFL champions|NFL Championships]], the last occurring in [[Super Bowl XX]]. Coincidentally, the city's [[Arena Football League]] team, the [[Chicago Rush]], won [[ArenaBowl XX]]. The [[Chicago Bulls]] of the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] are one of the most recognized [[basketball]] teams in the world, thanks to the heroics of a player often cited as the best ever, [[Michael Jordan]], who led the team to six NBA championships in eight seasons in the 1990s. The [[Chicago Blackhawks]] of the [[National Hockey League|NHL]] began playing in [[1926&ndash;27 NHL season|1926]] as a member of the [[Original Six]] and have won three [[Stanley Cup]]s, most recently in [[1960&ndash;61 NHL season|1961]] (currently the longest Stanley Cup drought of any NHL team). The [[Chicago Fire S.C.|Chicago Fire]] soccer club are members of [[Major League Soccer|MLS]] and are one of the league's most successful and best-supported since its founding in 1997, winning one league and four [[Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup|US Open Cup]]s in that timespan. The [[Chicago Wolves]] are an [[American Hockey League|AHL]] minor league team that is also very popular and has been a winning team since its first season. The [[Chicago Sky]] of the [[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]], and the [[Chicago Bandits]] of the [[National Pro Fastpitch|NPF]] who won their first title in 2008. The city was formerly home to other teams, such as the Chicago Cardinals of the NFL, the Chicago Cougars of the WHA, the Chicago Rockers of the CBA, Chicago Skyliners of the IBL, the [[Chicago Bruisers]] of Arena Football and the [[Chicago Blitz]] of the [[United States Football League|USFL]]. Before the Fire, the [[Chicago Sting]] of [[Major League Soccer]] and the [[Chicago Power]] of the [[Major Indoor Soccer League (2001 – 2008)|MISL]] both spent time as the state's premiere soccer team. The [[Chicago Blaze (ice hockey)|Chicago Blaze]] are another minor league hockey team, playing in the [[All American Hockey League (2008-)|All American Hockey League]], and in 2006 Chicago became home of the first indoor lacrosse team called the [[Chicago Shamrox]] who are part of the [[National Lacrosse League]] (NLL).

Chicago is not the only place in Illinois where sports are played professionally, however. The [[Rockford Lightning]] is one of the oldest [[Continental Basketball Association|CBA]] teams in the league, the [[Peoria Chiefs]] and [[Kane County Cougars]] are minor league baseball teams affiliated with [[Major League Baseball|MLB]], and the [[Schaumburg Flyers]] are a prominent independent league baseball team. In addition to the Chicago Wolves, the AHL has three teams in Illinois outside of Chicago. The [[Rockford IceHogs]] serve as the top minor league affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks, the [[Peoria Rivermen]] are the main farm club of the [[St. Louis Blues (hockey)|St. Louis Blues]], and the [[Quad City Flames]] (based in [[Moline, Illinois|Moline]]) are affiliated with the [[Calgary Flames]].

==Parks and recreation==
{{mainlist|List of protected areas of Illinois}}
The [[Illinois state parks]]' 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: the [[Illinois and Michigan Canal|Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor]] near [[Lockport, Illinois|Lockport]];<ref>{{cite web | title = Illinois & Michigan Canal | publisher = National Park Service | accessdate = 2008-07-15 | url = http://www.nps.gov/ilmi}}</ref> the [[Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail]]; the [[Lincoln Home National Historic Site]] in Springfield; the [[Mormon Trail|Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail]]; the [[Trail of Tears|Trail of Tears National Historic Trail]]; and the American Discovery Trail.<ref>{{cite web|title = Illinois|publisher = National Park Service|accessdate = 2008-07-15|url= http://www.nps.gov/state/il}}</ref>

==Government==
{{see also|Government of Illinois|Illinois state elections, 2006}}
{{Illinois Government}}

Under its constitution, Illinois has three branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial. Legislative functions are granted to the [[Illinois General Assembly]], composed of the 118-member [[Illinois House of Representatives]] and the 59-member [[Illinois Senate]]. The executive branch is led by the [[Governor of Illinois]], but four other executive officials are separately elected by the people. The judiciary is composed of the [[Supreme Court of Illinois]] and the lower [[appellate court|appellate]] and [[circuit court]]s.<ref name="Constitution_1818">[[Wikisource]]. [[s:Illinois Constitution of 1818|Illinois Constitution of 1818]].</ref>

===Politics===
{{see also|Political party strength in Illinois}}
[[Image:Illinoiscapitol.jpg|thumb|left|The dome on the [[Illinois State Capitol]] in Springfield is taller than the dome on the [[United States Capitol]].]]

