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Some Illinois Facts !
The name 'Illinois' comes from a Native American Indian word meaning 'tribe of
superior man'.
The state nickname is the 'Prairie State'.
Illinois became a state of the United States of America, on December 3rd, 1818.
Illinois was the 21st state to enter the Union.
Illinois is now the 6th most populous state in the US with almost 11.5 million people.
Chicago is the 3rd largest city in the United States. 
Illinois' favourite son is Ex-President Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the US,
the man
who supposedly preserved the UNION and abolished SLAVERY.
Illinois was the home of Ex-President Ulysses Grant, commander of the
Armies of the North, whose home is preserved in Gallena.
Illinois is the home of Jim Thompson, the 37th & longest serving governor of Illinois.
Illinois ranks 3rd in the nation in the number of Interstate highways mile.
Illinois has the 3rd largest College & University system in the United States after
California & New York.
Illinois owns the largest Public University Library. The 'University
of Illinois' library has the largest
public university collection in the world.
Illinois is amongst nations top 3 Public Universities : 'The University
of Illinois' is consistently
ranked alongside Ohio State and Wisconsin State as one of the nations top 3 overall education programs.
Illinois is the heart of America both geographically and culturally. As the hub of a vast transportation network, Illinois
is where East and West, North and South meet and mix. Big cities and small towns, quiet farms and heavy Industries are all
important parts of this midwest America. Illinois is predominantly a farming state and is considered the largest producer of
'corn and soyabeans' in the world.
Illinois is home to some of the best private Colleges & Universities in the United States, offering Graduate & Undergraduate
study. There are 123 such Colleges and Universities. Besides these, there are 49 Junior Community Colleges in Illinois, with
nearly 1 million students in attendance every year. There are 15 large Universities such as University of Chicago at Chicago;
'Chicago State University' at Chicago; De Paul University at Chicago; Northwestern University at Evanston; Governors State
University at Chicago; Roosevelt University, at Chicago; Illinois State University at Normal; Loyola University at Chicago;
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Northern Illinois University at Dekalb; Western Illinois University at Macomb;
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale; Eastern Illinois University at Charleston; Northeastern Illinois University at
Chicago; and Illinois Institute of Technology at Chicago;
'Springfield' is the capitol of Illinois. It is the center of the US. It is easy to get to by car, train, bus or aeroplane.
It is centrally located between Chicago and St.Louis. It is the center of Illinois politics and it is rich in midwestern
charm and historic tradition. Springfield, Illinois is also refered to as 'Land of Lincoln'.
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