Illinois Summary

Illinois, “The Prairie State,” covers 55,593 square miles, making it the 24th-largest state in America. It has a population of more than 12.4 million, which ranks it fifth in the nation. It shares its borders with Wisconsin to the north, Indiana to the east, Kentucky to the southeast, and Iowa and Missouri to the west (separated by the Mississippi River). As befits its nickname, much of Illinois is rather flat. Most elevations are below 400 feet, with only a few spots in the northwestern and southern parts of the state rising above 1,000 feet.

Agriculture has always been an important staple of the state’s economy, and today Illinois is one of the leading producers of corn and soybeans in the world. Wheat, beans, and dairy products are also important. Manufacturing is critical to the state’s economy, with machinery, electronic equipment, and chemical products among the major entities.

Springfield is the state capital, while Chicago is the largest city. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago is one of the world’s most beautiful and resourceful cities. Because of its location along the lake’s shores and right in the center of the country, Chicago is one of the transportation leaders in the United States — more railroad tracks are located here than anywhere else in America. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world.

Leading educational institutions in Illinois include the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, Northwestern University in Evanston, and the University of Chicago. Founded by John D. Rockefeller of Standard Oil fame (the Rockefeller Chapel is an awe-inspiring Gothic work), the university has produced more Nobel Prize winners in several fields (literature, economics, and chemistry) than any other institution. The nuclear age was born here with the first chain reaction taking place in 1942.