Historically, Illinois was a major battleground state between the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] and the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]. In recent elections, it has gradually shifted more Democratic at the national and state level and has become a solid Democratic state in the Midwest. Democratic dominance in Illinois is due to the control of Chicago. In addition, Democrats have made inroads in the traditionally Republican "collar counties" (''i.e''., the suburbs surrounding Chicago's [[Cook County, Illinois]]), which are becoming increasingly diverse. Republicans usually prevail in rural northern and central Illinois; Democrats usually win in southern Illinois and in the [[Quad Cities]] and [[East St. Louis, Illinois|East St. Louis]] metropolitan areas. Illinois has voted for Democratic presidential candidates in the last five elections. [[Barack Obama]] easily won the state's 21 electoral votes in 2008, by a margin of 25 percentage points with 61.9% of the vote.

Politics in the state, particularly those of the [[Cook County Democratic Organization|Chicago machine]], have been famous for highly visible corruption cases, as well as for crusading reformers, such as governors [[Adlai Stevenson]] (D) and [[James R. Thompson]] (R). In 2006, former Governor [[George Ryan]] (R) was convicted of racketeering and bribery. In 2008, the former Governor [[Rod Blagojevich]] (D) was served a criminal complaint on corruption charges, stemming from allegations that he conspired to sell the vacated Senate seat left by President [[Barack Obama]] (D) to the highest bidder. In the late 20th century, Congressman [[Dan Rostenkowski]] (D) was imprisoned for mail fraud; former governor and federal judge [[Otto Kerner, Jr.]] (D) was imprisoned for bribery; and State Auditor of Public Accounts (Comptroller) [[Orville Hodge]] (R) was imprisoned for embezzlement. In 1912, William Lorimer, the GOP boss of Chicago, was expelled from the U.S. Senate for bribery and in 1921, Governor [[Len Small]] (R) was found to have defrauded the state of a million dollars.<ref name="Biles"/><ref name="Horsley"/><ref>{{cite book |title= Grafters and Goo Goos: corruption and reform in Chicago, 1833-2003|last= Merriner|first= James L.|authorlink=|year= 2004|publisher= Southern Illinois University Press|location= Carbondale|isbn= 9780809325719|page=|pages=|oclc= 52720998}}</ref>

Illinois has the unique distinction of having popularly elected two of the six [[African Americans]], who have served in the U.S. Senate: [[Carol Moseley Braun|Carol Moseley-Braun]] and [[Barack Obama]].<ref>[http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/history/h_multi_sections_and_teasers/Photo_Exhibit_African_American_Senators.htm U.S. Senate: Art & History Home]</ref> [[Roland Burris]] was appointed to the Senate to replace [[Barack Obama]], who resigned to become president. Illinois has sent more African-Americans to the Senate than any other state, with three in total.

The first Governor was [[Shadrach Bond]], who served from 1818 to 1822.

Three presidents have claimed Illinois as their political base: former Representative of [[Illinois's 7th congressional district]] [[Abraham Lincoln]] (born in Kentucky); General [[Ulysses S. Grant]] (born in Ohio); and the current [[President of the United States]], former Illinois U.S. Senator [[Barack Obama]] (born in [[Honolulu]], [[Hawaii]]). President [[Ronald Reagan]] was born in [[Tampico, Illinois]], but ran from his political home state of California, where he served as Governor. Former Illinois Governor [[Adlai Stevenson]] was the Democratic nominee for president in 1952 and 1956.

