Member State of the United States of America. Located southeast of Lake Michigan and on the left bank of the Mississippi River, it covers an area of 146,976 km 2 and has a population of 12,760,700 residents (2004). It borders the states of Wisconsin to the north, Iowa to the northwest, Missouri to the west, Kentucky to the south and Indiana to the east. The capital is the city of Springfield.
Illinois, which stretches from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River, consists of huge, fertile areas of arable land, the gigantic Chicago, hilly lowlands and in the south of the mountains and valleys of the Ozark Mountains. It has a 6,900 km long picturesque shoreline, 1,100 historical sites and nature reserves, which together are more than 2,000 km 2 in size.
Abraham Lincoln, lawyer and 16th President of the United States, spent most of his professional and political life in Illinois.
The “Windy City”, as Chicago is called, is one of the most important commercial, industrial and logistics centers in the world and the birthplace of the skyscraper. The Lake Michigan, on the other hand, on which Chicago is located, offers sandy beaches, hundreds of parks, ports, zoos and large forest conservation areas.
The residents of “Chicagoland” speak more than 50 languages, making Chicago the most ethnically diverse city in the United States. For visitors, Chicago is the gateway to the cities and rural areas of Illinois and Indiana and the recreation areas of Wisconsin.
According to acronymmonster, the nickname of Illinois is Prairie State.
Important facts
Land area: 144,123 sq km.
Population: 12,671,821 (2019 estimate)
Population density: 89 per sq. Km.
Capital: Springfield.
Weather and climate
Very different with hot summers and, especially in the north, very cold winters with high wind speeds, which make the temperatures appear even colder. The humidity is highest in the summer on the big lakes.
Geography
Illinois stretches from Lake Michigan to Mississippi and includes vast areas of fertile farmland, the city of Chicago, gentle glacial plains and the hills and valleys of the Illinois Ozarks to the south.
Attractions in Illinois
Chicago
The Windy City is one of the largest trade, industrial and transport centers in the world and birthplace of the skyscraper. Nevertheless, there are numerous sandy beaches, hundreds of parks, small harbors, zoos and large forest reserves on the shores of Lake Michigan. With a population of approximately 8.5 million, the city is the center of the Midwest. It offers over 69,000 hotel rooms in the business and airport district alone. For visitors to the USA, Chicago is a gateway to the states of Illinois and Indiana with their rural areas and cities, or to the recreation areas in Wisconsin.
The Museum of Science and Industry has over 2000 exhibits. The Field Museum of Natural History tracks the evolution of the universe from its beginnings 4.5 billion years ago to the present day. Also worth seeing are the Art Institute of Chicago, Brookfield Zoo, Tropic World, Seven Seas Panorama and the Six Flags Great America Amusement Park. Many Chicago skyscrapers, such as the Sears Tower and the John Hancock Center, have lookout towers. The Visitor Welcome Center (open daily) is housed in the old water tower, a symbol of the city that survived the great fire of 1871. The Chicago Historical Society
is dedicated to documenting Chicago’s multicultural history and illustrating it through numerous exhibitions, seminars and online projects. A research and information center and a museum are connected (opening hours: Mon-Sat 9.30am-4.30pm, Sun 12.00pm-5.00pm). Address: Clark Street at North Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60614-6071. Tel: (0312) 642 46 00. Fax: (0312) 266 20 77. (E-Mail: info@chicagohistory.org, Internet: www.chicagohistory.org)
Prairie du Rocher, Kaskaskia and Galena
South Illinois was one of the first French settlement areas in North America. You can experience the colorful heritage in the cities of Prairie du Rocher and Kaskaskia. The Shawnee National Forest extends across the lower regions of Illinois with large wilderness areas and many tourist spots. Fort Crevecoeur in the west is a replica of a French outpost. To the north is Galena, a Victorian city with numerous historical sights and tourist facilities. The Starved Rock State Park & Lodge offers hiking, picnics and boat trips from May to September.
Springfield
Springfield is the capital of Illinois. Here
Abraham married Lincoln and began his career as a lawyer.
Attractions include Lincoln’s Tomb and the Illinois State Museum. The New Salem State Park is near an amusement park in the style of pioneer days at Lincoln’s times.
