Illinois ( IL-ə-NOY) is a state in the Midwestern United States. It is one of the 50 states in the United States. Illinois has a very diverse economy. This is because it has a big city (Chicago), many farms, and natural resources like coal.

Because of its central spot, Illinois is a major transportation hub. The Port of Chicago connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the Great Lakes. It also connects to the Gulf of Mexico through the Mississippi River. Chicago's O'Hare International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world.

Illinois has been called a "microcosm" of the U.S. This means it has a little bit of everything. It often shows what is happening across the country.

Long ago, different Native American groups lived in Illinois. The French were the first Europeans to arrive in the 1600s. They called the area Illinois Country. After the American Revolutionary War, American settlers moved in. Illinois became a state in 1818.

The Erie Canal helped Chicago grow quickly. It became a major city because of its location on Lake Michigan. The invention of the steel plow by John Deere made Illinois farmland very productive. This brought many immigrants from Germany and Sweden. The Illinois and Michigan Canal and railroads also helped trade and settlement.

By 1900, many people moved to Illinois for factory and coal mining jobs. These jobs attracted immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe. Illinois became an important manufacturing center. The Great Migration brought many African Americans to Chicago. They helped create the city's famous jazz and blues music. Today, the Chicagoland area has about 65% of the state's population.

Three U.S. presidents lived in Illinois when they were elected. These were Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Barack Obama. Ronald Reagan was also born and grew up in Illinois. Today, Illinois is known as the "Land of Lincoln." This slogan has been on its license plates since 1954.

Understanding the Name "Illinois"
Illinois History: A Journey Through Time
Illinois Geography: Land and Regions
How Illinois is Governed
People and Cultures of Illinois
Illinois Economy: How the State Makes Money
Getting Around Illinois: Transportation
Arts and Culture in Illinois
- Museums and Zoos
- Music Scene in Illinois
Learning in Illinois: Schools and Universities
Images for kids
See also

Understanding the Name "Illinois"

The name "Illinois" comes from early French explorers. They used it for the Native American people called the Illinois. The name was spelled in many different ways back then.

Illinois History: A Journey Through Time

Early People in Illinois

Mississippian copper plate found in Union County, Illinois.

Native American groups lived in Illinois for thousands of years. They lived along the rivers and waterways. The Koster Site shows people lived there for 7,000 years straight.

Cahokia was a very large ancient city. It was built by the Mississippian culture near Collinsville, Illinois. They built over 100 large mounds and a huge plaza. Monks Mound is the biggest ancient structure north of Mexico.

European Explorers and First Settlements

Illinois in 1718, shown on an old French map.

French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet explored the Illinois River in 1673. Later, French explorers built forts near Peoria, Illinois and Starved Rock State Park. Illinois was part of the French colony of La Louisiane. In 1763, it became British land after a war.

Illinois Becomes a State

In 1818, Illinois became the 21st U.S. state. The first capital was Kaskaskia. Then, Vandalia, Illinois became the capital. Finally, in 1837, Springfield, Illinois became the capital. This happened thanks to Abraham Lincoln, who was a state lawmaker then. The current capitol building was built in 1867.

In 1832, the Black Hawk War took place. It was between the U.S. and Native American tribes like the Sauk and Fox. This war ended Native American resistance in the Chicago area.

Chicago grew very fast in the 1800s. It became a major port on the Great Lakes. It also became a big railroad center. By 1857, Chicago was the largest city in Illinois. As mines and factories grew, labor unions started forming in the state.

Illinois During and After the Civil War

Union soldiers leaving Cairo, Illinois in 1862.

During the American Civil War, Illinois sent many soldiers to fight. Over 250,000 men from Illinois joined the Union Army. This was the fourth highest number of soldiers from any state.

After the Civil War, Chicago's population grew even more. This made it an even more important city.

Illinois in the 20th Century

The first McDonald's restaurant, now a museum, in Des Plaines, Illinois.

By 1900, Illinois had almost 5 million people. Many people moved there for jobs in factories and mines. Immigrants from Europe and African Americans from the South came to the state. Illinois became one of the most important states in the country. By the end of the century, the population reached 12.4 million.

Illinois was very important during World War II. It made a lot of military equipment. In 1959, the Saint Lawrence Seaway opened. This connected Chicago to the Atlantic Ocean.

In 1960, Ray Kroc opened the first McDonald's franchise in Des Plaines, Illinois. It is now a museum.

Illinois also played a big part in the nuclear age. Fermilab, a research center, opened in 1967. It had the world's largest particle accelerator for over 40 years. Today, Illinois gets a lot of its electricity from nuclear power plants.

Illinois Geography: Land and Regions

Map of Illinois showing major cities and roads.

Illinois is in the Midwestern United States. It is also part of the Great Lakes region.

Land Features of Illinois

Charles Mound, the highest point in Illinois.

