Illinois Almanac: Facts and Figures

Quick Facts and Figures on the State

Illinois Almanac furnishes quick facts and figures on the state, its geography, climate and weather, elevation, land area, bordering states, electoral votes, number of senators and representatives to the US Congress, and other statistical data. Use this almanac of Illinois for information on local issues, politics, events, celebrations, people and business pertaining to the state of Illinois that can be found online.

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Illinois is one of the East North Central states of the US. 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.

Illinois Almanac
Official Name	Illinois
Capital	Springfield
Nick Name	Prairie State
Motto	State sovereignty, national union
Location & Region	39.78143 N, 089.64465 W			Midwest
Constitution Ratified	1970
Statehood	December 03, 1818			21st state
Population	12,419,293	223.40 sq mi.		5th
Largest City (by population)	Chicago, Rockford, Aurora, Naperville, Peoria
Bordering States	North: Wisconsin North East: Lake Michigan East: Indiana (Wabash River forms part of the Eastern boundary) South: Kentucky (Ohio River forms the Southern boundary) West: Missouri and Iowa (Mississippi River forms the Western boundary)
Number of Counties	102 Counties in Illinois
Largest County (by population)	Cook County	5,376,741		946 sq mi.
Electoral Votes	21 (as of the 2004 Presidential Election)
US Congress	2 Senators; 20 Representatives (19 Representatives as of the 2002 election)
Time Zone	Central Standard Time
Illinois Climate and Weather
Illinois has four distinct seasons, ranging from cold winters to hot, somewhat humid summers. By far the best time to visit is May-October, when temperatures are mild and fairly predictable. In winter, temperatures may vary as much as 20 degrees F/11 C in an hour, and the wind can make very cold temperatures even colder -- and more dangerous (dress very warmly if you're visiting then). Northern Illinois averages 25 F/-4 C in January, 75 F/24 C in July. Southern Illinois averages 36 F/2 C in January and 79 F/26 C in July. Central Illinois gets more than its share of ice storms during the winter and tornadoes during spring and summer. The Chicago area within 3 mi/5 km of Lake Michigan tends to get much more snow than the rest of the city because of the "lake effect."
Highest Temperature	117 degrees July 14, 1954 - East St. Louis
Lowest Temperature	-36 degrees January 5, 1999 - Congerville
Avg Temp: High - Low	87.1 degrees		9.8 degrees
Illinois Highest, Lowest, and Mean Elevations (Feet)
Mean Elevation	600
Highest Point	Charles Mound			1,235
Lowest Point	Mississippi River			279
Illinois Land Area (Square Miles)
Geographic Center
Total Area	57,914.38			25th
Land Area	55,583.58			95.98%
Water Area	2,330.79			4.02%
Forested Land Area			12.1%
Dimensions (Length - Width)	390 miles		210 miles
Source:(US Census, April 1, 2000)

Almanac Online

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Almanac: Facts and Figures

The origin of the almanac can be traced back to ancient Babylonian astronomy, when tables of planetary periods were produced in order to predict lunar and planetary phenomena.

Modern almanacs include a comprehensive presentation of statistical and descriptive data.