Illinois Information
Illinois the 21st State toadmitted to the United States of America, is the
most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the
fifth most populous state in the nation.[6] 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 microcosm
of the United States; an Associated Press analysis of 21 demographic
factors found Illinois the "most average state", while Peoria has long
been a proverbial social and culturalbellwether.
Source Wiki