===Law enforcement===
{{mainlist|List of law enforcement agencies in Illinois}}
In 2000, Illinois was ranked 4th in the U.S. in number of full-time [[law enforcement officer|sworn officers]] with 321 per 100,000 persons, behind [[Louisiana]] (415), [[New York]] (384), and [[New Jersey]] (345).<ref name="DOJ">http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/ascii/csllea00.txt</ref> In this ranking, only New York had a higher total population than Illinois. Illinois is also near the top of most law enforcement numbers lists, such number of agencies per state, number of agencies with special jurisdictions, and number of local police agencies.<ref name="DOJ"/> Even taking into account that Illinois is the fifth most populous state, many of the ratios are higher than more populated states. There is much overlap in jurisdiction between the different law enforcement agencies.

At the state level, there are at least eleven law enforcement agencies. At the county level, there are county [[sheriffs]], [[Police in the United States#Forest Preserve Police|forest preserve police]] and many [[Police in the United States#Other|specialized police]] forces. At the local level, most cities and many villages have municipal [[police]] forces, [[List of law enforcement agencies in Illinois#Park District Police Agencies|park district police]] forces, and even local specialized police forces. Many colleges also have their own police or public safety forces that have full police power on campus.

==Education==
===Illinois State Board of Education===
{{main|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 kindergarten through the twelfth grade in Illinois, commonly but not exclusively divided into three tiers of [[primary education|primary]] and [[secondary education]]: [[elementary school]], [[middle school]] or [[Middle school|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===
{{mainlist|List of colleges and universities in Illinois}}
Using the criterion established by [[the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching]], there are eleven "National Universities" in the state. Three of these rank among the top 100 National Universities in the United States, as determined by the ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' rankings: the [[University of Chicago]] (8), [[Northwestern University]] (12) and the [[University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign]] (40).<ref name=usnews>{{cite web|url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/national-search/state+IL|title=National Universities Rankings|accessdate=2009-03-15|work=Best Colleges 2009|publisher=U.S. News & World Report|date=2008-08-21}}</ref> The other eight National Universities, including two more that rank in the top 120 are: [[Illinois Institute of Technology]] (102), [[Loyola University Chicago]] (116), [[DePaul University]], [[Illinois State University]], [[Southern Illinois University]], the [[University of Illinois at Chicago]], [[Northern Illinois University]] and [[Trinity International University]].<ref name=usnews/>

Besides the "National Universities", Illinois has several other major universities and colleges, both public and private, including: [[Eastern Illinois University]], [[Northeastern Illinois University]], [[Western Illinois University]], [[Columbia College Chicago]], [[Bradley University]], [[Roosevelt University]], [[Chicago State University]] and [[Robert Morris College]]. There are also dozens of small [[liberal arts college]]s across the state. Additionally, Illinois supports 49 public [[community college]]s in the [[Illinois Community College System]].

==Infrastructure==
===Transportation===
{{see also|List of airports in Illinois|List of Illinois Routes|List of Illinois railroads|Category:Illinois waterways}}
[[Image:CurrentIllinoisPlate.gif|thumb|The sample version of the current Illinois passenger [[Vehicle registration plate|license plate]], introduced in 2001.]]

Because of its central location and its proximity to the [[Rust Belt]] and [[Grain Belt]], Illinois is a national crossroads for air, auto, rail and truck traffic.

Chicago's [[O'Hare International Airport]] (ORD) is one of the busiest airports in the world, with 59.3 million domestic passengers annually, along with 11.4 million international passengers in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|title=O'Hare International Airport Activity Statistics|url=http://www.flychicago.com/Statistics/stats/1208ORDSUMMARY-REVISED.pdf|work=FlyChicago.com|publisher=City of Chicago|date=2009-03-27|accessdate=2009-04-10}}</ref> It is a major [[airline hub|hub]] for [[United Airlines]] and [[American Airlines]], and a major airport expansion project is currently underway. [[Chicago Midway International Airport]] (MDW) is the secondary airport in the Chicago metropolitan area, serving 17.3 million domestic and international passengers in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|title=Midway Airport Activity Statistics|url=http://www.flychicago.com/Statistics/stats/1208SUMMARYRevised.pdf|work=FlyChicago.com|publisher=City of Chicago|date=2009-01-30|accessdate=2009-04-10}}</ref>

