ILLINOIS

Illinois, a Great Lakes State nestled in the northern reaches of the Midwestern United States, is the home to many things symbolic of America: Abraham Lincoln, amber waves of grain, and the hardest working city in America: Chicago. Whether you go there for an idyllic country life or the hustle and bustle of the third largest city in the United States, Illinois is a great place to live.

Because it sits on Lake Michigan and has the Mississippi and many other major American rivers coursing through it, Illinois, particularly Chicago, quickly became a major industrial and transportation hub for the United States. Early in the country´s history, Illinois became an industrial and agricultural powerhouse, and those two sectors are a major part of its economy today. Agricultural outputs include soybeans, wheat, hogs, cattle, corn and dairy products. Industrial outputs include machinery, food processing, electrical equipment, chemical products, fabricated metal products and transportation equipment. The rugged southern part of the state produces coal and does most of the petroleum refining in the Midwest, but those aren´t the state´s only energy products. Illinois also ranks first in its capacity for producing nuclear energy, and the country´s first self-sustaining nuclear reactor is located in Chicago. O´Hare International Airport is one of the busiest in the world and serves as the hub for United and American Airlines. Chicago is also the national hub for the Amtrak rail system. Chicago is a financial, cultural, publishing, educational and transportation center.

Most of Illinois´ population is located in the Chicagoland metropolitan area, which is so large that it includes parts of Illinois and Indiana. There are over 9 million people in this area; two out of three Illinois residents live here. Cook County, which contains the City of Chicago proper, has over 5.3 million residents. It is the most densely-populated county in the United States. Chicago is not only known for its size, but its incredible ethnic diversity. Chicago has a large black population due to the northern exodus of southern blacks in the early and mid 20^th century, but it is also known for the size and vibrancy of its Italian, Polish, Irish, German and many Eastern European communities.

With a city the size of Chicago, boredom is never an issue. Chicago fields championship teams in all four of the major sports, and Sports Illustrated Magazine named it the 2006 Best Sports City in America. Chicago´s music scene is renowned, particularly among blues and jazz aficionados, as is its restaurant scene. Chicago is home to the Art Institute of Chicago, with its large installations of classic works by Monet and other impressionists, and its many modern art galleries. Other noted museums and cultural attractions include the Shedd Aquarium, the Adler Planetarium and the Field Museum of Natural History. Millennium Park, in the heart of the city, houses a large amphitheatre for concerts and permanent and rotating public art displays by world famous artists. Architecture buffs flock to Chicago to take in the beautifully-structured buildings that make up its famed skyline. Chicago has a vibrant theater scene, but is perhaps more famous for its comedians. The city is a comedic hotspot, having birthed improvisational comedy with its famous Second City improvisational troupe. Some of the smartest and hottest comedians today are veterans of the troupe including Steve Carell, Steven Colbert, Tina Fey, Neil Flynn and Andy Richter.