Illinois
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Capital: Springfield

State abbreviation/Postal code: Ill./IL

Governor: Patrick Quinn, D (to Jan. 2015)

Lieut. Governor: Sheila Simon, D (to Jan. 2015)

Senators: Richard J. Durbin, D (to Jan. 2015); Mark Kirk, R (to Jan. 2017)

U.S. Representatives: 19

Historical biographies of Congressional members

Atty. General: Lisa Madigan, D (to Jan. 2015)

Secy. of State: Jesse White, D (to Jan. 2015)

Treasurer: Dan Rutherford, R (to Jan. 2015)

Organized as territory: Feb. 3, 1809

Entered Union (rank): Dec. 3, 1818 (21)

Present constitution adopted: 1970

Motto: State sovereignty, national union

State symbols: flower violet (1908)
tree white oak (1973)
bird cardinal (1929)
animal white-tailed deer (1982)
fish bluegill (1987)
insect monarch butterfly (1975)
song “Illinois” (1925)
mineral fluorite (1965)


Nickname: Prairie State

Origin of name: Algonquin for “tribe of superior men”

10 largest cities (2005 est.): Chicago, 2,842,518; Aurora, 168,181; Rockford, 152,916; Naperville, 141,579; Joliet, 136,208; Springfield, 115,668; Peoria, 112,685; Elgin, 98,645; Waukegan, 91,396; Cicero, 82,741

Land area: 55,584 sq mi. (143,963 sq km)

Geographic center: In Logan Co., 28 mi. NE of Springfield

Number of counties: 102

Largest county by population and area: Cook, 5,303,683 (2005); McLean, 1,184 sq mi.

Public use areas: 186 (275,000 ac.), incl. state parks, memorials, forests and conservation areas

Residents: Illinoisan

2005 resident population est.: 12,763,371

2000 resident census population (rank): 12,419,293 (5). Male: 6,080,336 (49.0%); Female: 6,338,957 (51.0%). White: 9,125,471 (73.5%); Black: 1,876,875 (15.1%); American Indian: 31,006 (0.2%); Asian: 423,603 (3.4%); Other race: 722,712 (5.8%); Two or more races: 235,016 (1.9%); Hispanic/Latino: 1,530,262 (12.3%). 2000 percent population 18 and over: 73.9; 65 and over: 12.1; median age: 34.7.

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