Illinois has an extensive passenger and freight [[rail transport]]ation network. Chicago is a national [[Amtrak]] hub and in-state passengers are served by Amtrak's [[Illinois Service]], featuring the Chicago to Carbondale [[Illini (Amtrak)|''Illini'']] and [[Saluki (Amtrak)|''Saluki'']], the Chicago to Quincy [[Carl Sandburg (Amtrak)|''Carl Sandburg'']] and ''[[Illinois Zephyr]]'', and the Chicago to St. Louis ''[[Lincoln Service]]''. Currently there is trackwork on the Chicago-St. Louis line to bring the maximum speed up to {{convert|110|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} which would reduce the trip time by an hour and a half. Nearly every North American railway meets at Chicago, making it one of the largest and most active rail hubs in the world. Extensive commuter rail is provided in the city proper and immediate northern suburbs by the [[Chicago Transit Authority]]'s [[Chicago 'L'|'L']] system. The largest suburban commuter rail system in the United States, operated by [[Metra]], uses existing rail lines to provide direct commuter rail access for hundreds of suburbs to the city and beyond.

Major U.S. Interstate highways crossing the state include:
[[Interstate 24|I-24]], [[Interstate 39|I-39]], [[Interstate 55|I-55]], [[Interstate 57|I-57]], [[Interstate 64|I-64]], [[Interstate 70|I-70]], [[Interstate 72|I-72]], [[Interstate 74|I-74]], [[Interstate 80|I-80]], [[Interstate 88 (west)|I-88]], [[Interstate 90|I-90]], and [[Interstate 94|I-94]]. Illinois carries the distinction of having the most primary (2-digit) Interstates pass through it among the 50 states. In 2007, there were 1,248 traffic fatalities on Illinois roadways, the fewest since 1924.<ref name="Nelson"/><ref name="Biles"/><ref name="Horsley"/><ref>{{cite web|title=2007 Illinois Crash Facts & Statistics|url=http://www.dot.il.gov/travelstats/07crashfacts.pdf|publisher=Illinois Dept. of Transportation|date=2007|accessdate=2009-04-10}}</ref>

In addition to the state's rail lines, the [[Mississippi River]] and [[Illinois River]] provide major transportation routes for the state's agricultural interests. [[Lake Michigan]] connects Illinois to all waterways east.

===Urban areas===
{{see also|List of cities in Illinois|List of towns and villages in Illinois}}

<div style="float:right; width=50%; height:50%; padding-left:12px;">
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Rank !! City !!Population (2007 est.)!! Image
|-
| align = center | 1
| [[Chicago]]
| align = center |2,836,658
|[[File:BuildingsLiningChicagoRiver.jpg|180px]]
|-
| align = center | 2
| [[Aurora, Illinois|Aurora]]
| align = center | 170,855
|[[File:Aurora Stolp Island Fox R.JPG|180px]]
|-
| align = center | 3
| [[Rockford, Illinois|Rockford]]
| align = center| 156,596
|[[File:RockfordJeffersonStreetBridge.jpg|180px]]
|-
| align = center | 4
| [[Joliet, Illinois|Joliet]]
| align = center| 144,316
|[[File:JTown.JPG|180px]]
|-
| align = center | 5
| [[Naperville, Illinois|Naperville]]
| align = center| 142,479
|[[File:City of Naperville City Hall main entrance.jpg|180px]]
|-
| align = center | 6
| [[Springfield, Illinois|Springfield]]
| align = center| 117,090
|[[File:Downtown Springfield.JPG|180px]]
|-
| align = center | 7
| [[Peoria, Illinois|Peoria]]
| align = center| 113,546
|[[File:Peoria City Hall.JPG|180px]]
|-
| align = center | 8
| [[Elgin, Illinois|Elgin]]
| align = center| 104,288
|}
</div>