Illinois is mostly flat, but it has some hills. In the northwest, there is the Driftless Area. This area was not covered by glaciers. So, it has higher, more rugged land. Charles Mound is in this area. It is the highest point in Illinois at 1235 feet. The Shawnee Hills are in the south. The Illinois River cuts through the state.

Main Regions of Illinois

Chicago on Lake Michigan is a very large city.

Illinois has three main geographic areas:

Northern Illinois is mostly the Chicagoland area. This includes Chicago and its many suburbs.
Central Illinois is the middle part of the state. It has a lot of prairie land. It is known for its small towns and medium-sized cities.
Southern Illinois is south of U.S. Route 50. It is sometimes called Little Egypt. This area has a warmer winter climate. It also has different crops and more rugged hills. There are also small oil and coal deposits here.

Illinois Climate and Weather

The lowest point in Illinois is near Cairo.

Illinois has a climate that changes a lot during the year. It has hot, humid summers and cold winters. This is because it is far from the ocean.

Illinois gets about 51 days of thunderstorms each year. It also gets about 35 tornadoes annually. Some of the deadliest tornadoes in history have happened in Illinois.

How Illinois is Governed

Gfp-illinois-springfield-capitol-and-sky

The Illinois State Capitol building in Springfield, Illinois.

The government of Illinois has three parts:

Executive Branch: This branch carries out the laws. The Governor is the chief leader.
Legislative Branch: This branch makes the laws. It is called the Illinois General Assembly. It has two parts: the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate.
Judicial Branch: This branch interprets the laws. It includes the Supreme Court of Illinois and other courts.

The Illinois House of Representatives.

Illinois is divided into 102 counties. These counties are further divided into smaller areas like townships and cities.

People and Cultures of Illinois

In 2020, Illinois had about 12.8 million people. It is the sixth largest state by population. Most people live in the Chicago area. About 65% of the state's people live in Chicagoland.

Map showing how people are spread out in Illinois in 2020.

Illinois is one of the most diverse states in the Midwest. It has many different racial and ethnic groups. It also has a mix of city and country living.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1800	2,458	—
1810	12,282	399.7%
1820	55,211	349.5%
1830	157,445	185.2%
1840	476,183	202.4%
1850	851,470	78.8%
1860	1,711,951	101.1%
1870	2,539,891	48.4%
1880	3,077,871	21.2%
1890	3,826,352	24.3%
1900	4,821,550	26.0%
1910	5,638,591	16.9%
1920	6,485,280	15.0%
1930	7,630,654	17.7%
1940	7,897,241	3.5%
1950	8,712,176	10.3%
1960	10,081,158	15.7%
1970	11,113,976	10.2%
1980	11,426,518	2.8%
1990	11,430,602	0.0%
2000	12,419,293	8.6%
2010	12,830,632	3.3%
2020	12,812,508	−0.1%
2024 (est.)	12,710,158	−0.9%
Source: 1910–2020

Cities and Towns in Illinois

Chicago is the largest city in Illinois. It is also the third largest city in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau lists seven other cities in Illinois with over 100,000 people.

Aurora is the second largest city.
Rockford is the third largest.
Joliet is the fourth largest.
Naperville is fifth.
Springfield, the state capital, is sixth.
Peoria is seventh.
Elgin is eighth.

The largest city in southern Illinois is Belleville. It is part of the Metro-East area near St. Louis.

Largest cities or towns in Illinois 2019 U.S. Census Bureau Estimate
Rank	Name	Pop.
1	Chicago	2,693,976
2	Aurora	197,757
3	Naperville	148,449
4	Joliet	147,344
5	Rockford	145,609
6	Springfield	114,230
7	Elgin	110,849
8	Peoria	110,417
9	Champaign	88,909
10	Waukegan	86,075

Languages Spoken in Illinois

English is the official language of Illinois. Most people in Illinois speak English. About 20% of people speak another language at home. Spanish is the most common other language. Many people in the Chicago area also speak Polish.

Religions in Illinois

Religion in Illinois (2014) Protestantism (43%) Roman Catholicism (28%) No religion (22%) Judaism (2%) Islam (1%) Buddhism (1%) Hinduism (1%) Other religion (1%) No response given/Unknown (1%)

The largest single religious group in Illinois is Roman Catholics. They are mostly in and around Chicago. However, if you combine all the different Protestant groups, they make up a larger percentage.

The Baháʼí House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois.

Illinois also has many followers of other faiths. These include Muslims, Baháʼís, and Jewish people. The largest and oldest Baháʼí House of Worship in the world is in Wilmette, Illinois. Chicago also has large communities of Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists.

Illinois Economy: How the State Makes Money

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in Chicago.

Illinois has a very strong economy. It is one of the top states in the U.S. for its total economic output.

Farming in Illinois

Illinois is a major farming state. Its main crops are corn and soybeans. It also raises hogs and cattle. Illinois is often first or second in the U.S. for soybean production. It is second for corn production. The state also makes a lot of ethanol from corn. Illinois is a leader in food making and meat processing. The Chicago area is a global center for these industries. Illinois also produces wine and fruits like peaches and apples.

