Illinois State Guide

Capital: Springfield

December 03, 1818 (21st state)

Named for the Illinois Indians, this state is known as the "Land of Lincoln," because it's where the 16th president was raised. Illinois became the 21st state on December 3, 1818, and its capital is Springfield. At the northern edge of the state on Lake Michigan is Chicago, the nation's third largest city. The state flower is the native violet.

Largest City- Chicago
Area - 57,918 square miles [Illinois is the 25th biggest state in the USA]
Population - 12,419,293 (as of 2000) [Illinois is the fifth most populous state in the USA, after California, New York, Texas, and Florida]
Major Industries - agriculture (corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, barley, rye, sorghum), cattle, manufacturing, mining
Presidential Birthplace - Ronald Wilson Reagan was born in Tampico on February 6, 1911 (he was the 40th US President, serving from 1981 to 1989)
Major Rivers - Mississippi River, Ohio River, Illinois River, Wabash River
Major Lakes - Lake Michigan, Rend Lake
Highest Point - Charles Mound - 1,235 feet (376 m) above sea level
Bordering States - Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin
Bordering Body of Water - Lake Michigan

Oldest US Community College -& nbsp; Joliet Junior College, established in 1901, is generally recognized as the oldest continuously operating community college.

Illinois Almanac: Facts and Figures, Economy, and Geography

• Almanac
• Economy
• Geography

Illinois College, Universities, and Schools

• Colleges and Universities
• Public Colleges
• Community Colleges
• Private Colleges & Independent Schools

Illinois Cities Colleges:

Illinois Financial and Insurance Services

• Credit Counseling
• Debt Consolidation
• Debt Management & Counseling
• Home Mortgages
• Insurance Companies

Illinois Home Services

• Heating & Cooling Services
• Home Improvements
• Lawn & Garden Services
• Security Services
• Termite & Pest Control

• Chicago, Window Treatments
• Evanston, Window Treatments

Illinois Media and Traffic Reports

• News & Headlines
• Newspapers
• Radio Stations
• Televisions
• Traffic Reports

Illinois History, Timelines, and Famous People

• First Inhabitants
• History
• Timeline
• Famous People
• State Facts

Illinois Counties

• Counties

Illinois Symbols

• State Symbols

• State Bird
• State Flag
• State Flower
• State Motto
• State Name
• State Seal
• State Song
• State Tree

Other Illinois Resources

• Missing Children
• CapitolImpact.com - Government Gateway
• lexisONE(R) - Legal Research
• Kaiser StateHealthFacts.org - Health Facts
• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
• Merriam-Webster's Atlas - Geography
• NACo - Counties
• National Park Guide
• State Home Page
• State Transportation Department