Illinois

Illinois (pronounced IL-i-NOY), the 21st state admitted to the United States, is the most populous and demographically diverse Midwestern state and the fifth most populous state in the US.

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 cultural bellwether.

The population of Illinois is 12.9 million. This makes it on the small side in EU terms, slightly bigger than Portugal, Hungary and Greece but noticeably smaller than the Netherlands - though also slightly bigger than Belgium if that is considered as a unitary state. Approximately 66% of the population of Illinois resides in the northeastern corner of the state, primarily within the city of Chicago and the surrounding area.

The capital of Illinois is Springfield but the largest city is Chicago.

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.

For more details see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois.

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