[[Chicago]] is the largest city in the state and the [[List of United States cities by population|third most populous]] city in the [[United States]], with its 2007 estimated population of 2,836,658. The [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]] currently lists seven other cities with populations of over 100,000 within Illinois. Based upon the Census Bureau's official 2007 scientific estimates,<ref>{{cite web|title=Illinois -- Place and County Subdivision, GCT-T1-R. Population Estimates|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-state=gct&-context=gct&-ds_name=PEP_2007_EST&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-T1-R&-CONTEXT=gct&-mt_name=&-tree_id=807&-redoLog=true&-_caller=geoselect&-geo_id=04000US17&-format=ST-9S&-_lang=en|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|date=2007|accessdate=2009-04-10}}</ref> they are: [[Aurora, Illinois|Aurora]], a Chicago [[outlier]], which at 170,855 has recently (2006) eclipsed [[Rockford, Illinois|Rockford]] for the title of "Second City" of Illinois. However, at 156,596, Rockford is not only the number three city, but also remains the largest city in the state not located within the Chicago metropolitan area. [[Joliet, Illinois|Joliet]], a large city located southwest of Chicago, is the fourth largest city in the state, with a population of 144,316. It is also one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. [[Naperville, Illinois|Naperville]], a suburb of Chicago, is fifth with 142,479, it shares its western border with the state's second largest city, [[Aurora, Illinois|Aurora]], along [[Illinois Route 59]]. [[Springfield, Illinois|Springfield]], the state capital of Illinois, comes in sixth with 117,090. [[Peoria, Illinois|Peoria]], which decades ago was the second largest city in the state, comes in seventh with 113,546. The final city in the 100,000 club is [[Elgin, Illinois|Elgin]], an outlying northwest suburb of Chicago with a 2007 estimated population of 104,288. Other major urban areas include the Illinois portion of [[Greater St. Louis]] (often called the [[Metro-East]] area), which has a population of over 691,000 people, the Illinois portion of the [[Quad Cities]] area, which has a population of 215,000, the [[Champaign-Urbana Metropolitan Area]], which has a combined population of 210,000 and the [[Bloomington-Normal, Illinois|Bloomington-Normal]] area with a combined population of over 125,000.

