Illinois is the 21st state in the United States. It is best known for its economic metropolis, Chicago. All background information and information on history, economy and geography.
- Illinois is located in one of the oldest industrial regions in the United States.
- The metropolis of Chicago is the third largest city in the USA.
- In the elections, the population in the US state went from swing state to a clear-cut electorate.
Springfield – The US state of Illinois takes its name from the Indian tribe of the Illinois. French settlers called them “Les Illinois” = “The Illinois” in their language. The English adopted this name and pronounced it in the way it is still used today.
The nickname Illinois is “Land of Lincoln” because US President Abraham Lincoln lived and is buried here.
- ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG: Overview of state Illinois, including major cities and most commonly used abbreviations of Illinois.
Illinois – Key facts about history and founding of the state
Before it was settled by the Europeans, Illinois was an Indian country with some high cultures. In 1673 the first visitors from France came to this part of the New World on an expedition.
The cornerstones of the history of this state:
- In 1712 Illinois became part of the French colony of Louisiana.
- In 1763 the French had to surrender Illinois to the English.
- In 1783, at the end of the War of Independence, the current US state was ceded by the British to the United States in the Treaty of Paris, where it formed part of the Northwest Territory.
- In 1809, Illinois became its own territory.
- December 3, 1818 which took place founded the 21st state of the US.
- An era with several Indian wars followed until the mid-1830s.
- In 1860, Abraham Lincoln, a lawyer from Illinois, became President of the United States, which gave the extremists of the southern states the decisive cause of secession from the Union.
- The American Civil War raged from 1861 to 1865, in which Illinois fought on the side of the Union states.
Illinois – geography and climate
Illinois is a US state in midwestern North America. The Mississippi borders it on northwest Iowa and southwest Missouri. To the southeast, the Ohio River is the natural border with Kentucky. Indiana is in east Illinois and Wisconsin in north.
Much of Illinois has a humid, continental climate with long, hot summers and freezing winters.
Illinois – major cities in this US state
The capital of Illinois is Springfield with around 112, 990 residents. According to COUNTRYAAH.COM, the most populous metropolis is Chicago, which, with 2, 694, 240 inhabitants, is the third largest city in the USA. The US state also has other influential cities such as:
- Aurora with 198, 870 inhabitants
- Naperville with 149, 196 inhabitants
- Joliet with 148, 227 inhabitants
- Rockford 145, 020 residents
Illinois and the Composition of the Population
The US state of Illinois has around 12, 802, 023 residents. The population consists of the following groups:
- 5 percent white
- 5 percent African American
- 3 percent Indians
- 6 percent of Americans of Asian origin
- 3 percent who belong to two or more groups
- 8 percent others
Illinois: Things worth knowing about the economy
Because of its fertile soil, Illinois thrives in large quantities of corn and soy. Therefore, the state belongs to the so-called “Corn Belt”, which stretches across the Midwest. After Iowa, Illinois is the United States’ largest supplier of corn.
Furthermore, Illinois is part of the “Rust Belt”, the oldest industrial region in the entire USA. Important sectors of the economy are:
- Iron and Steel Industry
- Meat and food processing
- IT area
- Lignite mining
Illinois and the Elections: Forecasts and Trends
The US state of Illinois has historically been considered a typical swing state, where both Democrats and Republicans had a good chance of winning.
However, since 1992 the Democrats have always been successful in the elections. The Democratic candidate Joe Biden was also able to win the 2020 primaries.
Illinois made headlines for corruption offenses. This included, for example, then Governor Rod Blagojevich in 2008, who had pledged to sell the vacant Senate seat of Barack Obama to the highest bidder.
