Illinois State Almanac: Facts and Figures

Quick Facts, Figures, and Overview of the State of Illinois

Illinois is one of the East North Central states of the US. Illinois is the fifth most populous and twenty-fifth largest state in the entire United States. The state is a major transportation hub, boasting major US cities like Chicago and Springfield. It is bordered by Wisconsin to the north, Iowa and Missouri to the west, Kentucky to the south and Indiana to the east, and the Wabash and Ohio Rivers on the southeast and south. Illinois's name is Algonquin for "tribe of superior men"

The landscape of the country can be divided into three major regions : the Central Plains, The Shawnee Hills and the Gulf Coastal Plain.

Illinois was transformed into a leading manufacturing region in the late 19th century but continued as a major producer of farm commodities. Chicago, a great metropolis on Lake Michigan, is Illinois's principal economic and cultural center. Today, Illinois stands high in manufacturing, coal mining, agriculture, and oil production. The state's manufactures include food and agricultural products, transportation equipment, chemicals, industrial machinery, and computer equipment. The sprawling Chicago district (including a slice of Indiana) is a great iron and steel producer, meat packer, grain exchange, and railroad center. Chicago is also famous as a Great Lakes port.

Illinois is a leading producer of soybeans, corn, and hogs. Other agricultural commodities include cattle, wheat, oats, sorghum, and hay.