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin|2}}
* {{cite book |title= Illinois: a history of the land and its people|last= Biles|first= Roger|authorlink=|year= 2005|publisher= [[Northern Illinois University Press]]|location= DeKalb|isbn= 9780875803494|page=|pages=|oclc=58526330}}
* {{cite book |title= Illinois: its history & legacy|last1= Bridges|first1= Roger D.|authorlink1=|last2= Davis|first2= Rodney O.|authorlink2=|year= 1984|publisher= River City Publishers|location= St. Louis|isbn= 0933150865|page=|pages=|oclc= 11814096}}
* {{cite book |title= The era of the Civil War, 1848-1870|last= Cole|first= Arthur Charles|year= 1987|origyear= 1919|publisher= University of Illinois Press|location= Urbana|isbn= 9780252013393|page=|pages=|oclc= 14130434}}
* {{cite journal|last= Costa|first= David J.|year= 2007|month= January|title= Illinois|journal= Society for the Study of the Indigenous Languages of the Americas Newsletter|volume= 25|issue= 4|pages= 9-12|issn= 1046-4476|url= http://myaamia.strackattack.com/OtherFiles/CostaNewsletter.pdf#page=9|format= PDF|accessdate= 2009-01-28}}
* {{Cite book|last= Davis|first= James E.|authorlink=|title=Frontier Illinois|date=1998|publisher= [[Indiana University Press]]|location=Bloomington|isbn=0-253-33423-3|oclc= 39182546}}
* {{Cite book|author=Gove, Samuel Kimball; Nowlan, James Dunlap|authorlink=|coauthors=|title=Illinois politics & government: the expanding metropolitan frontier|date=1996|publisher=[[University of Nebraska Press]]|location=Lincoln|isbn=0-8032-7014-3|oclc=33407256}}
* {{Cite book|author=Grossman, James R.; Keating, Ann Durkin; Reiff, Janice L.|authorlink=|coauthors=|title=Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago|date=2005|origyear=2004|edition=Online|publisher=[[Chicago Historical Society]], Newberry Library|location=Chicago|isbn=0-226-31015-9|url=http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/|accessdate= 2009-01-28|oclc=60342627}}
* {{cite book|title=Illinois literature: the nineteenth century|editor=Hallwas, John E.|year=1986|publisher=Illinois Heritage Press|location=Macomb|oclc=14228886}}
* {{Cite book|last=Howard|first=Robert P.|authorlink=|title=Illinois; a history of the Prairie State|date=1972|publisher=W. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co|location=Grand Rapids|isbn=0-8028-7025-2|oclc=495362}}
* {{Cite book|last=Jensen|first=Richard E.|title=Illinois: a history|date=2001|publisher=[[University of Illinois Press]]|location=Urbana|isbn=978-0-252-07021-1|oclc=46769728}}
* {{Cite book|last=Keiser|first=John H.|title=Building for the centuries: Illinois, 1865 to 1898|date=1977|publisher=University of Illinois Press|location=Urbana|isbn=978-0-252-00617-3|oclc=2798051}}
* {{cite book|title=Illinois; History, government, geography|last1=Kilduff|first1=Dorrell|last2=Pygman|first2=C. H.|year=1962|publisher=Follett|location=Chicago|isbn=|oclc=5223888}}
* {{Cite book|last=Kleppner|first=Paul|title=Political atlas of Illinois|date=1988|publisher=Northern Illinois University Press|location=DeKalb|isbn=978-0-87580-136-0|oclc=16755435}}
* {{cite book|title=Grafters and Goo Goos: corruption and reform in Chicago, 1833-2003|last=Merriner|first= James L.|year=2004|publisher=[[Southern Illinois University Press]]|location=Carbondale|isbn=9780809325719|oclc=52720998}}
* {{Cite book|last=Meyer|first=Douglas K.|title=Making the heartland quilt: a geographical history of settlement and migration in early-nineteenth-century Illinois|date=2000|publisher=Southern Illinois University Press|location=Carbondale|isbn=978-0-585-37905-0|url=http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=65659204|oclc=48139026}}
* {{Cite book|last=Peck|first=John Mason|authorlink=John Mason Peck|url=http://www.worldcat.org/wcpa/oclc/300889206?page=frame&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DY5pKAAAAMAAJ%26checksum%3D8b8c2da173569b9ff33410019959caef&title=&linktype=digitalObject&detail=|title=A Gazetteer of Illinois, in Three Parts: Containing a General View of the State, a General View of Each County, and a Particular Description of Each (Heritage Classic)|date=1993|origyear=1837|publisher=Heritage Books|edition=2nd|accessdate=2009-03-23|location=Bowie, MD|isbn=1-55613-782-6|oclc=300889206}}
* {{Cite book|last=Sutton|first=Robert P.|title=The Prairie State; a documentary history of Illinois|date=1976|publisher=Eerdmans|location=Grand Rapids|isbn=0-8028-1651-7|oclc=2603998}}
* {{Cite book|last=Walton|first=Clyde C.|title=An Illinois reader|date=1970|publisher=Northern Illinois University Press|location=DeKalb|isbn=978-0-87580-014-1|oclc=89905}}
* {{Cite book|last=Works Progress Administration|first=|authorlink=Works Progress Administration|title=The WPA guide to Illinois: the Federal Writers' Project guide to 1930s Illinois|date=1983|origyear=1939|publisher=Pantheon Books|location=New York|isbn=978-0-394-72195-8|oclc=239788752}}
{{refend}}

==See also==
{{portal|Illinois|IL-icon.png}}
* '''[[List of Illinois-related topics]]'''
<!-- Please place links to all topics directly related to the State of Illinois in the [[List of Illinois-related topics]] -->