Making Things in Illinois

Illinois is a top state for manufacturing. This means it makes many different products. In 2006, manufacturing added over $107 billion to the state's economy. Many factories are in the Chicago area. Top industries include chemicals, machinery, food, and metal products.

Services and Investments

Illinois's economy now relies a lot on high-value services. These include financial trading, higher education, law, and medicine. For example, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange started as a market for farm products. Now, it trades global financial products. Other important industries are publishing and tourism.

Energy in Illinois

Illinois uses a lot of energy. It also produces a lot of electricity.

Coal Energy

Illinois has huge amounts of coal underground. However, this coal has a lot of sulfur. This can cause acid rain. So, special equipment is needed to burn it cleanly. Most coal from Illinois is sent to other states or countries.

Oil and Gas Energy

Illinois refines a lot of petroleum. But it has very little crude oil of its own. Most homes in Illinois use natural gas for heating.

Nuclear Power Energy

Byron Nuclear Generating Station in Ogle County, Illinois.

Nuclear power started in Illinois. The first nuclear reactor was built at the University of Chicago. Today, Illinois has six working nuclear power plants. It is number one in the nation for nuclear power capacity. Nuclear power makes up a large part of Illinois's electricity.

Wind Power Energy

Map showing wind power in Illinois.

Illinois is also using more wind power. Many areas in Illinois are good for wind farms. The state wants 25% of its electricity to come from renewable resources by 2025.

Biofuels Energy

Illinois is a top producer of corn. This corn is used to make ethanol. Ethanol is a type of fuel. The Archer Daniels Midland company in Decatur, Illinois, is a world leader in making ethanol from corn.

Taxes in Illinois

Illinois collects state income tax. This tax is a flat rate on income. The state also has a sales tax on most goods. Property taxes are collected by local governments. These taxes help fund schools and other local services. Chicago has one of the highest sales tax rates in the U.S. Illinois also has high property taxes.

There are also Toll roads in Illinois. These are roads where you pay a fee to drive. Illinois has many miles of toll roads.

Getting Around Illinois: Transportation

University of Illinois Willard Airport.

Illinois is a major crossroads for transportation. This is because of its central location. It has many ways to travel by air, car, train, and truck.

Airports in Illinois

Inside O'Hare International Airport.

O'Hare International Airport (ORD) in Chicago is one of the busiest airports in the world. It is a major hub for United Airlines and American Airlines. Midway Airport (MDW) is Chicago's second airport. It is also one of the busiest in the country.

Trains in Illinois

Illinois has a large network of passenger and freight trains. Chicago is a national hub for Amtrak passenger trains. Many North American railways meet in Chicago. This makes it the biggest rail hub in the country. The Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system provides train service in Chicago. Metra offers commuter train service to the suburbs.

The Mississippi River and Illinois River are also important for transportation. They help move farm products. Lake Michigan connects Illinois to the Atlantic Ocean through the Saint Lawrence Seaway.

Highways in Illinois

Illinois has many Interstate Highways. It has 13 primary interstates, more than any other state. Illinois also has the third most interstate mileage in the U.S.

Major Interstate highways include: I-24, I-39, I-41, I-55, I-57, I-64, I-70, I-72, I-74, I-80, I-88, I-90, and I-94.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) maintains the U.S. Highways in Illinois. There are 21 primary U.S. highways in the state.

Arts and Culture in Illinois

Museums and Zoos

Illinois has many museums. Most of them are in Chicago. Some of the best museums in the world are there. These include the John G. Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum of Natural History, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Adler Planetarium, and the Museum of Science and Industry.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield is very popular. The Illinois State Museum tells the story of Illinois life and art.

The Chicago area also has two zoos. The Brookfield Zoo is very large. The Lincoln Park Zoo is in Chicago's Lincoln Park.

Music Scene in Illinois

Joey Miskulin playing the accordion.

Chicago is a major center for music. It is where Chicago blues and house music were created. These music styles influenced many others, including rock and roll.

When many African Americans moved from the South, they brought jazz and blues music to Chicago. Famous blues artists include Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. Jazz greats include Nat King Cole and Benny Goodman. Chicago is also known for its soul music.

Learning in Illinois: Schools and Universities

Public Schools in Illinois

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) manages public education. Children aged 7–17 must go to school. Schools are usually divided into elementary, middle, and high school.

Colleges and Universities in Illinois

University of Chicago

Illinois has many colleges and universities. The University of Chicago is one of the top universities in the world. Its business school is also highly ranked. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is known for its engineering programs.

Other important universities include Northwestern University, Loyola University Chicago, and DePaul University. Illinois also has many community colleges.

How Schools are Paid For

Schools in Illinois are mainly funded by property taxes. This means taxes on land and buildings. There have been efforts to make school funding more fair.