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
<!-- Please do not list external links that belong in the references section -->
{{sisterlinks|Illinois}}
* {{dmoz|Regional/North_America/United_States/Illinois}}
* [http://www.illinois.gov State of Illinois official website]
* [http://www.enjoyillinois.com Illinois Bureau of Tourism official website]
* [http://www.usgs.gov/state/state.asp?State=IL Illinois: Science In Your Backyard]{{ndash}} USGS
* [http://wikis.ala.org/godort/index.php/Illinois Illinois State Agency Databases]{{ndash}} compiled by the Government Documents Round Table (GODORT) of the American Library Association
* [http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/state_energy_profiles.cfm?sid=IL Illinois State Energy Profile]{{ndash}} DOE, Energy Information Administration
* [http://www.ers.usda.gov/StateFacts/Il.htm Illinois: State Fact Sheets]{{ndash}} USDA, Economic Research Service
* [http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/states/illinois// Illinois State Guide]{{ndash}} LOC, Virtual Programs & Services
* [http://history.rays-place.com/il/1837/index.htm ''A Gazetteer of Illinois, In Three Parts.'']{{ndash}} By: J. M. Peck, A. M.; Published by: Grigg & Elliot, Philadelphia 1837
* [http://www.onlinebiographies.info/gov/il/index.htm Biographies Of Governors of Illinois: 1818 to 1885]{{ndash}} compiled by OnlineBiographies.info
* [http://www.n9jig.com Illinois Highways Page]{{ndash}} by Richard Carlson

{{-}}
{{succession|preceded=[[Mississippi]]|office=[[List of U.S. states by date of statehood]]|years=Admitted on December 3, 1818 (21st)|succeeded=[[Alabama]]}}
{{Illinois|expand}}
{{IL cities and mayors of 100,000 population}}
{{United States}}
{{coord|display=title|40|N|89|W|region:US-IL_type:adm1st_scale:3000000}}

[[Category:Illinois| ]]
[[Category:States of the United States]]
[[Category:Midwestern United States]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1818]]

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[[iu:ᐄᓚᓄᐃᔅ/iilanuis]]
[[ik:Illinois]]
[[os:Иллинойс]]
[[is:Illinois]]
[[it:Illinois]]
[[he:אילינוי]]
[[jv:Illinois]]
[[pam:Illinois]]
[[ka:ილინოისი]]
[[kw:Illinois]]
[[sw:Illinois]]
[[ht:Ilinwa]]
[[ku:Illinois]]
[[lad:Illinois]]
[[la:Illinoesia]]
[[lv:Ilinoisa]]
[[lt:Ilinojus]]
[[lij:Illinois]]
[[hu:Illinois]]
[[mk:Илиноис]]
[[mg:Illinois]]
[[ml:ഇല്ലിനോയി]]
[[mi:Illinois]]
[[mr:इलिनॉय]]
[[ms:Illinois]]
[[mn:Иллиной]]
[[nl:Illinois (staat)]]
[[ja:イリノイ州]]
[[no:Illinois]]
[[nn:Illinois]]
[[oc:Illinois]]
[[uz:Illinoys]]
[[pms:Illinois]]
[[nds:Illinois]]
[[pl:Illinois]]
[[pt:Illinois]]
[[ro:Illinois (stat SUA)]]
[[ru:Иллинойс (штат)]]
[[sq:Illinois]]
[[scn:Illinois]]
[[simple:Illinois]]
[[sk:Illinois]]
[[sl:Illinois]]
[[szl:Illinois]]
[[sr:Илиноис]]
[[sh:Illinois]]
[[fi:Illinois]]
[[sv:Illinois]]
[[tl:Ilinoy]]
[[ta:இலினொய்]]
[[th:รัฐอิลลินอยส์]]
[[tr:Illinois]]
[[uk:Іллінойс]]
[[ur:الینوائے]]
[[ug:Illinoyiz Shitati]]
[[vi:Illinois]]
[[vo:Illinois]]
[[war:Illinois]]
[[wuu:伊利诺斯州]]
[[yi:אילינויס]]
[[diq:İllinois]]
[[bat-smg:Ėlėnojos]]
[[zh:伊利诺伊州]]

Revision as of 20:10, 29 April 2009

Illinois is a hellhole state that is filled to the brim with corruption, both democrat and republican, and devoid of all friendliness. Stay out of Illinois at all costs!!!

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